Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

Today we talk with three guests who have dedicated their lives to ministry by bringing others closer to God, even when they themselves couldn’t always see the way forward: pastor and New York Times bestselling author Craig Groeschel, and husband-and-wife author and publisher team Jack & Marsha Countryman. Recently, Craig Groeschel released his newest book, Hope in the Dark: Believing God Is Good When Life Is Not. Today Craig tells us why asking God questions can create a stronger relationship with Him, and how we can endure challenges without losing our faith. Jack and Marsha Countryman have been married for 52 years, and have worked side by side each day of their marriage. They started their publishing company, J. Countryman, at their kitchen table almost forty years ago. Today they describe how they’ve been able to use their talents to connect millions of people to the promises of God, how they’ve been able to keep their marriage strong after five decades, and why they’ve decided to keep going to work every day, even in their later years. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today’s guests, author and speaker Kay Warren and UFC fighter Cody Garbrandt, know firsthand what it’s like to help people they care about face circumstances that are too tough for them to face alone. Kay Warren is the co-founder of Saddleback Church with her husband, Rick. For more than ten years, Kay has been a tireless advocate for those living with mental illness. She shares how she and her husband Rick met, the beginnings of Saddleback Church, and her fight for her son’s life as he dealt with mental illness. When UFC World Champion fighter Cody Garbrandt was a young boy, he dreamed of becoming a champion. His family was filled with generations of fighters, and while growing up in a blue-collar town in central Ohio, his dream to become a champion seemed nearly impossible. After years of struggle, when Cody was 20, his brother introduced him to someone who would change Cody’s life forever. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Welcome to the Jesus Calling Podcast. Today we visit with Mark and Danielle Herzlich. Mark is a Super Bowl-winning NFL linebacker with the New York Giants. Danielle is a new mom and a captain in the U.S. Army. By the time Mark and Danielle met in college, each had faced difficult battles in their young lives. Mark was a football star, destined for the NFL, when he found out he had a life-threatening cancer. And as Danielle began college, she was putting a life of domestic abuse behind her and recovering from the terror that her abusive father brought into her home. As they were seeking God to sort out their lives, God brought them together and showed them how they could use the pain of their experiences to help others find courage through similar challenges. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Welcome to the Jesus Calling Podcast. Today’s guests, Scott Hamilton and Rhonda Hodge, are both cancer survivors and teach us the power of resilience when it comes to facing trials in their lives. Scott Hamilton is an Olympic gold medalist and champion figure skater. After losing his mother to cancer, then becoming a cancer survivor himself, Scott became an activist against the disease. Scott talks to us today about his journey to skating stardom, how his wife led him to a close relationship with God, and how surviving cancer gave him purpose. Rhonda Hodge is a wife, mom, and cancer survivor. Rhonda faced cancer in her family over the years—with her husband, her best friend, and even with her own college-aged daughter—only to find out she too had the disease. She describes how she faced the diagnoses of family members and friends, and how she clung to God through her own diagnosis. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today’s guests, multi-platinum country star Hunter Hayes and drummer Jen Ledger from the Christian supergroup Skillet, have battled with dark feelings of inadequacy and anxiety. They have each found hope through these feelings by remembering how God views them. Hunter Hayes is a five-time GRAMMY nominee and one of the youngest solo male artists to top the Hot Country Songs chart. Hunter discusses how he grew into a singer/songwriter and how he works out the answers to hard questions through his songs, like his latest single “Dear God.” Hunter is candid about his insecurities; despite his monumental success at such a young age, he deals with feelings of not being good enough. Over the last ten years, Jen Ledger has been the drummer for Skillet as they’ve been nominated for GRAMMYs and played live for hundreds of thousands of people all over the world. Jen trusted God as He opened doors for her career, even when she didn’t believe in herself. Now she is releasing her first solo record that features a very personal song called “Not Dead Yet” that Jen describes as a song borne from a time when struggled with and battled internal fear and anxiety. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today’s guests help us see that even when life gets hard, we can keep going, knowing that God’s plans for us will always bring us exactly where we need to be: Fox News anchor Ainsley Earhardt and author Andy Andrews. Ainsley Earhardt is the co-anchor of Fox & Friends. Ainsley has a robust background in broadcast journalism. She recounts her journey up to network television, and tells us how she has been able to trace God’s hand through her life, and how her faith has sustained her during some of her darkest moments. Andy Andrews is a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and consultant for the world’s most successful teams and fastest growing organizations. Andy encourages us to keep going, even when life gets hard, by using our imagination and trusting God’s timing to help us move toward the life God has planned for us. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Our guests today address the key to finding hope in a sometimes dark world with an encouraging message for every generation; from teenagers to Baby Boomers. Pastor Max Lucado is a New York Times bestselling author who has a new book called Unshakeable Hope, in which he offers guidance for overcoming sadness and despair, renewing a sense of purpose, and triumphantly facing our fears of the future. Christian musician Phil Joel is best known for his long-standing role as bass player and vocalist for the multi platinum-selling band Newsboys. Phil shares his journey to becoming a part of the Newsboys, and how, with his new band Zealand, he brings hope to young people, enabling them to draw closer to God through worship. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today’s guests, doctors Henry Cloud and Daniel Amen, help us see how science and scripture can be connected in ways that explain our hurts and heal our pain. Dr. Henry Cloud is a clinical psychologist and New York Times bestselling co-author of Boundaries. He shares Biblical and scientific support that show how healthy emotional boundaries honor God, ourselves and others. Dr. Daniel Amen is one of America’s leading psychiatrists and brain health experts. He has helped countless people change their brains and lives through his clinics, public television programs, and books, including the New York Times bestseller The Daniel Plan and his latest book, Memory Rescue. Today he tells us how taking care of our physical health helps us take care of our brain and spiritual well-being. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Our guests today have experienced first hand the faithfulness of God--even in difficult times--pastor and author Dr. David Jeremiah and cancer survivor Tracy Layman. Dr. David Jeremiah is the pastor of Shadow Mountain Church and the founder of the popular radio ministry Turning Point. Dr. Jeremiah speaks to us about God’s faithfulness—-even through the difficult seasons of our lives. Tracy Layman is a wife, mother and cancer overcomer who volunteers with Compassion That Compels, an organization dedicated to bringing hope and comfort to women who have been diagnosed with cancer. Tracy Layman shares how she faced the grim news from her doctors about her cancer and how God was faithful to bring people into her life to support her and how she also felt inspired to encourage and support others facing similar battles. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

As followers of Christ, we all have the opportunity to treat others with integrity and love, making a difference in a sometimes unkind world. Full House and Dancing with the Stars actress Candace Cameron Buré is putting this into practice in her daily life by seeking ways to show little kindnesses to the people around her daily--even if only through a smile. Author and speaker Kristin Fry knows the challenges of being a single Christian woman in a community that prizes marriage and family. She gives her perspective on how to date with compassion and integrity--never forgetting that despite our marital status--God has chosen us for His purposes and loves us just as we are.   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.