Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

It’s a hard truth that none of us is exempt from the pain of losing loved ones. And while Jesus tells us that, “In this world, you’ll have trouble,” He also promises that no matter what, He will never leave our side, and that He’ll remain a rock we can lean on through the pain of loss. Our two guests, country music artist Eddie Montgomery and Jesus Calling reader Kacie Clousing, have experienced tragic losses. But as they reached for God, He paved the way to survival and healing. Eddie Montgomery, of the award-winning duo Montgomery Gentry, talks about the deep bond he had with his music partner of three decades, Troy Gentry. When he lost Troy in a devastating helicopter crash, Eddie learned how to cope with his pain by remembering the good memories they made together, and turned to “the Man Upstairs” for strength. After battling infertility and having two healthy miracle babies, Kacie Clousing was thrilled when she and her husband discovered she was pregnant again. At a routine twenty-week ultrasound, Kacie learned that although she could feel her son kicking and moving within her, he wouldn’t survive the pregnancy. As she grieved the shattered dreams of what could’ve been, she kept reaching for God during her darkest days and held on to the belief that He would take care of her and her family, no matter how difficult the outcome.  Links, Products and Resources Mentioned: Sarah Young Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling books Jesus Always devotional promotion at Lifeway.com Jesus Calling podcast episode:  God Brings Life After Loss: Jonathan Pitts and John Hill   Eddie Montgomery Montgomery/Gentry John Michael Montgomery    Kacie Clousing   Dr. Dharius Daniels   Interview Quotes: “Me and Troy put this duo [Montgomery Gentry] together, Nashville did not. And I think that’s why it was different, because we’d get each other in and out of trouble, we had each other's back. We knew who we were.” - Eddie Montgomery “There’s not a day that goes by I don’t think about [Troy].” - Eddie Montgomery “Before we go on stage, we get together and thank the Man Upstairs that He’s let us live this long and let us do what we do.” - Eddie Montgomery “That's how you get through [loss]. You remember all the smiles and the good times.”- Eddie Montgomery “In a second, our life went from, Oh, my goodness, things are fine. We're having a boy. We're so excited, to just nothing but complete sorrow and grief.” - Kacie Clousing “I started to have a mantra, where when I would start to think about the bad, I would just say, ‘I trust in you, Lord, to stop my negative thoughts and to not fall into the dark hole again.’” - Kacie Clousing  “God will take care of you and your family, and bring to your life what is meant to be.” - Kacie Clousing   ________________________ Enjoy these videos on Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio podcast: https://bit.ly/2uCnNM0  Original Series video podcast: https://bit.ly/2WzFY0O  ________________________    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.

Through all the highs and lows that life throws our way, there is one constant: God. Despite uncertainties, despite pain, and despite hurt, God is always there, longing for us to rely on Him to become our source of Joy. Author and joyologist Dawn Barton has faced more fall-to-your-knees pain and loss than most can imagine. And after every setback, Dawn shares she found the secret to moving forward: choosing to stand back up and look for joy. Singer/songwriter Ashlyn Grayce was raised in a home filled with music and faith, and now she’s branching out into a career of her own. Ashlyn dedicates every performance to the One who got her there, and shares her faith and life story to write songs that she hopes will bring healing to people of all ages from the inside out.  Links, Products and Resources Mentioned: Sarah Young Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling books Jesus Calling devotionalJesus Calling for KidsJesus Always Jesus Calling and Jesus Always available exclusively at Costco.com Peace in Uncertain Times YouTube Series with Alena Pitts Dawn Barton Mary Kay Cosmetics Laughing Through the Ugly Cry: And Finding Unstoppable Joy book   Ashlyn Grayce Alan Jackson Lifeway Christian BibleGateway.com, Isaiah 41:10   Eddie Montgomery Montgomery/Gentry    Interview Quotes: “I've had so much that I think gives me every excuse in the world to be not joyful. But I really want to scream from the mountaintops why we should be joyful and why it's a choice.” - Dawn Barton “It’s no one's job to make you feel better but yours.” - Dawn Barton “I think it's important to have a friend that will say, ‘This is enough. It's time for you to get up.’” - Dawn Barton “I think that's that little gift God gives you, sometimes just that feeling of, ‘Don't let go. Hold on a little tighter, a little longer, this time.’” - Dawn Barton “I'm so glad that I used tragedy as the fuel for something that was beautiful.” - Dawn Barton  “It's just so powerful that one three-minute song can really change the life of a listener or someone writing it.” - Ashlyn Grayce “I just think that it's so important to not be afraid and know that Jesus is right there with you every step of the way.” - Ashlyn Grayce   ________________________ Enjoy these videos on Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio podcast: https://bit.ly/2uCnNM0  Original Series video podcast: https://bit.ly/2WzFY0O  ________________________    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.

