Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

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.

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.

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.

Often, when we are in our most desperate, vulnerable state, looking for answers and help, God is our last resort, our final plea when nothing else is working. Psalm 30:2 says, “Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me,” which reminds us that no matter where we’ve turned, how we might’ve fumbled our plans, He will always help us pursue His path to wholeness and joy, because it is never too late for us in His eyes. This week’s guests, author Anne Lamott and actress Tabitha Brown, share their come-to-Jesus moments that guided them away from sickness and put them on a path to healing and wholeness that can only be found in pursuit of the Creator.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Psalm 30:2 NIV Jesus Listens Past interview: Ruth Chou Simons Upcoming interview: Sarah Young   Anne Lamott alcoholism  bulimia  Dusk Night Dawn: On Revival and Courage Help Thanks Wow Operating Instructions Bird by Bird Kierkegaard Genesis 22:12 NIV C.S. Lewis   Tabitha Brown Feeding the Soul North Carolina School of the Arts Columbia College in Chicago  What the Health ALS www.iamtabithabrown.com   Interview Quotes: “I remember making that leap of faith, of thinking, If I don't decide for God, I'm so doomed anyway, the world is harsh and ugly and isolating and shaming and competitive, and and I did and I didn't know what that meant, I didn't have a clue what it meant. But I made the leap of faith and I thought, Well, I'll figure it out as we go. And that's what I did. But that was the day my healing began.” - Anne Lamott “From this crummy rundown church with this Charlie Brown Christmas tree out in front, I walked in, I got that Holy Spirit nudge, and I could hear gospel music, which I've always loved, and I could hear the spiritual anthems I'd grown up on.” - Anne Lamott “I had no self-love. I believed in God, but I believed in a God who is as disappointed as I was in me.” Anne Lamott “I can walk around with these glasses, these bad glasses of judgment and seeing everything that really is not working for me, everything that is either annoying or infuriating, or I can put on the good glasses and I can see God's hand everywhere I look.” - Anne Lamott “I'm like, You know what? God said he had a plan for me. And I know it's not just working a regular nine to five. I know it's not, you know, just living in North Carolina and being content with that life. And so I've been on a pursuit ever since of that voice and of my passion.” - Tabitha Brown “I thought, Oh my God, what is wrong with me? You know, I was falling apart inside and out and really thought I was going to die. And when doctors can't tell you what's wrong with you, it gets frustrating. My faith wavered. I was scared. I fell into depression, had major anxiety.” - Tabitha Brown “We should all strive to share without judgment, live our life authentically us and know that we are enough in the process of doing so.” - Tabitha Brown ________________________ 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.

This special bonus episode of the Jesus Calling Podcast features multiple guests speaking to the topic of grief. We hope you find encouragement, comfort and healing as you listen to mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, sisters and children who have lost someone close to them, how they leaned on God as they coped with the loss and how, with His help, they were able to move forward.     Links To Full EpisodesMattie Jackson Selecman Rosie Rivera Casey, C.J, & Tucker Beathard Beth Nimmo Bo Stern Jonathan Pitts Kay Warren ________________________  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.

Being raised in a faith-steeped environment can provide rich soil in which we can plant ourselves, allowing us to grow tall and firm and confident in the good news of the gospel. But remaining steadfast in faith comes with a heaven-sent assignment: to share it with others. That doesn’t mean, however, that we should push ourselves to the brink of burnout—it’s a careful balance of stewarding our mission well and caring for our loved ones, and ourselves. Our guests this week, rodeo queen and music artist Joni Harms and entrepreneur coach Jennifer Allwood share how their roots of faith have given them the ability to face their fears and follow their hearts.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Listens Past interview: Mica Paris Upcoming interview: Anne Lamott   Joni Harms Oregon Trail Chester A. Arthur Molalla Buckaroo Women's World Magazine https://www.joniharms.com/   Jennifer Allwood The Magic Brush  Fear Is Not The Boss of You https://jenniferallwood.com/   Interview Quotes: “We could sing gospel songs together as a family and other people, if we had folks over that maybe didn't sing or play, they still seemed to love to listen and enjoy the music.” - Joni Harms “What I was saying through my music wasn't just a message that made me happy to sing about. It was really reaching and touching other people. And I thought, what a rewarding feeling this is.” - Joni Harms “With all the different things that you're faced with out there in this world today, especially having faith and being able to stay grounded and just talk to the Lord every day about the different things that you have to deal with is so important.” - Joni Harms “I feel like God has called me to be more of a person that gets out there and helps take some of that pressure off of some of these other people just by being calm, wearing a smile, maybe having a special song to share with them that might take a little of the load off and make them realize things are not so bad.” - Joni Harms “Even though I knew I was doing what God asked me to do, it didn't necessarily mean that I liked it or that it was very comfortable….if the worst thing that I'm imagining was to happen, would I still be okay? What would I still have left? And so if I kind of go through those exercises, it really, really helps me to determine if what I'm actually most fearful about is actually valid or if it's me just making it worse than what it actually really is.” - Jennifer Allwood ________________________ 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.

