Log in to see your favorites.

Log In
Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

Series

Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

Sarah Young

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.

Channels

Share

Older episodes

  1. 361God’s Promises Can Lift Us Up in Times of Darkness: Tom Schueman & Alli PattersonIn life, we can't escape adversity; we are bound to end up with some bumps and bruises. Maybe it’s because of rough beginnings, difficult relationships with loved ones, or unexpected circumstances that inevitably come our way.  Having faith in God doesn't mean you won’t face challenges and difficulties. Instead, it means we can know that we won't have to face those battles alone. Like the apostle Paul, who called upon God and rejoiced while being imprisoned, he constantly tried to find the blessing during the pain of being captive. Through his example, we can see that when we put our trust in God and focus on gratitude, we’ll find strength to get through the rockier times of our lives.  Our guests this week have each faced significant trials, and chose to trust God during those times. Each of them found that facing negative experiences in this way equipped them with the tools to face future challenges in a healthier way. Marine Veteran Tom Schueman, who served in one of the bloodiest battles of the war in Afghanistan, opens up about staring death in the face daily, and how reading the Psalms reminded him that he wasn’t alone. Teaching pastor Alli Patterson thought she had life figured out at an early age. She did all the “right” things, but quickly discovered early on in her career and her marriage that there were cracks in the foundation she’d carefully laid—and found herself searching for solace outside of her marriage. It was in the dark hours of almost losing everything that she left her future in God’s hands, giving her the courage to try to restore what had been broken.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Max Lucado Upcoming interview: Fox and Rob Richardson   Tom Schueman Psalms G.I. Joe  Apocalypse Now  9/11 Always Faithful   Alli Patterson Crossroads Church  www.allipatterson.com How to Stay Standing: 3 Essential Practices for Building a Faith That Lasts   Interview Quotes: “It was my experience in combat where everything bad is happening all the time and you just have to figure out what you're going to do with two bad options. You know, it's a series of unfortunate events. And you have to make the best of all these unfortunate events.” - Tom Schueman “I was never alone and I was never abandoned…In the midst of the violence, in the midst of the death that was abounding all around me, I still had something good that I could hold on to. And I don't think I'd make it through those periods in my life without [faith].” - Tom Schueman “How can we be more resilient? How can we recover from these things? How can we get to a place where we have gratitude for adversity and say, ‘This adversity shaped me and made me a better man?’” - Tom Schueman “You can take Paul as such a great example of the ability to be persecuted but still to rejoice. And I think that's something worth studying and trying to incorporate.” - Tom Schueman “I started to see that maybe there were some things that weren't strong at the very foundation of my life. I started to see cracks in my ability to manage conflict, to tell the truth in all circumstances, to create relationships with people that were really different from me. I just saw that some things in my life—there were weak places, there were shifting sands under what I had built.” - Alli Patterson “I said, ‘I want to be who you made me to be. I want a real life. I want a real marriage. I want a real relationship with you. And I've ruined it all. Break me. Come get me.’ And new life really began when I just kept walking that direction, no matter what it cost me.” - Alli Patterson “I think I felt a sense that God was angry with me or disapproved of me before I actually started talking to Him. When it's in the dark and in the quiet, we can tell ourselves these stories. And definitely my story was, ‘You're a terrible person, you're a terrible wife, you're a terrible friend, you're a terrible employee.’ And I heard these loud, awful accusations all the time. But as soon as I began to actually engage God, as soon as I actually went to Him, surprisingly, He broke through that.” - Alli Patterson “When I encounter someone today that needs desperately to know you are not your worst moment, you are not your darkest hour, you are not your greatest sin, the only thing that I have to offer them is to be honest about my own story.” - Alli Patterson ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.20 min
  2. 362[BONUS] Refuge from the Deadly Buffalo, NY Blizzard: Pastors Al & Vivian RobinsonWhen a blizzard struck western New York just before this past Christmas, pastors Al & Vivian Robinson were expecting the usual winter storm they’re used to living in Buffalo. But when their town of Lovejoy lost power and neighbors started getting stranded, Vivian felt God calling her to open their church, the Spirit of Truth Urban Ministry, to help shelter, feed, and tend to the masses. With rescue efforts underway, and small miracles piling on top of one another, Al & Vivian experienced the love of God operating in a way so powerful, so moving, that it still brings them to tears when they reflect back on the 6 days they spent ministering to those in need.    Quotes “Lovejoy lost all electrical power, but our church did not lose power. And I distinctively looked at my wife and I said, ‘Vivian, why would the Lord let us have electricity while everybody around us has no electricity?’ And then within about 10 hours, we found out exactly why.” - Al Robinson  “That first group of people that came here, the wailing and crying and shrilling, it was terrible. And that's when you began to understand the gravity of what is going on. This isn't a traditional Buffalo snowstorm, it’s far more sinister than that.” - Al Robinson  “It was just incredible how how the the spirit of the Lord in my wife was vibrating with the people around them where they just fell in sync with what she was doing, what what she was telling them to do, how she was orchestrating things, how she was making things up a structured at this church. It was wonderful.” - Al Robinson  “Neighbors started bringing food out of their freezers so that we could feed the masses. It was literally a two loaves and five fish moment.” - Al Robinson  “This is nothing new to us when it comes to serving God's people. And when people are in need, we go over and above to make sure we're taking care of individuals and we make the sacrifices that God has given us to go out there to get the people that needs our help. And that's what we have been designed to do.” - Vivian Robinson  “God gave us this building. He gave us our lives. He gave us our health. He gave us our money. So in our opinion, everything we have already belongs to God. And so if God asks us to do something with what's His, we have absolutely no problem doing it. My life isn’t my own.” - Al Robinson “It is a privilege I hold in high esteem that the Lord would pick His humble servants here in Lovejoy to be a part of an operation that saved the lives of 154 people during the most catastrophic storm known in the history of Buffalo, New York.” - Al Robinson “I was just grateful and thankful that God had used His humble people just to say yes to the call and that we had the opportunity to love on these people and to see each and every last one of these lives that God allowed us to save.” - Vivian Robinson   LinksSpirit of Truth Urban Ministry La Verdad Cafe  ________________________  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.16 min