In observance of Memorial Day, veteran and country music artist Craig Morgan and the First Lady of Louisiana, Donna Edwards, join the Jesus Calling Podcast to share how their faith, families, and a dedication to public service have shaped their lives in incredible ways. Craig Morgan served in the Army for 17 years before pursuing a country music career, which now allows him to serve military members via USO shows and special tours. After losing his 19-year-old son Jerry in a tragic accident, Craig felt moved by God to share his pain through a song called “The Father, My Son, and the Holy Ghost,” which has touched countless lives. First Lady Edwards shares why she and her husband, Governor John Bel Edwards, were inspired to dedicate their lives to serving the public. As part of that service and in devotion to God, First Lady Edwards felt led to share Jesus Calling with incarcerated women in her state, and visited them in person to deliver the books, which had an enormous impact on her and women in the facility. Links, Products and Resources Mentioned: Sarah Young Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling books Jesus Calling devotional Jesus Today devotional Sarah Young products at Target Jesus Calling Podcast episode:  Becoming an Everyday Hero: Neal McCoy & Rodney D. Bullard   Craig Morgan Grand Ole Opry Video: The Father, My Son, and the Holy Ghost Craig’s World on Circle TV Louisiana First Lady Donna Edwards See Donna at Work: Governor’s Mansion   Dawn Barton Interview Quotes: “It was when I left home and joined the military, I think that's when I developed the aspirations for writing. Being away from home, creating a sense of appreciation for all the things that I had left and got away from.” - Craig Morgan “I thought I was exempt from something like that [when my son died], because our faith was so strong. We were a good Christian family, and I thought that something like this would never happen to us.” - Craig Morgan “When I lost Jerry, I felt like I didn't know enough about God because I needed to know more to understand what was going on.” - Craig Morgan “God wrote this song. I did not write this song.” - Craig Morgan, on his song "The Father, My Son, and the Holy Ghost" “I can't hug people that aren't standing before me, but I still very much feel their presence. Everybody talks about these God moments, you know, where you feel something and you feel the presence of God. That's what that is. I still feel that I have those moments with my son.” - Craig Morgan “We’ve always been firm in our direction and what we felt were our morals and values.” - Louisiana First Lady Donna Edwards   “We don’t necessarily have to agree — but I’m called to love you regardless.” - Louisiana First Lady Donna Edwards   “150 women who were imprisoned stood up and applauded the fact that I stepped into their life that day,” - Louisiana First Lady Donna Edwards   “Only with God’s help and praying and asking for God to help you, can one truly forgive.” - Louisiana First Lady Donna Edwards   ________________________ Enjoy these videos on Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio podcast: https://bit.ly/2uCnNM0  Original Series video podcast: https://bit.ly/2WzFY0O  ________________________    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.

