Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

In today's world, characterized by advanced technology and increasing isolation, there's a pressing need to foster real connection. As technology continues to advance, genuine human connections are taking a backseat. However, in Scripture we find that God recognizes; "It is not good for man to be alone." (Genesis 2:18). As part of God’s unique design, He wired us for meaningful connection where we find strength, love, and support from others. This week, as we celebrate Thanksgiving and a season of connection and gratitude, we have two pastors to help us navigate a season that also can be lonely and disconnected. Author and pastor Levi Lusko sheds light on the growing loneliness crisis in our highly connected world, and Daniel Darling explains the fundamental aspects of healthy relationships, including forgiveness, reconciliation, and trust.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Larry Randolph and Jennifer Bleakley Upcoming interview: Eric Constanzo www.ReadRelief.com Not That Fancy Jesus Listens for Advent and Christmas Genesis 2:18 NIV   Levi Lusko  Fresh Life Church Surgeon General Psalms 8 NIV Neil deGrasse Tyson Ezekiel 3:15 NIV Marvel at the Moon   Daniel Darling National Religious Broadcasters Association Land Center for Cultural Engagement  Texas Baptist College 1 Timothy NIV 2 Timothy NIV John 13:34-35 NIV www.danieldarling.com   Interview Quotes: “God said, ‘It's not good that man should be alone.’ And so I think there's something of the human experience where our souls will always crave and always be deficient if we're not having those vital exchanges, those conversations, those moments.” - Levi Lusko  “I think when we lift our eyes, we'll be reminded, Hey, the one who made the moon, the one who with His fingers called out the stars, with His voice, with the word of His power, separated light from darkness, He loves you. He has a plan for you. He came in the person of Jesus to this world. He wants to have a relationship with you.” - Levi Lusko  “No matter what you're facing today, God is safe to build your life upon, and the weather and the wind can change in a moment, but God's Word never will.” - Levi Lusko  “Jesus knows what you're going through and He has a plan for you in it. He has a plan to give you power and to give you peace and to give you comfort.” - Levi Lusko “Paul says at one point in 1 Timothy, he says, ‘To fight the good fight.’ In other words, there are things worth fighting for.” - Daniel Darling  “Paul says to Timothy in 2 Timothy, ‘Avoid stupid and foolish arguments.’ And so there are things that we may have opinions on and that may be important to us, but we should be open handed about them and learn to love and live with people who disagree.” - Daniel Darling  “We should say, ‘I'm going to hold onto you amidst all this turmoil in the world, amidst these raging rapids. I'm not going to let you go as a friend.’ I think this is what God is calling us to do.” - Daniel Darling “We don't have to be alone. We can be known by God and we can know God.” - Daniel Darling  “Once we understand how much God has forgiven us in Christ, anything that we've done against God is even worse than the worst thing done to us, if we can imagine that. And God gives us that ability to forgive.” - Daniel Darling “See how God will use you as a witness in your own family and in your own communities.” - Daniel Darling  “We're praying to a personal God. We can ask Him for our personal needs. We can draw on Him for strength in our own personal lives, and what a blessing it has been to my family and to countless other families.” - Daniel Darling  ________________________ 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.

Do you ever wish you could simply start over, or that you had a second chance? Maybe you feel like your life is “too far gone,” that there’s no hope of ever going back to what could’ve been. But there is good news to be found in 2 Corinthians 5:16-17, which says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old is gone, the new is here!”” There is always a chance for a fresh start, as our God meets you with compassion, grace and beautiful mercy.  Pastor Herman Mendoza came up through some tough years growing up in Queens, NY, enduring abuse from his father, and finding it hard to find connection from his peers. He ultimately chose to get involved in gang activity and drug trafficking, which brought him the power and sense of connection he had always wanted, but also ended up with run-ins with authorities, and ultimately jail time that he couldn’t negotiate his way out of. He shares how God changed his path to become a force for good in a place where goodness isn’t easily found. Stephen Arterburn, founder of New Life Ministries, has a focus of transformation with God's truth and a genuine desire to see parents shepherd their children well through the pitfalls of the online world. He shares helpful guidance for parents seeking to mentor their children in this screen-saturated time.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: John & Stasi Eldredge Upcoming interview: Levi Lusko www.ReadRelief.com 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 NIV   Herman Mendoza Promise Ministries International Powerhouse Kids Rikers Island Proverbs 26:11 NIV Drug Enforcement Agency www.hermanmendoza.com   Stephen Arterburn New Life Ministries New Life Live Jesus Calling for kids www.stephenarterburn.com Understanding and Loving Your Child In a Screen-Saturated World Interview Quotes: “This was all God setting everything up. He would have it no other way.” - Herman Mendoza “For the very first time it wasn't about me. It wasn't about excuses. It wasn't about negotiating with God. It was about the wrongs that I've done and that Jesus paid the price for my sins and that He can make it alright, even though the sins that I was committing, there's a price to pay for them, and I had to pay that price.” - Herman Mendoza  “There's hope in Jesus Christ. God is amazing, and when you seek Him, you will find Him. and He will change your life forever.” - Herman Mendoza  “You have to come to that place where you have to know Jesus first. He will navigate you through life’s obstacles and life's challenges. God enables me to have freedom through prayer, to talk to Him and and for Him to remind me that He loves me. He's with me, and the Holy Scriptures are there to guide me each and every day.” - Herman Mendoza  ________________________ 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.