  3. 363Believing God’s Got Our Future in His Hands: Fox and Rob Richardson & Tanya RadWhen we make plans for the future, we often want God to sign on the dotted line and agree to everything we’ve laid out. Yet when those plans fail, we find ourselves turning to God as a last resort. And as our guests this week will attest, He is faithful to lead us back to a path that we’re meant to follow, whether we realized it or not. Fox and Rob Richardson, a couple from Shreveport, Louisiana, open up about the act of desperation that led to their incarceration, and what happened to their lives and the lives of their family in the process. Tanya Rad is the author of The Sunshine Mind and host of KIIS FM's On Air with Ryan Seacrest. She shares about the crippling anxiety she experienced over fear of the future, and how putting her trust in God allowed her to find peace in the midst of the unknown.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Tim Brown Upcoming interview: Terry Bradshaw   Fox and Rob Richardson Rich Family Ministries www.foxandrob.com Time: The Untold Story of the Love That Held Us Together When Incarceration Kept Us Apart   Tanya Rad  The Sunshine Mind  KIIS FM's On Air with Ryan Seacrest Serbian Orthodox church  Jason Kennedy   Interview Quotes: “To be free is to free others.” - Rob Richardson “There are moments you think you've got everything all figured out and that life is moving in the direction that you dreamed of, and then in just one second, everything changes for you. ” - Fox Richardson “I believed that there was something that was operating inside of me and around me that would guide me and protect me and keep me safe.” - Rob Richardson “God, if I'm still here, it’s for a reason. You created this life. I did not create this life. And if you have given it to me, even with the decisions—the foul decisions I have made—I am going to see this through.” - Fox Richardson “Family is everything and everything is family. . . . We had love and each other. And nothing in this life is going to top that.” - Fox Richardson “I think that long before Rob and I ever got outside of prison, God had set us free on the inside.” - Fox Richardson “What gets me out of these moments of anxiety and stress is knowing there is always this bigger picture that God has. He knows the plans He has for me.” - Tanya Rad “Whenever I do find myself getting stressed or anxious about things, I always kind of ultimately come back to that notion of like, God's got me. It's in His timing. “ - Tanya Rad “We were meant to be in community and helping others.” - Tanya Rad “I think that finding joy in your reality is what leads to a peaceful, happy life.” - Tanya Rad ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.25 min
  4. 364[MONTHLY SERIES] Jesus Listens Stories of Serving God During The What Ifs: Walter Hooker & Andy KaupOn this episode of Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer, we’re talking to two co-pastors whose lives intersected in a way that would have a forever kind of impact: Walter Hooker and Andy Kaup from Bellevue Christian Center in Bellevue, Nebraska. Walter worked at their church for many years, and knew Andy as a kid. When Andy became an adult, he decided to go into ministry. When a job for lead pastor came up, Walter and Andy were the top candidates. Andy was chosen for the position, and though Walter could have chosen to be resentful of the choice, he showed up fully to support Andy as lead pastor. Fast forward a few months later and Walter would find himself reaching a crossroads in his health after years long struggle. His prayers for healing were answered in a very unexpected, and personal way through his friend and co-pastor Andy, in this amazing testimony to the power of prayer and how God can bring good out of complicated situations.  Guest’s Links Bellevue Christian Center YouTube Facebook: @bellevuechristian.ne Instagram: @bellevuechristian.ne ________________________  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.23 min
  5. 365Every Shadow Has A Gift: Terry Bradshaw and Toni CollierWhen we’re going through a particularly tough time in life, we might find ourselves shaking our fists in the air and asking, “Why God? Why this, why me?” But what we night not realize is that God knows the answer to our questions, and though it may not be clear to us now what meaning that time of pain or struggle had in our lives, we have to trust that God is with us as we work through it, and that He’s got something greater for us on the other side of it.    Our guests this week will admit they’ve had disappointments, failures, and missed opportunities. But they both acknowledge that when they’ve been through painful experiences, they can look back and see how far they’ve come and what they learned toward creating a better future for themselves, and others. We’re talking with Hall of Fame Pro NFL football player and co-host of The NFL on Fox, Terry Bradshaw, plus author and founder of the non-profit Broken Crayons Still Color, which helps people deal with trauma and abuse, Toni Collier.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Upcoming interview: Jimmy and Irene Rollins    Terry Bradshaw FOX NFL Sunday Pittsburgh Steelers ADD [Attention Deficit Disorder]  Louisiana Tech Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Grapevine bladder cancer Merkel Cell cancer   Toni Collier Broken Crayons Still Color Parentification Psalms Brave Enough to Be Broken   Interview Quotes: “Going to Louisiana Tech, not passing the ACT, I'll just say was all a part of His plan for me. It all worked out—I ended up going into the Hall of Fame, ended up winning the Super Bowl.” - Terry Bradshaw “It's okay to not view yourself as perfect. The fact that we can acknowledge our imperfections is good, that we seek a love and forgiveness from God, which He promised to give us if we ask for forgiveness. That’s like the greatest message ever, knowing that I can be forgiven of my sins.” - Terry Bradshaw “I hear people talk about miracles all the time. I'm not a big miracle guy because miracles come at God's pace, not my pace. I don't like to wear God out.” - Terry Bradshaw “I grew up way too fast, thought I was like a little adult at thirteen. And it just kind of opened up the really this unprotected state from the enemy just to come in and steal so much of my childhood and the light that God was really trying to put in it.” - Toni Collier “If we really do believe that God is a redeemer, then we also believe that He can redeem relationships. He can redeem the time that was lost in relationships.” - Toni Collier “[I] rebuilt my entire life by just believing that my brokenness and everything I had gone through didn't discount me. That God still had a real great plan and a purpose for me.” - Toni Collier “In my moments of pleading is when I felt the presence of God the most.” - Toni Collier “I think what someone needs to hear today is; maybe it's not the grief and the pain and the betrayal and the abandonment that takes you out, but the belief that you would have to feel it all alone. And you do not. We do not, because we have a God that's with us.” - Toni Collier ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.27 min
  6. 366Our Pain Is Not Meant to Be Carried Alone: Jimmy and Irene Rollins & Rebecca McLaughlinWhen we think about our problems, it can sometimes look like things are only happening to us. Our struggles may appear one-sided or like God has left us to deal with it on our own. But when we draw near to God, He plants people in our lives to show us that our pain is not meant to be carried alone. And when He does that, we have a comforting reminder of a God who will never leave us nor forsake us.  Pastors Jimmy and Irene Rollins have a passion to reach all people for God, no matter their background, ethnicity, or life circumstances. As they dreamed of building a diverse congregation, the stress of being leaders of a growing church began to negatively impact them both, and Irene took to coping with alcohol. They share how together, they faced her addiction and the problems that made it come to a head. Author of Confronting Christianity Rebecca McLaughlin shares why it’s important to encourage young people to dig into the Word of God. She believes that reading the Bible with her children and helping them work through their questions helps them make sense of their faith, and also teaches them a way to live that is steeped in compassion for others.     Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Deb Liu Upcoming interview: Luke Weaver   Jimmy and Irene Rollins Two Equals One Great Commission Alcoholism  Romans 8:28 NIV PTSD [Post-traumatic Stress Disorder]  www.twoequalsone.com Love Outside the Lines  Reframe Your Shame   Rebecca McLaughlin  Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World's Largest Religion  10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask (and Answer) about Christianity Cambridge University Veritas Forum Harvard University Yale University  University of Oxford www.rebeccamclaughlin.org  Exploring the Earliest Gospel: A Kids Bible Study on Jesus and His Good News   Interview Quotes: “We felt like God put on our hearts that if we were going to reach a diverse city, we were going to have to have a diverse church.” - Jimmy Rollins “We got accountability that helped us get to the space of needing to get healthy and to get help. And then as we began to get healthy, we stopped doing the dance of shaming one another and judging one another. And we started to embrace the fact that we both needed grace.” - Jimmy Rollins “We began to look at addiction as not something that I was doing to Jimmy, but rather something I was doing to really medicate pain. And as we began to develop new ways of communication, new ways of embracing pain and grief. We began to approach healing and we did it together.” - Irene Rollins “Connecting with God on a daily basis, a moment-by-moment basis, was a lifeline for me in the beginning of my recovery. And as a leader, as a mother, as a child of God, it is my lifeline still. It was a non-negotiable and still is in my recovery journey.” - Irene Rollins “Divorce has no color. Alcoholism has no socioeconomic temperature. Grief is colorblind. And what we've discovered is that as we begin to stay transparent with our story, as we begin to steward the path of where we are to this greater purpose, pain has been the unifier.” - Jimmy Rollins “It seemed like Jesus provided the most satisfying way of looking at the world, the most satisfying way of understanding my relationships, my intellectual life, my personal life. And I just never looked back from that point.” - Rebecca McLaughlin “Every seeming roadblock to faith in Jesus, when you look more closely, becomes a signpost.” - Rebecca McLaughlin ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.25 min