We don’t have to be perfect to receive God’s love. He longs to meet us in our brokenness so that He can be a part of our healing. Olympic gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson East and her husband, NFL player Andrew East, share their love story that’s now blossomed into parenthood. And in their young marriage, Shawn and Andrew have weathered highs and lows, including a painful miscarriage, and they remember how sharing with their online community and hearing stories from thousands who had experienced the same pain helped them heal. Jewelry designer Lisa Leonard was juggling so much—a loving marriage, being a mom to two sons (one with special needs) and a passion for her burgeoning business—that she worked herself into a burnout, which took a toll especially on her marriage. As she began to work through these hard feelings, Lisa realized God didn’t require her to be perfect and put together all the time. Slowly but surely, Lisa’s zest for life returned, and she began to build a peaceful life that allowed her to keep creating new resources and loving others the way she always wanted.   Links, Products and Resources Mentioned: Sarah Young Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling books Jesus Calling devotionalJesus Today   Jesus Calling exclusives from Barnes & Noble online The Next Door Treatment Facility interviews on Jesus Calling podcast   Andrew & Shawn Johnson East YouTube channel, The East Family Shawn Johnson East website Andrew East website London Olympics Dancing with the Stars  Lisa Leonard Be You book Brave Love book Your Spark book   Gary Sinise IMDB - Gary Sinise as “Lieutenant Dan” in the film Forrest Gump, Interview Quotes: “I remember going to the Olympics, winning an Olympic gold medal, standing on the medal podium with a gold medal around my neck and feeling almost empty.” - Shawn Johnson East “Shawn's career was just kind of ending when we met, and my career was about to begin in the NFL. It's such a unique position, and I'm so thankful that Shawn is very uniquely qualified to be a part of the ups and downs of the NFL.” - Andrew East “[Sharing about my miscarriage with my online community] helped me heal so much, just seeing how many thousands of stories came back of people who had gone through the same thing.” - Shawn Johnson East “There's so much power in the community.” - Andrew East “I'm excited about the marriage aspect of parenting, but I'm also excited about the responsibility of what it means to be a thoughtful parent and how you do that well.” - Shawn Johnson East “I felt like I wanted to do something different and bring beauty into the world.” - Lisa Leonard “I felt like as a mom with two boys, one with special needs, and my husband and my friends and my extended family, the easiest way to simplify things was to take my needs and wants and put them way up high on a shelf.” - Lisa Leonard “God can handle our brokenness. He is not surprised by it. He's not scared of it. He's enough to fill that space.” - Lisa Leonard “This is a journey. We don't have it all figured out. And there's grace, so this is love, right? We don't do everything perfectly, but we're in it together.” - Lisa Leonard ________________________ Enjoy these videos on Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio podcast: https://bit.ly/2uCnNM0  Original Series video podcast: https://bit.ly/2WzFY0O  ________________________    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 the restorer of all, and He often works through us to rebuild lives, to touch hearts, and to transform people here on earth. Stars of HGTV’s “Restored by the Fords” brother-and-sister-duo Leanne and Steve Ford share how their supportive parents paved the way for their creative careers, encouraging their kids to try new things, even if they made mistakes along the way. When they understood failure is a normal part of life, Leanne and Steve learned to push their creativity to new heights, and today they inspire others to create homes that help them feel safe and loved. Dr. David Vanderpool has also taken part in rebuilding, but in a different way: by living in Haiti and serving others through his relief organization Live Beyond, Dr. Vanderpool has discovered that living simply and focusing on connecting with others has brought his family closer to God and allowed him to share God’s love with those in need.  Links, Products and Resources Mentioned: Sarah Young Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling books Jesus Calling devotional Jesus Today devotional Jesus Calling, the new botanical edition Jesus Calling podcast episode:  God Lifts Us Up to Our Full Potential: Philanthropist Melinda Gates & Pastor Tony Evans     HGTV Show Restored by the Fords (Leanne & Steve Ford) Work in Progress bookCountry Living Magazine   Dr. David Vanderpool Live Beyond relief organization  Britannica, 2010 Haiti Earthquake Olympic gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson East   Interview Quotes: “I realized that it was our family and our faith that created this life where we didn't care what anyone else thought.” - Leanne Ford, remembering her childhood “We are in a society where if you mess up, it's looked down upon. And the problem with that is that the fear of failure kills creativity.” - Leanne Ford “I really believe that when you love your home, it really translates into the rest of your life.” - Leanne Ford “The ability to bring joy and happiness to people, whether it be a giggle or a laugh or a house they're proud of or an idea that gets them inspired, what an awesome gift that we’re able to do that.” - Leanne Ford  “Jesus came to fill the gap between this disparity.” - Dr. David Vanderpool “When you divest yourself of material things and Plan B starts to fade away a little bit, I think what happens is the Lord becomes nearer and He becomes a whole lot more apparent.” - Dr. David Vanderpool “There's nothing that is more gratifying or supporting than knowing that you're walking exactly where God wants you to walk.” - Dr. David Vanderpool ________________________ Enjoy these videos on Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio podcast: https://bit.ly/2uCnNM0  Original Series video podcast: https://bit.ly/2WzFY0O  ________________________    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.