Experiencing a significant loss or trauma often leads to an identity crisis, a sensation comparable to losing footing on solid ground. You may suddenly feel untethered, as if the person you once knew as "you" has evaporated, replaced by an unfamiliar stranger. Your faith may seem hollow, your relationships distant. It’s like you’re lost in your own life, and you don’t know how to get back.  Our guests this week share how they coped with grief and hardship, and how they found their way back from feeling disoriented and disconnected from themselves. Senior pastor of Fellowship Church Ed Young and his wife Lisa share the heart wrenching story of their daughter, LeeBeth, and her struggle with addiction, and how it forever altered the course of their lives. Dr. Morgan Cutlip looked forward to motherhood, but was quickly faced with the real struggles that come alongside it, and made it her life’s work to help mothers cope with that loss of self, and show them how to remember who they are again.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Dr. Lee Warren Upcoming interview: Herman Mendoza Operation Christmas Child Jesus Listens for Advent & Christmas Reba McEntire Not That Fancy   Ed Young Lisa Young Fellowship Church AA [Alcoholics Anonymous] COVID A Path Through Pain   Dr. Morgan Cutlip Philippians 4:8 NIV Love Your Kids Without Losing Yourself   Interview Quotes “Through that pain [of losing our daughter], God just surrounded us with His indescribable love. I still can't believe it to this day, but He did, and He has, and I know He will. We had just experienced something together that nobody wants to experience, but it was something that God was walking with us together.” - Lisa Young “Ed said right after LeeBeth passed away, ‘We will never, ever, ever be the same. We won't do church the same, I won't minister the same, I won't pastor the same.’ And that's in a good way, and so it's continually God showing us new ways to live past this point of grief.” - Lisa Young  “Pour your heart out to God, your anger out to God, your questions out to God, but also realize, Man, God’s got this, He's got me.” - Ed Young  “When things started happening, things that were painful, I was able to draw upon what God had given me, what God had instilled in me, and that's how joy and pain can coincide.” - Lisa Young  “Whatever we face, joy can be ever-present. It seems distant at times, but it's ever-present because of His Presence in my life.” - Lisa Young  “I think that we're in a society right now that is like, ‘Feelings are facts,’ and they’re just not. We put a lot of emphasis on feelings, but feelings are signals. Feelings are a warning bell that are calling you to tune in to you and say, ‘What's going on with me?’” - Dr. Morgan Cutlip “I just stay in conversation with God all day. I feel like it's a running dialog, and this really is what helps me in so many ways of feeling like I'm never really alone. I am in a relationship with Someone who knows me deeply, who loves me, who doesn't give me more than I can handle; who I can turn things over to.” - Dr. Morgan Cutlip ________________________ 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.

