If your year has been anything but "merry and bright," it's hard to put on a smile when everyone is celebrating the holidays.  Welcome to this episode of "Ask a Theologian" — a new category of conversations with Proverbs 31 Ministries' Director of Theological Research, Dr. Joel Muddamalle, and Content Manager for Lysa TerKeurst, Shae Hill. In every episode, Joel and Shae will tackle everyday questions with theological insight and practical takeaways. Related Resources: Experience Advent in a way that provides simplicity and space for you to personally focus on the hope this season brings ..read more

There are a lot of conversations about how to have healthy relationships. There are also a lot about how to navigate when a romantic relationship ends. But no one talks about what it looks like when a friendship ends. Our friend and author Elizabeth Laing Thompson knows what it's like to experience the heartbreak of losing friends you used to be so close to. Learn biblical ways to handle those relationship fallouts without personally falling apart. While not all relationships can be mended, we do have a friend in Jesus, who always stays close and has personally felt the sting of betrayal, hurt ..read more

Do you ever find yourself short of words when your friend is navigating a difficult season? You want to be there for her, be a good listener, encourage and pray for her, but how can you know with confidence what she actually needs right now? During this conversation, Lysa TerKeurst and two of her friends Candace Salamone and Melanie Chitwood discuss the dynamics of walking with a friend through hard times. They also cover helpful and unhelpful things to say and questions to ask. We will all be more equipped to be a better friend after listening to this episode! Related Resources: The pain you ..read more

Sometimes it feels safer to follow Jesus on our own. But some of Jesus' last words, recorded in John 17, encourage us to be one as the body of Christ. So what does it look like to make the intentional choice to belong to a community when it feels risky? Our friend and author Katy McCown sits down on this episode to encourage us to with Truth from God's Word on what it means to invest in one another. Katy shows us the power of pressing into the body of Christ instead of pulling away from it — especially when life falls apart. This is a great episode to share with a friend and discuss! Related R ..read more

Sometimes courage can feel unattainable.  But God's Word shows us that it's actually possible to find hope and encouragement in the midst of fear. On this episode, author, speaker, TV and ministry leader Ann White teaches us the seven steps to COURAGE. Grab a pen because you're not going to miss these steps — you'll learn the impact of God's Word and how to apply it so you can live more courageously when facing fear. Related Resources: Order a copy of the Courage for Life Study Bible today! Connect with Ann on Instagram @godgivescourage. We created a free resource for you to download, “3 ..read more

If life has suddenly stopped going the way you planned, this episode is for you. Author Sarah Frazer knows all to well what it's like to look around at your circumstances and wonder how you got there. When her story unexpectedly shifted, she wondered what it looked like to move forward and found herself asking God to show her His goodness. From there, she began to study Moses in the Bible and discovered how God uses the darkest circumstances to proclaim His sovereign goodness. It's possible to grow through whatever detour, setback, heartache or disappointment life has thrown at you. Listen to ..read more

One of the biggest misconceptions we can have about faith is believing that if we do this, God will do that. But our friend, author and pastor Max Lucado is here to help us see the ways we may have adopted a transactional theology with God. He will show us how to live when we are in the gap between what we want out of life and what we get in life. God has not left us here. Understanding how big God is helps us better know and trust His character. When we view Him rightly, we can truly experience the beauty and riches of being in a relationship with our Father. Related Resources: Make sure to ..read more

It can feel frustrating when you've tried really hard to follow God and it's not working anymore. In fact, it hurts. But God isn't trying to hurt us; He's trying to help us. Often these frustrations happen because we've unknowingly adopted unhealthy thought patterns and ways of living. Like Jacob wrestled with God in the Bible, we, too, have to wrestle with the lies and false beliefs that have taken root in our lives in order to experience healing and freedom. On this episode, author and Proverbs 31 Ministries staff member Ashley Morgan Jackson shares her story of wrestling with God. She helps ..read more

It's hard to pause and pray when we feel unsettled or anxious. The Bible is clear that prayer is the remedy for a lot of the anxiousness we feel. (Just look at Philippians 4.) But what does that look like daily, especially when we are so overwhelmed that we don't know what to do? On today's episode, our friend and author Wendy Blight shares her story of struggling with anxiety and the unlikely tools she found in Scripture that helped her overcome it. She gets practical on what happens when we remain still and shows us what to do when we pause and slow down. It's in those moments, we will find ..read more

We can pray about anything and everything as often as possible. If God's Word tells us we can ask Him for anything, how do we cultivate lives where we pray bold prayers? What does that look like? And how do we do this? On this episode, Ashley Morgan Jackson sits down with Meghan Ryan and Shae Hill for a conversation on why we can approach God with our needs and how to keep our faith when we get weary waiting for His reply. Make sure you find something to take notes with because this one has lots of practical ideas you won't want to forget! This episode is Part 2 of a four-part series; make sur ..read more