Life is Hard, God is Good

I’m so excited for you to hear Mami’s story of how she encountered Jesus.In Japan, only 1% of the population is Christian, so Mami had the rare & miraculous experience of growing up in the church. She knew about God, but it wasn’t until later that she actually felt God’s nearness and knew His love in her heart.With having Jesus in her life, God guides her life and she knows that He is with her.Many Japanese people are seeking happiness - so they work hard and try to build meaningful ...

I'm so excited to share Julie's story with you! The Lord has been so faithful to her from a young age. Originally, Julie was not interested in going to Japan at all, but God worked in her heart, and she ended up becoming a missionary in Japan! Through being a missionary in Japan, Julie shares some amazing stories of loss & forgiveness, falling in love & getting married, and trusting God's guidance through it all.Julie has known Jesus most of her life, and because of knowing Jesus...

Hello friends! This week, our Bible study leader, Andrew, shares his story of how he encountered Jesus.Although he grew up in a family that attended church, Andrew tried to seek faith on his own and as a teenager, he ended up turning his back on God.He called himself an atheist and really wrestled with some tough questions:Does life have any meaning?What happens when we die?Is love real or just chemical reactions?Did God create the world?How can God be real if there is so much suffering?Throu...

Zoe is one of the most joyful people you will ever meet, but she wasn't always that way.Zoe first heard about God when her mom was bedridden with a spinal disease, and some Christians came to pray for her and she was healed.She discovered God's power and attended church & Christian activities, but she did not know God's love until she met some very loving Christians. Her relationship with God developed over time - learning how to pray, starting to enjoy reading God's word, hearing God's v...

Taylor grew up knowing about God, but she felt like she had to be a good Christian girl because she was afraid of God and afraid of messing up.When she heard the story of the prodigal son in a new way, God worked in her heart and changed her life. For the first time, she met Jesus. Taylor realized how much Jesus loves her and wants not religious acts, but He wants a relationship with her. Even when going through some dark times, God provided for her in the form of supportive friendships ...

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!”Ola found God because she heard His voice. He spoke to her, and her life has never been the same.Through Him, she found freedom, forgiveness, and joy. God has worked through Ola in incredible ways all around the world. The same as He has done for Ola, He does for us: God opens doors and leads us in unexpected ways.It doesn’t matter where you are or what ci...

Trigger warning: s*xual assault, su*cideMy friend, no matter what you are going through right now, please know that you are not alone and that you are so loved.Even in the face of hardship, God is good. It seems that in the most dark, difficult times, God met Rosie. God protected his life, God gave him friends to encourage him at just the right time, and God helped him find a new home church.Rosie has the biggest heart for people. He invests himself in helping students grow. Because of what h...

Happy Easter! If you are in darkness, if you are stuck, if you feel hopeless - listen to this episode to hear 3 key encouragements for YOU! Spoiler alert: you cannot do it on your own, but you are not alone!We also go through the ABCs of God's attributes, which is a tool we can use to keep our eyes on Jesus.Have a great week! May the LORD bless you and keep you.

Hey all! Just wanted to share some updates from living in Japan for nearly 6 months now! Check out this episode to hear what I’ve been up to, brief updates from Drew, the hard parts of living in a foreign country, and some encouragement for you!I’ve been asked a lot what I’m doing in Japan. At first I felt like I had to explain or prove myself; it took a while for me to learn that my value is not in working. Thankfully, I've been reminded that my value is in being loved by God and loving othe...

Church hurts. Cancer. Family health crisis. Loss of parents. Loss of a friend. How can you find God in the midst of such hardships?Gené wrestled with the logic of Christianity until her world came crumbling with the decline of her mom's health. She gained faith in God and He miraculously healed her mom. With having God by her side, Gené knew she was not alone even when she later lost her dad, her mom, and her friend in a short amount of time.Gené shares: "I realized that God is God and I am h...

Check out this episode to hear how Jesus changed Isabelle's life. She grew up in a home with different religious views and was not sure what she believed for herself until a new friend offered to do a Bible study with her... After learning more about Jesus and how He truly died for our sins and rose to life again, Isabelle has been given new life and a fresh perspective through Him.

