Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

Many of us spend our lives trying to match our talents with the world’s need. We want to feel useful, after all. But when we’re hustling to get dinner on the table, or shuttling loved ones to doctor’s appointments, or rushing to meet a deadline, “finding our purpose” feels like a task that’s way too big to check off the list. But even if we don’t feel it, God has a purpose for our lives, and is doing great things, even through imperfect humans. Our guests, actor/producer Rita Wilson and pastor Lisa Osteen Comes, remind us that God has put greatness inside each of us, and as we travel through our lives, He reveals new gifts we can use to reach others.   Links, Products and Resources Mentioned: Sarah Young Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling books Jesus Calling weekly prayer call Jesus Calling podcast - “Using Our Gifts for Good: Musciaian RaeLynn & Writer Kristy Cambron Rita Wilson Halfway to Home album The Spark song Throw Me a Party song   My Big Fat Greek Wedding movie Mamma Mia! Movie   Screen Actor’s Guild The Brady Bunch sitcom   Lisa Osteen Comes  Lakewood Church (Houston, TX) You Were Made for More: How to Become All You Were Created to Be book   The Singing Contractors’ “How Great Thou Art”   Interview Quotes: “We're works in progress. We're not really finished, and we are constantly trying to be better.” - Rita Wilson    “But at the end of the day, you want to be remembered for making someone's life better.” - Rita Wilson    “Having been blessed with an extraordinary life, you almost become more thankful. You can't take credit for it. In a way, I feel like everything that I do—anything good that is coming out of it, I believe—is from a higher power.” - Rita Wilson   “Creativity is time independent.” - Rita Wilson “All these things come against us in life, and sometimes it looks like we're not gonna make it, we're not going to live out our dreams. But with God's help, we can.” - Lisa Osteen Comes “What did God put in you naturally? What are your gifts, what are your talents? Because whatever He puts in you, He's going to use for your destiny, for His purpose, for His glory.” - Lisa Osteen Comes "I am God's child and He has a plan for me. He will help me if He calls me. He will equip me and help me to do whatever He has called me to do." - Lisa Osteen Comes ________________________ 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 picture our lives going one way, until we encounter impossible choices and painful struggles we never saw coming. But no matter your past, your pain, or your mistakes, when we give our stories over to God, He can write a new ending for us—one filled with potential and purpose. On today’s episode, author and activist Cyntoia Brown-Long is joined by her husband Jamie Long as she shares her redemptive story of an adolescence marred by trafficking and drug use that led to a murder conviction and a life sentence in prison. Despite the walls around her and no guarantee of freedom, Cyntoia determined to expand her horizons and better herself personally in prison. But Cyntoia found it was when she began to give her life back to God that a new chapter really started to unfold. Cyntoia’s husband Jamie tells how God miraculously brought the couple together, and how He’s using them to not only strengthen each other, but to help others find justice and mercy. Interior designer Liz Marie Galvan tells the story of a life seemingly filled with joy and opportunity. Married to the love of her life, she had a budding career in design and dreams of a family—until she was confronted with the harsh reality of infertility. Hesitant to share her pain with others, she eventually found community with those who were walking through the same issues. Now, through the work she does to create cozy homes and being open about her personal story, Liz Marie sees how God can be a light during our darkest of hours and how He can redeem our stories for a greater good.   Links, Products and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling books Jesus Calling weekly prayer call Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith [Original Video Series] featuring Rita Wilson Cyntoia Brown-Long Simon Shuster Book publisher ‘Free Cyntoia: My Search for Redemption in the American Prison System’ book   Libscomb University PBS Documentary: Me Facing Life  #FreeCyntoia hashtag (Twitter) Bill Haslam (Tennessee Governor)   Liz Marie Galvan Cozy White Cottage: 100 Ways to Love the Feeling of Being Home The Found Cottage Christopher Lowell Trading Spaces   Interview Quotes: “I knew that there was some way that I could live some type of meaningful life [in prison].” - Cyntoia Brown-Long “Jesus is always calling. He has a word for you 365 days every year. It doesn't stop. He's always there. He's there when you need Him. He's there just to say, "Hey, thank you." - Jamie Long “But to experience true freedom—whether in prison or out of prison—it comes through Him.”- Cyntoia Brown-Long “He is a God of second chances.” - Cyntoia Brown-Long “Even though I was in a physical prison, I was in prison within prison. I was in a prison of anger. I was in a prison of my past, constantly letting that anxiety hold me captive.” - Cyntoia Brown-Long “No matter what your prison is, you just have to submit to Him and cast all your cares on Him and let Him do what He does. That's who He is. He's God.” - Cyntoia Brown-Long  “I was able to meet an entire community of people that were going through the same struggle [through my blog]. It was so helpful to be able to rally together and give each other hope and pray for each other.” - Liz Marie Galvan “I was starting to stumble a little bit and wonder why I was going through this. And I was looking to God, wanting to know why I was not able to bear a child. It was one of the darkest seasons of my life.” - Liz Marie Galvan ________________________ 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.