  7. 367God Is There, Even At Your Breaking Point: Luke Weaver and Talaat & Tai McNeelyLife throws a lot of stuff our way, both good and bad. But have you ever found yourself at that wall when you know that if one more thing comes your way you’re going to explode? We don’t fully understand why God allows us to reach those breaking point moments, but we can know that He loves us and we can trust that He is a refuge from the worst of storms in our life.  Luke Weaver is a newly-signed pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds, after recently playing for the Kansas City Royals. Luke got attention beyond his athletic talents in the league for the special glove he wears designed to look like an old-school Bible. It reminds him of God’s promise to stand by him in any situation. Talaat and Tai McNeely are a married couple who faced a fork in the road when Talaat came clean about his less-than-ideal financial situation just before they were married—and how they had to rebuild trust with each other in their understanding and communication, and now, how they help others facing the same mountain.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Janine Urbaniak Reid Upcoming interview: Sister Jean Schmidt   Luke Weaver  Florida State University Major League Baseball Adam Wainwright Tommy John injury subscap capsule Bible Glove   Talaat and Tai McNeely His and Her Money   Interview Quotes: “Every ballpark came with new feelings and new moments and taking pictures and just really soaking it up, along with facing guys that you've watched on TV for so long. And you just kind of add all that in together and then you're just like, Man, this is really cool.” - Luke Weaver “There’s these moments where it's like I'm being challenged, but God won't let me get to the breaking point.” - Luke Weaver “God's really doing a lot in my life right now.” - Luke Weaver “I'm proud of the words that were able to flow through me. I'm proud of the way I can handle these situations because I know the long term effect is much more impactful, not only for me, but hopefully for the person across the room and how they handle things going forward with other players or with other moments.” - Luke Weaver “It got to the point where the mess that I was trying to clean up on my own silently, the plan wasn't working because God wasn't going to allow it to work because we couldn't build the foundation that we were about to embark on with the lie. And so really, I was backed into a corner.” - Talaat McNeely “It took a lot of prayer and a whole lot of conversation for us to come back together and walk down that aisle and continue to move forward with our lives together after the truth of the situation came out.” - Talaat McNeely “I went to God in prayer. I involved the Lord in our decision making. “Lord, what should I do? How should I walk this out?” And then once God began to deal with my heart, I was able to embrace the journey.” - Tai McNeely “We began to dream really, really big and ambitiously, as though the God of the universe that we serve could do anything.” - Talaat McNeely “If you take the time to dream and give yourself concrete goals and benchmarks that you're trying to hit, the hard work becomes less hard because you know that the progress that you're making is actually leading you somewhere.” - Talaat McNeely “If He allowed me to overcome this mountain, there are some other mountains that He can help me with as well.” - Talaat McNeely “With God, all things are possible. So it starts with your level of faith, not in yourself, not in your talent, skills, or ability, but your level of faith and the faithfulness of the God that you serve. He doesn't want you to be bound. He doesn't want you to be shackled. He doesn't want you to be full of anxiety about your finances. He wants you to be free. But there is work that you have to do.” - Talaat McNeely ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.27 min
  8. 368[MONTHLY SERIES] It’s Okay To Get It Wrong: Stephen MillerOn this episode of Jesus Listens: Stories of Faith, we’re talking with creator, entrepreneur, and father of nine Stephen Miller about the joys and challenges that come with raising children, and what Stephen’s prayers looked like during a particularly hard season.   Guest’s Links Facebook: @themillerfam Twitter: @TheMillerFam2 Instagram: @THEMILLERFAM ________________________  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.23 min
  9. 369Life’s Changes Are Inevitable, God’s Love Is Forever: Sister Jean Schmidt and Tara SunChange is constant in life. Sometimes the wave of change runs its course over your life slowly, and sometimes change creates a 180-degree turn in a moment’s notice. Whatever the circumstances, learning to be adaptable and trusting that God is in the middle with us during those changes is key to us navigating life’s turnarounds. Sister Jean Schmidt was ready to retire from her role as an educator at Loyola University when she was 75 years old. But God had different plans—and Jean was called to stay on in a role to help student athletes keep their grades up. This evolved into a position as team chaplain for the men’s basketball team, which led to her renown as the “basketball nun” who accompanied the team on their improbable road to the Final Four. Now at 103 years of age, Sister Jean shares her story and her great purpose in life which is to serve God, be faithful to Him and to help people, no matter how much that impacts where she “thought” she would be at this stage in life. Tara Sun had a plan for her life—med school, marriage, and then ministering to her community. At a very young age, though, Tara’s life took a major turn with an unusual medical diagnosis. She had to reframe her entire life as she dealt with her illness. What she discovered at this time became the focus of her writing and the message she wants to share with others.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Meg Apperson Upcoming interview: Erica Campbell   Sister Jean Schmidt  Loyola University Final Four Great Depression Bob Hope Linda and Tony Hope USC Kezar Stadium  Notre Dame NCAA  Title IX March Madness Donte Ingram  Clayton Custer Wake Up with Purpose: What I’ve Learned in My First Hundred Years   Tara Sun Fibromyalgia Matthew 11 NIV Surrender Your Story   Interview Quotes: “Having a sense of humor is part of life. I think one has to enjoy life, and I do. I have a lot of fun.” - Sister Jean “In my early days of teaching there was no connection [for girls] with sports because boys had most of the attention at that time. But then as things grew and women were getting their place in sports, it showed that these women can do many things that men can do." - Sister Jean “Don't let anybody ever spoil your dream. Do whatever you can to fulfill that dream and take the steps necessary to do that. If the dream is not for you, you'll find out.” - Sister Jean “That's my great purpose in life, is to serve God and to be faithful to Him and to help people, to do my very best in that and to just know that I enjoyed life and I continue to do that. I've had a good life so far, 103 years.“ - Sister Jean “It's really cool how I used that because looking back, I just didn't think much of it. But now I can see how God used that love for writing. It is really awesome to see it now because I would have not told you this is how things would have played out.” - Tara Sun “There were so many times that I dwelled on my circumstances in self-pity, and I even got bitter and frustrated with God because things weren't going my way. This wasn't a part of the plan.” - Tara Sun “When that diagnosis came and the rest of my life started unfolding, I realized I'm not in control. And that's actually okay, God had something better for me. He just took me completely off of path and completely on a different blueprint than I could have ever come up with on my own. So that's when I had to learn to surrender my story and instead trust where God was leading.” - Tara Sun “God is still good even when your circumstances are not…your weakness is a beautiful testimony for His strength. Just imagine what God may have you do and the lives He may have you change through sharing your stories of illness and weakness.” - Tara Sun “We burden ourselves when we try to grasp control instead of surrender.” - Tara Sun ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.32 min
