Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith - Jesus Calling

November 30, 2021 - 26 min

Giving Thanks Instead of Giving Up: Patti LaBelle & Tracy Lawrence

November 25, 2021 - 22 min

At this time of the year, we hear a lot about being thankful and having an attitude of gratitude. But from an everyday perspective, why is gratitude key in allowing good things to flow in our lives? When we are grateful to God—even in the bad times, it has the power to energize us. When we are broken, a grateful heart can bring healing, and when we feel like giving up, giving thanks can bring us hope. Our guests this week have learned to be grateful—not only in the good times, but in the difficult times, and they share how practicing gratefulness opens them up to more blessings, and gives them the strength to share those blessings with others. We’ll hear stories of gratefulness from legendary singer Patti LaBelle and country music icon Tracy Lawrence. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Listens Past interview: CeCe Winans Upcoming interview: Amanda Kloots Patti LaBelle Luther Vandross Dancing with the Stars www.pattilabelle.com Tracy Lawrence Glen Campbell Charley Pride Mission Possible Turkey Fry Sticks and Stones George Strait Merle Haggard Mission Possible Nashville Rescue Mission www.tracylawrence.com www.tlmissionpossible.com Interview Quotes: “Faith took me through, because I said, ‘I have to do this because I'm born to sing.’ So a lot of prayers help me become the not-so-scared Patti LaBelle now.” - Pattie LaBelle “People believed in me so much. And it just gave me faith and courage to just, no matter how bad my voice is, just continue to sing. And guess what? By the grace of God, it came back stronger than ever before. And it was prayer.” - Pattie LaBelle “I miss all of the things that come along with having sisters, having a family who can say anything to you and get away with it because it's blood. This time is precious.” - Patti LaBelle “I've always known that God’s had His hand on my shoulder even through the hard times in life. I've never felt alone. I've always known that there was a greater power watching over me, and I've always felt guided, that I was here for a purpose.” - Tracy Lawrence “I think we've all seen through this last year that the homeless and the need that is out there across the country is just getting greater and greater. It's a little disheartening. It seems like the more you do, the more you realize that you're barely scratching the surface. But hopefully you'll inspire somebody else to do something with their church or somewhere else and just do their part in helping out our fellow man.” - Tracy Lawrence “I think whenever you do know that God has blessed you, that you have a responsibility to share that with the people that you come in contact with and be able to spread a little bit of that love and joy and humanitarianism around to them as well.” - Tracy Lawrence ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

God Is Fiercely Pursuing Our Hearts: Dan Allender and Cathy Loerzel & Andrew Farley

November 18, 2021 - 31 min

Each one of us has a unique story to share—and within each of these complex stories many of us have experienced loss, heartache, shame, and tragedy which profoundly affect our lives. But once we begin to face our heartaches and realize their effect on our lives, we can see the slow steady pursuit of a God who only desires our healing and wholeness. This week we’ll be discussing the way that God cares about each of our stories and is there to walk us through our trauma with Dr. Dan Allender and Cathy Loerzel—founders of the Allender Center, and how we can act out of the new heart He so lovingly restores to us with Pastor Andrew Farley. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Listens Past interview: Anne Lamott Upcoming interview: Patti LaBelle Dr. Dan Allender Cathy Loerzel Allender Center Psalms Redeeming Heartache: How Past Suffering Reveals Our True Calling TheAllenderCenter.org Pastor Andrew Farley Book of Hebrews Hebrews 11 NIV Romans 8:31-39 NIV 1 Thessalonians 5:19 NIV Galatians 5:22-23 NIV www.andrewfarley.org The Perfect You Interview Quotes: “Anyone who thinks they have a boring story does not understand the deep, redemptive commitment of Christ to find us.” - Dr. Dan Allender “There's more going on than what people are saying, especially in the church, because we're so committed to, you know, believing that if we have the spirit in our souls, then we're healed and never having to go back and actually deal with what was true about who we were in our backgrounds.” - Cathay Loerzel “We can hold the reality of our brokenness and our renewed beauty as image bearers and as re-created in the image of Christ.” - Dr. Dan Allender “It's the valley of the shadow of death where the light of His goodness shows.” - Dr. Dan Allender “I think that we have accidentally communicated a God that is in some sort of barber shop chair in heaven and is swirling around away from us when we sin and then rotating back when we have our quiet time. And so then we've got an in and out and in and out of fellowship. And I think we need to know that His face is always toward us and that He never leaves us.” - Andrew Farley ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Being Light Bearers for Jesus: Kristin Chenoweth and Sadie Robertson Huff