When we’re mired in shame, it’s hard to believe we could ever be worthy of God’s grace. But when we step aside and allow God into the pit, He can pull us out of our mess and use our lives to show His glory in ways we could never imagine. Today we hear from Lauren, Aja, and Natalie—three women who have traveled through The Next Door, a nonprofit, faith-based organization that helps women coming out of incarceration to rebuild their lives. With vulnerability and strength, these women remind us there is nothing we can do that can separate us from God’s love.    Links, Products and Resources Mentioned: Sarah Young, author of Jesus Calling Jesus Calling books Jesus Calling weekly prayer call Jesus Calling interview with Next Door graduates Janie & Tammy The Next Door non-profit organization  Nashville, TN    Interview Quotes: “The Next Door has completely changed my life. I had to find me again.” - Lauren, The Next Door “There’s a difference between guilt and shame. Guilt is, ;I feel bad for something I've done,” but shame is, “I feel bad because of who I am.’” - Lauren, The Next Door  “God really shows up when we get out of the way and let Him.” - Lauren, The Next Door “[The Next Door] took me in. And I'll never forget walking in the building and taking the biggest deep breath, because it was like coming home again. You know, I didn't have a home. And that's what they've become for me.” - Lauren, The Next Door “When I finally stop trying to save myself, to let Him save me, He does it's much bigger than I could have ever done for myself.” - Lauren, The Next Door “You have no idea what you'll do until you're in the grips of [addiction]. It was really hard. But because it was so hard, it helped someone else, and it qualifies me to speak life into other women. That, to me, is all the hope I need.” - Lauren, The Next Door  “When I came to The Next Door, I found a greater relationship with God.” - Aja, The Next Door “We would read Jesus Calling at the beginning of group every day, and it would just fall right in line with what was going on in my life. And today, it is still falling in line with what is going on in my life, right in the middle of my struggles.” - Aja, The Next Door “There is a God and He is real. AlI you have to do is hold onto His hand and He will do the rest. Hold on to Him. He will lead you where you need to go.” - Aja, The Next Door “I found that not only does He know broken people, but He loves broken people that can help broken people.” - Natalie, The Next Door   ________________________ 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 humans love to feel powerful and in control. But each of us has a handful of weaknesses, and we try desperately to hide them from the rest of the world. But time and again, God tells us when we’re weak, He is strong. And when we turn over our weakness to Him and make Him the hero of our lives, He can transform that weakness into our greatest strength for His glory. Our guests this week, pastor Derek Grier and publisher Wayne McKay, share how God’s used some of their pain points to reach others. As an introvert, Dr. Grier never expected to be a pastor. With God’s help, he’s learned how to refuel so he can lead the rapidly-growing Grace Church and reach others through new book When God Stops. When he was a child in Sunday School, Wayne McKay had a hard time understanding the Bible. As an adult, he developed BibleForce, a graphic novel brand that would help kids engage with the life-changing messages of God’s Word and show them heroes to look up to.   Links, Products and Resources Mentioned: Sarah Young, author of Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Calling (Textured Gray Leathersoft): Enjoying Peace in His Presence (with Full Scriptures) Jesus Calling books Jesus Calling interview with David Crowder & Francesca Battistelli Bishop Derek Grier Grace Church (Dumfries, VA) When God Stops: Faith That Gets God’s Attention Howard University   Wayne McKay (Founder of BibleForce) BibleForce Graphic Novel   The Next Door ministry organization    Interview Quotes: “The way I have learned to describe it is that introversion versus extroversion is about how you refuel.” - Dr. Derek Grier   “What captured me was [Jesus’] character. He became my hero, even before He became my Lord.” - Dr. Derek Grier    “I don't really think I grew my church as much as my church grew me.” - Dr. Derek Grier   “If you begin to really communicate God's truth caringly, consistently, and clearly, hungry people will beat a path to your door, because people want to know God.” - Dr. Derek Grier   “Sometimes, we just stay in that place where God revealed Himself to us twenty years ago, and that's it.” - Dr. Derek Grier   “We have to continue to step out in our faith journey and do things that we have not done before, in order for us to continue to get a growing revelation of who God is.” - Dr. Derek Grier    “I wasn't a very good student of the Bible when I was a kid, because I just didn't understand it. If I'd had a picture story where I could’ve looked at something, then I would have been far more interested when I was younger.” - Wayne McKay    “I think heroes should be displaying good moral code, standing up for others, unafraid to take on confrontation, and should be a good member of the community.” - Wayne McKay ________________________ 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.