Many writers and philosophers have compared the process of living our lives to running a race, or following a path. The Bible, in Hebrews among other places, makes this comparison as well by saying;  “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith [Hebrews 12: 1-3].” Much as a marathon runner relies on their faith to complete a grueling race, or a mountaineer looks to the heavens for strength to conquer a strenuous climb, our faith can provide a source of strength and motivation to endure life’s challenges, pushing one's limits beyond perceived boundaries.  With unwavering passion and determination, eight time American Ninja Warrior finalist and competitor Daniel Gil shares how his relationship with the Lord has helped him push through some of the toughest challenges–both mental and physical. Professional tennis player and Deaf World Championship winner Brad Minns lost his hearing at the age of three and shares the challenges that brought when entering the world of tennis, how he found the strength to defy the odds.  Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Don Wickstrum Upcoming interview: Pastor Ed & Lisa Young Operation Christmas Child Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV   Daniel Gil American Ninja Warrior Hebrews 12:2 NIV Kingdom Ninja   Brad Minns Never Give Up book Arnold Schwarzeneggerer The Education of a Bodybuilder Deaflympics Never Give Up movie   Interview Quotes: “It wasn't until I was chasing wholeheartedly, fully, and completely after my walk with the Lord that these relationships and these doors began to open for what I feel like God had purposed for my life all along.” - Daniel Gil “I'll put the blinders on, block out all the noise, block out the lights, block out the cameras, block out the audience, and I'll put a smile on my face from ear to ear, because as an athlete and more so as a Christian, I'm grateful for every single opportunity to be there.” - Daniel Gil  “I'll give it everything that I've got, but at the end of the day, I don't find my identity in American Ninja Warrior. I don't find my identity in anything that I do. I find my identity in my walk with the Lord.” - Daniel Gil “I said, ‘God help me.’ And [as] I said [that] prayer, I left the rest to God. And I came back and won the match.” - Brad Minns “There's physical training, and there's spiritual training. Physical training has some value, but spiritual training has far greater value because it has benefits, not just in this life, but the life to come.” - Brad Minns “We all have a gift that God created us for, to use while we are here on this Earth to do what He wants us to do. The only way you are going to use that gift to the maximum is to put God first and let Him have total control in your life.” - Brad Minns  ________________________ 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.

Naomi Raine from Maverick City Music has been singing since she was just two years old—and the power in her voice comes from a passion to glorify God in her music. Through her life journey, with all its ups and downs, Naomi has kept Christ at the center, allowing Him to shine through in all that she does, which has inspired countless listeners.   Guest’s Links Facebook: @NaomiRaineMusic Instagram: @naomiraine ________________________  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.

When other people's expectations drive our lives, we run the risk of losing our authentic selves, and are subtly steered away from our own unique paths. We’re compelled to show up as others would have us, instead of showing up as our true selves. It can be hard to change our instinct to listen to others and we can get lost in the noise. But when we trust that God will show us who we really are, we are empowered to sift through all those societal expectations and find the courage to stand firm in our truth.  This week, singer and songwriter Rachael Lampa shares how she was thrust into the spotlight at an early age, becoming a number one selling Christian artist at only fifteen years old. After a few years of showing up for her record label, her managers, and her fans, Rachael began to feel her own voice starting to diminish. She shares what brought her back from burnout and how she learned to trust her own voice again. After we hear from Rachael, we’ll talk with Dove award winning rapper KB who shares his own identity crisis as a people pleaser, and whose voice of approval he was really seeking in his quest to feel worthy.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Lauren Alaina Upcoming interview: Daniel Gil Operation Christmas Child   Rachael Lampa People Loving Nashville www.rachaellampamusic.com “Perfectly Loved”   KB www.whoiskb.com His Glory Alone II   Interview Quotes: “It was a really special thing to be able to grow in my faith and also grow in music at the same time and watch how the music reflected where I was with my faith.” - Rachael Lampa  “I'm turning my back on the thing that I thought I was going to do for the rest of my life. It was one of those first moments where I was able to say, ‘I trust God right now, I trust God a lot. I don't have a plan for what this is going to look like.’” - Rachael Lampa  “When we give gifts to people, we don't expect them to take that gift and be like, ‘Here you go, world. You can have it, too.’” - Rachael Lampa “I got to worship [God] in the smallest ways and not always under sound and lights. That is really what brought me to a place where I was able to say, ‘Okay, if music never comes back, I'm okay. I am loved, I still matter, I still have purpose.’” - Rachael Lampa “I fully trust God, and He has just been honestly blowing me away.” - Rachael Lampa “I realized that this unhealthiness that was showing up in my life was connected to me working for the approval of a voice that I would never hear.” - KB  “I'm not able to even taste the fruit of my labor because everything I do is always incomplete because I need the approval of my father. That created all kinds of problems in my heart, but what I found was it made me ripe for the Father God.” - KB  “God's glory doesn't take a backseat, it doesn't suspend itself in our brokenness, in our confusion; it is a part of how God shows up and shows out in our weakness. There is strength in confessing our fragility and there’s strength in owning our need for healing.” - KB  “I've been so grateful for the brothers and sisters that God has assigned to me that make up His church, that helped to hold my arms up, helped calm me to repentance and helped to heal the wounds that I've become so acutely aware of.” - KB  “If God is not holding the leash on my desires, if He's not holding the leash on my trauma and what I'm enduring, if He is not holding the leash on my world, I am utterly lost. And I need to break away from that mythical idea that I have the leash in hand and I'm only going to be as happy as I'm in control.” - KB  ________________________ 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.