November 11, 2021 - 23 min

Have you ever heard the phrase “to whom much is given, much is expected?” In the case of our two guests today, God has gifted them with amazing platforms to reach thousands of people—and they take the responsibility to lead well very seriously. Actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth has graced the Broadway stage as well as movies and television, and she uses her platform to spread faith, hope, and light to everyone she encounters. Sadie Robertson Huff was part of her family’s TV show as a kid and as a young woman went on to find an even bigger audience through her appearance on ABC’s Dancing with The Stars. Both of these women wanted to be faithful to the opportunity given to them to be a light to their followers—and though it’s not always easy, they trust that God will help them when things get hard. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Luke 12:48 NIV Jesus Calling Jesus Listens Past interview: David Crowder Upcoming interview: Dan Allender Kristin Chenoweth Happiness Is...Christmas! Sadie Robertson Huff ABC’s Dancing with The Stars A&E’s Duck Dynasty Live Original Live on Purpose Duck Commander Interview Quotes: “We're all just humans trying to do the best we can. So why don't you give yourself permission to be human, there's a weight that lifts that you go, ‘Oh yeah, that's right. I'm not perfect. Only God is.’” - Kristin Chenoweth “We have families that inspire us. We have friends around us that make us laugh and giggle and be able to be ourselves. But then as life goes on, like someone says something that tears you down, someone says something that makes you feel embarrassed about the thing that you used to be so confident in. And so by the time I was seventeen, I did not think about preaching or speaking, like that was not on my radar at all.” - Sadie Robertson Huff “If I'm going to be famous, then I'm going to do it with a purpose, and if I'm going to say words on a platform, then I want to say words that matter. And if people are going to look at my life then I want to point them to Jesus.” - Sadie Robertson Huff “I think so many times people forget that God's on the journey to get to where you're going, not just where you want to arrive. And I try to encourage people with that daily, even though that's a hard thing, I think, to believe even for ourselves.” - Sadie Robertson Huff ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

How Can I Know God Hears Me When I’m Hurting? Levi Lusko & Peter Mutabazi

November 4, 2021 - 27 min

As children, many of us have been taught to pray and that God will help us. But as we grow into adulthood our simple prayers can turn into desperate pleas as our lives become more complex and difficult. What happens when the prayers we pray don’t seem to be heard, or the circumstances of our lives become so traumatic we may doubt if God is even listening? Our guests this week had their own ups and downs in their relationship to prayer and to God. Pastor Levi Lusko faced the tragic loss of his five-year-old daughter that shook his whole world. Foster Dad Peter Mutabazi grew up in mind-numbing poverty made worse by the abuse of his earthly father—robbing him of the hope of possibly ever knowing the love of a true Father. These men share their experiences and what gave them hope to survive the most devastating experiences of their lives. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Psalm 46:10 NIV Jesus Calling Jesus Listens Past interview: Joni Eareckson Tada Upcoming interview: Kristin Chenoweth Levi Lusko Fresh Life Church Roar Like a Lion Matthew 14:13-21 NIV Lord's Prayer Henry David Thoreau www.levilusko.com Peter Mutabazi Compassion International World Vision Compassion International Uganda Luke 12:48 NIV Foster care Starlight Foundation www.nowiamknown.com Interview Quotes: “When [my daughter] Lenya went to heaven, we were at a loss as parents, not only how to go through what we were facing ourselves, but how to help our kids process it.” - Levi Lusko “I feel empowered in my pain and there's a purpose in it. But then I also love that it acknowledges that this might take a while. It's not instant. I have to wait sometimes. And in that waiting is where God really is going to develop the muscles of strength inside of you that hopefully can help you to handle the kind of blessing that He ultimately wants to give you.” - Levi Lusko “Abuse wasn't just coming towards me, but it was going towards all my siblings, including my mom. So even though one parent was there to protect us, most of the time, we could not protect her because she faced the same abuse from my dad. And so that that was what life was. That was just the worst you could think of. So for me, you know, if you told me to dream, today was bad enough that I didn't really want to think about tomorrow.” - Peter Mutabazi “I realized just how good I was at school as well. And so that's really how I began to hope and how I began to truly see myself as someone who will get somewhere, not because I had it, but because someone saw that in me and he believed and had faith in me.” - Peter Mutabazi “I went to the restaurant and the amount of food I saw being thrown away really, really [made me] question my faith, you know, because to see how much was thrown away and knowing that kids in my village are going to die today because they didn't have a meal, I began to ask God like, “God, do you love us the same way? How can some people have so much to throw away every day, but others have so little that they will lose their lives?” You know, and that was a challenge for me.” - Peter Mutabazi “Things that I can draw from my own life and be able to share with them has truly been so meaningful, you know, that you look back and say, ‘Wow, God, I had no idea, but you allowed me to go through all of that. But at the same time, I can use the past to change your little ones here in the United States.’” - Peter Mutabazi “We stand to be an advocate for those who are not seen and those who are not heard.” - Peter Mutabazi ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Boxing Up Hope with Operation Christmas Child