Our journey of faith can be a long, slow process, or one where a single life event can jar us into discovering our true relationship with God. Singer Gloria Gaynor, the voice behind one of the world’s most powerful anthems, “I Will Survive,” knows what it’s like to be moved into a space where she needed to know about “this Jesus” she had heard about all her life and if she really believed who He said He was. Former physician Jeff Huxford also knows, all too well, what it was like to have a “comfortable” faith, until a devastating accident turned his world upside down and caused him to reassess everything. Through both their stories, we’ll see how they arrived at a place of deep trust in Jesus—when everything else was going awry in their lives—and how God’s grace, mercy and faithfulness helped them survive their toughest moments.  Links, Products and Resources Mentioned: Sarah Young, author of Jesus Calling Jesus Calling (Textured Gray Leathersoft): Enjoying Peace in His Presence (with Full Scriptures) Jesus Calling books Jesus Calling interview with NFL Mark Herzlich and his wife Danielle Gloria Gaynor Gloria's new gospel album, "Testimony" Jason Crabb, Bart Millard, & Yolanda Adams “He Won’t Let Go” ft. Bart Millard    “I Will Survive” Video “Why Do Fools Fall in Love” by Frankie Lymon “Save Your Love For Me” by Nancy Wilson  Isaiah 7:14 on BibleGateway   Jeff Huxford Finding Normal: An Uninvited Change, An Unexpected Outcome “Traumatic Brain Injury” – The Mayo Clinic   Interview Quotes: “Children don't know they're poor, as long as they're loved. So we didn't know we were poor, because we were very much loved.” - Gloria Gaynor “I just wanted somebody to hear me sing. I didn't care about accolades or applause, I just wanted somebody to hear me sing.” - Gloria Gaynor “So I was just leaving [my problems] up to Him. I was fully assured that God would do something, I just didn't know what.” - Gloria Gaynor “I like songs that are meaningful, that have lyrics, that touch people's hearts, and that have good melodies.” - Gloria Gaynor  “My pastor AR Bernard says, ‘If you want to be successful in life, find out what God is doing and get in on it.’” - Gloria Gaynor “He is so faithful. It is incredible how He is always there for you.” - Gloria Gaynor “When God has a timetable, and you run out ahead of God, you end up out there by yourself.” - Gloria Gaynor “Hold on. Stay on the path. Keep the faith, and know that He won't let go.” - Gloria Gaynor “My head went through the open window, slammed against the concrete pole, and I suffered a traumatic brain injury.“ Jeff Huxford “After a brain injury, the [affected] person essentially becomes a new person. Who they were before is a thing of the past.” - Jeff Huxford “My faith was based more on the don'ts rather than the do's.” - Jeff Huxford “I like the way Jesus Calling seems to make you slow down, rest, and think about what Jesus is trying to tell you right now.” - Jeff Huxford “I grew up believing that it makes you uncomfortable, don't do it. But the truth is, there's a lot of things in the Bible that God calls us to do. And it's not always going to be comfortable, because He knows that when we do things that are uncomfortable, that's when we grow, and our faith gets stronger.” - Jeff Huxford ________________________ 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.