  10. 370Created on Purpose, For God’s Purpose: Erica Campbell and Crystal PaineMaybe one of the most beautiful and affirming passages in the Bible are words written by David in Psalm 139: “My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all are written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.” (Psalm 139:15-16). Whenever we wonder what we’re doing with our lives or when we’re wading through a new difficulty, we can know that we were lovingly created on purpose by God to live out a purpose that it could take us our whole lives to discover. Even when our lives seem to be in shambles, we can live in the truth that we’re made by Him for so much more, and He is constantly pointing us toward our ultimate destiny. GRAMMY winning gospel artist Erica Campbell had success from an early age as a singer, but still struggled with whether or not she was enough to carry out God’s purpose. Writer and mother of six Crystal Paine shares how a difficult period of her life influenced how she guides others to make order of their similarly messy lives.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Emily Chang Upcoming interview: James Patterson Psalm 139:15-16 NIV   Erica Campbell Evangelistic Church of God in Christ  Columbia Records “A Little More Jesus” “Positive”   Crystal Paine  MoneySavingMom.com IVF foster parents DCS [Department of Children’s Services]  reunification The Time-Saving Mom   Interview Quotes: “A lot of times when God gives you something amazing, the work is the tough part, but the work is where you learn who you are. The work is where you learn who God is, your ability to endure.” - Erica Campbell “Once I learned to accept who I am and make the best of who I am and what I am, He gave me everything I need to be everything I need.” - Erica Campbell “There is no error in His creation. And then also there's no error in you. If He didn't make a mistake, then I can't be a mistake. If He knows what He's doing and He's an intentional God, then there's not something I'm missing. I don't have to take something away to be what He wants me to be. It's all inside.” - Erica Campbell “God was allowing me to learn how to stand on my own two feet.” - Erica Campbell “When I am worrying, when I am feeling stressed, when I am feeling frustrated, it's usually an indication that I'm not resting in the Lord, that I'm trying to micromanage and control my life on my own instead of recognizing how much I have been given in Jesus.” - Crystal Paine “I want to live from a posture of prayer, of understanding that all I have and all I am is because of Jesus and leaning on Him and relying upon Him and looking to Him and recognizing that I cannot do this life well in my own strength.” - Crystal Paine ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.23 min
  11. 371Look for the Helpers God Sends Our Way: James Patterson, Luke Sherman, & Rachel Faulkner BrownAs we figure out how to navigate the various things that life puts in front of us, we may question whether we’re always doing the right thing. When we don’t know what to do, it’s good to remember what Jesus says that can help put us on the right path: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” [John 13:34] “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” [John 15:13] Some people do literally lay down their lives on a daily basis for others. But the rest of us can choose to lay down our lives and love extravagantly in smaller, every-day living type ways. Those moments when we go out of our way to help someone in need are always something we can know is the right way to go.  James Patterson is considered the world’s bestselling author, and he’s the creator of beloved, enduring fictional characters like Alex Cross, Michael Bennett, and is also known for his critically-acclaimed narrative nonfiction, including works like Walk In My Combat Boots, and E.R. Nurses. When James started writing his new book, Walk the Blue Line, he was astounded, despite recent events that reflect poor choices by police officers, by the good so many other police officers are doing out there, and the challenges they face each time they put on their uniform. Luke Sherman, a former police officer, has experienced thirty years of some of the scariest situations imaginable. Now, he’s taken a new role at the nonprofit organization Folds of Honor, founded by Dan Rooney, and has helped expand their scholarship program from military families to also include the families of America’s first responders. Rachel Faulkner Brown is a gold star wife whose children were scholarship recipients from Folds of Honor, and now as one of the organization’s speakers, Rachel shares how she is passionate to help the families of first responders move from tragedy to hope for the future.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Gary Sinise Upcoming interview: Nazareth John 13:34 NIV John 15:13 NIV   James Patterson  Walk In My Combat Boots E.R. Nurses Dolly Parton Along Came a Spider Kiss the Girls Vanderbilt in Nashville, TN Edgar® Award Matt Eversmann Black Hawk Down Walk the Blue Line St. Patrick's Cathedral www.jamespatterson.com   Luke Sherman Rachel Faulkner Brown Folds of Honor Dan Rooney Be Still Ministries Never Alone Widows World War II Naval Air Station New Orleans Genesis 50:20 NIV Revelation 12:11 NIV Tulsa Police Department www.foldsofhonor.org   Interview Quotes: “I don't expect things to come to me, and I'm grateful when they do.” - James Patterson “What can we do that's the most valuable to everybody else and to ourselves and to our own family?” - James Patterson “These policemen and women, they really need your prayers too. They need them every day.” - James Patterson “Now, more than ever in my lifetime, people just need to go somewhere where they can be at peace and believe that somehow it's all going to turn out in a good way, you know? And the crazy thing [is] the truth will set you free. I think it does.” - James Patterson “Education can never be taken away from us. There are very few things in this world that can't be taken away, and that is definitely one of them, which is why I'm so passionate about having a good education for my children and any other child, because I do think it is the gift that never stops giving.“ - Rachel Faulkner Brown “I look back and I'm like, Oh, my gosh, what You have done with something the enemy meant to take me out, honestly, to take out me and my children. Look what God has done and flipped it on its head and said, ‘Don't worry, Rachel, I've got people that are going to take care of you and your little children, just like Joseph told his own brothers.’” - Rachel Faulkner Brown “The work that you do sometimes you don't see the results of. But if it's done with good intentions and the foundation of our faith behind it, it'll change lives. It'll bring mountains down.” - Luke Sherman “Everybody has fear. But what are we going to do? Because there's something more important. And from every crisis and tragedy, I think there's an opportunity.” - Luke Sherman  ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.32 min
  12. 372Give and Get Joy By Asking for Help: Nazareth and Michele CushattAre you one of those people who finds it hard to ask others for help? Though we might find ourselves facing things alone or maybe we just want to tough it out and not burden anyone else with our problems, we should remember when we ask for help—including help from God—we honor those in whom we place our trust—giving them a chance to joyfully give of themselves to support us in whatever we’re facing.  Our guests this week each had moments in their life where they had to face that they couldn’t rely only on their own strength, they needed help to overcome the problems in front of them. Nazareth is a Christian comedian who actively looks to bring laughter to places all over the world that need it most. Michele Cushatt is an author and speaker who knows the lonely places of suffering and is passionate about sharing ways to find joy on the other side.