Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

Finding our God-given purpose is just the first step—it’s truly owning who He meant us to be that makes a difference, because follow through and commitment mean everything. However, earthly obstacles can get in our way of fully believing in and accepting ourselves. That’s why we need Christ so desperately, to help us understand our own value. Gospel singer Kierra Sheard-Kelly has waded through her fair share of negativity and body-shaming, and pursuing a career in the spotlight meant that there were scores of mean comments thrown her way. Kierra decided that she’d fortify herself by rooting her heart and her feelings in the word of God, which centered her and helped her embrace how God shaped her. Now, she’s living her faith boldly and proudly, encouraging others to stand out. Fox News anchor Shannon Bream started out as a lawyer, but felt a deep pull to the world of journalism, and sacrificed endlessly to work her way in. After being told by one television exec that she wasn’t good for TV, and that she’d never make it in the business, Shannon took a good hard look at her skills and her purpose, dug her heels in, and trusted that God would open the doors needed, and eventually she was led to a series of opportunities that got her where she is today. Now, she’s sharing stories about women in the Bible who sat at God’s feet, and is highlighting how passionately Christ cared for His relationships with women—placing them in positions where they can maximize their influence.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Romans 8:38 and 39 Jesus Calling Jesus Always Past interview: Mike Weaver Upcoming interview: Darryl Strawberry   Kierra Sheard-Kelly Clark Sisters Big, Bold, and Beautiful: Owning the Woman God Made You to Be Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren Proverbs 11:14   Shannon Bream Fox News at Night Women of the Bible Speak Finding the Bright Side Liberty University Florida State Miss America pageant program Miss USA Brit Hume Fox News Queen Esther Deborah   Interview Quotes: “I literally have gotten so many answers from my advisors. And that can be my friends, my loved ones, my sibling, anybody that I feel like God has said yes to. And they've contributed so much to the path of my life.” - Kierra Sheard-Kelly “I live my faith, bold and proud, by owning who I am, owning what God is doing in my life.” - Kierra Sheard-Kelly “Because you know Jesus, it doesn't make you small, it doesn't make you weird, it doesn't make you abnormal, it actually puts you in a secure place, in a sure place,” - Kierra Sheard-Kelly “There's a glory that rests on your life, and heaven is rejoicing when you live it out and when you own it.” - Kierra Sheard-Kelly “Even if you don't speak the same language, you can have the same heart and be a part of the body of Christ.” - Shannon Bream “Your job cannot be your God, it can't be what drives your life.” - Shannon Bream “Jesus treated women as equals. They were studying with Him at His feet, which was not common in those days.” - Shannon Bream “The God who intervened in all of these situations centuries ago is the same God today. I'm struck by the fact that these frustrations and troubles and challenges the women had, many of them are very common to today. Family troubles, sibling rivalries, chronic illness, financial trouble, widowhood, infertility, betrayal.” - Shannon Bream  ________________________ 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.

Though it can be difficult to comprehend, God places equal weight on the lives of all His children. That’s the beauty of the cross—no matter what we’ve done, our sins are washed clean. And no matter what sort of trouble we may find ourselves in, He will rescue us over and over. Pianist Paul Cardall was born with only half a heart, which meant years of stress, surgery, and pain. When finally given the opportunity for a transplant, Paul faced the hardship of knowing that his survival meant someone else lost their own life. Paul battled PTSD and survivor’s guilt for years, finally coming to accept that God laid down His own life willingly for Paul, and that he was worth being rescued. Author Charles Martin spent years trying to uncover what his parents had always instilled in him: what was the thing God created you to do? After walking away from an amazing employment opportunity to pursue writing full force, Charles dove into Matthew 8 and the story of the shepherd leaving the ninety-nine to save the one, which inspired his newest book, The Water Keeper.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Psalms 32:7 Jesus Calling Jesus Calling for Armed Forces edition JesusCalling.com Past interview: Lecrae Moore Upcoming interview: Kierra Sheard-Kelly   Paul Cardall New Life The Broken Miracle album Trauma-related guilt The Broken Miracle book “Family” “For Better Or Worse”   Charles Martin The Water Keeper Matthew 18 www.charlesmartinbooks.com   Interview Quotes: “I was feeling God telling me, ‘Everything is okay. I've got you. This is a gift I'm giving you.’” - Paul Cardall  “The hardest thing in my world was I knew that for me to live, it meant somebody had died.” - Paul Cardall “It struck me as completely illogical that the shepherd would leave the flock and the safety of the flock to go get the one who's got himself lost. And yet He does it repeatedly, and of course, I know that's the story of the gospel and of course, I know that's what Jesus does for us.” - Charles Martin ________________________ 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.