Dustin once lived a very different life. But then he encountered Jesus. After walking with the Lord and learning about His love & His word, he is now one of the most servant-hearted people you'll ever meet.Listen to hear how God transformed Dustin's life! Now it is hard to imagine what he was like before knowing Jesus.Thanks for listening!

Hey friends! Jesus has the power to change lives. Before knowing Him, we were once dead in our sins, but now because of Him, we are alive in Christ. The purpose of this podcast series is sharing stories of people who have been marked and changed by Jesus. They once lived one way, and now they have new life.“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Taking some time to reflect on the 2022 year (my word for the year was "peace"), and trusting God with the new 2023 year - step by step."Because of our God’s merciful compassion,the dawn from on high will visit usto shine on those who live in darknessand the shadow of death,to guide our feet into the way of peace" (Luke 1:78-79)."Step by step You lead me, and I will follow You all of my days" (Sometimes by Step, Rich Mullins).Thanks for listening!

Often we do not want Jesus to be Lord of our lives because:we do not want someone else telling us what is right and wrongwe want to be in control of our own liveswe don't understand how a good God could allow evil to existBut when we see His heart, we see:A holy & worthy Lord who lives up to His own standards and helps us when we fall shortA compassionate Creator who shows us the best ways that are beneficial to usA sovereign Lord who is so good that He gives us the choice - thus allowing...

A tale of three atheists who argued against God and instead found evidence for Jesus:1. C.S. Lewis | atheist turned Christian theologian who wrote many books:Mere ChristianityThe Problem of Pain2. Dr. Jay L Wile | atheist nuclear chemistry PhD turned Christian who shares science as evidence for creation:Science BlogApologia Science Textbooks3. Lee Strobel - atheist journalist turned Christian author:The Case for Christ (book & movie)Passion City Church Podcast - The Case for Christ

Jesus claimed to be God & man, claimed to die & raise to life again, and said some other really strange things... how do we know He's not a lunatic?Join us as we find answers in His word and in who He is is.

A lot of people think Jesus was a liar because of the things that He claimed while He was on earth. In this episode, we find what scripture says about His claims:1. He claimed to be God and man2. He claimed to fulfill scripture3. He claimed to die on the cross and raise to life4. He claimed that He is coming backThanks for joining us! 

With Christmas approaching, it's important to remember why we are celebrating and why we believe what we believe. Especially as conversations arise with your family over holiday meals, when co-workers ask about your faith, or your friends share their different beliefs. In this Advent series, we are exploring C.S. Lewis' argument that Jesus claiming to be both God and man either makes Him a Liar, a Lunatic, a Legend, or Lord. In addition to the 4 Ls, we are exploring how Jesus and Santa C...

Let us give thanks! In this episode we explore the importance of thanksgiving and the impact it has on changing our lives!Also listen to the end of the episode to hear about the Christmas series starting next week!Thanks for joining and have a great week!

Should Christianity be categorized as a religion? What sets Christians apart from the rest of the world and other religions?Thanks for listening! Please join us on Instagram and Facebook; rate, write reviews, and share with your friends! We love to hear how God is speaking to you!Much love!

Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see. Hebrews 11 is the “great faith” chapter that goes through examples in the Bible of people who had faith in our faithful God despite their seen circumstances.Faith is awesome - It’s trusting in the invisible even when the visible circumstances don’t make sense.However, we as believers also need ENDURANCE as we walk this life with Jesus or as we run this race.In light of those who have endured before us - fellow God-fo...

Hello friends! Join my husband and me as we talk about sharing the gospel!Why sharing the gospel is so importantWhat is hard about sharing & how to overcomeWays to share the gospel & adviceThanks for listening!

Do you believe that Jesus can really heal you? That He can forgive you?If you have been healed & forgiven, do you ever feel stuck? Or feel the urge to go back to your struggle?Check out this week's episode about healing & continuing!Thanks for listening!Scripture: Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭1‬-‭11, ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61‬:‭1‬-‭9, ‭‭Luke‬ ‭4‬:‭16‬-‭21, ‭‭Luke‬ ‭18‬:‭35‬-‭43, Luke‬ ‭5‬:‭17‬-‭26‬, ‭‭Luke‬ ‭5‬:‭30‬-‭32‬, Numbers‬ ‭11‬:‭4‬-‭5, ‭‭Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬-‭14, ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭17-4:18.P.S. The blog is...

