Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

When we’re going through a particularly tough time in life, we might find ourselves shaking our fists in the air and asking, “Why God? Why this, why me?” But what we night not realize is that God knows the answer to our questions, and though it may not be clear to us now what meaning that time of pain or struggle had in our lives, we have to trust that God is with us as we work through it, and that He’s got something greater for us on the other side of it.    Our guests this week will admit they’ve had disappointments, failures, and missed opportunities. But they both acknowledge that when they’ve been through painful experiences, they can look back and see how far they’ve come and what they learned toward creating a better future for themselves, and others. We’re talking with Hall of Fame Pro NFL football player and co-host of The NFL on Fox, Terry Bradshaw, plus author and founder of the non-profit Broken Crayons Still Color, which helps people deal with trauma and abuse, Toni Collier.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Upcoming interview: Jimmy and Irene Rollins    Terry Bradshaw FOX NFL Sunday Pittsburgh Steelers ADD [Attention Deficit Disorder]  Louisiana Tech Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Grapevine bladder cancer Merkel Cell cancer   Toni Collier Broken Crayons Still Color Parentification Psalms Brave Enough to Be Broken   Interview Quotes: “Going to Louisiana Tech, not passing the ACT, I'll just say was all a part of His plan for me. It all worked out—I ended up going into the Hall of Fame, ended up winning the Super Bowl.” - Terry Bradshaw “It's okay to not view yourself as perfect. The fact that we can acknowledge our imperfections is good, that we seek a love and forgiveness from God, which He promised to give us if we ask for forgiveness. That’s like the greatest message ever, knowing that I can be forgiven of my sins.” - Terry Bradshaw “I hear people talk about miracles all the time. I'm not a big miracle guy because miracles come at God's pace, not my pace. I don't like to wear God out.” - Terry Bradshaw “I grew up way too fast, thought I was like a little adult at thirteen. And it just kind of opened up the really this unprotected state from the enemy just to come in and steal so much of my childhood and the light that God was really trying to put in it.” - Toni Collier “If we really do believe that God is a redeemer, then we also believe that He can redeem relationships. He can redeem the time that was lost in relationships.” - Toni Collier “[I] rebuilt my entire life by just believing that my brokenness and everything I had gone through didn't discount me. That God still had a real great plan and a purpose for me.” - Toni Collier “In my moments of pleading is when I felt the presence of God the most.” - Toni Collier “I think what someone needs to hear today is; maybe it's not the grief and the pain and the betrayal and the abandonment that takes you out, but the belief that you would have to feel it all alone. And you do not. We do not, because we have a God that's with us.” - Toni Collier ________________________ 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.

On this episode of Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer, we’re talking to two co-pastors whose lives intersected in a way that would have a forever kind of impact: Walter Hooker and Andy Kaup from Bellevue Christian Center in Bellevue, Nebraska. Walter worked at their church for many years, and knew Andy as a kid. When Andy became an adult, he decided to go into ministry. When a job for lead pastor came up, Walter and Andy were the top candidates. Andy was chosen for the position, and though Walter could have chosen to be resentful of the choice, he showed up fully to support Andy as lead pastor. Fast forward a few months later and Walter would find himself reaching a crossroads in his health after years long struggle. His prayers for healing were answered in a very unexpected, and personal way through his friend and co-pastor Andy, in this amazing testimony to the power of prayer and how God can bring good out of complicated situations.  Guest’s Links Bellevue Christian Center YouTube Facebook: @bellevuechristian.ne Instagram: @bellevuechristian.ne ________________________  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 we make plans for the future, we often want God to sign on the dotted line and agree to everything we’ve laid out. Yet when those plans fail, we find ourselves turning to God as a last resort. And as our guests this week will attest, He is faithful to lead us back to a path that we’re meant to follow, whether we realized it or not. Fox and Rob Richardson, a couple from Shreveport, Louisiana, open up about the act of desperation that led to their incarceration, and what happened to their lives and the lives of their family in the process. Tanya Rad is the author of The Sunshine Mind and host of KIIS FM's On Air with Ryan Seacrest. She shares about the crippling anxiety she experienced over fear of the future, and how putting her trust in God allowed her to find peace in the midst of the unknown.