Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

In the busyness of life, job, family, and activities, we can easily become caught up in the day to day routine of putting one foot in front of another. And sometimes, that very routine, instead of being comforting, can be something we feel dragging us down, making us feel like we’re just living life in an endless loop, with no real deliberation or purpose. Our guests this week have learned an important truth about taking deliberate steps to carve out moments for reflection and connection with God—even when their day-to-day existence is overwhelming. Actor Mark Wahlberg takes time each day to pray because he knows it will equip him to take on what’s next in a positive way. Actress and writer Roma Downey takes a moment at the beginning and end of each day to remember what she is grateful for and to identify that day’s unique blessings. Writer and speaker Shauna Niequist enjoys a “breath” prayer practice where she thinks consciously about breathing in God’s peace, and breathing out her own anxiety. No matter which way you choose to deliberately connect with God’s presence in your life, you will likely find peace, strength and courage to take on stressful days that only He can give.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Ruth Chou Simons Upcoming interview: Tim Tebow   Mark Wahlberg Father Stu   Roma Downey  Lightworkers The Bible Series Son of God A.D. The Bible Continues Messiah Touched by an Angel Psalm 46:10 NIV www.lightworkers.com Unexpected Blessings   Shauna Niequist I Guess I Haven’t Learned That Yet   Interview Quotes: “As a person of faith, I'm just trying to grow and be better every day, be an example to my wife and to my children and to the people that look to me as an example.” - Mark Wahlberg “When I started focusing on my faith, good things started to happen.” - Mark Wahlberg “No person is beyond redemption. As long as they are willing to repent and want to make real change. We cannot turn our backs on anybody. This is not about excluding people. This is about including people and opening our arms and our hearts and our homes and everything else to love people and care for them.” - Mark Wahlberg “I think in life you reach a point where you think, If I only have forty summers left, what do I want to be doing with my life? And I thought, I really want to live a life of purpose.” - Roma Downey “If you have a gratitude attitude, you can really change your life.” - Roma Downey “I've almost trained myself to look for the blessings. And the great thing is, when you train yourself to look for the blessings, you find them, and then you start finding that they're everywhere. It's like the more you're grateful for, the more you have to be grateful for.” - Roma Downey “I loved having a sense at a very young age that the world was big and beautiful, and people all over the world were kind and interesting.” - Shauna Niequist “We felt like there was a lot of energy and direction, like God's graciousness was very apparent and it felt like the path was emerging before every step.” - Shauna Niequist “There were so many new things to learn, and so we tried to build into our family language this idea that being new is good and starting again is good, and it's okay to be a rookie and it's okay to ask questions and it's okay to need help.” - Shauna Niequist “My worth is not on the line. There's nothing I have to prove. My worth is given to me by the Creator. And then also, it's not something I can destroy. It's not in my power to do that. The love and worth that God bestows upon every person He creates is not ours to destroy or manage in any way.” - Shauna Niequist ________________________ 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 missionaries to Ukraine, Yuriy and Madison. Yuriy and Madison Perekotiy share about the work they’ve been doing to help vulnerable people in Ukraine since 2018 and give us a glimpse of how Ukrainian Christians are opening their doors to those who have lost everything during the war. They describe how their community and church in Ukraine are stepping up their efforts to show God’s compassion to those who have been most affected by the conflict. Their prayers are for a hope and a future for the Ukrainian people that is free from war and that God’s healing can be found in the aftermath of this collective trauma.   Quotes “Everybody has literally opened their doors, opened the doors of their churches, opened the doors of their apartments and said, ‘Hey, come here and you know, stay with us for a little bit.’ I've been proud for the Ukrainian church. They’ve opened the doors. And I think that right now it's a great opportunity to make friends with people who you've probably never met and plant the seeds of the gospel in their hearts.” Yuriy Perekotiy “We've seen the church in Moldova, Romania, Poland–all the surrounding countries around Ukraine–Slovakia, Hungary, the churches there, as well as further into Europe, are rising up to take care of Ukrainians who are in need. And so I think God will use this tragedy of war to draw people closer to Himself through believers in so many different places that are not just in Ukraine, but all over the world.” Madison Perekotiy “Continue to pray for those who are most vulnerable. Those who might have autism or special needs, or a child with Down syndrome or those in the deaf community. Those with a physical challenge that makes it difficult for them to get out or evacuate or those who can't leave at all because of those things, just to continue to pray God's mercy over the vulnerable.”  Madison Perekotiy   Links@theperekotiys War Relief Fund Video Updates Heritage Ukraine ________________________  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.