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Tammy Bullock Upcoming interview: Andrea Bocelli   Nazareth Subway Muhammad Ali Comedy Store The Improv www.nazarethusa.com   Michele Cushatt  ENT doctor squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue A Faith That Will Not Fail: 10 Practices to Build up Your Faith when Your World is Falling Apart   Interview Quotes: “I'm going, Wow, I didn't know I can push myself to do that. And I asked myself the question, What do I want to do in life that if I never get paid for it, I will still do it to the best of my ability? I loved seeing people laugh. So I said, ‘This is what I want to do.’” - Nazareth  “I sat there [in church] and I don't know what the message was about, but I heard that God loves me. I can come as I am. I don't have to fix myself. And that He has a plan for my life.” - Nazareth “The Holy Spirit gave me the go-ahead to become an evangelist, to bring people to Christ through comedy, to encourage believers.” - Nazareth “I started going to places where it's going to be a tough audience. Prison would be a tough audience. How about IRS agents? How about homeless shelters? I want to go where laughter is needed.” - Nazareth “The doctors told me clearly, ‘We threw everything but the kitchen sink at you in the hopes of maybe saving your life.’ But in the process, I almost died.“ - Michele Cushatt “Honestly I didn't know a human being could endure that much physical suffering and still survive.” - Michele Cushatt “What do you do with your faith in a God who doesn't always behave the way that you expect Him to?” - Michele Cushatt “He takes the things that look like our biggest devastation and somehow, by some miracle of grace, He goes, ‘I know you think this is going to destroy you. I'm actually going to use it to save you.’” - Michele Cushatt “I cannot deny how many sweet moments and sweet conversations and sweet experiences and relationships have come not in spite of my suffering, but as a direct result of it.” - Michele Cushatt “Lament is as much a part of worship as praise is.” - Michele Cushatt “Even if you have nothing to give, God still has everything to give you. He didn't come and save you because you were so strong and faithful. He came and saved you because He loves you, and that's enough.“ - Michele Cushatt ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.28 min
  13. 373[MONTHLY SERIES] Dad, How Do I Pray? With YouTuber Rob KenneyOn this special monthly episode of Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer, hosted by Susie McEntire, we’re talking with YouTuber Rob Kenney, the man behind the “Dad, How Do I?” Channel that provides encouragement, practical advice, and tips to anyone who might not have a key parental figure in their lives. Rob’s made all kinds of knowledge accessible as the “Internet Dad,” In this episode, he shares the story of how he started this channel, why it’s important to him to provide a place that people can go for advice and encouragement, and a few tips on how to strengthen your relationship to God through prayer.  Guest’s Links Facebook: @dadhowdoi Instagram: @dadhowdoi ________________________  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.13 min
  14. 374Taking a Journey Back to Move Forward: Andrea Bocelli & Debra FiletaAs human beings, we’re all on an individual journey, a walk that is all our own. Perhaps you grew up in a family of faith that laid the groundwork for the beliefs you have today, or perhaps you discovered your faith later and can mark the moments where God made Himself present on your journey. No matter how we got to our faith, or where we’re headed, the faith that lives inside us will guide us on a beautiful journey that will take us to the place we’re meant to be.  Andrea Bocelli, the world’s most beloved tenor singer, joins us this week to talk about his faith journey, along with his wife Veronica, who closes the interview with a prayer from Jesus Listens. Speaking in his native Italian, which has been translated to English for this podcast, Andrea recounts how his love for his family and his faith have kept him centered during all the years his career had him jet-setting across the globe to perform on the world’s most iconic stages. Licensed counselor and national speaker Debra Fileta specializes in relationships and mental and emotional health. In her new book, Reset, Debra walks readers through a journey to transform their old habits and bring about lasting change in their lives.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Kristin Smedley Upcoming interview: Akbar Gbajabiamila   Andrea Bocelli The Journey   Debra Fileta  Reset Mark 12:30 NIV Romans 7:15 NIV John 8:31-32 NIV www.debrafileta.com   Interview Quotes: “I realized that there can't be a clock without a clockmaker…this convinced me right away that between the idea of God and fate, I was going towards the first one, and from that moment everything I had done so far—going to the mass, all these things—wasn't something abstract anymore, instead it was extremely serious, tangible, and important.” - Andrea Bocelli “I must say that faith has always been very important to me to keep myself down to earth, to remember that everything I've done wasn't my merit, but a gift from God.” - Andrea Bocelli “The problem is when we approach change from the outside in, it doesn't lead to lasting change.“ - Debra Fileta “Just because you're a Christian doesn't mean you're healthy. We have to take a journey of healing with Jesus by our side." - Debra Fileta “There is no trauma that is more powerful than the power of Jesus at work in me.” - Debra Fileta “Your thoughts ultimately affect how you feel, which then affect how you behave and what you choose to do and how you act.” - Debra Fileta “Many times, the Lord needs to take us on a journey of going backward in order to heal some of those hurts and insecurities and fears from the past, in order to replace them with God's truth so that we can begin getting unstuck in our present.” - Debra Fileta “When God reveals a struggle, when God reveals something in your life that's a weakness or a sin, and He's bringing it to the surface of your life, it's not to shame you. It's to invite you into a deeper level of healing.” - Debra Fileta “It is hard to heal, but it's also hard to stay the same. It's also hard to live with struggle and sin and addiction and bondage.” - Debra Fileta ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.25 min
  15. 375Because He First Loved Us, We Can Face Almost Anything: Akbar Gbajabiamila and Kristian StanfillThere’s an element to having a relationship with God where you feel compelled to tell others about His love. Because when we’re in a loving relationship, we thrive. It brings us joy, and it gives us stamina to face whatever’s in front of us. Our guests this week had circumstances in their lives that could have made their lives go in directions that might not have been optimal. Having God’s love as a foundation for how they saw themselves in the world was key to giving them that “push” they needed to believe they were made for something more.  Akbar Gbajabiamila is a former NFL player turned television host who almost didn’t take the leap of faith that led him to the career he has today, but it was advice from his father to finish what he started and to be an ambassador for God that motivated him to keep going. Kristian Stanfill is a worship leader of the Passion movement who vulnerably sought sobriety in order to overcome the tough emotions that he was burying and hiding from others.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: The Power of Love Upcoming interview: Aaron Tippin   Akbar Gbajabiamila American Ninja Warrior  CBS The Talk Los Angeles Lakers Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar San Diego State Oprah Winfrey NFL Network Fight to Survive Everyone Can Be a Ninja   Kristian Stanfill Passion movement  Louie Giglio www.kristianstanfill.com Make It Out Alive Passion’s new album I’ve Witnessed It   Interview Quotes: “I felt like an outcast. I felt like an outsider. But I had to learn how to persevere. I remember something that my father told me, and I never forgot this: ‘Make them say your name.’ Whenever they say your name, it should be in a favorable light. You're doing things that people are going to remember you by.” - Akbar Gbajabiamila “What's the story here? The story is sometimes you have no idea. You have your mind set on something else, and sometimes others see something special in you that you can't see in yourself.” - Akbar Gbajabiamila “The better you understand the playbook, the more comfortable you are on the football field. And this is how God was starting to work in my life. As I started to become taught, I started seeing the Lord ordering my step in a certain way. And that right there was the beginning of my journey as a Christian.” - Akbar Gbajabiamila  “The point of that story is that sometimes you do have to create your own opportunities. Sometimes you have to step in faith, and sometimes it looks scary. My father used to say, ‘You're an ambassador for the family, and you're an ambassador for God.’ And I never, ever, ever forgot that.” - Akbar Gbajabiamila “I thought, Man, if I could be a part of helping people see Jesus and encounter the presence of God with my life, that would be pretty cool.” - Kristian Stanfill “Alcohol became something that I used to numb these feelings of inadequacy or failure or I'm not good enough or I'm not measuring up. And I think we all feel similar emotions and similar things, and we all live in the same world and feel a lot of the same pressure. I just wasn't dealing with it in a healthy way.” - Kristian Stanfill “The first step that everybody took was toward me and not away from me.” - Kristian Stanfill “God started to help me understand things about who He is and His love for me. I started to understand my community's love for me, and it was just transformative.” - Kristian Stanfill “I've grown up hearing about grace and God's love. But you have to understand that it's real for yourself and that God's grace flows down into the deep, dark place that you're at and meets you there, but it doesn't leave you there. It changes you. It transforms you.” - Kristian Stanfill “God uses these things in our life, even these broken things, these struggles that we go through, to refine us and make us more like Himself.” - Kristian Stanfill “If you want a resurrection, then a dying has to happen. But this death is not the end. It's where your life begins.”- Kristian Stanfill ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.27 min