Change can be hard - change in work, relationships, life circumstances, moving, loss… but we have hope!1. Jesus knows change. He went from heaven to earth - so He can empathize with our changes.2. Jesus does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever - so we can rely on Him when our circumstances change.3.  Jesus changes us. He heals and forgives - so we can let Him change our heats & minds to be more like Him.Stay tuned for part 2!

When Jesus was visiting Martha & Mary, Martha was all in a hustle - worried about serving well. She was controlling the food, distracted by what she was doing, and trying to be a good host.Here’s what the passage says:“While they were traveling, He entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, ‘Lor...

Why are we moving to Japan? What are we doing there? How have we seen God providing in the midst of preparation? My husband Drew & I talk about our move in this episode - so listen & find out!

I had an idol of marriage.Engagement is so special because it’s this idea of “already, but not yet.”You have your chosen person and you get to celebrate & plan your lives together.Engagement is where we are as believers - we have accepted His proposal of dying for us and rising up from the grave so that we can be with Him.If you have said YES to His proposal, we are just waiting on the wedding celebration when He returns and then we get to spend eternity with Him!We are the Bride of Chris...

Faith is a word that is thrown around a lot in the Christian world, but what even is faith?Here's what Hebrews 11 tells us about FAITH:it is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not seeby it is our ancestors won God's approvalwithout it, it is impossible to please GodToday we are diving into specificallyFaith in the unseen | 2 Cor 4:16-18Faith & action | James 2:14-26Faith in He Who is Greater | Hebrews 11, Matthew 8:23-27, Daniel 3

Hey there friends! Let me remind you how loved you are. Sometimes it is hard for us to accept, but I hope you can listen and let these words wash over you.Reasons you might think you are not loved:Bad things happen People hurt youThe most important question that God would ask you (according to Brennan Manning): Did you believe that I loved you? That I desired you? That I waited for you day after day? That I longed to hear the sound of your voice?The real Christians will answer "yes."Othe...

We are diving into Psalm 73 today!God is good - even in the good, even in the bad.Evil seems to win - it does not seem fair, we do not see the full picture, we need God's perspective.What is our response - How do you respond when you see evil win? How do you respond when you see others get what you want? Do you turn to God with your questions? Or leave Him out because He isn’t giving you what you want?He is enough - He is with us, He holds us, He guides us.Is God your desire? He gives us over...

Hey guys! It was so fun having my husband Drew on the podcast this week! We have a few fun things we are sharing this week:1. The story of how God brought us togetherHow we met, started dating, and got engaged.2. Our moving plansWe have a big announcement about moving overseas Lord-willing this fall!3. Q&A Session (questions from you guys!!!)What were the main things that made you decide to get married?What was your favorite part(s) of wedding day?Combating fears about:Marriage being a tr...

Hey friends! Life has been crazy busy & so good, and I'm thrilled to share a snapshot of the big things God's been doing in my life and what's coming up!Be sure to follow us on Instagram @lifeishardGodisgoodpodcast and join our Facebook group for more updates!Much love!

Let's abide in Him. The Father is the Gardener, Jesus is the Vine, we are the branches. We can bear fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) only by remaining in Him. John 15:1-17Acts 17:24-28Colossians 1:16-17Galatians 5:22-23John 13:35

Hello my friends! The more we learn about creation, the more we can see Who our Creator & Lover is. Just as the rain comes from heaven to water the earth and does not return empty, God's Word always accomplishes what He desires. Let's dive into scripture to hear more about why rain is important and what it reveals about God's nature.He reveals His invisible qualities to us through the visible creation so we are without excuse. 

Some say they know the oceanBut they’ve only seen picturesSome say they have seen the ocean but have only driven past a beachSome say they have been to the ocean but have but merely dipped their toes in the foam of the wavesSome say they know the ocean but have barely touched itThe ocean is vast, how can anyone know it?The same with His loveIt is so vast, how can we know it?Some say they know His love but have merely heard it in church on SundaysThey have not dived in and been truly immersed ...