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Tim Brown Upcoming interview: Terry Bradshaw   Fox and Rob Richardson Rich Family Ministries www.foxandrob.com Time: The Untold Story of the Love That Held Us Together When Incarceration Kept Us Apart   Tanya Rad  The Sunshine Mind  KIIS FM's On Air with Ryan Seacrest Serbian Orthodox church  Jason Kennedy   Interview Quotes: “To be free is to free others.” - Rob Richardson “There are moments you think you've got everything all figured out and that life is moving in the direction that you dreamed of, and then in just one second, everything changes for you. ” - Fox Richardson “I believed that there was something that was operating inside of me and around me that would guide me and protect me and keep me safe.” - Rob Richardson “God, if I'm still here, it’s for a reason. You created this life. I did not create this life. And if you have given it to me, even with the decisions—the foul decisions I have made—I am going to see this through.” - Fox Richardson “Family is everything and everything is family. . . . We had love and each other. And nothing in this life is going to top that.” - Fox Richardson “I think that long before Rob and I ever got outside of prison, God had set us free on the inside.” - Fox Richardson “What gets me out of these moments of anxiety and stress is knowing there is always this bigger picture that God has. He knows the plans He has for me.” - Tanya Rad “Whenever I do find myself getting stressed or anxious about things, I always kind of ultimately come back to that notion of like, God's got me. It's in His timing. “ - Tanya Rad “We were meant to be in community and helping others.” - Tanya Rad “I think that finding joy in your reality is what leads to a peaceful, happy life.” - Tanya Rad ________________________ 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.

When a blizzard struck western New York just before this past Christmas, pastors Al & Vivian Robinson were expecting the usual winter storm they’re used to living in Buffalo. But when their town of Lovejoy lost power and neighbors started getting stranded, Vivian felt God calling her to open their church, the Spirit of Truth Urban Ministry, to help shelter, feed, and tend to the masses. With rescue efforts underway, and small miracles piling on top of one another, Al & Vivian experienced the love of God operating in a way so powerful, so moving, that it still brings them to tears when they reflect back on the 6 days they spent ministering to those in need.    Quotes “Lovejoy lost all electrical power, but our church did not lose power. And I distinctively looked at my wife and I said, ‘Vivian, why would the Lord let us have electricity while everybody around us has no electricity?’ And then within about 10 hours, we found out exactly why.” - Al Robinson  “That first group of people that came here, the wailing and crying and shrilling, it was terrible. And that's when you began to understand the gravity of what is going on. This isn't a traditional Buffalo snowstorm, it’s far more sinister than that.” - Al Robinson  “It was just incredible how how the the spirit of the Lord in my wife was vibrating with the people around them where they just fell in sync with what she was doing, what what she was telling them to do, how she was orchestrating things, how she was making things up a structured at this church. It was wonderful.” - Al Robinson  “Neighbors started bringing food out of their freezers so that we could feed the masses. It was literally a two loaves and five fish moment.” - Al Robinson  “This is nothing new to us when it comes to serving God's people. And when people are in need, we go over and above to make sure we're taking care of individuals and we make the sacrifices that God has given us to go out there to get the people that needs our help. And that's what we have been designed to do.” - Vivian Robinson  “God gave us this building. He gave us our lives. He gave us our health. He gave us our money. So in our opinion, everything we have already belongs to God. And so if God asks us to do something with what's His, we have absolutely no problem doing it. My life isn’t my own.” - Al Robinson “It is a privilege I hold in high esteem that the Lord would pick His humble servants here in Lovejoy to be a part of an operation that saved the lives of 154 people during the most catastrophic storm known in the history of Buffalo, New York.” - Al Robinson “I was just grateful and thankful that God had used His humble people just to say yes to the call and that we had the opportunity to love on these people and to see each and every last one of these lives that God allowed us to save.” - Vivian Robinson   LinksSpirit of Truth Urban Ministry La Verdad Cafe  ________________________  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.

