Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

This week, we’ll hear from author, certified health coach, and former QVC host Kerstin Lindquist. With a background in journalism and more than a decade in broadcast sales, Kerstin has reached millions through her work in health, wellness, and personal growth. Her journey—marked by infertility, loss, caregiving, and career pivots—inspired her to study the roots of stress and its impact on the body. Later in the episode, we’ll hear from writer, wife, and mother Kara Stout. Having faced significant personal challenges, including the loss of both her parents and a difficult journey through infertility before adopting her daughter, Kara has learned the importance of simplifying life, setting boundaries, and finding peace amid a fast-paced, often overwhelming, culture. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Roma Downey Upcoming interview: Niki Hardy Kerstin Lindquist Dementia IVF [In Vitro Fertilization] www.kerstin-lindquist.com Kara Stout www.karastout.com An Untroubled Heart: Calming Anxiety and Finding God’s Peace Interview Quotes: “As long as I had [God] in front of me leading the path, I was able to make the next step. But I will tell you that fear, every step of the way, has been a constant companion.” - Kerstin Lindquist “If you remain in the present and next to [God], you can calm the fear. But as long as you’re remaining future-focused—what’s gonna be next, how am I gonna provide for my family, how am I gonna get over this health hurdle—then there will be fear.” - Kerstin Lindquist “I stand on stages and talk to thousands of people at a time about how to reduce stress and get closer to the Lord, hear the Lord, and combat fear. But it is a practice.” - Kerstin Lindquist “One of the big, huge ingredients to people having stress is not living out their purpose. Our purpose is always connected to the Lord and serving others. And you know without a doubt that you’re in your purpose if you feel the Lord’s presence, participation, and peace.” - Kerstin Lindquist “There really isn’t any way for us to completely rid stress from our life. But the beauty of our bodies—even if we go back and look biblically—it really does give us kind of the rule book on how to deal with things, which is why we talk about God resting. Even in the midst of stress—like at the bottom of a boat in a storm—He was still resting.” - Kerstin Lindquist “I ask myself the same questions [during my devotional time]: How are you feeling? How do I need to humble myself before the Lord? What am I grateful for? What am I praying for? What am I excited about today? What am I stressed out about today? How am I going to react to that stress? What do I have to hand over to the Lord? Who am I gonna serve today?” - Kerstin Lindquist “It was extremely difficult to have to endure the loss of both parents, but at the same time, I saw how real God was in that suffering, in that grief, and it was a gift to be able to draw near to God in that deep suffering.” - Kara Stout “Something that I felt God encouraged me to do in the early days of becoming a mother, that I continue to remind myself of today, is to recognize when I’m striving and then to simplify.” - Kara Stout “Sometimes people can become accustomed to anxiety or worry, but God gives us a different way to live—a life lived safe in His peace, despite trials and circumstances.” - Kara Stout “God does not leave us on our own to deal with life’s worries and hardships. He’s a God of compassion, and He’s there for us, always, to help us. It’s just His love that really gives us so much peace in those moments.” - Kara Stout “Though there are multiple ways our hearts can feel troubled at times, God is our ever-present, always available remedy for the troubles of our hearts.” - Kara Stout ________________________ 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 TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

*This episode mentions suicide and depression and may not be suitable for all listeners. This week, we sit down with podcaster Lola Sheen, daughter of actors Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards. Lola bravely shares her story, detailing the unique challenges of growing up under public scrutiny and its impact on her mental health. She opens up about a pivotal turning point in her life—discovering her faith and the profound difference it has made. Now, Lola is channeling her experiences into her own podcast and online platforms, passionately dedicated to supporting others who may be walking a similar path. Later in the episode, pastor, author, and founder of Fresh Life Church, Levi Lusko, returns to the show to speak about how he hit a wall in midlife, reevaluating his identity, and learning to live within the limits of time. Levi also shares practical tools that helped him move forward—and invites us to consider the hidden gifts that can come from life’s hardest seasons. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Angela Braniff Upcoming interview: Kerstin Lindquist Lola Sheen Charlie Sheen Denise Richards TikTok Ally Yost HeavenlyBonded Levi Lusko Fresh Life Church James 1:2-3 NIV Matthew 13:44 NIV Richard Rohr Proverbs 20:29 NIV www.levilusko.com Blessed Are the Spiraling Interview Quotes: “I just didn’t know my purpose. I didn’t [know] my worth. I believed all these other things that everybody would say about me. I never had someone be like, ‘No, this is the truth. This is who you are.’” - Lola Sheen “I didn’t see Him, but I felt Him. It felt like Jesus came and took my hand, and I can’t even explain it—my room just had this overwhelming sense of peace and safety and I knew I was going to be okay.” - Lola Sheen “I felt such a calling on my life to minister to people who have experienced depression and anxiety and to help them and show them that you are never too far gone for Jesus.” - Lola Sheen “I just want to show that His heart is like a father. He wants to be there for you, help you and to show you what real love looks like.” - Lola Sheen “I would say the habit that has kept me focused on the more positive things is spending so much time alone with God and letting Him fill my mind before anybody else does. When things get hard, I just have to look up and remember that I serve an audience of One.” - Lola Sheen “The last two years, I look back on it as a really important time—a milestone that I smile when I think about—because joy came from digging once again in the field for fresh treasure, which is what Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven is like.” - Levi Lusko “It’s really important for us to remember that we are in an upside-down kingdom. So everything is inverted. Want to find your life? Lose it. Want to keep your life? It is not going to be yours anymore. You want to be great? Serve.” - Levi Lusko “That kind of became a rally cry for me, going all in for fresh treasure, because there’s no end to the treasure of knowing Jesus.” - Levi Lusko “If you feel like you’ve hit a wall, it might mean you’ve just gone as far as you can go with the tools you currently possess and the season of life that you’re in. That’s okay to mourn the ending of whatever it is that is making you feel bad. We tend to belittle our grief if it’s not worthy of making us sad.” - Levi Lusko “Maybe I’m feeling so much despair because I’m trying to make permanent what was meant to be a season.” - Levi Lusko “After you’ve mourned what’s behind you, let God build up excitement for what’s in front of you, because with Jesus, the best really is always yet to come.” - Levi Lusko ________________________ 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 TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week, as we celebrate the spirit of independence, we’re spotlighting a uniquely American story. Jared Orton, president of the Savannah Bananas baseball team, joins us to reflect on a journey that started with just a few season tickets, no logo, and a wild idea. From humble beginnings in a historic Savannah stadium to becoming a national sensation, it’s a story about bringing people together, breaking the mold, and accomplishing it all with a deeper meaning. Later in the episode, we’ll hear from marine biologist Rachel G. Jordan. From her inland roots in Idaho to coral reefs around the world, Rachel has followed a lifelong passion for ocean life, earning degrees in ecology and marine biology, and studying biblical theology along the way. Through science and story, Rachel explores the powerful intersections between nature, faith, and the presence of God—even in the deep. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Holly Hayes Upcoming interview: Lola Sheen Jesus Calling commemorative edition Jared Orton www.TheSavannahBananas.com sports entertainment Gastonia Grizzlies Andy Stanley www.jaredorton.com Rachel G. Jordan National Park Service Dry Tortugas National Park tide pooling If the Ocean Has a Soul Interview Quotes: “We always say whether you like baseball or you don’t, we felt like we had an entertainment proposition for you—whether you’re two years old or ninety-two years old or a mom or a dad or a sister or a brother or a grandma or grandpa—it doesn’t matter who you are. This thing is fun to the max, and that’s been our mission from day one—to make baseball fun.” - Jared Orton “We were created on purpose, by purpose, for purpose, and to do anything less than our best would not be glorifying God and the reason that we were created and placed on this earth.” - Jared Orton “We’re in the human business, and we’ve got to hold that very humbly in our hands because that is a privilege and a huge responsibility that this thing has been entrusted to us to do something incredibly powerful in the world.” - Jared Orton “We’re going to treat every game like it’s someone’s first game, and we’re gonna make it important for them. That’s been our guiding light and guiding principle—we’re going to treat this like someone’s first game.” - Jared Orton “People are legitimately looking for things to celebrate and do with people. And they come to our games and they dance, they laugh, they cry, they cheer and they hug each other. We treat every game like it's someone's first game and we're gonna make it important for them.” - Jared Orton “It blew my mind that these [corals] were not rocks or plants but animals—animals that built these cities underwater that attracted all sorts of other creatures to live there and supported so much of our planet.” - Rachel G. Jordan “God never leaves or forsakes us. He promises that when we go through hard things, when we walk through the rivers, when we walk through deep waters, He’ll be with us.”- Rachel G. Jordan “Where are the places I can meet God where I currently am—whether that’s looking out a window or reading a novel or admiring the creation and the nature that is expressed there?” - Rachel G. Jordan “There are times that I look up from what I’m doing and I'll feel or literally be alone. I might be the only person in this ocean right now, but God never leaves or forsakes me.” - Rachel G. Jordan “I’m a firm believer that God speaks to each of us in the way that we will best understand. A lot of learning to be in a relationship with God is finding those meeting places–sort of the holy ground where you can best experience His presence, most clearly hear His voice, and engage in life together.” - Rachel G. Jordan ________________________ 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 TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