Even after we know Jesus, many of us struggle with mistakes from our past. It seems like those memories will always haunt us and influence decisions we make. How do we learn to let go of the past and let God guide our future? This week’s guest, singer/songwriter Matt Maher, shares how we can use our experiences and the constant presence of a supporting, loving God to become a blessing to others, whether we’re sharing our resources or learning to forgive our parents (and ourselves). In this episode, we’re reminded that God believes in us and He can help us peel back the layers of our souls; using our present to heal our past.    Links, Products and Resources Mentioned: Sarah Young, author of Jesus Calling Jesus Calling (Textured Gray Leathersoft): Enjoying Peace in His Presence (with Full Scriptures) Jesus Calling books Jesus Calling interview with Jay DeMarcus & Kim Walker-Smith   Singer/Songwriter Matt Maher Echoes album Newfoundland St. Johns, Newfoundland Benedictine Order  Arizona State University   Interview Quotes: “One of the most important things that I learned in growing up in Newfoundland, you treat everyone as if you are encountering the face of God.” - Matt Maher “I think there were plenty of times when I didn't realize how much God believed in me.” - Matt Maher “When it comes to the psychology of faith and how faith develops, a lot of us end up having very stunted experiences of growth. And we don't even realize that subconsciously, we're still praying and talking with God the same way that we did when we were four or five years old.” - Matt Maher “There was just a lot of undoing that God needed to do. He needed to peel back a lot of layers, there was a lot of inner monologues where I was speaking for Him.” - Matt Maher “I've always said that songwriting comes out of the overflow of the human heart that [comes from] spending time with God. And that's how I express. That's how God made me, to express life and process the things that I see or the things that I'm going through.” - Matt Maher “For me, fatherhood has been one of the ways in which God has brought a lot of healing into my life, as I've been able to lean into faith and grace and extend that to my kids. God uses those moments in the present. He repairs the past.” - Matt Maher ______________________ 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.

As people of faith, we can talk about some of life’s hardest moments openly, knowing when we share our struggles, our friends and family will rally around us. But what do we do when we have questions and doubts about our faith? Where will we find acceptance when we question the tenets of our faith or even the presence of God? God promises He is always near to us, no matter what—and that includes our questions and doubts. This week’s guests, pastors and writers Erwin McManus and Dominic Done, talk about the battles we fight to find hope and answers. And they remind us when we seek God, even in the midst of our hardest moments, we can find His peace, which passes all understanding.   Links, Products and Resources Mentioned: Sarah Young, author of Jesus Calling Jesus Calling devotional Jesus Calling books Jesus Calling weekly Prayer Call Jesus Calling interview with Bishop T. D. Jakes & worship leader Don Moen   Erwin McManus Mosaic Church (Los Angeles, CA) The Way of the Warrior: An Ancient Path to Inner Peace Boulevard of Broken Dreams   Dominic Done Westside: A Jesus Church When Faith Fails: Finding God in the Shadow of Doubt James K. A. Smith Doubting Thomas Bible Gateway C. S. Lewis, A Grief Observed Friedrich Nietzsche Existential Nihilism vs. Atheism Worldviews   Interview Quotes: “The reason there are wars that rage all around us is that there are wars that rage within us.” Erwin McManus “The battle for peace is exactly that: it's a struggle, it's a battle, it's a daily engagement for peace within your soul.” - Erwin McManus ”For hope to exist, it has to be in the future. When our hope is placed in the past, it turns into regret.” - Erwin McManus “I'm convinced the reason we're created in the image of God is that we're imagined by God to create” - Erwin McManus “Anyone who ever aspires to do anything meaningful is going to have the loss of a dream. One huge challenge is to not put your identity in the dream, because if your value as a human being is based on the dream you're pursuing, then your value is really fragile.” - Erwin McManus “Many of us can identify and relate to a guy like Doubting Thomas. We want a deeper form of faith, but we also don't know what to do with our struggles and our questions.” - Dominic Done “I think it takes wisdom to learn how to live in the tension of an unresolved faith.” - Dominic Done “I would actually argue that God designed [us] in such a way that questions are born and that questions can lead us into a deeper, richer, more meaningful relationship with God.” - Dominic Done “I would argue that the mystery in a relationship is actually what makes a relationship beautiful.” - Dominic Done “We get so obsessed with wanting all the answers. But it's not about having every single answer. It's about the wrestle. It's about the struggle. It's about intimacy with God.” - Dominic Done “I'm learning that God is speaking, but I'm not always listening.” - Dominic Done ________________________ 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.