Why are we talking about grass? The Bible shows us more about God and ourselves through what His Word says about grass!We are His. We pass away like the grass. Here today and gone tomorrow. He is sovereign and everlasting. We can trust Him with our lives. He provides our every need. He gives us rest. We need not worry about tomorrow. He clothes the grass of the field, He will take care of us. Let us humble ourselves for we are but grass, and He is glorious and full of splendor. He is ours.Wha...

“Because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace”” ‭‭(Luke‬ ‭1:78-79)."I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it but because by it, I see everything else." - CS LewisGod is greater than the sunHe created the sun (Gen 1:14-19)He has sovereignty over the sun (Ps 74:16, Job 9:7, Joshua 10:13)The sun se...

Why are we doing nature sessions?Romans 1:18-20 | "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."Psalm 8, Ro...

Happy 2022 my friends! Check out this episode to hear God's graciousness even when I messed up my family's Christmas and get a sneak peak at our upcoming series! Have a great week(:

What’s the worst thing that can happen? When I get really stressed, I start thinking about worst case scenarios and how things could happen and how they could get resolved.Hope in HardshipWhat’s the worst that can happen?House burnt down, lose a child, get in a car accident, natural disaster, lose employment, get attacked, be rejected by a loved one. Is that the worst that can happen?The worst that can happen: separation from God, not hardshipRomans 8Good news: hardships come, God never leave...

1 John 4:10 "This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us."His love comes first. We respond.We could not make it to heaven,So He came to usto make a way for us to be with Him.His love is not demanding, but rather compelling.He invites us, welcomes us into His arms.Love is:Not us initiatingNot us achievingNot us impressing Love is:Him initiatingFrom the beginning of the world, He’s had a plan - creation, fall, law, kings & prophets all pointing to the savior Jesus who cam...

You were not made to go through this life alone."There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place." Deuteronomy 1:31Footprints in the Sand (Author Unknown): Last night I had a dream. I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonged to me, the other to the Lord. &n...

Winter has arrived in northwest Indiana.We had beautiful fall colors of vibrant yellow, rust orange, deep scarlet reds.Everyone seems to love fall - the pumpkin spice and sweaters, the football and bonfires. It’s a beautiful time of gathering.Honestly, fall is not my favorite season. The weather in the midwest is all over the place - 30 degrees in the morning, maybe 80 degrees in the afternoon. It could rain tomorrow and be sunny at night. Sometimes we have all four seasons in the same week. ...

If you are in Christ, you are a new creation! The old is gone, the new is here.It is not easy to rid of the old ways; it is a process. To strip off what is comfortable is not pretty. However, the glory to come far surpasses the discomfort.Jesus too was stripped (on the cross) and now is seated at the right hand of God. The glory to come is greater than the temporary comfort of our earthly desires.We are first and foremost covered by Jesus' blood.Because of His sacrifice and forgiveness, we ar...

Why do I keep falling?Falling into sinFalling in love with things that are not GodFalling short of the glory of GodWhen instead I should beFalling on my knees in adoration of Him who is Holy Holy HolyFalling on my knees to confess and turn from my sinful desiresFalling on my knees humbly before the King of the heavens and earthMain passages: Matthew 18:21-35, Psalm 103:8-12, and Colossians 3:13.1. We need forgivenessForgiveness from sin is the only way to salvation.Sometimes we think our sin ...

The Bible Project video illustrates God's Holiness like the Sun, we get disintegrated when we get too close - not because it’s bad, but because it’s so good.Holy meaning:Google: "dedicated or consecrated to God or a religious purpose; sacred."Hebrew: Set apart for a specific purpose (Hebrew)The Gospel Coalition: The holiness of God refers to the absolute moral purity of God, the absolute moral distance between God and his human creatures.Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD God Almighty3 times repeat...

The Bible talks a lot about sacrifice. Join me as we take a look at some examples of sacrifice, and what that means for us today!Everything we have is His, and He is the example of the perfect Sacrifice for us, so why should we hold anything back from Him?