  16. 376God Makes All Things Beautiful, In His Time: Aaron Tippin, Isaiah and Jude Kofie, & Bill MagnussonOne of the greatest markers of our adult life is when we fully come to realize that we were designed with intention, created for a specific purpose and mission. Nothing God has ever done has been an accident, and He knows every part of you, even the talents you might not have realized yet. Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” No matter where life takes you, you can trust that He knows where you’re headed, and is guiding you through every step.  Our guests this week each have beautiful abilities that they consider to be gifts from God. Aaron Tippin is a country music star who enjoyed great popularity in the 90’s, but before that, grew up on a family farm, where he learned to fly planes with his father and absolutely fell in love with being in the air, and being “closer to heaven” as he likes to describe. Eleven year-old Jude Kofie, who experiences autism, surprised his family—especially his father Isaiah, who worried about his future—when he walked in to hear Jude playing their portable keyboard like a seasoned pianist, though he’d never played before in his life. When piano tuner Bill Magnusson heard their story on the news, he was compelled to help this family and gave a gift that would allow Jude to realize his potential in a bigger way, and a beautiful relationship was born that has been a gift to them all.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Jodi Stuber Upcoming interview: Walker Zimmerman Proverbs 19:21 NIV   Aaron Tippin 4H Future Farmers of America Elvis Presley Loretta Lynn Clint Black "You've Got to Stand for Something" Bob Hope Show Christmas in 1990 "Where the Stars and Stripes and Eagle Fly" Tennessee Flying Machines www.aarontippin.com   Jude Kofie Isaiah Kofie emergency C-section G tube Autism Local news segment on Jude and Isaiah The Kelly Clarkson Show CeCe Winans Interview Quotes: “From four years old, I first put my hands on the controls in an airplane. And when I looked out the window and I saw those cars on the ground looking like Hot Wheels toys, I said, ‘This is it. There's nothing greater.’” - Aaron Tippin “Getting close to Christ during those [early days in Nashville], was very, very comforting. You find out you're not as alone as you think you are.” - Aaron Tippin “I don't know where my next blessing is going to be. I'm not sure I want to know or need to know. I believe that He does have a plan. God's not through me yet.” - Aaron Tippin “I know how important it is to have a good instrument to practice on and how lovely it is to have a wonderful piano to play on to make beautiful music.” - Bill Magnusson “That wonderful gift [of a piano], that selfless act, is what secured Jude's future. It was taking all our worries away.” - Isaiah Kofie “We seem to live in a world where people are utterly desperate for a little bit of good news and to feel a little better than they feel right now.” - Bill Magnusson  “I just bought a piano and that was all I did. All the rest of this stuff is God, it's not me.” - Bill Magnusson ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.25 min
  17. 377True Connection - The Antidote to Loneliness: Walker Zimmerman & David KimIn the very beginning of the Bible, God stresses the concept that we were created for community: “The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for a man to be alone.” (Genesis 2:18 NIV) People were designed to better one another, to look out for one another, and to be a support system in good times and bad.  This week’s guests, professional soccer player Walker Zimmerman and author David Kim, are both the sons of pastors—an experience which guided them early on to care deeply about other people, and to prioritize cultivating supportive communities that stimulate growth in both themselves and in others. Walker seeks to be authentically relatable and present in his interactions with teammates, fans, the kids he’s mentoring, and in his family. David Kim’s story of loneliness in his early years shaped his desire to help people find connectedness. He walks us through a five-step system to help us open up to the idea of true connection, even when it feels uncomfortable.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Seth and Heather Thompson Day Upcoming interview: Karen Kingsbury and Tyler Russell Genesis 2:18 NIV   Walker Zimmerman  Nashville SC  U.S. Men's National Team Furman University  LA FC World Cup Will Boni book of John www.walkerzimmerman.com   David Kim WestGate Church Interview Quotes: “I think one of my biggest passions has always been making other people feel welcome—or trying to bring in different groups of people who might not normally all hang out together—and bringing them together for the same purpose or cause.” - Walker Zimmerman “When I think about soccer and I think about having a bad game, I'm like, Well, my identity isn't wrapped up in one game or being a soccer player. There's something that I'm playing for that's way bigger. I want to honor the Lord with what He's blessed me with on the field.” - Walker Zimmerman “It doesn't matter what we do. It's who we are as people that matters most at the end of the day.” - Walker Zimmerman “I think what I was trying to do was just distract myself from experiencing all the pain of what it means to be alone in America, and navigating all the different ways in which I had to face my new world.” - David Kim “When I'm talking to people, instead of getting easily distracted and being self-focused and self-centered about what I need to get through throughout the day, I try to see what they're sensing, what they're feeling, what might be something that they may need. And I try to lean in, and as I do, I believe that they are met with an incredible sense of belonging and care.” - David Kim  “In this culture where we're so busy and hyper mobile, and we can tend to be easily isolated, many of us long to belong, but we just don't know how.” - David Kim “[The priority practice] is a reminder to intentionally prioritize relationships that God has given in our lives and for us to intentionally reach out and build friendships." - David Kim “There is a way in which we can build and love and care for our entire community and still forge the few that God is bringing greater connection, whether that's through shared values or shared interests and things like that, we are able to lean in and build chemistry.“ - David Kim  “The invitation from God is to be honest and real. And as we do, we are able to truly open up and be seen for who we are.” - David Kim “I'm often self-centered and self-focused, but if I spend time with Jesus, Jesus gives me the eyes to see that I live in this world not for myself, but for Jesus and this world.” - David Kim ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.28 min
  18. 378[JESUS LISTENS MONTHLY EPISODE] Seeing Ourselves Like God Does: Kym DouglasWe’re back with another Jesus Listens Stories of Prayer special bonus episode and we’re talking with Hollywood beauty expert and reporter Kym Douglas who makes it her mission to bring laughter and positivity to the world, but is also candid about the tough seasons she’s been through recently. The loss of her husband of 37 years and a recent cancer diagnosis led her to rely on her faith even more–and also reshaped her sense of her own beauty; by seeing herself through the eyes of her Creator.   Guest’s Links Facebook: @hollywoodbeautyexpert Twitter: @kymdouglas Instagram: @kymdouglas ________________________  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.20 min