Whether or not we see Him, whether or not we feel Him, God is always near, walking beside us no matter where we go. YouTuber and mother of eight Angela Braniff shares how she checked all the boxes to gain a “perfect” life, until she realized Jesus’ life was about far more than giving her what the world considered “perfect.” By warily trusting God’s plan, and learning that she didn’t have to please others, Angela stepped out in faith and discovered a life more fulfilling than she’d ever imagined for herself. Jennifer Greenberg was a victim of abuse for twenty-one years, and in her darkest moments, she cried out to God, wanting to know if He was there. When she clearly heard God say that He would never forsake her, it all changed for Jennifer. She learned to trust God with her anger, moving forward into freedom and healing.  Links, Products and Resources Mentioned: Sarah Young Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling books Jesus Calling devotionalJesus Calling Prayer Call Jesus Calling® for Graduates    Angela Braniff, founder of the popular YouTube channel This Gathered Nest Love Without Borders book   Jennifer Greenberg BibleGateway.com (Hebrews 13:5) Not Forsaken book PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255   HGTV Show Restored by the Fords (Leanne & Steve Ford) Work in Progress book   Interview Quotes: “I just thought that if I did all the right things, then my life would turn out how everyone told me, and it would be happy and fulfilled and everything would be great.” - Angela Braniff “I cried out to God and said, ‘I need you to give me Your eyes. Break my heart for what breaks Yours. If there's more to this life, I need You to show me.’” - Angela Braniff “They will grow up and have questions, things I can't answer, things I can, and wounds that I, in my humanness, no matter how much I love them as their mother, cannot fix or heal. But the one thing I can do is point them to Jesus, who loves them and who can heal those wounds for them.” - Angela Braniff, on her adoptive children “Trust that the plan He has is just so much better than any plans we could have ever made for ourselves.” - Angela Braniff “I knew that no matter what happened, God would never forsake me. He would never abandon me.” - Jennifer Greenberg "When you grow up with abuse, that is your normal. And so when you start to leave that environment, you're going to come to new realizations for how dysfunctional your past environment was." - Jennifer Greenberg “I was able to come to a place in my life where I realized that the reason I was angry at my abuser was because I was angry at evil...I realized that I could trust God to be angry for me.” - Jennier Greenberg “I realized at one point that sometimes we talk about clinging to faith in God, but really, it's God who clings to us.” - Jennifer Greenberg ”Not only do we have a Savior who redeems us from our sins, we have a Savior who can relate with us in an extraordinarily personal and profound way.” - Jennifer Greenberg ________________________ Enjoy these videos on Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio podcast: https://bit.ly/2uCnNM0  Original Series video podcast: https://bit.ly/2WzFY0O  ________________________    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.