My friends, God always does what He says He is going to do.We can trust that His word is true.Hopefully, we can become better promise keepers too.

Are you really free?We think we just want freedom from mental illness, depression, hard situations, sickness, toxic relationships, oppression, etc. But that's not our real enemy.The real problem is sin.We need freedom from sin and that freedom only comes from Jesus.How can we know for sure if we are free?We can tell we are free by the fruit in our lives. If you are not free, fruit of the flesh will be evident in your life.If you are free, the fruit of the Spirit will be evident in y...

Just as with fire, when we come in contact with God, we do not change Him, but He changes us. Fire destroys, delivers, and purifies. Through the fire we can see what is meant to pass away and what is meant to last for eternity.Scripture: Psalm 104:4, Psalm 105:37-39, Exodus 3, Exodus 13:21-22, Hebrews 12:28-29, 1 Corinthians 3:10-15Poem: Fire Regime by Veronica Bryant

Have you ever put all your eggs in one basket and that basket came crumbling down? Maybe it was a really good basket that was God-glorifying and helped you love & serve others. Why would the basket fail then?In Joel, the Israelites experience great loss when the locusts destroy their fields. These fields provided their offerings to the LORD, why did He allow this destruction? God calls for them to turn to Him with all their hearts, not just outwardly but inwardly.Sometimes our God-gl...

Hey guys - we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony, so here's the story of how God redeemed my life before I was even born! We as followers of Jesus all have a story of how God redeemed our lives. We are adopted in His family. Sometimes we get caught up in the lies of who we used to be, so we have to hold onto the truth that He says: We are not an accident. He has chosen us and loves us. We do not have to earn His love. Nothing can separate us from His ...

Have you ever wondered how some of the Bible characters made it in the great faith chapter (Hebrew 11) - like Samson and Rahab? While they did not live a perfect life, they put their confidence in our faithful God. We also do not live perfect lives, but we can put our faith in Him who is faithful. Our stories are not always what we want our stories to be. You may have imagined your story looking very different than how it has turned out. But the good news: GOD DEFINES OUR STORIES.From th...

We all get scars in life. If the perfect Son of God suffered, why wouldn't we? We can choose what to do with the pain though. We can either use the pain to hurt others - unhealed wounders. Or we can walk through the hardships with Him and follow His example - wounded healers. He is with us as we go THROUGH the fire and waters. He comforts us and gives us peace in Him.Isaiah 53, 1 Peter 2, John 20, Daniel 3, Psalm 23

Do you feel dead? Death is separation - feeling disconnected, not walking and living in your purpose. The good news is that we find life in Him who conquered death and through the Spirit who gives us life & peace. Through Him we no longer need to fear separation, but we can be connected with Him for all eternity - and that starts now! We can live life to the fullest here on earth when we keep in step with the Spirit.

We know that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life - but guess what? There are more ways that He is the Way. We can see in the example of Moses' life and how God delivered the Israelites that He makes ways through people and circumstances that seem impossible. Even when we break the law that He gives us in order to help us walk in His Ways, He made ways for us to come back to Him. Jesus is the only Way to the Father because His blood is sufficient to cover our sins. He still makes ways to...

God blesses us and works in ways beyond what we can ask, think, or imagine.Scripture used: Numbers 6:24-26, Ephesians 3:20-21, 2 Kings 5:1-15

Have you ever had a conversation with someone where they just talk about themselves the whole time but never ask about you? Sometimes we treat God in the same way - we pray to share our thoughts, dreams, and wishlist, but we don't get to know Him. Or conversely, we learn everything that we can about Who He is, but we are not willing to open our hearts to Him. Our relationship with Him is a two-way street. He has given us access to Him, allowing us to learn more about Him, but we also need to ...

We all want to know - what is our purpose? We think we know best because it's our bodies and hearts. However, doesn't it make sense to find the answer from the Designer, Maker, Purchaser, and Dweller of our souls? We focus on 1 Corinthians 6 today as we discuss sex, our purpose, and our bodies. 

Hello there friends! Today we are focusing on the wisdom of God. Wisdom is humility to realize that we are dust and that God has everything woven together in His plan. In the Bible, there are three wisdom books: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job. Each of these books shines a different light on wisdom that we can only gain by trusting that God's ways are higher than ours. 