Are you the type of person who won’t ask for help until you get to a place where you absolutely have to? Are you someone who thinks you can handle things on your own and that asking for help is a sign of weakness? Paul from the Bible is a famous example of someone who tried to carry the weight of his mistakes and misfortunes on his own. It took Jesus’ words “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” [2 Corinthians 12:9] for Paul to realize that he could “gladly boast about my infirmities so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Jesus is there to listen when you need help, and He doesn’t despise our weakness—He demonstrates His strength in us through it. Our guests today are open about how they lean on God for their help and hope. Bubba Watson is a PGA golfer who has won multiple major championships who, even while at the top of his career, reached a low point where he wasn’t sure he could lift himself out of his depressed mental state. Jimmy Houston is a legendary fisherman who hosts the popular TV show Jimmy Houston Outdoors. When Jimmy found himself at low points over the years, he testifies that God was always able to pick him up and take him to that next step to where he needed to be.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV Past interview: Ryan Casey Waller Upcoming interview: Mark Wahlberg   Bubba Watson Don Mattingly  Up and Down   Jimmy Houston   Jimmy Houston Outdoors Catch A Better Life Lake Tenkiller BASS  FLW Lake Genesis at the Sea of Galilee www.jimmyhouston.com   Interview Quotes: “Without faith, I wouldn't have gotten off the floor.” - Bubba Watson  “You have to find people that you truly trust. There's going to be one to five people that you can truly trust and share with. And they don't blink an eye. They're there to hug you. They're there to give you a high five.” - Bubba Watson “When we stumbled and fell, when we hit those broken roads, when we got in those valleys, God was always able to pick us up and take us to that next step, whatever that next step might be.” - Jimmy Houston  “It's hard to be a hunter or a fisherman and not acknowledge God all around you.” - Jimmy Houston “I continually pray for the things that I want God to be doing in my life on a daily basis. I ask God every day for Him to make me a blessing to other people that I come in contact with.” - Jimmy Houston ________________________ 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 life deals a tough blow, it can be challenging to know where to go next. Perhaps the plans you’d been working toward have been blown out of the water, or maybe you’re experiencing a loss that has made you wonder how to move forward. When it feels like nothing makes sense in our lives anymore, all we can do is continue to show up and look for what God has next for us. Musician Danny Gokey was encouraged by his wife to try out for American Idol, and while they worked toward that moment, she unexpectedly passed away and Danny wasn’t sure how to go on. Minister Hosanna Wong lost her father at eighteen and longed to follow his legacy and help others learn of God’s love, but realized that it would take being present for others and really showing up in their lives to be able to live out her faith in a way that was authentic and compelling.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Matthew West Upcoming interview: Bubba Watson   Danny Gokey American Idol Phillips, Craig and Dean Hebrews 12:2 NIV Jesus People www.dannygokey.com   Hosanna Wong How Not to Save the World   Interview Quotes: “I'm glad God kept pushing me because I just didn't see myself as the lead person or the lead singer.” - Danny Gokey “In the most difficult time of my life, losing a spouse, all of a sudden there's a wide open door in the midst of that to fulfill a dream that God was giving me in that moment.” - Danny Gokey “I think God was pulling away and resetting the foundation so that I would know and that people would know that [my music career] was God built.” - Danny Gokey “People want to be seen, people want to be known, people want to know they're not alone. And there is no point in putting on a facade to impress the world Jesus called us to serve.” - Hosanna Wong “Being a part of God's beautiful church all over the country, I realize the truth that the church was way more beautiful than I ever