In life, we can't escape adversity; we are bound to end up with some bumps and bruises. Maybe it’s because of rough beginnings, difficult relationships with loved ones, or unexpected circumstances that inevitably come our way.  Having faith in God doesn't mean you won’t face challenges and difficulties. Instead, it means we can know that we won't have to face those battles alone. Like the apostle Paul, who called upon God and rejoiced while being imprisoned, he constantly tried to find the blessing during the pain of being captive. Through his example, we can see that when we put our trust in God and focus on gratitude, we’ll find strength to get through the rockier times of our lives.  Our guests this week have each faced significant trials, and chose to trust God during those times. Each of them found that facing negative experiences in this way equipped them with the tools to face future challenges in a healthier way. Marine Veteran Tom Schueman, who served in one of the bloodiest battles of the war in Afghanistan, opens up about staring death in the face daily, and how reading the Psalms reminded him that he wasn’t alone. Teaching pastor Alli Patterson thought she had life figured out at an early age. She did all the “right” things, but quickly discovered early on in her career and her marriage that there were cracks in the foundation she’d carefully laid—and found herself searching for solace outside of her marriage. It was in the dark hours of almost losing everything that she left her future in God’s hands, giving her the courage to try to restore what had been broken.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Max Lucado Upcoming interview: Fox and Rob Richardson   Tom Schueman Psalms G.I. Joe  Apocalypse Now  9/11 Always Faithful   Alli Patterson Crossroads Church  www.allipatterson.com How to Stay Standing: 3 Essential Practices for Building a Faith That Lasts   Interview Quotes: “It was my experience in combat where everything bad is happening all the time and you just have to figure out what you're going to do with two bad options. You know, it's a series of unfortunate events. And you have to make the best of all these unfortunate events.” - Tom Schueman “I was never alone and I was never abandoned…In the midst of the violence, in the midst of the death that was abounding all around me, I still had something good that I could hold on to. And I don't think I'd make it through those periods in my life without [faith].” - Tom Schueman “How can we be more resilient? How can we recover from these things? How can we get to a place where we have gratitude for adversity and say, ‘This adversity shaped me and made me a better man?’” - Tom Schueman “You can take Paul as such a great example of the ability to be persecuted but still to rejoice. And I think that's something worth studying and trying to incorporate.” - Tom Schueman “I started to see that maybe there were some things that weren't strong at the very foundation of my life. I started to see cracks in my ability to manage conflict, to tell the truth in all circumstances, to create relationships with people that were really different from me. I just saw that some things in my life—there were weak places, there were shifting sands under what I had built.” - Alli Patterson “I said, ‘I want to be who you made me to be. I want a real life. I want a real marriage. I want a real relationship with you. And I've ruined it all. Break me. Come get me.’ And new life really began when I just kept walking that direction, no matter what it cost me.” - Alli Patterson “I think I felt a sense that God was angry with me or disapproved of me before I actually started talking to Him. When it's in the dark and in the quiet, we can tell ourselves these stories. And definitely my story was, ‘You're a terrible person, you're a terrible wife, you're a terrible friend, you're a terrible employee.’ And I heard these loud, awful accusations all the time. But as soon as I began to actually engage God, as soon as I actually went to Him, surprisingly, He broke through that.” - Alli Patterson “When I encounter someone today that needs desperately to know you are not your worst moment, you are not your darkest hour, you are not your greatest sin, the only thing that I have to offer them is to be honest about my own story.” - Alli Patterson ________________________ 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.