In the bleak aftermath of unspeakable tragedy, it is faith that dawns as our beacon of survival and healing. Faith, by its very nature, is about trust, hope, and a belief that God is in control. It allows us to seek solace and strength in something greater than ourselves, and it provides a comforting balm for our wounded hearts. Both of our guests this week faced heartbreaking circumstances that could have shaken their faith beyond repair, but each of them chose to wait and see what God would do in their lives as they healed from their scars and faced a new way of living through their pain.   Nicole Avant is an author and film producer who grew up around the music business. Her father, Clarence Avant, was known as the Godfather of Black Music, and as an executive in the music business, he furthered the careers of jazz legends like Sarah Vaughn and Jimmy Smith, and was a sought after mentor for artists like Jamie Foxx, David Geffen, Whitney Houston, and others. Nicole’s family life was steeped in music and in faith. It was the faith she would cling to when tragedy struck twice—first, the devastating loss of her mother to the hands of a gunman who invaded their home, and then, the loss of her father shortly after. Author and speaker Gary Miracle unexpectedly found himself on his deathbed in the emergency room, with a 1.7% chance to survive the night. A series of small miracles lined up, and though he ultimately lost all four limbs, Gary’s life was spared, inspiring MercyMe’s hit song, “Say I Won’t.”    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: The Beathard family Upcoming interview: Rachael Lampa Operation Christmas Child   Nicole Avant Clarence Avant Sarah Vaughn  Jimmy Smith Jamie Foxx David Geffen Whitney Houston Bill Withers “Lean On Me” Philippians 1:11 NIV Think You'll Be Happy: Moving Through Grief with Grit, Grace, and Gratitude   Gary Miracle  “Say I Won’t” septic shock  ECMO machine Depression www.garymiracle.com No More Bad Days   Interview Quotes: “If I need to understand myself, I always go to a song.” - Nicole Avant  “I always go back to the music because you don't feel alone. You never feel alone.” - Nicole Avant  “The first scripture that my mom made me memorize was Philippians 1:11, ‘May you always be doing those good, kind things which show that you are a child of God, for this will bring much praise and glory to the Lord.’ And that was kind of my mantra.” - Nicole Avant “My faith was everything to me during the experience [of losing my mother]. It does not take the pain away, but it does help you move through the pain. I was taking it day by day, and then it became, ‘Oh, Lord, minute by minute, minute by minute, give me today.’” - Nicole Avant “Something that took me years to learn, but I'm grateful that I learned it before this [tragedy], is forgiveness really has nothing to do with condonement.” - Nicole Avant  “What a beautiful thing that you could change your thinking and you could use your imagination. And if you use it wisely and ask for help from the divine, you're going to be okay.” - Nicole Avant “I want to spend my whole life telling people that God is good and begging people to believe that God is good and convincing people of that, and then when something traumatic happens to me, still living my life like He is really, really good.” - Gary Miracle  “I want to fight for life. I want to learn what it means to live and not just be alive.” - Gary Miracle “I'm still here and I'm still alive and I'm still present, and now I get to gladly say that I am in prosthetic legs and God's grace has been so sufficient and so good for me through this season.” - Gary Miracle  “I get to say that there were only setbacks in my life because I thought they were setbacks in that moment, but looking back, they weren't setbacks at all. Christ was still working out my story and I just wanted it to be a lot faster and happen sooner than He wanted it to. So I had what I call setbacks, but Christ calls them next steps.“ - Gary Miracle “Be vulnerable enough to tell just one person who you really are, because what I've learned right now in my life is through the sharing of my struggles, both visible and invisible, I've never been more loved in my entire life when I thought I would be judged for all of that.” - Gary Miracle “I believe that there is going to be a day that I am going to be running down the streets of gold with my brand new legs, with my son Ellis, side by side, and I can't wait to meet him and I can't wait to be there. And I can't wait to meet all of you all there as well. So join me in chasing Jesus.” - Gary Miracle  ________________________ 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.