Romans 8:28 reminds us that God will work all things together for good—not just the rosy parts of life, but also the ugly, twisted parts. This week’s guests have both overcome addictions that could have wiped them out completely, but instead they chose to call on God in hopes of finding something better—and were amazed to see Him show up in their darkest moments. Editor-in-chief of Guideposts Magazine, Edward Grinnan, grew up in a family bound together in faith—a faith they had to lean on heavily after the tragic loss of his special needs brother, Bobby. In trying to cope with his brother’s death and navigating life as a young adult, Edward turned to alcohol as a source of comfort, and battled that addiction for years. After starting at Guideposts Magazine in what he thought would be a temporary position, Edward ended up climbing the ranks and staying there until this day, where he continues to inspire and be inspired by the stories of faith of everyday people. Motivational speaker Damon West has faced countless obstacles in his young life, including drug addiction and prison time. Although Damon believed he developed negative patterns of behavior at an early age, he used his time in jail to learn about the Bible and to get insight from his fellow inmates about how life circumstances can transform you for better or worse. Damon ultimately chose—with God’s help―to become his best self.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Romans 8:28 Jesus Calling Jesus Listens Past interview: Karen Ehman Peace In Uncertain Times Series: Jennie Finch Upcoming interview: Joni Harms   Edward Grinnan Guideposts Magazine  The New York Times  Conde Nast  Vanity Fair Esquire Dr. Norman Vincent Peale Edward Grinnan’s books https://www.guideposts.org/ Get a FREE issue of Guideposts at: shopguideposts.org/friends   Damon West University of Houston Downtown University of North Texas Serenity Prayer https://damonwest.org/   Interview Quotes: “I came from a family of very, very strong faith, and when you lose a child, that tends to tear apart marriages. And looking back all these years later, I didn't really see it as a child, but my parents stayed together. Their marriage was as strong as ever, and that's because they turned to their faith every single minute of that crisis and every single hour after that crisis.” - Edward Grinnan “The alcoholism slowly but surely ate me alive so that by the time I was out of graduate school, my late twenties/early thirties, I was basically a homeless wreck. I was just living on the streets on and off, begging for money just so I could continue drinking. There's lots of things that happened in between, college, jobs, travel, vagabond travel, graduate school, but at the end, life spit me out onto the streets.” - Edward Grinnan “God had brought me to the place where I needed to be.” - Edward Grinnan “I began to feel that my own spiritual anchor was being strengthened by these stories and this audience. And I suddenly realized as I was going through a story with a narrator that my own faith was being strengthened. And eventually I realized that the bargain that God was offering me was, ‘I brought you to Guideposts and I want you here. In exchange, I will help you with your sobriety and you will help me with Guideposts.’ And that was the bargain I struck in 1986 or so, and it's the bargain I’m keeping to even today.” - Edward Grinnan “My sponsors in AA said you should have prayer time every day whether you think it does any good or not. And, you know, prayer for me was something I had to practice. I had to get good at it. I have to believe in it. And it was a part of my spiritual evolution. As I began to believe that God cared about me, He cared about my life, the more I believed I could reach God through prayer.” - Edward Grinnan “Without hope, we don't get up in the morning. We don't love without hope. We don't forgive without hope. Hope is the underpinning to all of those human actions that make us better people and closer to God.” - Edward Grinnan “My bad belief system at ten and twelve years old said, ‘All you're doing is drinking a little beer, smoking a little pot. You're not hurting anybody. You're not even hurting yourself.’ But I couldn't be more wrong because those belief systems, those behaviors took me further away from Christ and the home that I grew up in.” - Damon West “I gave away my job, my home, my car, my savings account, my family, my tethering to God. I went from working on Wall Street to living on the streets of Dallas, homeless, living in abandoned buildings, sleeping in people's parked cars, living in dope houses with the dope fiends, because that's what I am, is a dope fiend. And I start committing property crimes to fight my addiction.” - Damon West “I remember saying to God, ‘Hey, God, if you're out there, if you're even there’—because at this point I'm so lost in my life, the spiritual warfare going on inside of me is intense. And I remember saying, ‘God, if you're even there, man, just know I'm so tired, I'm ready to be done.’” - Damon West “I got on God's back and God carried me all around that prison.” - Damon West “Jesus died on the cross for our past. And so I had to come to terms with that and my past doesn’t define me, we all wouldn't be listening to some ex-con from Texas talking about the things you learned inside a maximum security prison. But it's because our past is our lesson. And our present today is a gift. And that gift, it's not a gift for you, it’s a gift of what you can do for other people.” - Damon West ________________________ 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.