imagined.” - Hosanna Wong “Let us also live and love others in the same way that God loves us, not giving people shame, but also telling them the truth about who they are too.” - Hosanna Wong ________________________ 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 edition of the Jesus Calling Podcast features multiple guests who have appeared in their own episodes on the Jesus Calling Podcast speaking to how they’re overcoming worry and anxiety in our lives. “Do not fear” is one of the most oft repeated phrases in the Bible. God knows that we as humans struggle with fear, worry, and anxiety and He gives us many reasons to believe that He will guide us through the unknown and help us move past our fears. We hope these stories will encourage you and remind you that you are not alone–and that a life plagued by anxiety and worry can be replaced with a life of assurance that things can ultimately work out for our good, according to God’s plan.    Links To Full EpisodesSara Evans Nik Wallenda Ally Brooke Ryan Casey Waller Gloria Gaynor Michelle Bengtson Darren Whitehead/Chris Tomlin ________________________  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 are not completely honest with ourselves or others about our problems, struggles, or emotional pain, we can find ourselves disconnected from the world and may even turn to drugs, alcohol, or other addictive behaviors to combat our shame. This shame can grow over time and fuel our addictions to become even worse. But there is hope in overcoming these destructive cycles—and we don’t have to live in the shadows of our secrets. Jesus tells us in the Bible that if we follow Him we can know the truth; and that truth can set us free. Our guests this week battled their own secret pain and addictions only to find the freedom that comes by pursuing the truth that Jesus so readily wants to show us. We’re talking with country music artists and songwriters Brett and Brad Warren from the Warren Brothers and Broadway, film, and television actress Amanda Jane Cooper. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Ryan Sheckler Upcoming interview: Danny Gokey   Warren Brothers Van Halen album Women and Children First Buzz Cason Tom Douglas Tim McGraw 9/11  www.warrenbrothers.com   Amanda Jane Cooper Glinda in Wicked Carnegie Mellon University Mr. Stephen Schwartz Kristin Chenoweth www.amandajanecooper.com   Interview Quotes: “The partying and the drinking and being in a bar band and just having fun and hanging out with other people that were partying and drinking turned into medicating pretty quick.” - Brett Warren “The very first hit we had was in our first year of sobriety, so we thought we were giving something up creatively [by not drinking] but the truth is we were gaining tons.” - Brad Warren “The God I met in recovery and the God that I was introduced to as a little kid that was holding a lightning bolt that couldn't wait to pelt me all the time, and then the God I've gotten to read in Jesus Calling, each of them, they've all circled into one.” - Brad Warren “God is good. They always say that when something good happens to them, but [Brad’s] seeing that God is good in the worst thing that could happen to you, and the good that's happened to our family as a whole, and the change that it's made in all of us and increased our faith and trust.” - Brett Warren “Helping other people [is] what helps us to stay sober. And it makes us feel fulfilled.” - Brett Warren “I really did think that I had to earn my value, earn my worth, prove my perfection. So that was through misusing and abusing my body, but also trying to fill that God-shaped void in my soul with relationships, with promiscuity, with substances, with success, even.” - Amanda Jane Cooper “I have a new perspective that God says who I am. I do not need to “prove” to the world my worth through a certain size or through a certain weight at all. God looks at the heart and He wants to tend to our hearts.” - Amanda Jane Cooper “I fully believe that by the blood of Christ and His healing power, we can be set free from addictions, compulsions. We can go to Him in distress, pain, anger, insecurity. He is big enough and good enough, better than good enough, to handle whatever we bring to His feet.” - Amanda Jane Cooper ________________________ 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.