Hi I'm Rachel Miller, thanks for joining us on the "Life is Hard, God is Good" podcast - where we are real about the hardships we face in life and find God’s goodness in the midst of it all. This is the second part of beauty & glory. In last week’s episode we focused on beauty and today we are focusing on glory.Do you feel the weight of it? The weight of your sin? The weight of being an imperfect human? The weight of transitions going on in life? The weight of broken relationships? The we...

Part 1 of exploring how God is beautiful and glorious. This episode focuses on God's beauty and how important beauty is. 

Are you worthy? Let's find out what God's Word says.Passages: Isaiah 6, John 1, Revelation 4-5, Romans 3:23, 1 John 4:19

I'm honored to have Jolie as a guest today! Here's just a little taste of our conversation:- what it's like being a Christian in the Middle East- how to live on mission in the US or overseas- how to use your talents for God's Kingdom- how to partner with other believers as a goer or sender- visions of the Man in White / the Man with holes in His handsYou can contact Jolie at: jolie.kingman@mapsglobal.orgYou can find out more about MAPS Global here: www.mapsglobal.org

Even though our dads here on earth are not perfect, our Heavenly Father is. Relationships on earth reflect our relationship with God. He chose us, adopted us, and disciplines us (yes, that's a good thing!). But what about our earthly dads - How can we honor our fathers and mothers? Can we forgive fathers that have hurt us?

Even if you do not love science, you will love this episode! Special guest Josh Woodard shares valuable information about the science behind creation and evolution, and why it's important for us to understand. Resources to check out:- Thousands not Billions: Challenging the Icon of Evolution, Questioning the Age of the Earth by Donald DeYoung- The Genesis Account: A theological, historical, and scientific commentary on Genesis 1-11 by Jonathan Sarfati- Refuting Evolution 1 and Refuting Evolut...

This is a really hard truth for some people to accept: God created the heavens and the earth.  Through His truth, we can see that He is the Source, He sustains us, and He always succeeds. What does that mean for us today? We can trust Him.

Hello my friends! Do you ever wish you could hear God audibly tell you what to do? Or wish that He would come down and encourage you?He speaks more than we realize, so how do we make sure that we don't miss it?How do we know if it's His voice or our own?

This world is frustrating and disappointing, but we are never without hope because God is our only Hope and He is always with us. The issue is when we lose hope or misplace hope in things that can pass away. Since the beginning, He has given His people Hope to look forward to and hold onto. He provided prophecies to look forward to the coming Messiah, but when Jesus came, some people missed it! My friends, we do not want to miss the hope we have in Jesus.When you are frustrated with God'...

Join us as we talk about God our Shepherd as we meditate on the beautiful, profound words of Psalm 23.

My friends - the hard truth is that we are not self-sufficient. However, we can rely on God's self-sufficiency! He created the heavens and the earth. He sustains us & provides for our every need. What does that mean for us? We need to 1. have humility regarding our own abilities and 2. have confidence in God being sufficient for us.

Hello there friends! Our special guest today is my Grandma, Pat Miller, as we discuss the theme of God's faithfulness. Pat also shares with us some wisdom for the younger generations about dating and what she would have done differently.You definitely don't want to miss this, and I hope you are encouraged!

The Great Author knows how to create the perfect story. The Bible may be from long ago, but the words are still true today. What do you find when you study God's Word? The Bible tells us that we are loved, valued, and redeemed - but the main plot of the Bible is not our identity. The Bible is about Who God is and what He has done. The storyline continues today through His people filled with the Holy Spirit. He uses us in His story not because we are great, but because of His great love.

Do you think God has a sense of humor? Listen to this story from Judges 3 and I'll let you be the judge (:

Hello there friends! It's so important for us to realize the significance of Easter in our lives today. Do you know for sure that you are saved? Unfortunately, there are many good people and nominal Christians who attend church on Sundays that might not be going to heaven. God made a way for us to have love, hope, truth, peace, and life in Him! We never ever have to be alone.

If God is good, why does He allow bad things to happen to good people? Isn't that unfair? Job is a great example of a blameless man who experienced great suffering - let's see what we can learn from him!