When talking about the concept of faith, the Bible tells us that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Even though we can’t literally see God, the Bible also tells us simply; when we seek God, we shall find Him. The ways we seek and find God in the midst of our lives can look different from one person to another. One may study everything they can about how the world came into being, just to get a glimpse of the mind of God. Another may look for the moments in their lives where they felt God was in their corner, through a circumstance that worked out better than they could have imagined, or a seeming answer to a long whispered prayer. The truth remains that even though we can’t see our Creator, we can know Him, believe in Him, and build a relationship with Him wherever we find ourselves in life. Our two guests this week have cemented their faith in God through different avenues—one, a scientist whose devotion to figuring out the secrets of the universe led him to believe in a divine creator, and another who shares with others through music all the places and situations in which we might find God. We’ll talk to Emmy-award winning journalist and former physics instructor Dr. Michael Guillen, and country music singer and songwriter of the song “Where I Find God,” Larry Fleet.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Hebrews 11 NIV 1 Chronicles 28:9 NIV Jesus Calling  Sarah Young Romans 12:2 NIV Jesus Listens   Dr. Michael Guillen Science editor for ABC News UCLA Cornell Harvard First Peter 3:15 NIV Believing Is Seeing Larry Fleet “Where I Find God” Gospel Song Sunday www.larryfleet.com   Interview Quotes: “God wasn't on my radar. He wasn't in the picture. My worldview was based on the notion that seeing was believing. What I believed in was what I could see with my own eyes.” - Dr. Michael Guillen “I was a thick-headed, stubborn intellectual and in some ways I still am. So it took me actually many, many years, decades actually, to finally surrender my life. But that encounter with that Bible, that was my first authentic—even though I was brought up as a child with a Bible—encounter with the Bible, as a thinking adult, as a scientist, as a skeptic, as a cynic, as an atheist. And boy, it turned my life upside down.” - Dr. Michael Guillen “In a nutshell, the Bible teaches who created the universe and why. Science teaches me the wonderful details about the universe God created. And because of the Bible and science, I have the blessing of having a very deep understanding of both the Creator and the creation.” - Dr. Michael Guillen “God is real, not just because the Bible says so, and not just because He radically changed my life, but also because the scientific evidence says so.” - Michael Guillen “Love God with everything you've got, including your mind, and then love one another.” - Dr. Michael Guillen “As a kid, I don't think I really realized that it was gospel music, that's just all I knew and that's what I knew how to play. So I'd always play just old hymns and stuff like that.” - Larry Fleet “I can tell you right now where I do most of my praying and talking to God, that's in a deer stand or a hayfield or on a boat, you know, like whenever I'm outside. I do a lot of driving from Chattanooga to Nashville a lot, and that's kind of where I talk to God.” - Larry Fleet “One of the things that I hope and pray for is that I do a good job of delivering the songs in a positive way. Honestly, a lot of times I pray before I go on stage just to calm my nerves.” - Larry Fleet ________________________ 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.