*This episode contains mature content. This week, we’ll hear from war correspondent Benjamin Hall, who has spent much of his career reporting from some of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones. In 2022, while covering the war in Ukraine, he was gravely injured in an attack that killed two of his colleagues. Today, he shares how that harrowing experience challenged his limits and instilled in him the unshakeable belief that we all have the strength to overcome—no matter what we face. Later in the episode, we’ll hear from author and life coach Chris Janssen as she shares her firsthand experience with alcoholism and the path to recovery. Now, through her journey of sobriety, Chris uses the lessons learned from her lowest moments to help others rise to new heights. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Natalie Grant Upcoming interview: Jared Orton Jesus Calling commemorative edition Benjamin Hall Japanese prison camp War in Ukraine Kyiv Ukrainian Special Forces Fox News Save Our Allies Brooke Army Medical Center Psalm 23 NIV Resolute: How We Humans Keep Finding Ways to Beat the Toughest Odds Chris Janssen www.chrisjanssencoaching.com Grace Yourself: How to Show Up for the Sober Life You Want Interview Quotes: “I learned how much your mind can influence how you are feeling and how you can find another level of strength when you have to.” - Benjamin Hall “I do think that I must now live for those who died [in the car bombing I survived in Ukraine], and that I must challenge what I do for them. I make it drive me to be better, make it drive me to go into things that I think would inspire them and make them happy.” - Benjamin Hall “You mustn’t let fear disable you. You’ve got to address it, but also not run from it. I think that the worst thing you can do is hide from them, run from them, pretend they didn’t happen.” - Benjamin Hall “We are survival machines—humans. If you can channel your feelings, if you can talk to God, if you can find the strength you need, you can get through absolutely anything.” - Benjamin Hall “Everyone has resilience. I suppose what’s difficult is learning how to really use it. I always managed to find the beauty in every day while acknowledging loss. I think that’s something that is so important for people to learn—how to balance those two things in your life and not let the loss overwhelm you, but how to let the positive really guide you.” - Benjamin Hall “I just think anybody, regardless of how you grew up, can get caught in the snare of addiction.” - Chris Janssen “When the shame and guilt flew off my shoulders, my belief changed from I’m a monster to I’m deserving of recovery and community and sobriety because I’m addicted to alcohol.” - Chris Janssen “To me, physical wellness leads to emotional wellness.” - Chris Janssen “The way I describe sobriety is more than abstinence—it’s a lifestyle, not an event. I don’t believe I’m giving something up by sobriety, I’m gaining something. And what’s gained is my life, my memories, my presence with people, my ability to have fun.” - Chris Janssen “I felt like everything I did, I had to earn it, and that’s the opposite of grace. When we live in a mindset of control, we’re unable to accept grace. We’re taking control of our own worthiness, and we don’t get to do that. God has said we’re worthy and valuable no matter what.” - Chris Janssen ________________________ 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 TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

On this episode of Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer, we’re joined by author, editor, and spoken word artist Quina Aragon. Quina shares her passion for helping others see themselves and their story within the pages of the Bible—being willing to engage even with our dark, painful, embarrassing, or shameful chapters toward healing and redemption in Jesus. Guest’s Links Quina’s YouTube: @QuinaAragon Quina’s Facebook: @QuinaAragon Quina’s Instagram: @quina_aragon Watch this interview on our YouTube channel! https://bit.ly/3T2C8fX ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website TikTok *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week, we’ll hear from pastor, speaker, and author DawnCheré Wilkerson. After walking through an eight-year journey of infertility, DawnCheré began to have a new understanding of what it means to trust God even when the answer is “not yet.” Now a mother of four, she encourages others to look for God’s presence not just in fulfilled promises, but in the slow, sacred work of waiting. Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Erin Hicks Moon. Erin is a writer, podcaster, and the resident Bible scholar on the Faith Adjacent podcast. Known for creating thoughtful space for spiritual questions, Erin invites listeners to engage their faith with open hands and open hearts, believing that questions aren’t roadblocks but profound invitations. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Austin and Marideth Telenko Upcoming interview: Benjamin Hall Jesus Calling commemorative edition DawnCheré Wilkerson VOUS Church Infertility Isaiah 40:31 NIV Psalms Hebrews Slow Burn Erin Hicks Moon Faith Adjacent www.erinhmoon.com I’ve Got Questions: The Spiritual Practice of Having It Out With God Interview Quotes: “All of life is waiting. I think that we feel the tension between hope and despair, but I found that a relationship with God and faith in Jesus, make all the difference.” - DawnCheré Wilkerson “It’s in the waiting that I discovered who God is. The intimacy that you feel when you’re desperate for God, knowing that He’s close, knowing that He’s involved in every second, knowing that He’s orchestrating your life; there’s a confidence that we can hold on to. And when we find it in seasons of desperation, we don’t just find it for that moment, we get to carry it for the rest of our life. ” - DawnCheré Wilkerson “In those eight years of infertility, I came to a place where I discovered there is work in this wait. There’s soil for me to dig deep into. There are areas for me to grow, areas for me to prune, areas for me to be outstretched and generous with my life.” - DawnCheré Wilkerson “Hebrews is very clear. Abraham, Sarah, Rahab, Moses… Scripture tells us in Hebrews that they all died still believing in what they had not seen. So if these heroes of the faith, the matriarchs, the patriarchs of our faith, didn’t see all of the promise in this life, why do I think that I will? This is where we get to trust God, but know that this is not the end of the story.” - DawnCheré Wilkerson “I think what life is really about is this long burning fuse attached not to a seasonal outcome of the explosion of God’s faithfulness, but rather to the promise of eternity.” - DawnCheré Wilkerson “We say we’re waiting, but we’re filling the time with a million different things that are really turning down the volume on the voice of God. A lot of my focus in life is how to prune out distractions because I’m prone to pick up so many different things to fill the time while I’m waiting on God.” - DawnCheré Wilkerson “There’s a really heavy leaning on preaching and crafting sermons and getting people in line with exact ‘correct’ theological beliefs, but I think there’s a disconnect between that and actually being pastored. Do people believe what we say because of what we do? I think a lot of younger generations are seeing a disconnect between that, and they want to follow the fruit.” - Erin Hicks Moon “I think we often tend to over complicate things at times. The disciples—we don’t have any record of them arguing about atonement theory or transubstantiation—what we’re mostly left with is just ‘go do the thing. Take care of the people. Tell them about Jesus. Let the Holy Spirit do the Holy Spirit’s work.’” - Erin Hicks Moon “I think if we lean in with a posture of curiosity, it’s one of the avenues through which we love our neighbor as ourselves. I think we want our kids and the people who come after us to have better tools and be more informed to have a fuller faith.” - Erin Hicks Moon “I see prayer as life with God, and I think there are so many ways to be with God. You don’t have to have everything perfectly figured out with God to talk to God, to be with God, and to look for God everywhere.” - Erin Hicks Moon “The goal is being with Jesus and letting Jesus transform you. I would tell you not to be afraid or to try to push past the fear of burning something down, like your faith, because ash is fertilizer and good things will grow again.” - Erin Hicks Moon ________________________ 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 TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

* This episode contains mature content. This week, we get to hear from Becky Murray, the founder and CEO of One By One, an organization committed to ending exploitation and bringing freedom to vulnerable children around the world. Becky’s journey began with a simple desire to fight injustice—a passion that eventually led her from her dreams of a law career to the front lines of global humanitarian work. Becky shares how a pair of pink flip-flops sparked a lifelong mission and why she believes that even small acts of kindness can change the world—one life at a time. Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Andrea Kazindra, co-founder and co-CEO of Musana, a Ugandan-led organization transforming communities through schools, hospitals, and businesses. What began as a college internship turned into a lifelong commitment to creating sustainable, locally-driven change. Nearly two decades later, Andrea continues to lead with humility, vision, and a deep belief in the power of community. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Lori Allen Upcoming interview: DawnCheré Wilkerson Becky Murray One By One Luke 10:25-37 NIV Embrace The Journey Andrea Kazindra Musana Mohammed Yunus Interview Quotes: “The temptation is because I can’t fix it all, I’ll shrink back and do nothing at all. It sometimes feels like when I look out at the ocean of need before us, it feels like I’ve got a teaspoon in my hand, and I’m attempting to empty an ocean. God doesn’t ask us to go and feed the 5,000, but what is in our hands that we can make an impact with today.” - Becky Murray “If we would just have eyes to see the needs of the ones that God brings across our path day in and day out, and if we just constantly have this heart of, Who today can I reach, who’s my neighbor today? Every day, we can see a big impact in and through our lives.” - Becky Murray “We’ve got incredible staff around the world that are running our centers. I see the kids who were supposed to not make it even past elementary education because they were so ill. And yet, after encountering the love of Christ and being given the help and the medical care that they needed, they’re now graduating around the world. To see the difference that God has made in their lives is what helps keep us motivated to keep reaching that next one.” - Becky Murray “Live with our hands open, saying, ‘Okay, God, I’m not perfect and maybe I’m still needing healing in certain parts of my own life, but despite all that, you can still flow through me if I just say yes.’” - Becky Murray “I think as long as our eyes are constantly fixed on Him, that makes all the difference, because it takes your eyes off the mountain and puts them on the One who can move those mountains.” - Becky Murray “The kids became more than just kids that were abandoned or vulnerable, living in poverty, they became names and faces and personality.” - Andrea Kazindra “If a woman delivers a baby in one of Musana’s hospitals, it is four times more likely that the baby will survive than if the baby is born at another facility in Uganda.” - Andrea Kazindra “One thing that I’ve learned being in Uganda is that prayer can be a part of every day, throughout the day. I think when you don’t have much and you don’t know what you’re going to feed your family next week, your reliance and trust has to be in God.” - Andrea Kazindra “The only reason Musana is what it is today and has grown into what it is today is because it has had God’s hand in it.” - Andrea Kazindra ________________________ 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 TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week, we’re joined by Mike Nawrocki, best known for his work in co-creating the beloved children’s series VeggieTales, and voice of Larry the Cucumber. Mike shares the leap of faith he took with college friend and VeggieTales co-creator Phil Vischer, the setbacks and devastating losses they faced along the way to create what would become an iconic staple for families all over, and how simple stories told by talking vegetables helped people understand just how much God loves them. Later, we’ll hear from Jennie Smythe, the CEO of Girlilla Marketing. Through the tragic cancer diagnosis that Jennie helped her father walk through, to her own battle with breast cancer, Jennie shares how life’s challenges have shown her that her security and identity rests in Jesus alone. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Brandi Rhodes Upcoming interview: Becky Murray Jesus Calling commemorative edition Mike Nawrocki VeggieTales Phil Vischer Dead Sea Squirrels Christian and Missionary Alliance Crown College Jim Henson Peace Corps Everland Entertainment 3-2-1 Penguins Jonah My Utmost for His Highest The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything Lipscomb University Matthew West Mac Powell Ellie Holcomb www.mikenawrocki.com www.gominno.com Jennie Smythe Girlilla Marketing pancreatic cancer breast cancer www.girlillamarketing.com Becoming Girlilla Interview Quotes: “The Silly Songs helped the kids fall in love with Larry the Cucumber and the other characters to the point where they love this character, they trust this character, and they care what the character has to say about God making them special and loving them very much.” - Mike Nawrocki “We lost everything, so it was a really, really tough time. For me, from a kind of a personal and spiritual standpoint, it really made it clear to me how much I needed God in my life. It's like my only security can be found in my relationship with Jesus. That's really the only truly secure thing that there is in this world.” – Mike Nawrocki “It’s really neat to see kind of everything coming together and the heart of the [Dead Sea Squirrels series] and my wanting to do this in the first place was to share more of the gospel story, tell more New Testament stories, and share the gospel message with kids.” - Mike Nawrocki “While there’s nothing great to talk about in terms of pancreatic cancer and losing your father, what was amazing about that situation is that he gave me forgiveness.” - Jennie Smythe “I can’t help but think that my dad speaking to me at that time was a little bit of a divine intervention, and I am forever grateful for that.” - Jennie Smythe “As I was able to get better physically [from my cancer], I was also able to recognize the amazing things that I had. I just decided I wouldn’t have any bad days. I might have bad moments. I certainly still get angry and emotional, say the wrong things, don’t do the right things–you know—normal human behavior. But [I approach life] more from a place of appreciating that I wake up each day and I have the opportunity to make it the best day of my life.” - Jennie Smythe “It’s really important to show up when you are vulnerable and when you’re struggling, because you can really help people.” - Jennie Smythe ________________________ 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 TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