As we seek to determine God’s wishes for who we are to become, pursuing Him through prayer is one of our most trustworthy tools. If we seek to strengthen that bond with our Savior by staying in constant communication with Him, we’ll have clarity on where we are headed, and we will also begin to live from a more selfless perspective. Father James Martin, a Jesuit priest and editor-at-large of America Magazine, has learned over the years that prayer requires honesty, trust, and acceptance—but the good news is that there isn’t a right or a wrong way to pray, because God will reveal Himself to each of us differently. A relationship with God requires the same elements and effort as any of our human relationships, and when we take that approach, our faith walk will begin to change. MSNBC and NBC news anchor Richard Lui is the first Asian American man to anchor a daily national cable news program. As his career was soaring to new heights, he was presented with the greatest challenge yet: to care for his aging father who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Taking this opportunity as a lesson in selflessness, Richard was prepared to walk away from his dream job, but luckily was given a chance to balance both his career and his family. Richard shares about his father’s faithfulness throughout the years, and what he’s learned by being a caregiver.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Philippians 2:3-4 Jesus Calling®: The Story of Easter Sarah Young Jesus Calling Past interview: Greg Alan Williams Upcoming interview: Charles Martin Matthew 18   Father James Martin Learning to Pray: A Guide for Everyone University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business Thomas Merton The Seven Storey Mountain Jesuits Karl Rahner Matthew 26:38-40 John 11   Richard Lui Alzheimer’s disease Enough About Me: The Unexpected Power of Selflessness Mrs. Fields cookies  City College of San Francisco  Berkeley Rodney King  Magic Johnson   Interview Quotes: “I was invited to think about having a personal relationship with Jesus and a real, open relationship with God.” - Father James Martin, S.J. “For the most part, I think that people can trust within reason the kinds of things that happen to them in their prayer and in their daily life. If they feel that it is God's presence, it usually is.” - Father James Martin, S.J. “All the things that make for a good personal relationship make for a good relationship with God.” - Father James Martin, S.J. “God loves us. And so once people are able to accept that love, it really is transformational. They know that they're valued and who they are and that they are enough.” - Father James Martin, S.J. “The idea is to trust that God is waiting to hear from you and that also there's no wrong way or right way to pray.” - Fames James Martin, S.J. “Sometimes you get up in the morning, and you walk outside and you take a deep breath and something hits your brain and hits you in a way that says, You know what? I think my calling just may have changed and what I want to do just changed.” - Richard Lui “[This memory of my dad] gave me a point of view that these little things I was doing, they were important.” - Richard Lui ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

God finds great joy in us using our gifts to share His light in the world—there is no greater feeling than recognizing our purpose and fulfilling it to the best of our ability, giving voice to His faithfulness. Worship artist Kari Jobe began writing and singing songs of praise when she was only thirteen, paving the way for a lifetime of ministry. Now she pours blessings over her listeners and brings her family along for the journey, and feels honored that God has fulfilled her deepest desires to sing. British gospel singer Mica Paris was raised in the church, and got her start in music there. Over the years, Mica began to stray from her faith and got caught up in glittery fame. Looking back, she realizes that God was always there holding her steady, and her renewed hope in Him has changed her voice and her message.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Calling® for Easter Past interview: Lacey Buchanan Upcoming interview: Father James Martin   Kari Jobe “The Blessing”  Numbers 6  www.karijobe.com   Mica Paris  The Gospel According to Mica: The Story of Gospel Music in Six Songs Gospel Windrush generation Rupert the Bear https://gospel.micaparis.com   Interview Quotes:“I brought everybody [my listeners] along that journey with me, because I realized there are people who probably have been through that or a similar thing. And it's like, ‘I need your wisdom and maybe anything I'm learning could be ministry to you.’” - Kari Jobe “God is so faithful, we can look back and see similarities in our lives where we weren't sure what was going to happen. But God came through. God did a miracle. God changed our perspective. God brought healing. And so I just want to say, let's look to the future and realize that the same God that walked us through all those other things, is the same God that walks with us into our future.” - Kari Jobe “If you don't have a little time with Him on your own, you kind of feel a bit disconnected if you don't do it for a bit. So you literally have to keep checking in.” - Mica Paris “I feel like even the times when I did forget the faith, it was something that was always looking after me.” - Mica Paris ________________________ 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.