Countless articles have been written and studies conducted about the power of prayer, not just from theologians, but from mental health experts and those who study the pathways of the brain; and they all come to the same conclusion–prayer and having a relationship with God makes us stronger. Prayer can calm our nervous systems, shutting down our fight or flight response. It can make us less reactive to negative emotions and less angry. It can give us hope that we are not alone–even in the most trying of times. Our guests this week share how their personal relationship with God has held them up in times of sadness and loss, doubt and fear, and that building a foundation of trust and familiarity with God has been what keeps them moving forward when things fall apart in their lives. Michelle Hord is a media executive and storyteller, and founder of the non-profit Gabrielle’s Wings. Krispin Mayfield is a writer and a counselor who studies attachment science—a discipline that looks at how relationships develop between humans, and correlates our various styles of attachment to how we develop our relationship with God.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Chris Norton Upcoming interview: Brett and Brad Warren   Michelle Hord  Gabrielle’s Wings America's Most Wanted President Reagan The Oprah Winfrey Show Good Morning America J.C. Penney studio Jesus Calling app The Other Side of Yet   Krispin Mayfield D.L. Mayfield Psalms Henry Nouwen Mr. Rogers Attached to God: A Practical Guide to Deeper Spiritual Experience   Interview Quotes: “We sometimes have our course, we think, and then God provides what we think are detours that are actually the great path…I always thought the beauty of how the human spirit fights to survive, fights to find faith, and how strangers even try to be a part of helping to be the light in really dark stories. ” - Michelle Hord “I immediately looked for a dark room, a closet, and I shut the door and I got on my knees and I said, ‘God, I do not know what this is, but whatever it is, please give me what I need to survive it.’” - Michelle Hord “It was an act of defiance to say, ‘In the end, God is going to win.’ I don't know how. I don't believe God did this to my child. I don't believe the platitudes of ‘everything happens for a reason.’ But I do know there's a God. “ - Michelle Hord “My relationship with Jesus Calling, the intimacy of how the passages are written, was familiar in a time where there wasn't much that still felt familiar.” - Michelle Hord “I know that He has used this horrific, horrific experience and the holes in my heart as a testimony to others…There is the complete vulnerability and weakness and brokenness that takes us to Him in a unique way where He truly can shine through all of the broken pieces.” - Michelle Hord “The science actually shows us that the way we relate to God is just the same way we relate to everyone else.” - Krispin Mayfield “We want closeness with God. And actually, there are these predictable patterns of how we try to get it, especially depending on what beliefs we've been told about God.” - Krispin Mayfield “I believe that if you're sad or worried or don't have hope, those are great things to bring to God knowing that God can handle it and God can meet you there.” - Krispin Mayfield “It's been a transformation for me to move from this place of being afraid that God is going to punish me or judge me to knowing that even with all my flaws, God still likes me.” - Krispin Mayfield “I've been learning a lot about Sabbath and a lot about this idea of just being with God, not worrying so much about if I'm getting it right, not worrying as much about my behavior and focusing on the fact that I'm a beloved child of God.” - Krispin Mayfield “I think that has been transformative for me to recognize that the more I try to keep closeness through following the rules, the less secure I actually feel. Because they never get that chance to be able to test the relationship and they never get a chance to see that even if I fail at everything, God is still there holding me.“ - Krispin Mayfield ________________________ 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 we look back on our lives, we all hope we can consider them well lived. But what signifies a life well lived? How much money we made or achieving great fame? Not according to our guests this week. Both have achieved fame and recognition for their musical talent, while recognizing God gave them the words and platform to spread His message of love. We’re talking with Florence LaRue, a singer with the iconic music group The Fifth Dimension, and country music artist Michael Ray.