*Trigger Warning*  This episode contains content that talks about suicide and self-harm that could be disturbing to some listeners.    Many of us could never imagine that we would ever go through a dark time so dark and so hopeless that we would consider taking our own lives. Yet, so many people who have experienced deep depression know what it feels like when their minds can’t seem to grasp on to hope any longer. During Suicide Prevention week, we’ll speak to two guests whose lives have been directly altered by depression and suicide, American Idol alumnus Dave Pittman & singer Briana Domenica. Dave shares how he was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome at an early age, how being “different” and not understanding why caused problems at school, and how the hopelessness he felt sent him spiraling down a dark path toward taking his own life. Briana Domenica recounts her own struggles with suicidal tendencies and how she has tried to turn her pain into purpose by pouring her heart and soul into music—hoping she can uplift others and encourage an environment of positivity and love.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Suicide Prevention week Sarah Young Jesus Calling Jesus Listens National Suicide Prevetion Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Past interview: Chad Robichaux Upcoming interview: Larry Fleet   Davd Pittman “Crazy Brave’ song “Different Kind of Love” album Tourette Syndrome ABC’s American Idol Neil Patrick Harris Bible Gateway   Briana Domenica Psalms 23:4 NIV Angel in the Sky Romans 8:28 NIV brianadomenica.com   Interview Quotes: “I was more afraid of living through that again than I was of dying.” - Dave Pittman, on being bullied as a child with Tourette Syndrome ”My mom—both my parents—just drilled into my head and my heart the importance of accepting yourself for who you are, and not just who you are, but who you are in Christ, your identity, who you've become in your walk with Christ.” - Dave Pittman “I think it's okay to ask why, even now, because Job did. We look at Job in the Bible, he asked God, ‘Why? Why is this happening to me?’” - Dave Pittman “Anyone can accept something they have to do, but when you can embrace something that you get to do, it’s different. It changes things.” - Dave Pittman “I dealt with this hopelessness for four years until my aunt Linda noticed the cuts on my wrist. She kissed them and she told me I was worthy, loved, and a child of God. That conversation not only saved my life, but it encouraged me to get the help that I so desperately needed.” - Briana Domenica “I think simply starting a dialog can combat that [mental health] stigma because unless we start a dialog, we will never see change. And I want people to know that they are not alone. There is help, but most importantly, there is hope. And I love this acronym for hope: hold on, pain ends.” - Briana Domenica “Everyone's journeys are different, but moving from a place of darkness to light is possible. All you need is a little faith, even if it's the size of a mustard seed. Take it one day at a time, speak up, and reach out, because help and hope are available.” - Briana Domenica ________________________ 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.

Do you have a dream for your life that didn’t pan out exactly as you had planned? Maybe something out of your control happened that made that dream impossible, or maybe you made some choices that turned your life in a direction that wasn’t in line with your hopes and goals? Though we can be filled with regret over dreams lost or deferred, God has another way of looking at those shifts in our lives and He encourages us that He will always guide us to where He wants us to be, as we’re reminded in Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” Country music star Brett Young had dreams of being a pro baseball player until an injury halted his career. Sarah Jakes Roberts, daughter of Bishop T.D. Jakes, never imagined that she would become pregnant as a teenager and for many years dealt with the shame and disappointment of having a life that didn’t turn out as she had planned. Each of these stories shows us that God can take our circumstances, no matter what they are, and still get us to where we can live the amazing life he has in store for us.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Proverbs 19:21 NIV Jesus Calling Jesus Listens Sarah Young Past interview: Pastor Matthew Barnett Upcoming interview: Ben Courson   Brett Young Fresno State Arizona State Love You, Little Lady Weekends Look A Little Different These Days  www.brettyoungmusic.com   Sarah Jakes Roberts Bishop T.D. Jakes Woman Evolve The Potter's House One Woman Evolve: Break Up With Your Fears and Revolutionize Your Life   Interview Quotes: “Without my faith, I wouldn't have been able to get over the injury and let baseball go and be open enough to let something else come in. And music ended up being something that I love more than I loved baseball. And it feels exactly like what I was supposed to do in life.” - Brett Young “I always say, ‘If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.’” - Brett Young “The fact that God is giving us this life and these unique days one at a time, it feels almost irresponsible to try to fit them into a mold or try to make today yesterday or look forward to tomorrow rather than living in this precious moment that you've been given.” - Brett Young “I think life is a collection of God opening and closing doors. And I think we're the only ones that get in our way of seeing when a door is being closed and when the door is being opened.” - Brett Young  “[I] decided to completely stay away from anything that looked like ministry and even God, because I wasn't sure that there was a place for a girl who had made such a big, big mistake that I thought was beyond recovery.” - Sarah Jakes Robert “It took a step of faith for me to believe that maybe [salvation] applied to me too, not just the woman who's on the other side of the pew or my neighbor, but this same redemption is available to me.” - Sarah Jakes Roberts “It doesn't matter what color we are—on the inside, we're all trying to sort through the sin of life and missing the mark and wondering where we fit. And I have found that sometimes we allow things to divide us that keep us from actually being able to edify one another because of the barriers that exist in culture.” - Sarah Jakes Roberts  “God's presence is always available to us. But sometimes we are present in our life, so much so that we miss out on God's presence.” - Sarah Jakes Roberts ________________________ 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.