There is no better feeling than the moment you discover you are a part of something bigger than yourself—when you know God is there with a plan for you, and you realize that you have been soaked in His grace since the beginning of time. Comedian Michael Jr. had that moment after using his last few dollars to get to New Jersey to perform a show with iconic comedians George Wallace and Jerry Seinfeld. After performing, the manager invited Michael to church with him. Dejected about being completely broke and unable to get back to New York, Michael was gifted $200 and a napkin with a church address on it. That was a turning point, pushing Michael to read the Bible and use his gift of creating laughter to help spread the gospel. NFL player Jordan Matthews was trying desperately to navigate a performance-based world, but he was getting caught up in the highs and lows. Longing for consistency, Jordan looked to other guys in the NFL who had built a foundation of faith that allowed them to be okay no matter their circumstances. That’s when Jordan found Jesus, and began to walk in true relationship with Christ.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Ephesians 2:8-9 Jesus Calling®: The Story of Easter Sarah Young Past interview: Trevor Brazile Upcoming interview: Mica Paris   Michael Jr. Jerry Seinfeld George Wallace Chris Rock Seinfeld A Red Blueprint michaeljr.com   Jordan Matthews Trey Burton  Chris Maragos Nick Foles Galatians 5 Psalm 34:4-6 Psalm 105:4 2 Corinthians 1:3-4    Interview Quotes: “All these people I never even knew before gave me all this love because I gave them a part of me.” - Michael Jr. “It's just super exciting to be able to see this and notice and feel it—that heaven is real, that God gave me this gift not to serve me, not so I can do a bunch of shows and get a bunch of people and just laugh. It's so much more to do than just laughter. Comedy is the vehicle. It is not a destination.“ - Michael Jr. “I know I'm called to help people understand their purpose.” - Michael Jr.  “I want to make laughter common in uncommon places.” - Michael Jr.  “Everything [humans make is], 100-percent, always going to be performance-based. If you don't meet this criteria, you're out, you're done.” - Jordan Matthews “I realized that those pages in the Word, they weren't just words on a page. Those things meant something.” - Jordan Matthews “And I was like, ‘Look, Lord, I know I haven’t been doing this thing right. I know that I'm probably still going to mess up at times, but I know this whole thing is about You. And I can't save myself, so it's up to You to do it, and I feel that happening right now.’” - Jordan Matthews “I know that I have a foundation that I can stand on and a relationship that can't be taken away, no matter my performance. And that's something that's very freeing.” - Jordan Matthews “I just felt like the gospel was able to give me perspective. I don't serve a God who sat on a throne and didn't know what suffering was. He came down, and He did the work, and He suffered. If He can go through that for me, I can go through this for somebody else.” - Jordan Matthews ________________________ 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.