In a big world, we might feel a little lost in the mix, like there’s nothing really special about us. But much like a chef skillfully combines ingredients to create the perfect recipe, God uses challenges, experiences, and talents to give us all a one-of-a-kind design. This week, Food Network personality and author Aarti Sequeira shares how cooking as a hobby turned into a sacred place for her, and how the conversations she would have with God in the kitchen led to a deep and meaningful relationship with Him, and with others who came to dine at her table. Chef Darnell Ferguson came from a place in the inner city where he couldn’t find much to believe in—much less himself. It took a special teacher to see the spark of talent he had, and though he would continue to struggle with feeling forgotten and alone, an encounter with God at church turned his world around. After we hear Aarti’s and Darnell’s stories, be sure to stay with us until the end of the show for a special reading from Reba McEntire herself, straight from her new audiobook, Not That Fancy.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Melissa d’Arabian Upcoming interview: Nicole Avant Reba McEntire Not That Fancy Operation Christmas Child   Aarti Sequeira Mumbai  Dubai  Gulf War  Larry King Live Suzanne Goen Aarti Paarti Food Network Star www.aartisequeira.com Unwind   Darnell Ferguson Emeril Live Superchef Family Cookbook   Interview Quotes: “Growing up in Dubai, I was like, well, I'm not Arab, I'm not English, I've always felt like I don't quite fit in here. But the beautiful thing about that is that I think it put in me this heart of wanting to connect with people, finding something in common with them so that we could feel connected.” - Aarti Sequeira “I started to feel really worthless because my identity was so wrapped up in achieving professionally and being a journalist. Once that was taken away from me, who even was I anymore? I felt like a failure.” - Aarti Sequeira  “I felt like God would teach me and meet me in the slicing of the vegetables, the sizzling of the garlic and those things. He would just remind me, ‘I am Creator and you are made in my image, and so when you are cooking, this is you acting out of Me.’” - Aarti Sequeira “When I cooked, the kitchen became this place of real sanctuary for me, a place where the chaos of my life could turn into order, where I could take a mess of ingredients and turn them into something beautiful, nourishing, helpful, purposeful. It really sort of took me over.” - Aarti Sequeira  “I want people to recognize that when they are in any way impressed by anything I'm saying or doing or cooking or creating, it's not me. If you knew who I was before the Lord took me, I was unremarkable.” - Aarti Sequeira   “The very basic nature of sitting elbow to elbow with someone and talking to them face to face is something that our soul is actually aching for.” - Aarti Sequeira  “I feel so, so grateful that I have this filter of Jesus through which I look at the whole world. I look at every person through it, and I just have so much compassion for people because of that.” - Aarti Sequeira  “I had to learn the hard way. And it also made me understand how much I need forgiveness, how much I need grace, because I know where I came from and I know where a lot of people are at today.” - Darnell Ferguson  “If you can attach yourself to the truth about what God says about who you are, it will change your entire life. You can do way more than you ever imagined.” - Darnell Ferguson  ________________________ 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.