For this special bonus episode, we’re joined by Pastor of Home of Jesus the King Church in Nazareth, Saleem Shalash. Since Biblical times, there’s been animosity between Arabs and Jews in the Middle East, and as an Israeli Arab Christian, Pastor Saleem often felt stuck in the middle. He was raised with hatred for Israel buried deep in his heart, but after God opened his eyes to the reconciliation and love that’s so desperately needed in the world right now, Saleem began providing much-needed humanitarian support to Jews, Muslims, and Christians through his affiliation with Joseph Project International. In his pursuit to be a peacemaker that helps bring healing to a hurting world, Pastor Saleem is serving families from all ethnic and religious backgrounds across the nation—praying for the next generation to be free of hatred, and instead fueled by love and compassion. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Saleem Shalash Instagram The Joseph Project website Joseph Project Facebook Joseph Project Instagram Interview Quotes: “When they gave me the Bible, [it was] like giving a thirsty man a cold cup of water.” - Saleem Shalash “The Lord said, ‘Saleem it is your choice. Do you want to be part of the family or do you want to stay out?’ I was weeping that night. And I said, ‘God, I can't do it by myself. I need your help.’ I felt that God set me free from this hatred.” - Saleem Shalash “I believe that God keeps His promises. God changed all my life upside down. And I became one of the people that supports Arabs and Jews, who builds bridges between Arab and Jewish people; peacemakers in the land of Israel.” - Saleem Shalash “We need to create a new generation that's empty of hatred. We don't want to create a new generation that continues with the same conflict, with the same fight, with the same words.” - Saleem Shalash “Reconciliation is our message. Love is our message. We want everyone to live in peace and to be bridge builders in these difficult days.” - Saleem Shalash ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week, we’re joined by Jennifer Tucker, an author and illustrator. When her youngest daughter began experiencing severe panic attacks as a teenager, Jennifer found herself seeking help for her daughter, only to discover that she herself needed help for her long-ignored struggles with anxiety. Through research and the practice of using breath as prayers, Jennifer discovered powerful ways for managing anxiety while deepening her faith. Later in the episode, we’ll hear from college-age athlete Cole Prasse, who shares how a sudden cancer diagnosis upended his baseball dreams, forcing him to fight a battle he never saw coming. Through months of treatment, unexpected setbacks, and moments of deep uncertainty, he leaned on his faith and the support of those around him to find the strength to push through his toughest season yet. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Desiree Siegfried Jesus Calling for Moms Jesus Calling for Graduates Jennifer Tucker sympathetic nervous system Psalm 23 NIV www.littlehousestudio.net Present in Prayer Cole Prasse Tommy John surgery Non-Hodgkin lymphoma ABVD [chemotherapy drug] ICE treatment immunotherapy Interview Quotes: “I did not know how to reconcile my own feelings of anxiety with what I thought I was supposed to be [in order to] be a good Christian. I must not have enough faith, I must not be praying enough or the right way. My personal anxiety was really enveloped in a lot of shame and a lot of just pushing it down, but inside I was struggling.” - Jennifer Tucker “The breath is the bridge between the brain and the body, and [my daughter’s psychiatrist] really emphasized how important it was to really slow down those breaths and to breathe in deeply and slowly, and exhale slowly and fully, and how significant that was.” - Jennifer Tucker “I found this idea of breath prayer where you connect that slow, deep breathing to a very simple, short prayer from God’s Word—like a little verse—and you inhale one part of it, exhale the other part of it.” - Jennifer Tucker “God’s not mad at us because we’re anxious or afraid. He knows we’re gonna feel these things. He knows we’re gonna be anxious. He knows we’re gonna worry. He comes to us not as a harsh judge, but as a loving Father.” - Jennifer Tucker “It’s an intentional choice I have to make every single day to return my heart to Christ, return my mind to the truth in His Word, and really cling to that regardless of what’s happening around me because that’s where my source of hope and peace is.” - Jennifer Tucker “For me, being a pitcher, positive self-talk is a big thing for me in my game and when I’m on the mound. Being in that hospital bed alone at night on the seventieth day that you’re there, you learn a little bit about the way that you think and the way that you process things.” - Cole Prasse “I wanted to be cancer free, and I surrounded myself with everybody that wanted me to be cancer free, and that made it a lot easier because they shared the same thoughts as me. The ministry of presence goes a long way.” - Cole Prasse “You can’t plan for things like cancer. It’s about learning, moving forward, pushing through, trusting the process, and trusting that your story is written. So you can be mad at the story that’s been written, or you can make the most of the story.” - Cole Prasse ________________________ 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 TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.