It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that we take for granted the little miracles that come together to form our very existence. If we learn to train our minds to sort out God’s miracle moments from the mundane, we will learn to live from a posture of reverence and awe—making our faith walk more wondrous than we could’ve thought. Life coach Tim Storey is a miracle himself—raised in a low income family, Tim relied on his understanding of God from a young age, and it led him to become a leader among some of Hollywood’s most successful names. Now, Tim seeks to point others to God by unifying them through universal principles straight out of the Bible, bringing healing where there was once hurt. Pianist Gordon Mote was born blind, but he was also born with immense musical talent, which took him to Nashville where he eventually became a first call studio keyboardist--performing on albums for the biggest names in country music. After 9/11, Gordon prayed deeply for one thing: to make a difference in the world. Each of us has the potential to be a miracle to someone else and to appreciate the miracles in the world around us—if only we ask God to let us see ourselves and His creation through His eyes.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Sarah Young Jesus Calling 40 Days of Jesus Always Christianbook.com Jesus Calling® for Easter Past interview: Joyce and John Smith Upcoming interview: Michael Jr.   Tim Storey Pastor Ron Prinzing Jack Lemmon Walter Matthau Vidal Sassoon Lee Iacocca James Caan Charlton Heston Miracle Mentality   Gordon Mote Alan Jackson Brad Paisley Blake Shelton Martina McBride Carrie Underwood Alabama School for the Blind Pig Robbins  Country Music Hall of Fame “Amazing Grace” “Grace Became Amazing” LOVE LOVE LOVE   Interview Quotes: “I take time to really look at things through the eyes of faith on a daily basis.” - Tim Storey ”I believe that grace fills in the gaps.” - Tim Storey “A lot of people say, ‘I used to be into faith, but I feel let down,’ or ‘Religion has become big business,’ and that's my opportunity to really talk more about Christ as the friend and Christ as the One who understands and Christ as the humanitarian.” - Tim Storey “If you have sadness, He came to bring you joy. If you have dead things, He wants to exchange your ashes for beauty.” - Tim Storey “No matter what you've been through, God is still there for you. God will still guide you, guard you, govern you.” - Tim Storey “God is a miracle working God, that's part of what He does.” - Tim Storey  “We are walking miracles, even in our limitations, our setbacks, our frailties, our faults, our failures.” - Tim Storey “If we could comprehend—which we can't—what it must be like for Jesus to have that kind of mercy and grace for us and then to look down on this earth He created and see how we treat each other...I just feel like we need to love and do our very best to love because He first loved us.” - Gordon Mote ________________________ 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.

Though times of pain and difficulty are hard to weather, they are often the seasons of life that bring the greatest spiritual reward, because it is often when we are desperate for healing and relief that we cry out to God, and those are the times that we can see great improvement by clinging to Him. Throughout her marriage, author and speaker Karen Ehman has been surprised by the difference in expectations and reality, and she’s learned that by looking for God in the little moments and continuing to show up in prayer, you can tackle any problem with your spouse. Kristina Kotlus had laid out a specific prayer to God: “Let me see you working.” She never imagined that her encounter with Him would come in the form of two cancer diagnoses, but she’s been amazed at how God took that opportunity to show her just what He was capable of.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Past interview: Dawn Barton Upcoming interview: Tim Storey   Karen Ehman Proverbs 31 Ministries Make Their Day https://www.karenehman.com Keep Showing Up   Kristina Kotlus I Quit: Facing Cancer with Faith, Family, & Friends College of the Holy Cross George Mason Philippians 4:7 kristinakotlus.com   Interview Quotes: “It brings this little level of excitement when you watch God work while you two are forming a team and working together.” - Karen Ehman “So often the way that we show love is not the way our spouse receives love.” - Karen Ehman “I think that's just a real crucial way that we can keep showing up is to use our words to speak to God about our marriages and to speak to God about our own behavior.” - Karen Ehman “I can look back in my life and see those exact difficulties, those problems, those pains, they were kind of the fertilizer for my faith. They’re when my faith grew the most.” - Karen Ehman “It really wasn't until I was diagnosed that I really understood an actual really scary thing, and I actually saw God's ability to step into that huge void where I couldn't carry the load and I couldn't change my circumstances—but He could.” - Kristina Kotlus, on her cancer diagnosis “I let myself have the emotions I was going to have, but I put a time limit on it. So I would literally set an egg timer or a timer on my cell phone and give myself fifteen minutes. I would have all of the negative thoughts. I would have all of the fears. I would just have them all and cry it out. And when my timer went off, I would literally out loud say, ‘Okay, you have been heard.’” - Kristina Kotlus “I don't think that God gave me cancer, I don't think that He shot down a lightning bolt from heaven and put the tumor inside of my head, but I do think that He used that experience as an answer to that prayer for me to see Him.” - Kristina Kotlus “I am choosing joy and I am deciding that I am going to go forward with confidence because I know my God has this.” - Kristina Kotlus ________________________ 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.