One of God’s greatest gifts is the healing we can find in forgiveness, whether we’re learning to to love and accept others or even ourselves. April 19, 2020 marked the 25th anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing, when Bud Welch’s 23-year-old daughter Julie was tragically killed in the blast. Bud shares how he turned his grief into compassion for Bill McVeigh, father of the bomber Timothy McVeigh. Bud is joined by Jeanne Bishop, who recounts how these two fathers shared losses and became the unlikeliest of friends in her new book Grace from the Rubble. After years of struggling to find her way as a young adult, Christine Carter found herself trying to fill the hole in her heart with food. After a heartbreaking encounter with a family member, Christine embarked on a journey to learn how to change from the inside out. Along the way, Christine learned God loved her just as she was, she began to love herself too—and now she’s striving to help others learn to love themselves and cultivate a healthier mindset and lifestyle in her brand-new book Weight-Loss Hero. Links, Products and Resources Mentioned: Sarah Young Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling books Jesus Calling devotionalJesus Always devotional   Jeanne Bishop, Author Change of Heart book Grace From the Rubble book Bud Welch 25th anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing Timothy McVeigh Marquette University St. Charles Borromeo Church in Oklahoma City Communicant at her Catholic Church, Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, Oklahoma City OK   Christine Carter, founder and CEO of Weight Loss Hero Weight-Loss Hero: Transform Your Mind and Body with a Healthy Keto Lifestyle Mayo Clinic, weight loss surgery Bible Gateway Matthew 22   Angela Braniff, founder of the popular YouTube channel This Gathered Nest Love Without Borders book   Interview Quotes: “What I learned that day about Bill McVeigh was that he and I had the exact same thing in common: we had both buried our children.” - Bud Welch “There’s such a hunger out there for these stories of people who found a way to get out from under that burden of hate and bitterness, and found this freedom and the grace and mercy and compassion.” - Jeanne Bishop “I wanted to uplift these two men, these extraordinary men, these two fathers who should have been enemies and instead became these unexpected friends precisely because they were willing to see in one another that they had this common ground.” - Jeanne Bishop “When your parents die, you go to the hilltop and you bury them. When your children die, you bury them in your heart. It’s forever. It never goes away.” - Bud Welch  “To have that redemption come from such tragedy is just a way of doing what God calls us all to do, which is to forgive others as we've been forgiven.” - Jeanne Bishop “I thought I had a weight problem, and I didn't know the weight I was carrying was a symptom of what was lurking beneath the surface.” - Christine Carter “I think that if you've ever overcome something in your life, I feel that part of what God calls us to do is to help someone else, even if it's just one person, help somebody else do the same.” - Christine Carter “I think a lot of our habits that we have and a lot of our mindsets are really what's holding us hostage.” - Christine Carter “We put ourselves last—and certainly there's something to be said about having a servant's heart—but you can never pour from an empty cup.” - Christine Carter “It's easy to fall into that temptation of picking the things that satisfy in the moment. But those things rarely satisfy for a lifetime. I've learned to put my eyes on Christ, put my eyes on God, to say, ‘What does He want for me?’” - Christine Carter  ________________________ Enjoy these videos on Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio podcast: https://bit.ly/2uCnNM0  Original Series video podcast: https://bit.ly/2WzFY0O  ________________________    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.

Sometimes we have to take a step back and reevaluate, taking a different approach to the things we can control—such as nutrition and wellness—in order to open our hearts and minds to spiritual connection with God. HGTV’s Christina Anstead shares how her stressful career and crumbling marriage took a toll on her emotional, mental, and physical health, and how she fought her way back to wellness by seeking God’s help. Food Network’s Melissa d’Arabian has always seen food as a base for connection, realizing that God has always held space at the table for every single one of us, no matter our differences. By pursuing a higher calling than just being the next Food Network Star, Melissa has discovered the power of seeking daily time with God, and the realization that we can never be fully whole and at peace without connection to the Father.    