Music holds an incredible spiritual power that can't be easily defined. It serves as a universal language, connecting people across cultures and experiences, and has a mysterious way of mirroring our innermost feelings and thoughts. The gift God gave us through music can heal, uplift, and inspire, providing spiritual nourishment and a deeper sense of connection to the world around us.  Singer/songwriter Kelly Lang found herself in a dark place after an unexpected and frightening breast cancer diagnosis. As she contemplated her mortality, she started to look at the world with different eyes, and was inspired to write songs about her experiences during a season that would greatly test her strength. Chris Brown, a worship leader and songwriter at Elevation Church, has written amazing songs of worship during his life that help people feel closer to God. Chris describes how music got him through some difficult times, including the loss of his mom, and how God shows up for Him in those challenging places.     Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview:  Francesca Battistelli Upcoming interview: Aarti Sequeira Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots  www.ReadRelief.com   Kelly Lang The Oprah Winfrey Show Mammogram Ascension Saint Thomas Hospitals  “I Think It's Jesus” Kelly Lang’s latest album ‘Dragonfly’ features the single “I Think It’s Jesus” as well as “I’m Not Going Anywhere,” “Life Sentence,” and more! Lang’s advocacy for breast cancer awareness came full circle with her Grand Ole Opry debut at Opry Goes Pink, the annual event honoring breast cancer patients.   Chris Brown Elevation Church Pastor Steven Furtick “Here Again” Can You Imagine? Here Again Written by Chris Brown, Amy Corbett and Steven Furtick © 2018 Music by Elevation Worship Publishing (BMI) (admin. at EssentialMusicPublishing.com)   Interview Quotes: “I survived with an attitude of gratitude and looking at things positively, like, Okay, I've got breast cancer, but at least I'm here. I was just grasping at every little detail because the people that I surrounded myself with taught me that. You could choose to live in a dark place or you could choose to live in a lighter place.” - Kelly Lang  “It's so important to daily set aside time with [God] so that these truths get rooted deeper into my spirit, into my mind, that whatever I'm worried about or facing right now, God is in it with me.” - Chris Brown “Spending time with Jesus every single day is watering and tending to the garden of my soul.” - Chris Brown  “I need those moments where God can also pull out things in my heart and in my spirit that don't belong there, and He can reveal those things to me.” - Chris Brown ________________________ 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.

It doesn’t matter how much we achieve, or how much we do to show ourselves as worthy, haunting doubts can creep in, making us question our value and undercutting our confidence. Sometimes these feelings stem from an internal comparison with others around us, as we measure our lives against others' highlight reels. However, there is a hope for the dark feelings we have that tell us we’re not enough, or that no one truly cares. The transformative power of God’s love encourages us to shed layers of self-doubt and replace them with an armor of self-acceptance and appreciation. In the face of this love, shame dwindles, losing its power to control our emotions and actions.  This week, actress Kerry Washington plumbs the depths of her family history to vulnerably reveal her own history, and found that she carried shame which made her feel unworthy and unlovable—which manifested into anxiety she would carry into adulthood. Through the help of therapy, prayer, and understanding her story, Kerry began vulnerably sharing her deepest secrets, and learned to love herself by letting go of shame. With a mixture of home design styling, DIY projects, and preaching from God's Word, Anh Lin has created a truly unique space on her YouTube channel, Girl and The Word. Anh recalls one of her darkest moments when she thought to herself, No one truly loves you, when she felt God comforting her and assuring her of her worth. Now, she works to help others transform spaces into healing sanctuaries of peace and reflection.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Carley Summers Upcoming interview: Kelly Lang Samaritan’s Purse: https://sampur.se/44HesSt    Kerry Washington Thicker Than Water   Anh Lin  Girl and The Word YouTube channel www.girlandtheword.com Forever Home   Interview Quotes: “I really have been on a journey to figure out how to take care of myself and provide a sense of safety for myself that helps me stay out of depression and anxiety.” - Kerry Washington  “We are each of us a child of God. We all deserve to be loved unconditionally. We are all worthy. We are no less than or no greater than any other person.” - Kerry Washington  “We don't all have the same journeys, but we do share these common human, unifying experiences of wanting to be loved, wanting to be seen, knowing what it's like to be afraid, knowing what it's like to love, knowing what it's like to have our hearts broken.” - Kerry Washington “My children and my husband are 100% proof of God to me. Each of us is a crazy, brilliant miracle, just a God blessed miracle to be here.” - Kerry Washington “My deepest relationships with God have come in my most challenging times. I think those ebbs and flows in life happen to invite us to get closer to goodness, closer to faith, closer to God.” - Kerry Washington  “I had that experience of [God] coming to me when I was at my darkest stage, when I had wanted nothing to do with Him or anything to do with any religion, He still saw His broken daughter and it broke His heart. And He reached out to me.” - Anh Lin “I generally just look at the things that surround me, such as land or paint or whatever I have within my vicinity, and I really allow the Lord to inspire me in what He wants me to do next, creative wise.” - Anh Lin  “I feel like if we are searching for that next creative project that would really glorify Him, just allow Him to inspire us in unexpected ways, and then open the Bible and see what the scriptures have to say about that.” - Anh Lin ________________________ 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.