237 – Is it possible to find healing from the effects of trauma and abuse? Have you or someone you know been in an abusive or traumatic situation or relationship? This episode is for you. Marina Carrier shares how she overcame the residual effects of being an unwanted child and sexual abuse at the age of nine. It was only through the power of the Holy Spirit, which brought her back to the church and the study of the Bible, which started her journey of healing. Some important steps along the way were The Prayer of Jabez to enlarge her territories Learning French Writing in her journal List ..read more

236 – If the Apostle Paul wrote a letter to your church, what would he say? First, imagine if you had lived back in the days of the early Christian Church. Paul may have come to your church to preach. And you may have received a letter from him later with some helpful ideas, prayers, and reminders of what he told you when he was there. Of course, he might also rebuke you for a couple of things your church was doing that wasn't faithful to Christ. Now, think of your church today. What would Paul say to your church? In this week's episode, I create an imaginary church in Franklin, Tennesse ..read more

235 – What does it even mean to be filled with God's fullness? In his letter to the Ephesians, at the end of Chapter 3, Paul prays that the church members would know the love of Christ and be filled with all the fullness of God. But is that even possible? Most Christians I talk to think that's the sort of thing that happens after they die and go to heaven.  But Paul is praying for the Ephesians to experience here on earth. In this week's episode, I talk about Paul's prayer (there's a lot more in there that applies to you and me as well).  Fortunately Paul gives some really helpfu ..read more

233 – Where are you looking for Jesus? A lot of people are looking for Jesus these days, the real Jesus. Unfortunately, a lot of people have become disillusioned by the difference between what they’re discovering about Jesus in the Bible and the way their churches have followed, or rather not followed, Jesus. This week's episode is about where to look for Jesus and where not look for him. The Bible gives some pretty good insights on this. Where NOT to look for Jesus: Your preconceptions and opinions Someone else's opinions Theological debates and man-made doctrines Asleep at the back of a ..read more

232 – Is anything keeping you from doing what God has called you to do? Do you have a strong sense of purpose in your life but it seems things keep getting in the way of you doing what God has called you to do? Or maybe you're still waiting to see what God wants you to do with your life. Sometimes, even when we know what God's will is for our lives, we haven't really pursued it because somehow we're waiting to get permission and approval from someone else. This week's episode is all about not waiting for someone to give you permission to do what God has called you to do. There are lots of ..read more

231 – Do you notice when God is trying to get your attention? God talks to us in lots of ways. But how often do we notice? Take a minute to think of all the ways God tries to get your attention.  Sometimes it might be because you're doing something you shouldn't. Sometimes it's because you're not doing something you should. And sometimes it's because your doing exactly what God wants you to do and He's confirming that you're right where you need to be. In this week's episode, I talk about how God got the attention of several Bible characters. And it wasn't always rainbows and butterf ..read more

230 – Has God ever asked you to dance with Him? What does that even mean? When God asks you to dance, it's a metaphor for God asking you to participate in life and follow where He leads. Have you ever danced with someone who didn't know how to lead, or follow, depending on which role you were in? It can be confusing, awkward, and sometimes get pretty messy. Things can get pretty confusing and messy when God asks us to dance with Him and we don't follow His lead, especially if we try to lead. That's what this episode is all about. When God asks you to dance with him, do you Accept and fol ..read more

229 – How often do you hear: "The blood of Jesus saves you from your sins," or something to that effect? The more I have pondered and prayed about all the Bible has to say about God's forgiveness of sins, Jesus's crucifixion, and more specifically, the blood of Jesus, I've come to the conclusion that there's more to forgiveness than just the fact that Jesus's blood was shed. Spoiler Alert: This may sound a little controversial at first, but when you listen to this episode, you'll understand what I'm talking about. What really got me to thinking is something Paul says in 1 Corinthians, Chapt ..read more

226 – What does  it mean to be more than a conqueror through Christ? With all the challenges in the world and in your own personal life, does it ever seem like there's just no end to the chaos? In Chapter 8 of Romans, Paul lists a host of challenges that describes what a lot of people are dealing with today. But he also promises us that we can find answers, solutions, and healing through Christ. In this week's episode, I talk about what it means to be more than just a conqueror: We can never be separated from God's love Once you have a victory over a problem, you're more than just a f ..read more

225 – If you could ask Jesus a favor, what would it be? If you had met Jesus 2,000 years ago while as he was traveling around healing and ministering to people, what would you ask him for? A healing? Deliverance from a problem? The answer to a burning question in your heart? Lots of people came up to Jesus to ask him for all sorts of things. Sometimes he granted their requests and sometimes he didn't. There's so much to learn from these folks who approached Jesus with a request. In this week's episode I talk about why Jesus answered some requests and why he didn't answer others. Here's who ..read more