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Patti LaBelle Upcoming interview: Michelle Hord   Florence LaRue The Fifth Dimension Lamonte McLemore “Aquarius”  COVID Grace in Your Second Act: A Guide to Aging Gracefully   Michael Ray Warner Music Nashville Gatlin Brothers  Oak Ridge Boys  Garth Brooks “The Dance” Opry Porter Wagoner version of “Green Green Grass of Home” Ricky Skaggs “Real Men Love Jesus” www.michaelraymusic.com   Interview Quotes: “I had no intentions of becoming a singer at all. That was strictly God.” - Florence LaRue “I enjoy communicating with people. I enjoy the exchange of singing songs and making people feel things, making people happy.” - Florence LaRue “You are not alone. God is with you always. He loves you more than you know, more than you can understand, more than anyone else could ever love you.” - Florence LaRue “You know, a prayer doesn't have to be eloquent. It can just be ‘help’ or ‘thank you.’” - Florence LaRue “[My  grandfather] wanted everybody to have a chance to play music, and to see his passion for it for his entire life was unbelievable.” - Michael Ray  “I think that's all you can do in this life is try to make the next twenty-four better than the last.” - Michael Ray ________________________ 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 you feel broken and lost, and the life you wanted seems far from reach, there’s Someone you can turn to. God is just a prayer away and no matter where you are or what life circumstance has laid you low, you can call His name. He listens. He cares. He’s there for you always. Our guests this week have had times in their lives of complete brokenness—and they found that when they whispered a prayer up to heaven, peace, comfort, and restoration was never too far to follow. We’re talking with baseball pitcher Daniel Ponce De Leon, and musician and founder of Tipping Point Artist Wellness Lanny West.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Holly Hayes Upcoming interview: Florence LaRue   Daniel Ponce De Leon St. Louis Cardinals Chicago Cubs Victor Caratini epidural hematoma One Line Drive: A Life-Threatening Injury and a Faith-Fueled Comeback   Lanny West Tipping Point Artist Wellness Beatles  Staple Singers  Otis Redding Amy Grant https://www.tippingpt.coach/ Father, Son, And The Unholy Road: The Dark, Twisted Truth of My Journey From Cocaine to Christ   Interview Quotes: “My dad was a very big part in teaching me the Word, and every morning, you know, he was up reading. So he'd talk to me about it, and I didn't really understand most of the things. But you know, later on in my life as I read the Bible, all the words that he told me before now kind of are coming together, and I'm starting to understand that even more.” - Daniel Ponce de Leon “On good days and bad days, I need God.” - Daniel Ponce de Leon  “I believe the whole journey that He put me through was different ways of God chastening me.” - Daniel Ponce de Leon  “I'm using my baseball talents to spread the gospel and I'm able to talk with people and see their connection, their walk with God, and hopefully bring them closer and hopefully just bring us all as a church closer.” - Daniel Ponce de Leon “My dream was to escape the turmoil and the abuse within my family. And I just was trying to figure out how the heck to get out of that mess because nothing was getting better.” - Lanny West “I felt like I had to continue drinking and doing these drugs because people expected me to be a certain way, this entertainer, this radio DJ. And so I got hung up in it and I couldn't get out of it.” - Lanny West “Even though I didn't know my real father, there was a Father that was watching out for me…I don't miss having a cocktail. I don't miss drinking. I don't miss cocaine. I don't miss any of that because I'm filled with God's spirit, and that's the most important thing in my life right now.” - Lanny West  “I knew at that moment that the spirit had entered me and that God had finally shaken me to the point where I realized that I could not go on in my life without Him.” - Lanny 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.

This special bonus episode of the Jesus Calling Podcast features multiple guests who have appeared in their own episodes on the Jesus Calling Podcast speaking to how they pursue peace for their lives. God promises us a peace that passes all understanding when we trust Him to meet our needs. In good times or bad, we’re still able to experience that peace only God can give—letting us know that He’s got everything in His hands. We hope these stories will encourage you that anyone can find peace–—even in times of pain and loss—and that we all can experience the kind of peace that will get us through any situation we may be facing.    Links To Full EpisodesTrent Shelton Erwin McManus Jeremy & Adrienne Camp Chrystal Evans Hurst Melissa D'Arabian Paul Cardall Lolo Jones Reba McEntire ________________________  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.