There is much talk of turmoil in our world, and we see it reflected in what we read, watch, and observe in the media. Sometimes this turmoil shows up directly in our lives—whether it’s negative words toward us from others, untruths about who we are and what we stand for, or other negative situations that undermine our self worth and identity. As we face words meant to harm and hurt us, we can know there is refuge when it feels like it’s “us against the world.” A verse in the Bible, from John 16, tells us that God is our source of peace, also reminding us “in the world you have tribulation. But take heart–God has overcome the world.”  Our guests this week saw their lives—and the world around them—in turmoil, and found themselves turning to God for the peace that can only come from seeking to be in His presence. Cam Ayala, who starred on ABC’s The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise shares about how his struggle with a lifelong illness was used on the show to portray him in a negative light, and how after the show ended, his faith would uphold him through the biggest decision he would ever have to face about his health and his identity. Social media influencer Tiania Haneline and her five-year-old daughter Scarlett Smith started a positive affirmation routine that has taken the internet by storm. Tiania shares how speaking kind words to her daughter each day is creating a lifelong habit of facing negativity with positivity.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Trey Johnson Upcoming interview: Tom Schueman John 16 NIV   Cam Ayala ABC’s The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise Romans 5 NIV Lymphedema Texas Medical Center   Tiania Haneline and Scarlett Smith TikTok I’m Going to Have a Good Day! Daily Affirmations with Scarlett   Interview Quotes: “God always has a way of showing His way if you are opening your heart and seeking that light.” - Cam Ayala “I knew that reigniting my relationship with Jesus was going to be the only way that I would make it through this [amputation] surgery and really through the rest of my life. I had tried doing things on my own accord, trying to be my own strong, independent man. But time and time again, I felt that my own personal strength was insufficient.” - Cam Ayala “There's Scripture that says, ‘When we are weak, He is strong.’ And so really leaning on the strength of Christ in me was more than enough to get me through some of the toughest physical adversities that I had faced in previous surgeries.” - Cam Ayala “I'm a firm believer that God gives His toughest battles to His toughest warriors, and that with a loss like this of a limb is going to come a great gain in what Jesus is going to do with me, through me, to me, and ultimately for other people to bear witness to.” - Cam Ayala “When you seek Him wholeheartedly, He will be there to get you through some of the most difficult seasons or moments in your life.” - Cam Ayala “I think it is very important for my children and myself to have these affirmations to instill in us. So whenever Scarlett has someone in her class that says that they don't like her hair, you know, she can come back with, ‘Well, I love my hair.’ So I just want them to be able to take what I have taught them and be able to use it in the real world.”  - Tiania Haneline “I got Scarlett to look at herself in the mirror while I was doing her hair, and I was like, This is going to be able to show her I love my curls, I love my brown skin. I am strong, I am beautiful.” - Tiania Haneline “I'm beautiful. I'm strong. I'm not fearful. I love my curls. Jesus loves me. And I'm going to have a good day.” - Scarlett Smith “My prayer right now is that I will raise my children up to follow Jesus and to be amazing women and men.” - Tiania Haneline ________________________ 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.

Have you ever been driving somewhere, or even walking in the city or on a trail, and found yourself hopelessly lost? In the era of smartphones and GPS, this has become a lot less likely, but we can all recall moments where we didn’t have the tools at our disposal to lead us back to where we needed to go, and we ended up wandering, trying to remember where we came from and how to get back to that spot. It’s a scary feeling not knowing where you’re going, and even more scary when life presents situations to us where we’re just not sure what to do or who to turn to to help us get where we need to be. When we feel lost in life, confused about what to do next, God promises that “He will stand by us and strengthen us, so that through us His message can be fully proclaimed.” (2 Timothy 4:18).  Grammy-award winning worship leader Chris Tomlin knew from a very young age that he wanted to connect with the people around him in meaningful ways by playing and singing music, but wasn’t exactly sure how that would pan out in his life. As a young man, he found himself speaking a prayer that he didn’t really understand at the time, but has been a constant throughout his life: “Whatever You want, for the rest of my life, I’m available and will follow you.” Brigadier General Kelvin McElroy was raised to believe that committing yourself strongly to anything you wanted to pursue would get you where you wanted to be, but still needed a nudge from others who believed in him when he himself couldn’t see his own potential. Both of these men would go on to powerfully lead others into lives of service and commitment to God, using what God gave them to point people in His direction.  Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Kevin Olusola Upcoming interview: Cam Ayala 2 Timothy 4:18 NIV   Chris Tomlin Always    Kelvin McElroy Department of the Space Force  Department of the Air Force Scott Air Force Base   Interview Quotes: “I just like it when people sing. I don't really like standing up there and playing with everybody watching me. I like when people join in.” - Chris Tomlin "I wasn't trying to [become a worship singer]. Never looked to do it. Wasn't something I set out to do. It was just God opening up the doors in an incredible way." - Chris Tomlin "When you hear my songs, those don't come from just making something up. It really comes from God. Some of the prayers come out in public because they're my songs." - Chris Tomlin "Our willingness is our wealth, our soul is the soil, and God's word is the seed." - Kelvin McElroy "When you serve others, you will always find that no matter where you go, people are faithful and willing to pull you in and take care of you." - Kelvin McElroy “God's Word is our one. Right? It leads us, it guides us, and if we take the time to listen and apply God's Word, the answer’s already there, and He's given us everything that we need.” - Kelvin McElroy ________________________ 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.