A beautiful element of Christianity is that when we allow ourselves to relax into the peace and grace that God offers, we experience true rest and healing that restores every part of our soul. Catholic recording artist Julie Carrick has seen God touch her life in the moments she was suffering the most—through infidelity, miscarriage, and cancer—and it’s led her to appreciate His unfailing grace and perfect love, which meets her in all of her brokenness and boosts her with the strength to carry on. Physician and author Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is an expert on rest in all of its forms, and knows how crucial it is that we give ourselves the type of rest our bodies, minds, and souls truly need. Because it is only when we are well-rested and energized that we can dedicate the best of ourselves to Christ—even the King rested on the 7th day.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Past interview: Jana Kramer & Mike Caussin Upcoming interview: Karen Ehman   Julie Carrick Carrick Ministries Foundation Unfailing Grace Grotto JulieCarrick.com   Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith Good Housekeeping Doctors’ Secrets Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity John 10:10 http://www.drdaltonsmith.com/   Interview Quotes: “God's unfailing grace. No matter what we go through, that grace is there.” - Julie Carrick “The scripture—although it was written thousands of years ago—it wasn't written just for a thousand years ago. It was written timelessly. There is no beginning. There's no end. It was written for us today as much as it was back in the day.” - Julie Carrick “We're in a position where we are working out of our exhaustion rather than working out of the fullness of all that we have to give. We're not fully being able to use our gifts and our talents and all that God's placed inside of us because we are always working out of that place of depletion.” - Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith “To give of our best, we have to be able to take the time to intentionally rest well.” - Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith “I always like to meditate on a characteristic of God or even a word that brings you back to think about who God is in your life. Peace, love, joy. Pick a word, a phrase that you will focus on as a way of calming your mind and keeping it from being able to just jump to whatever thought that it decides it wants to.” - Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith “I believe every one of us needs to have those people in our lives, whether it's a counselor or a therapist or a trusted friend, a family member, someone who knows at the very core of what's going on with you.” - Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith “We need to see the value in spending time with those people who can pour back into us. We can't always be the ones pouring out into others.” - Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith “Spiritual rest is the rest we experience when we have intimacy with God, when we take time to break away just to be with Him where we're not coming with our agenda. We're not coming with our prayer list. We're coming simply to just spend time in His presence and to enjoy being with Him.” - Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith “God's best for us is where we actually go back to the very beginning and we do it as He has modeled even from the very beginning of creation.” - Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith ________________________ 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.

Think of a time when you were able to spread a little sunshine to others. What kind of happiness and fullness did that bring you? God calls us to be conduits of His joy, peace, and healing, but we can only do that once we develop our faith muscle enough to leave the stresses and pressures of the world and step into His calling for us. Artist and writer Ruth Chou Simons always had a love for art, but felt pushed into places the world deems more practical. Creativity and beauty continued to find its way into her life through cracks and crevices, and after Ruth became a mom, she started a blog, Grace Laced, as a way to muse on the way God’s faithfulness was showing up in the everyday, and it led to an artistic career that brought her fulfillment beyond her wildest dreams. Life coach and author Jess Connolly has made it her personal mission to help people discover what their God-given gifts are, because it’s not about what we can do with our lives, but who we can serve through our actions. Jess has learned over the years that on our own, we could never be enough, but by His grace, we are.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Always Jesus Calling Past interview: Jaci Velasquez Upcoming interview: Julie Carrick   Ruth Chou Simons Grace Laced GraceLaced Beholding and Becoming:The Art of Everyday Worship Grace Laced Shop   Jess Connolly You Are the Girl for the Job Bright City Church Go and Tell Gals 1 Peter 2:9   Interview Quotes: “I thought my worth was so tied to what I could accomplish. And long story short, the Lord really did get a hold of me, and God in His kindness showed me that nothing I had to bring to the table, no matter how hard I tried, no matter what college I went, to what degree I graduated with, what job I landed, none of those things could earn me to favor with God.” - Ruth Chou Simons “Those are truly just seasons that come about where God really breaks you of things that you think can save yourself. And He shows you what true salvation is.” - Ruth Chou Simons “I was simply writing to faithfully document and see how God's faith, God's favor, and His grace intersects everyday life, even when life wasn't turning out the way I expected it to.” - Ruth Chou Simons “I think anything, any dream you have, anything you want to do successfully in a big way, you need to do faithfully in a small way.” - Ruth Chou Simons “There are lots of things we want to be in the presence of. And we forget that we were made to be in the presence of our Savior.” - Ruth Chou Simons “Fullness of joy comes through Christ and through our knowing Him.” - Ruth Chou Simons “We get to be rooted in the good news that though we are not enough, God is.” - Jess Connolly “One of the best ways we can fight fear is saying true things about God.” - Jess Connolly “I have learned that part of the beauty of prayer is that when I pray for certain things, for God to move in certain ways, I begin to look for and see the fruit of those things. And so I'm really praying to see His power and to see His presence and to see His peace manifested in people.” - Jess Connolly ________________________ 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.