October 28, 2021 - 26 min

On this week’s episode, we’ll hear from three people with special connections to the Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child, which collects shoebox gifts filled with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items, and delivers them to children in need around the world to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way. For many children, this shoebox is the first gift they’ve ever received. Bill Pfister, the senior regional director of OCC for the Americas and the Caribbean, gives some insight into the mission and inspiration behind the organization, and how they’re seeking to show God’s love in a tangible way.. Vladimir Prokhnevskiy, a shoebox recipient, grew up in Kiev, Ukraine, in an impoverished family of eleven. Vladimir remembers one harsh winter when he and his siblings underwent extensive travel to get to an Operation Christmas Child distribution center, and how that gift impacted his life. Elvina Arventii will share how Operation Christmas Child changed her life as a little girl, and how she’s now volunteering with them, hoping to pay it forward. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Listens Sarah Young Past interview: Green family Upcoming interview: Levi Lusko Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child www.samaritanspurse.org/OCC Bill Pfister Vladimir Prokhnevskiy Elvina Arventii Interview Quotes: “When friends or family members or a local church come together and pack gift boxes and then send them overseas, a child is able to hear about the good news of Jesus in a local church. They are taught that Jesus is the greatest gift they can ever receive and that is a tangible expression of God's love.” - Bill Pfister “For me [my Operation Christmas Child box] was extra special because it was my first Christmas gift ever. But most importantly, the gospel came with it.” - Vladimir Prokhnevskiy “Over the years, you forget little details about the shoebox here and there, but you never forget how it makes you feel. And on that day, I felt loved.” - Vladimir Prokhnevskiy “I have a five year old and an eight year old, Ashton and Elliot, and we pack shoeboxes every single year. It's a family tradition now. It's a great example for my kids because I demonstrate to them what generosity looks like...I want my kids to grow up and be generous because generosity moves people's hearts. Generosity is what unites people, it brings people together. And I want them to grow up to be generous people. And packing shoeboxes helps them become generous.” - Vladimir Prokhnevskiy “For the first time, I realized that God is real and He can answer even the prayers of a little girl.” - Elvina Arventii ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

[BONUS] The Power of Prayer

October 26, 2021 - 37 min

Can God Save Me From A Horrible Place?: Christi Paul and Glo Atanmo

October 21, 2021 - 35 min

When we find ourselves in a difficult season of our lives, we may ask ourselves the question, How did I get here? And when we aren’t able to figure it out right away, we may turn on ourselves for the blame—bringing on deep feelings of regret and shame. Psalm 145 reminds us that when we seek the Lord, He will answer us and deliver us from all our fears. It also says “Those who look to Him are radiant—and their faces shall never be ashamed.” Our guests this week dealt with really tough circumstances—ones that caused them to question deeply who they were and where they would end up. CNN anchor Christi Paul dealt with an abusive spouse and didn’t know where to turn, until she was at the end of her rope and a verse from Proverbs brought her hope that she could trust God to find a way out—not her own understanding. Travel blogger Glo Atanmo was in another country when she became very ill and had to have a major surgery that set her back for months. As she wondered how she would recover physically, emotionally and financially, a caring nurse gave her a copy of Jesus Calling where she was able to find a bit of hope to see beyond the place she was in. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Jesus Calling Podcast Sarah Young Psalm 145 NIV Past interview: Lathan Warlick Upcoming interview: Operation Christmas Child Christi Paul CNN New Day Weekend Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV Love Isn’t Supposed to Hurt Glo Atanmo www.theblogabroad.com Interview Quotes: “God wants us to be who He created us to be, and living in an abusive relationship is not going to create you to be the person you're supposed to be. I tell people all the time, ‘You were not born to be abused, but God can take really horrible situations and make something really good out of them.’” - Christi Paul “I realized the importance of words because of how they were used against me. I felt how they cut you, even if they don't cut you physically, emotionally they just can rip you to shreds if you do not use the right words, if you do not use some care and compassion.” - Christi Paul “We will never run out of chances with God, even if we screw up again and again and again. God is there every single time to just hold our hand and pick us up and say, ‘Let's try this again together.’” - Christi Paul “I learned that a healthy relationship will never require you to sacrifice your friends or your dreams or your dignity, and I just want everybody to know God is for you.” - Christi Paul “When I look back on that journey, I think it was that moment where I stopped giving the glory and the honor and the praise to God. I got so full of my own skills and what I accomplished. And, Oh, Glo, you're killing it, girl, like, you know, and you forget who qualified you, who gave you the opportunities and the blessing.” - Glo Atanmo “I don't care about what I can do for myself. How can I help the world? How can I heal the world? How can I speak to those who are also going through a traumatic experience? And it's so incredible how God will use seasons of pain to really set you up for your next season of elevation.” - Glo Atanmo “When you have purpose and legacy behind what you do, you feel more called and led in your work. [And] if we can be more intentional with the way we use our words and how we deliver them and how we pour into people with them, we're literally delivering healing to other people.” - Glo Atanmo ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