Why is it so easy for us to trust people who fail us, and so hard to trust God who never fails us? I'm so thankful for Sydnie sharing her experiences with the words TRUST and JOY - both are deeply connected in our relationship with the Lord. When we trust God and His plans for our lives, we can have joy in our relationship with Him and find joy in each blessing He gives us instead of grasping for control. (Job 1:21, Isaiah 55:9)

I'm so excited and honored to welcome our very first guest on the podcast: Caitlyn! This incredible human shares her word that she has been focusing on the last couple of years and what God has been showing her. Though many of us want to be independent, dependency on God is a beautiful thing! It's definitely counter-cultural to depend on God rather than our own ability, but through Him we can flourish and apart from Him we can do nothing.Thanks for joining us!

What does God desire from you? We look at the tale of two kings - King Jehu and King Jehoshaphat - for the answer.We also talk about idols and how we can recognize them in today's world. We want to get rid of idols so that we can devote ourselves fully to the Lord.

Do you feel stuck? Sometimes we can feel like the Israelites when they were wandering in the wilderness for FORTY YEARS. Even though they were in a different time period and culture, we have a lot we can learn from God's chosen people. God always does what He says He is going to do. He is faithful to His word. The time in the desert humbles us and tests us to reveal the desires of our hearts. God gives. us over to the desires of our hearts. Are we desiring Him or lesser things?

Hello my friends! For National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, I'm sharing some things I wish that I had listened to much sooner. We talk about what it looks like to have an eating disorder, what God says about our bodies & food, and how to gain freedom. Much love to you all!

Most of us feel that awful sinking feeling - "I'm not good enough." How do we know what good enough looks like? Is there anyone who is good enough? How do we deal with that feeling of inadequacy?In this episode, we talk about why you are not good enough (what a hard truth), and how we handle that. 

How do you "love your neighbor as yourself" when people are hard to love? When we can see ourselves and others through God's perspective, we can love fully and freely.Resources used:Mark 12:29-30, Matthew 22:39, Matthew 5:43-47, Romans 12:3, 1 Corinthians 15:33

We dive into how God is good even when we need healing. God heals you not in the way that you want to be healed, but in the way that you need to be healed. Resources used:Isaiah 43, Mark 5:25-34, 2 Peter 3:9, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Luke 22:42, John 4:24, Psalm 23:3

Short and sweet 3 minute reminder that you are loved, valuable, and here on purpose for a purpose - God's not done with you!

In this episode we dive into the hardship of heartbreak and find God's goodness and truth to stand on in the midst of it.Heartbreak is hard because your heart is so important. You actually go through the grieving process when you experience a breakup. A breakup says nothing about your value nor your worth. Give yourself grace with the healing process. We are called to love, not hate, even when we are hurt. Love can be painful because we are flawed humans - Only God loves perfectly. We can bre...

Do you ever feel ashamed of what you've done or what's been done to you? Shame makes us want to run and hide.You don't need to hide. God sees you and covers you with His love. God has used many broken people in the Bible, and He still does today. No matter what has happened in your past, God can still use your story. He alone can truly define who we are.Resources used:The Lion King, Exodus 3-4, Hebrews 11, 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Genesis 3:7-10, Genesis 1:26, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Psalm 139:1...

We all experience plans failing, but how do we deal with that?It's hard when we hold on to things that don't last or are not guaranteed. Our finite perspectives can keep us from seeing the big picture. God's ways are higher than our ways, and even when we don't understand, He uses all things for our good and His glory.Resources used: Isaiah 55:9-10; James 4:13-16; Proverbs 16:9; C.S. Lewis,The Weight of Glory, and Other Addresses; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Colossians 3:23-24; Ephesians 3:20-21; ...

We dive into the difficult question: If life is hard, how can God be good?In this introductory episode, I talk about the purpose of this podcast, introduce myself, and we address how life is hard AND God is good.Just because life is hard does not mean God is bad. Humans choose sin which leads to death, but God offers us a way out. He understands what it is like to be human and He offers us life, peace, truth, and love through Him. God does not promise a pain-free life, but He does promise us ...