In each of our lives, there will come a time that we face a season of hardship, of difficulty, even true suffering. But no matter how awful things may seem to be, God is right there to help carry you when you can’t walk on your own. Ministry leaders and authors Ruth & Patrick Schwenk went through a ten-year period in which they had nine pregnancies—five of which sadly ended in miscarriage. After having four healthy children and relocating to Ann Arbor, Michigan to launch a new church, Patrick was suddenly diagnosed with a rare blood cancer, and it sent their family into a tailspin once again. Clinging to God, the Schwenks found a way to cope and survive, trusting in the strength of Jesus to get them through. Former Army Captain Harold Earls and his wife Rachel know all about sacrifice—from a national perspective to a personal one. Early in their marriage, Harold felt called to climb Mt. Everest in support of veteran PTSD and suicide awareness, and in doing so, it terrified Rachel that she’d lose her husband before they could ever start a life together. By turning to God as reassurance that everything would be okay, they made it through the tumultuous climb. Then, as a guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington, Virginia, Harold began a new mission each day of honoring the men and women who gave their all for their country and relied on his devotional ritual to help keep his mind on God’s purpose for his life. For each couple, looking to Jesus to help them through their toughest struggles helped them realize that God can bring forth good from pain and from sacrifice—and He can give you the strength to help you through the worst of it.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling devotional Past interview: Jonathan Pitts Upcoming interview: Ruth Chou Simons   Ruth & Patrick Schwenk John 3:30 Moody Bible Institute Psalm 9:10 1 Peter, 1:3-4 In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake: Trusting the God Who Meets Us in Our Storm   Harold & Rachel Earls Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Earls Family Vlogs Earls Fam Foundation Florida State University West Point Mount Everest Veteran suicide statistics Arlington National Cemetery A Higher Calling   Interview Quotes: “I had to give up everything that I had been and I had to follow Him with my whole heart.” - Ruth Schwenk  “I feel like God used that suffering and that uncertainty and that fear to really deepen my faith because I had a choice. I could either trust Him or I couldn't. And there was literally no earthly thing that I could do to change my situation.” - Ruth Schwenk  “There are so many ways that chaos and pain and suffering and loss can be places of great anxiety, but they also can be places of great abundance where God is beginning to do something new and something powerful.” - Patrick Schwenk “We believe that God hears our prayers. He loves us. He desires to take care of us just as His child. He desires to take care of us just like we as a mom or a dad desire to take care of our own child.” - Ruth Schwenk “I am grateful and it helps me to see the good around me and all the blessings that God has just given me, which really carries me through those hard moments.” - Rachel Earls “Everything that makes me proud to be an American, I would see on a daily basis [at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]. And so for me to have the opportunity to serve there with an extraordinary group of young men and women honestly has been a highlight of my life so far and something that I am thankful for.” - Harold Earls “This country, although we have our flaws, our flaws are still worth fighting for.” - Harold Earls “Men and women that were so brave, that we don't even know who they are, made those sacrifices for you and I, so that we could have the religious freedoms that we have so that we can worship the God that we worship, so we can go to church on Sunday and say Jesus in public.” - Harold Earls ________________________ 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.