Links, Products and Resources Mentioned: Sarah Young Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling books Jesus Calling devotional Jesus Calling Family Devotional Jesus Calling®: 365 Devotions for Kids Jesus Calling Peace in Uncertain Times Series (YouTube) Emily Stroud Dr. Henry Cloud   HGTV’s Christina Anstead HGTV’s Flip or Flop HGTV’s Christina on the Coast The Wellness Remodel: A Guide to Rebooting How You Eat, Move and Feed Your Soul book Cara Clark Nutrition WebMD: Naturopathic Doctor Mayo Clinic: Hashimoto's thyroid   Food Network’s Melissa d’Arabian Ten Dollar Dinners Next Food Network Star (Melissa d’Arabian - Winner of Season 5) Tasting Grace: Discovering the Power of Food to Connect Us to God, One Another, and Ourselves book   Christine Carter, the founder and CEO of Weight Loss Hero   Interview Quotes: “I was able to mentally refocus and know there was a bigger purpose in all this, which was huge for me.” - Christina Anstead, on growing closer to God “Every night before bed, I just pray that doors that need to be shut, that don't bring me something to my greater good, shut them and lock them. Doors that need to be open, that are better for my spirit, then open those up.” - Christina Anstead “When you go back and focus on the Lord and focus on peace, joy will come.” - Christina Anstead “Food saved me, which is not something I say lightly.” - Melissa d’Arabian “That school cafeteria was that first peek into the compassion and the unifying and the equalizing power of food.” - Melissa d’Arabian “I think our life mission statement is a bigger thing, that we might be called to show up for and be open to the details of how that plays out.”- Melissa d’Arabian “I love the beauty of us trusting God and getting our daily bread, our daily fill. I love how generous that God is.” - Melissa d’Arabian “What if all of these features of the food system aren't flaws, but actually invitations into a greater joy and into a greater connection with our Maker and with each other?” - Melissa d’Arabian ________________________ Enjoy these videos on Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio podcast: https://bit.ly/2uCnNM0  Original Series video podcast: https://bit.ly/2WzFY0O  ________________________  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.

Sometimes our dreams seem so far out of our reach, we don’t know if we’ll ever achieve them. And sometimes we’ve been chasing dreams for so long, we need to remember why we began the chase in the first place. Matthew Barnett, pastor of the Dream Center, shares how the organization is serving the people of Los Angeles during the COVID-19 pandemic. He talks about how, over the course of the center’s twenty-five year legacy, he’s learned God has placed the Dream Center in LA as a steady force for change in the community, and how little things we do for others have a big impact. With a few strokes of his pencil, Richard Cowdrey can bring to life whimsical children’s book characters like Marley from “Marley & Me” and Fiona the Hippo. Richard shares how, during a troubled adolescence, two teachers helped unveil the artistic dreams he’d always held in his heart and even led Richard to faith. Today Richard is paying it forward by speaking to students and helping them reach for their own passions.   Links, Products and Resources Mentioned: Sarah Young Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling books Jesus Calling devotional Jesus Calling for Easter Jesus Calling: The Story of Easter on special at Books-A-Million.com Jesus Calling episode, God’s Perfect Purpose for Our Imperfect Lives: Rita Wilson and Lisa Osteen Comes Matthew Barnett Los Angeles Dream Center Coronavirus epidemic Queen of Angels Hospital One Small Step: The Life-Changing Adventure of Following God's Nudges book   Richard Cowdrey Fiona, It's Bedtime children’s book Fiona books Gray's Anatomy books Columbus College of Art and Design Bad Dog, Marley children’s book Melissa D’Arabian (Food Network)   Interview Quotes: “Just staying in the neighborhood, not leaving, and being there for people is one of the best things you could do at a time of crisis. [Let them] know that you're not going to run, you're not going to leave. You're still going to be a steady force of change in the community.” - Matthew Barnett “In the twenty-five years of feeding fifteen hundred hot meals every day, we really believe that we were born for this era that we're facing right now.” - Matthew Barnett “Every program that we build at the Dream Center is one year, and the reason why it's one year is because we want to give people the luxury of time to change.” - Matthew Barnett “You're doing the urgent, but you're not responding to the important.” - Matthew Barnett, on times we wander away from God "I still cannot actually come up with the words to describe what happened. I knew the answers. I knew who I was, why I was." - Richard Cowdrey, on reading the Gospel of John in college "I have a real love for nature . . . even at a young age, I was aware there must be a God who created the animals and the woods." - Richard Cowdrey “I'm looking for the ones that look like me, who weren't the straight-A students, who weren't the quarterback, who weren't the star students. They're the ones on the edges, on the fringe. I try to encourage them that they have a gift.” Richard Cowdrey, on speaking in schools ________________________ Enjoy these videos on Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio podcast: https://bit.ly/2uCnNM0  Original Series video podcast: https://bit.ly/2WzFY0O  ________________________    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.