  19. 379Bearing Each Others Sorrows and Sharing Each Other's Joys: Karen Kingsbury, Tyler Russell, & David Emmanuel GoatleyIt’s a blessing to be able to celebrate with others when joyful things happen in their lives. But it’s also an honor to be able to stand by someone when they are heavy with sorrow and joy seems nowhere to be found.  Popular Christian writer Karen Kingsbury and her son Tyler Russell help others celebrate the joy of their faith by writing stories for families through their Baxter Family children’s books. Pastor David Emmanuel Goatley, the sixth president of Fuller Theological Seminary, has traveled all over the world as a minister and has been inspired at how Christians from all walks of life hold each other up and bear each other's burdens, no matter how much or how little they have.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Nikki DeLoach and Pat Bradley Upcoming interview: Cleere Cherry Reaves   Karen Kingsbury  Tyler Russell  Philippians 4 NIV NIV Bible  Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Los Angeles Daily News Baxter Family Children books Being Baxters John 16:33 NIV Colossians 3:23 NIV 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 NIV www.karenkingsbury.com A Thousand Tomorrows   David Emmanuel Goatley Fuller Theological Seminary   Interview Quotes: “The family that God puts you in are the ones who are going to be with you forever, so really foster those relationships and pour into those relationships.” - Tyler Russell “I had a beautiful relationship with the Lord, but I was still seeing pain. I was still seeing people going through hard things. And I just didn't think that Christian fiction would be able to handle that. I want to tell stories that are real and true.” - Karen Kingsbury “We really do both want to serve the Lord first. That's kind of our top thing in everything we do, we want to please God first.” - Tyler Russell “Prayer is an all day, everyday thing for me. I am so thankful to be able to walk through this life not alone, but with Jesus, and knowing that I have His presence beside me.” - Karen Kingsbury “I believe that we need to love and laugh often and look for the miraculous in the everyday and lean hard into our relationship with Jesus.” - Karen Kingsbury “My father's orientation was that you always talked about church and community together. You never spoke of church in isolation from the community because the church should be embedded in community, and the community was informing the life of the church.” - David Emmanuel Goatley “We were taught to be salt for the earth and light for the world, and so you have to engage the world that God puts you in so that you can bear good and faithful witness. I think that that kind of nurture helped to inform who I have become and how I see the world.” - David Emmanuel Goatley “I think it's important for students to listen to and learn from the testimonies of people in the global church.” - David Emmanuel Goatley “I don't recall ever feeling like the hard work of Christian leadership has not been worth it. There have been times where the weight of it has been heavy and wearisome and draining and fatiguing. There have been those times where it's been a headache, but I have not felt that it's not worth it. I've been fortunate to sense that I am where the Lord has sent me.” - David Emmanuel Goatley “If we don't try to get out in front of Jesus and we let Jesus lead us, then we'll make it through the sleepless nights and we'll make it through the anxious moments, and then we will be able to look back on it and say, ‘The Lord both led me through it and taught me something in it.’ The Lord has been exceedingly kind. And for that, I'm grateful.“ - David Emmanuel Goatley ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.32 min
  20. 380When We’re Connected to God, We Can Make It Through Anything: Cleere Cherry Reaves and Larry LoftisDo you struggle with how to fit a faith routine into your life? It’s hard to prioritize time for prayer and reflection in our busy, over-scheduled lives, but when we come up against those moments that stretch us beyond our normal limits and make us question the very foundation of our faith, turning to that connection that we have already been establishing day by day to God can be crucial for us to lean on when nothing else makes sense.  Author and podcaster Cleere Cherry Reaves clung hard to her relationship with God when her son Sledge, who was born three months premature, fought for his life. Author Larry Loftis shares about the incredible bond Corrie ten Boom had with God, and how she bravely trusted His guidance to do what was right as she helped hide Jewish people in her home who were fleeing Nazi oppression during World War II. The relationship these women built daily with God informed their responses to heartache and tragedy.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Cam Ayala Upcoming interview: Dionne Warwick   Cleere Cherry Reaves Cleerely Stated  Apneic episodes The Miracle of You   Larry Loftis Corrie ten Boom The Watchmaker’s Daughter Gestapo Ravensbrück Mother Teresa  Darmstadt www.LarryLoftis.com Interview Quotes: “I feel like when we were in the hospital, before Sledge came home and that daily experience, I felt like the veil between heaven and earth was thinner than a sheet. It was so obvious to me that God's presence is the miracle.” - Cleere Cherry Reaves “We learned how to walk through waves that once fell like tsunamis. We learned how to operate and say, ‘Lord, this is not our preference. We would love to take [our son Sledge] home, but we know that Your ways are higher, Your plan is greater, and You are working miracles all around us. Help us see those miracles.’” - Cleere Cherry Reaves “Life really is a gift, it's pure grace. And I think when we operate from that, we really can fight for contentment in any circumstance.” - Cleere Cherry Reaves “Miracles are not always water into wine, or the healing that we had expected. Miracles are a million different things in a million different ways.” - Cleere Cherry Reaves “Fight for a life that operates in contentment and peace that isn't based on what's happening in the world or what's happening to us… I know that good is happening here because God is here.” - Cleere Cherry Reaves “When we think of people that have to go through things like [what Corrie ten Boom faced], we think Well, they're superhuman. But these were regular people. And what's inspiring is that you have these normal people that rise to the occasion.” - Larry Loftis “Lots of people hid Jews in the Netherlands, so [Corrie ten Boom is] not unique in that sense. She's not unique in that she suffered, where she's unique is this: Corrie forgave everybody.” - Larry Loftis “[Corrie ten Boom] traveled the world sharing the gospel, sharing her message of peace and forgiveness and what had happened to her and her family and how the answer was in Christ and He will give you the strength to forgive as He's done for her and her family.” - Larry Loftis “Corrie is unique in that she was able to forgive the hardest people to forgive, people who were cruel to you, people who betrayed you, people who were responsible for the death of your family. Corrie realizes that, I can't do it on my own, but with God's grace and God's help, I can do it. That’s the big takeaway, because we're all called with the great commission to share the gospel.” - Larry Loftis “We can look at what Corrie did to forgive the hardest people in the world, to forgive what she [forgave], and use that as our inspiration—with that example and with God's grace, we can forgive, too.” - Larry Loftis ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.24 min
  21. 381A Mother’s Love and A Parent’s Prayer: Dionne Warwick, Damon Elliott, & Andy and Sandra StanleyIt’s been said that parenting is a lifelong job that doesn’t end when your children grow up. Our guests this week know firsthand how hard it is to be a parent, and they’ve done the work to build the kind of relationship with their children that is returning dividends in their adulthood. And now, their kids really appreciate them as people, and the influence they’ve had in helping them become who they are today.  Dionne Warwick is a six-time Grammy Award-winning singer who raised her son Damon—who is also a musician—as a single mother. Despite her status as an international superstar, Dionne made it a priority to carve out meaningful moments with her children. Andy and Sandra Stanley are preachers, authors, and parents of three. One of their greatest prayers was that their relationship with their kids would evolve into a friendship and that as adults, they’d still appreciate their family time.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Reba McEntire and her sisters, Susie and Alice Upcoming interview: Curtis Chang   Dionne Warwick Gospelaires Hal David Billy Ray Cyrus Dolly Parton “Peace Like A River” - song with Dionne Warwick & Dolly Parton   Andy and Sandra Stanley  North Point Ministries Enneagram The 5 Love Languages Dr. Charles Stanley Parenting: Getting It Right - book by Andy & Sandra Stanley   Interview Quotes: “One of the greatest things that I've learned is just to truly be who I am.” - Damon Elliott “All the things that [God] does for me, I am truly thankful and grateful for. He's given me a path to follow and a plan He has for me. And I'm following that plan and that path. So whatever comes within the realm of that, I'm supposed to face. I have no problem with that.” - Dionne Warwick “We prayed with our kids at night when they were young, but we continued to pray with them through every season of life.” - Andy Stanley “Our parenting goal with our kids was to end up with kids who wanted to be with us and with each other, when they no longer had to be.” - Sandra Stanley ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.21 min