When we think about life events that define our existence, what naturally comes to mind? Perhaps it’s finishing your education, or getting that first job, starting a family? Or maybe the tougher things come to mind, like facing an illness, losing a loved one, or struggling to make ends meet after a job has ended. There’s one common denominator in both the hard and joyful events of our lives—our faith. It’s in those defining life moments—even the ones where you crash and fail hard—that greatness, courage, and true purpose reveal themselves. That one act of taking the next small step on the way to our next big hurdle reminds us of how Jesus says, “All it takes is to have faith the size of a mustard seed, and mountains will move.” [Matthew 17:20] Our guests this week have experienced the kinds of life events we’re talking about that make one take stock in who they are. From failing an obstacle course on national television to crashing a racecar on a winding track up a mountain, they’ve faced unusual challenges, but their stories don’t end in failure. Each of them chose to dust themselves off, take another small step of faith, and continue to do what they were meant to do. American Ninja Warrior Maggi Thorne shares how she battled with mild traumatic brain injury while racing up the infamous warped wall. She walks us through her decision to step away and heal and how she leaned on God to find the strength to never give up. Pastor and race car driver Don Wickstrum takes us on his path to racing to the clouds on a 12.42 mile intensive mountain course, amid a colon cancer diagnosis. He shares how he chose not to quit, but instead how he relied on God to make it to the finish line.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Todd Hoffman Upcoming interview: Chris Tomlin Matthew 17:20 NIV   Maggi Thorne American Ninja Warrior Spartan Ultimate Team Challenge Team Ninja Warrior mild TBI Madonna Rehabilitation Services in Lincoln, Nebraska EMDR therapy Ephesians 2:10 NIV www.maggithorne.com   Don Wickstrum NASCAR   Bobby Unser  Pikes Peak Race University of Platteville Chasing Hope www.iamsecond.com   Interview Quotes: “[My] experiences have actually led to my passion to serve the poor, the underprivileged, the underrepresented, and making sure my platform of American Ninja Warrior—what I feel like God has blessed me with—is used to advocate for those and specifically speak into the life of youth and tell them you have opportunity, it's not opposition, and anything is possible.” - Maggie Thorne “I knew God had given me this role and responsibility and He can take this next path too. Because a lot of people, when I said, “I think I'm going to go out and build people and not buildings, and I'm going to quit,” they thought I was bananas and couldn't quite understand it and told me I was ruining my life, actually. And I'd never be successful again. But I really had faith and trust in God.” - Maggie Thorne “How I train has shown up in competition because you're going to experience the unexpected, you're going to experience failure. And how you've trained as a whole, that's when it's going to be there and show up.” - Maggie Thorne “[I realized], Okay, this isn't about saying ‘never give up.’ It's about becoming never give up. Can we become what we say? And what does that journey look like? And the first step was acceptance. I'm never going to be who I was again, but who can I be now and can I put that in God's hands?” - Maggie Thorne “I began to realize that I didn't need to know the ending of the story. I just needed to tell it and where I was at because it would speak to someone.” - Don Wickstrum “It was an absolutely incredible moment for me; realizing God's faithfulness and the fact that He didn't rescue me from adversity. He gave me the power and strength to endure it so that I could have a character built up in hope.” - Don Wickstrum “There's still hope for you for your purpose. There's still hope for you to be reconciled through Jesus Christ. There is still hope for you to live another day fulfilling the will of God.” - Don Wickstrum ________________________ 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.