In our weakest hour, when all hope is lost and we don’t feel like we can pick ourselves back up, God is there, waiting for us to release our burdens and ask for help. Writer and speaker Lisa Bevere had to overcome a hurt she didn’t even realize was holding her back: a difficult relationship with her mother. Lisa spent years trying to find a female mentor, only to discover God wanted Lisa to be the mentor to other young women she’d always wanted. Lisa had to learn that God had given her strength, and as she let go of the excuses she had made for herself, she stepped into the strength that was always there. Former WWE wrestler and Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle had it all—he was in the spotlight on the world’s stage. But Kurt struggled as he followed a pattern of drugs and alcohol his dad set before him. He realized that he would never be strong enough to break the cycle on his own: he needed Jesus. Links, Products and Resources Mentioned: Sarah Young Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling books Jesus Calling devotional Jesus Calling for Easter Jesus Calling: The Story of Easter on special at Books-A-Million.com Jesus Calling episode, A Pilot & a POW Cling to Faith During Crisis: Tammie Jo Shults & Carlyle “Smitty” Harris Lisa Bevere Messenger International Strong: Devotions to Live a Powerful & Passionate Life book BibleGateway.com   Kurt Angle Kurt Angle (Facebook) ESPN    Interview Quotes: “I have such a heart to see women empowered, to be strong, and to understand they don't have to take their strength from somebody else—they get their strength from God.” - Lisa Bevere “God said to me, ‘I don't want a mentoring of pride. I want mentoring of brokenness. I want you to pour out of your longing, because this is what is going to actually bring healing.’” - Lisa Bevere “When we think in the back of our mind that being a woman is a weakness, being a woman is a problem, when we think, I could be more powerful if I was a man, then we're actually buying into the enemy's lie, and we're devaluing who God created us to be.” - Lisa Bevere  “I didn't know how to do the, "I'm upset. I'm going to step back so that we can sit down together." What I did is I attacked people instead of problems. I attacked character instead of the crisis.” -  Lisa Bevere, on her struggle with anger “There are a whole lot of reasons that people can give on why they're broken, why they are wounded, why they are hurt. And I have so much compassion for that, but I have good news: what Jesus did for you is more powerful than what anybody did to you.” - Lisa Bevere ”I think it's important for women to have friendships with women that are older than them, women that are their same age and in the same season, and then women who are younger.” - Lisa Bevere  “Too many people think that God has somehow gone mute, and yet Jesus still speaks. He speaks love. He speaks redemption. He says, “I do not condemn.” He says, “I am your light. You don't have to walk in the realm of shadow anymore.” - Lisa Bevere “One thing I did think about was, I don’t want to become that guy. And, you know, twenty-five years later, I was much of the same guy, my father in every aspect.” - Kurt Angle, on his father   “I had this love affair on the side with alcohol and drugs. And I also had my relationship with God, but I never mixed it. So I was like, “God, I'm going to turn off right now. I'm going to go to my drinking and my drugs and I'll get back to You in a few hours.’” - Kurt Angle “So every day in rehab, I kept praying, ‘God, please, I don't want to be a screw up. I don't want to come out of here and go back to where I was. I want to progress. I want to move forward.’” - Kurt Angle “I'm always changing and always asking, ‘What's the next step for me? Where do I go from here and how do I make it?’ And, you know, a lot of it is prayer and my relationship with Jesus, and asking Him, ‘Where do I go?’ I listen to Him quite a bit.” - Kurt Angle   ________________________ Enjoy these videos on Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio podcast: https://bit.ly/2uCnNM0  Original Series video podcast: https://bit.ly/2WzFY0O  ________________________  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.