The Faith Between Sisters: Reba McEntire, Susie McEntire-Eaton, & Alice Foran

October 14, 2021 - 24 min

This week we get to hear from three very special guests—they are sisters who have stuck together through the good times and the bad: Country and Gospel music singing sisters Reba McEntire, Susie McEntire-Eaton (host of the second season of Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith), and Alice Foran. These sisters look back on what it was like growing up on an 8000 acre ranch, traveling to rodeos with their cowboy dad and their school teacher mother and They reflect on lessons of faith learned from their grandmother, Reba Smith, plus share family in a special way that only sisters can. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Listens Peace In Uncertain Times video with Ellie Holcomb Upcoming interview: Christi Paul Reba McEntire Susie McEntire-Eaton Atoka Lake Opry Revised, Remixed and Revisited Interview Quotes: “People say, ‘How long have you known the Lord?’ I can't remember not knowing the Lord.” - Reba McEntire “Every one of our kids have been influenced by [Grandma] and into our grandchildren because of her. So one little seed can go so far into eternity.” - Susie McEntire-Eaton “I remember one time [Daddy] said, ‘Well, you get insurance for your house, you ought to get insurance for your soul.’” - Susie McEntire-Eaton “Sisters are good for lots of things, and I really feel sorry for women who don't have a sister, but God will always provide a very good friend to be with each other. It's a sisterhood. It's something that's blood. And it goes farther than blood.” - Susie McEntire-Eaton "It's God that gives us what we need." -Susie McEntire-Eaton “When I don't have anything else to pray about, I just stop and I say, ‘Thank you, God, thank you. I don't know what's coming next. I don't know how I'm going to do this, but I just want to say thank you.’” - Susie McEntire-Eaton ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

God Listens When We Pray: Sarah Young

October 7, 2021 - 16 min

Many of us struggle with the concept of prayer. What should a good prayer look like? Am I doing it wrong? How can I make sure I know that God is hearing me? The good news from God is that every single one of your prayers—even the silent ones—are heard and cared about by Him. There is no right or wrong way to pray, all that matters is that you talk to God consistently, and you will find the joys of a relationship with Him. This week we’re honored to speak with Sarah Young, the author of Jesus Calling, Jesus Always, and a new book of daily prayers called Jesus Listens. Sarah takes us all the way back to her early years and shares how she began writing in her prayer journals. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Sarah Young Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Jesus Calling Podcast Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis Philippians 4 NIV Matthew 27:51 NIV Romans 8:26–27 NIV Psalm 62:8 NIV Luke 18 NIV First Thessalonians 5:17–18 NIV www.jesuscalling.com Past interview: Bishop T.D. Jakes Upcoming interview: Reba McEntire, Susie McEntire-Eaton Interview Quotes: “Our unrestricted access to God in prayer is a glorious, blood-bought privilege.: - Sarah Young “Since He understands us completely and loves us eternally, we can safely unburden ourselves to Him.” - Sarah Young “I'm thankful that God uses our prayers not only to change circumstances, but to change us.” - Sarah Young “Remember that Jesus is always with you, listening to every one of your prayers.” - Sarah Young ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.