  22. 382What Anxiety Can Teach Us About God: Curtis Chang & Kim GravelAt one time or another in our lives, we are bound to experience bouts of anxiety. The Bible does not teach that lack of faith is the cause of anxiety. In our world today, it is almost impossible not to experience anxiety to some degree. We just can’t avoid it. What if instead of running away from our anxiety, we name what is happening, and develop ways to support ourselves through it while leaning on God in the present moment?  Curtis Chang is a pastor and a non-profit director. He remembers early moments of anxiety that were a response to his fears of being in an empty house after school, waiting for his parents to come home. He shares how he developed early coping mechanisms which exacerbated anxiety later in his life, and how through that anxiety, he was able to draw closer to God. Kim Gravel is an author and TV personality who shares about the early anxiety she had while competing in pageants as a young girl and opens up about her journey to find self-confidence.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Janine Reid Upcoming interview: Ali Landry   Curtis Chang Duke Divinity School Redeeming Babel latchkey kid The Anxiety Opportunity   Kim Gravel Atlanta Olympics WATC TV57 Kim of Queens on Lifetime Collecting Confidence   Interview Quotes: “Anxiety is the fear of some potential loss. We all carry that around with us. We all carry around some fear of potential loss.” - Curtis Chang “Our anxieties have a lot of wisdom contained in them, they tell us a lot about who we are, about our experiences growing up, and what we fear losing.” - Curtis Chang “What I believe human experience and Scripture tells us is that anxiety itself is not a problem to be eliminated, that in fact, it is actually a fundamental condition of what it means to be human—that to be human is to be vulnerable to loss.” - Curtis Chang “I know full well the nature of anxiety is a problem, but I also have experienced firsthand the promise of anxiety as an opportunity for spiritual growth, because it takes us to our core beliefs and our core fears about loss, about God, about who God is in Jesus, about what we are actually promised by Jesus in terms of our future.” - Curtis Chang “My calling is to see people rise in all that God has for them. And for me, the adventure of this life is sharing His message with others. Jesus is probably the reason why I do everything that I do and why I am who I am.” - Kim Gravel  “I did have to deal with a lot of pressures and stress, but it was such a learning ground for me. It's those times of growth that God puts us in so that we go to new levels.” - Kim Gravel “Get still, because God is constantly wooing and speaking and guiding and leading us. We just get too busy or too broken to hear it or see it or feel it.” - Kim Gravel “My philosophy on confidence is probably a little different than what the world tells you it should look like. It's truly a Christ-centered confidence, but it's also a confidence that I know whose I am and why I'm here.” - Kim Gravel “When God calls you to do something, nothing can stop it, damage it, alter it, or prevent it, except you. And that's the reason I want to share this message, because I know without a doubt, true confidence comes with a relationship with Jesus. True calling comes from Him.” - Kim Gravel ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.26 min
  23. 383Hope—God’s Unbreakable Lifeline: Ali Landry & Carley SummersWe’ve all experienced situations that might seem hopeless—and the overwhelming feeling of not knowing where to turn when things look bleak. Our guests this week have experienced traumatic situations that found them at the ends of their own means, when all they could do was breathe a prayer to God in desperation—searching for a glimmer of hope to cling to.    Author and TV host Ali Landry shares her moving story of overcoming a heartbreaking betrayal in her marriage, and on top of that, finding herself facing health issues that made her feel like she was living half a life. Interior designer Carley Summers battled addiction for several years in her young adult life, and at her darkest moment, felt the presence of God guiding her to ask for one more chance—opening the door to a brand-new world.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Jon Gordon Upcoming interview: Tara-Leigh Cobble   Ali Landry Reshape Your Life Breaux Bridge, Louisiana Crawfish Capital of the World University of Louisiana Oprah Winfrey   Carley Summers ADHD Alcoholism  Addiction DUI Christian Faith Rehab  2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV Interior design Port-au-Prince, Haiti Goodwill www.carleysummers.com Sacred Spaces   Interview Quotes: “My prayer has always been, Lord, let them see Your light in me.” - Ali Landry “I've done a lot of things over the years and always the grounding force for me has been my relationship with God, 100%.” - Ali Landry “Here I am with this job that I'm supposed to love and it's supposed to serve me and my life and my family, and I feel like I'm sitting on the sidelines in my life and I feel like I'm kind of having half a life because I'm not a player in my own game. And that's when I decided I deserve more than this.” - Ali Landry  “I always knew that if I was able to lean on God and He was able to pull me through these situations in my life, that it was my responsibility to share it.” - Ali Landry “I will say my relationship with God 100% is the foundation, it got me through to the other side every time. When you put gratitude in your life, it really shifts everything. It completely shifts your mindset. It completely puts you in a different mood.” - Ali Landry “We're so busy with our lives that sometimes we forget to stop and recognize God working in our lives.” - Ali Landry “It was not until my second DUI when I was at the age of twenty-two, when I finally realized that I needed some help and I was ready to surrender my life over to Jesus.” - Carley Summers “I realized that something was going to have to change. Jesus tried to reach me in that moment because He had a plan and a destiny for me to use my story to give Him glory.” - Carley Summers “I let the root of Scripture take a hold of my life, and it gave me this unexplainable joy, even though I was in one of the lowest circumstances you can be in.” - Carley Summers “I think that my life verse is 2 Corinthians 5:17, ‘If I am a new creation and Christ, all those things that have been are now gone, let the new come.’ And so I have to wake up every day and recognize that I am healed from those things.” - Carley Summers “I always thought that I had to work in the church to do ministry, but I realized that through stewarding people's money well and creating homes where people walked in that they could do life with and have Bible studies and host and work as a family together, I realized that I could create something sacred for other people.” - Carley Summers “God started to use my story to help set other people free.” - Carley Summers “We've curated a space to help people feel safe, I think that's how our homes can impact us and help tell our stories.” - Carley Summers ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.29 min
  24. 384[MONTHLY SERIES] Intentional Prayers for an Intentional Life: Gabriel ConteOn this bonus episode of Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer, we’re talking to YouTube sensation Gabriel Conte, who shares how he approaches big decisions in his life by seeking God. He walks us through a few ideas on how to pray, and what to do when we're not sure how to approach those big crossroads in our lives, and how to trust God through that sometimes very scary process.   Guest’s Links Facebook: @gabrielconte Twitter: @gabrielconte Instagram: @gabrielconte  ________________________  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.20 min
NewerLoad more

Get the Pray app

Keep listening to Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith on your phone, and pick up where you left off.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play