Perhaps you’ve heard the sentiment, “you can’t really judge a person until you walk a mile in their shoes.” This thought goes beyond the idea of just a reprimand against being judgemental. It’s one that reminds us to have empathy and understanding of others’ experiences and actions with an open heart and mind. The greatest example of walking in someone else’s shoes is Jesus, being fully God, who stepped into humanity’s shoes by being born into this world—so we could know with certainty that He experienced the same kinds of trials and losses, wants and needs that we all experience as humans. When we tune into how Jesus lived, we in turn can begin to tune into others, and like Jesus, show them love even when we don’t understand or agree with them.  Our guests this week are people who’ve had experience stepping into other people’s shoes—one as a reporter who makes it her job to understand the people she is interviewing to best be able to tell their stories, and the other an actor, who has had to inhabit the lives of the characters, real and fictional, that he brings to life in TV and film. News anchor and author Harris Faulkner shares how the loss of her parents opened up a side of her that helps her relate to people in a more compassionate way—one that shows up when she’s interviewing people about their own experiences, good and bad. Actor Omar Benson Miller tells us how he walks into each role he’s given with the intention to gain the full experience of someone’s story and how each character he has played has shown him the value of giving kind consideration to everyone’s story.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Ben Higgins Upcoming interview: Maggi Thorne   Harris Faulkner Faith Still Moves Mountains   Omar Benson Miller 8 Mile Miracle at St. Anna CSI Miami Bible   Interview Quotes: "When [my dad] prayed for me and my mom, he was very specific in saying, 'I want them to find peace, joy, and health when I am not with them. Lord, I need you to be a protector for them when I am not with them.' And that's especially true now in terms of how I walk out my own faith." - Harris Faulkner “I believe God loves all of us.” - Harris Faulkner “I leaned back into God and He leaned into me and I was able to go forward. And I prayed more. And things got better. But it was in His timing, not mine.” - Harris Faulkner “My mom told me growing up, ‘Give all of your worries and sorrows in life to God. And don't forget to pray when things are going well, too.’ When I remembered that my mom had said that when I was praying less and crying more in my loss, what it reminded me of is that there will be days that will go well again. That this too shall pass. Loving our parents and losing our parents will never pass. But that point of anger with the Lord will. And we must work on that.” - Harris Faulkner “What I've tried to do is utilize the platform that God has given me to lift up others.” - Harris Faulkner “When the storms of life come, you know God's listening because you talk to Him every day, and He hears you.” - Harris Faulkner “It takes a real deep understanding of your relationship with God to know how to pray for someone else.” - Harris Faulkner “I don't know what happens and has happened to people. I don't know people's stories. I don't know what they believe. I don't know what they've been through. I don't know who they've hurt or who has hurt them. So I like to go in with a blank slate.” - Omar Benson Miller  “And the challenge is laid out that you are going to have a hard time doing the right thing, because that's what this world is. That's what this life is. So the closer you draw near to the Spirit of God, the closer, the better, and easier that will become.” - Omar Benson Miller “I think that being a person is hard, being a human is hard. This is why it's so important to have kindness and so imperative to try to make allowances for other people, because at some point you're going to need allowances yourself as well.” - Omar Benson Miller _______________________ 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.

This month we’re featuring multiple guests who have previously appeared on the Jesus Calling podcast, speaking about prayer during times of sorrow and in times of joy. Christmas is the season to celebrate the love and hope of Jesus; but for some, it can bring difficulty. Our guests remind us that no matter what season we’re in, prayer can be a light in our darkness.    Links To Full EpisodesMargaret Feinberg Zim Flores Tana Amen Jess Connolly Levi Lusko Natalie Grant Tabitha Brown ________________________  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.