Some moments feel like you’re playing in a big game. It’s the 4th quarter, your team is down by 6, and you’re the quarterback—the outcome rests on your shoulders. You’ve spent hours watching your opponent on film, and you’ve played against them for nearly 60 minutes. You’ve been watching their patterns and strategies, and you come up with a play you’re certain will outsmart them and lead you to victory—but your Coach doesn’t agree. He gives you another play to run, one you don’t quite understand. So you’re faced with a dilemma: should you run your own play, the one you understand? Or do you trust your Coach’s wisdom and run with His strategy, leaving the game in His hands? Our guests this week, NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner and CBS Sports broadcaster James Brown, decided to live according to God’s playbook. And each of their journeys is a testament to the amazing things that happen when we lean on God’s wisdom and trust His timing.   Links, Products and Resources Mentioned: Sarah Young, author of Jesus Calling Jesus Calling devotional Jesus Calling books Jesus Calling weekly Prayer Call Jesus Calling interview with Mark Herzlich Jesus Calling interview with Erwin McManus Kurt Warner, NFL Hall of Fame quarterback TreasureHouse Organization  James Brown, Sportscaster 60 Minutes CBS Sports Fox NFL Sunday Fox Sports NFL Network NFL Today Thursday Night Football DeMatha Catholic High School Bill Bradley The Cove (Billy Graham Training Center)   Interview Quotes: "When I finally did get to the NFL, it was so much bigger than [people wearing my jersey]. It was, 'How can I use this to inspire and impact other people?'" - Kurt Warner “[I have] this unique story that has a chance to impact more people because of the journey [itself] than anything accomplished on the field.” - Kurt Warner “Every time something goes against us, the first thing we want to do is scream out to God, or blame God, or blame someone else. And [now I] have that constant reminder: Hold on, we've been here before. And you've seen how God has taken something that you think is horrific and [He has] made it into something unique, special, and impactful.” - Kurt Warner  "My [high school basketball coach] stressed those of us playing for him had to have four priorities in place: God had to be first. Family second. Then school, then your sport." - James Brown “Many things that are very simple are really profound and leave an indelible impression, a life-changing influence.” - James Brown “So even though in the work environment, you may not find me running around beating people over the head with the Bible, I pray that I am modeling God's word with all the characteristics being displayed in what I do.” - James Brown “God has got each of us right where He wants us, so let's maximize that lean, that sphere of influence where we are.” - James Brown ________________________ 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 world, it’s easy to let others define our worth. After all, we interact with people and get feedback on our performance all day long at work, at school, in communities online and off. We feel great when other people compliment us or “like” our posts—but what happens when people don’t like what we’re doing? What happens when we try to chase that affirmation from people and fail to live up to their ever-changing standards? This week, we talk with two actors in the spotlight—Priscilla Shirer and Jeremy Ray Taylor—who try diligently to remember God defines their worth, not the world, and that our days are so much better when we live for His glory and not our own.   Links, Products and Resources Mentioned: Sarah Young, author of Jesus Calling Jesus Calling devotional Jesus Calling books Jesus Calling weekly Prayer CallJesus Calling Interview with Tony Evans Jesus Calling Interview with country singer Josh Turner and NASCAR driver Michael McDowell   Priscilla Shirer Going Beyond Ministries Overcomer Movie (official website) Overcomer Movie  (IMDB) Overcomer Movie trailer (YouTube) Alex Kendrick  Kendrick Brothers I Can Only Imagine movie Jeremy Ray Taylor Harrison Ford NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner   Interview Quotes: “Sometimes we are wishing away the very things about our uniqueness that are designed to be used for a purpose we can't even comprehend.” - Priscilla Shirer “Each and every one of us have to decide who or what we're gonna give permission to identify us, to label us, to name us.” - Priscilla Shirer “Who you are in God can still anchor you even when there is chaos swirling around you.” - Priscilla Shirer  “What [defines] you? Who have you given that authority to? And in the end, it better be God, because everything else is up one day and gone tomorrow. But what God says about you remains, no matter what happens in this life.” - Priscilla Shirer “I've just enjoyed the creative outlet of doing something different, and yet the same, in the sense that it's an opportunity to still share the love of Jesus just in a different way.” - Priscilla Shirer  “That's what overcoming is. It's having a peace that literally passes your understanding. You literally don't understand how you have peace in the midst of the storm that you are suffering and struggling through.” - Priscilla Shirer “Life on a farm definitely has prepared me for acting. It definitely built a work ethic, I’d say.” - Jeremy Ray Taylor “I recognized [him] and I was like, “Oh gosh, that’s Harrison Ford,” and he's just a normal guy, too. That was one crazy thing that I realized is that everybody [in Hollywood] is just normal.” - Jeremy Ray Taylor  “The more we're around people [in the film industry], the more we love it, and the more we're just able to love on people.” - Tracy Taylor “For us, staying connected to God, that’s important as a conversation. And it’s just trying to keep that focus, to keep that the center of what you do and where you are.” - Tracy Taylor ________________________ 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 live in a world that’s more connected than ever but, ironically, more isolated. We disappear into our smartphones and tablets, ignoring the the people God placed us with right in our own living rooms, schools, workplaces and out in the world. Perhaps it’s easier to tap “like” on a screen than ask someone about their day or how we can help them—but that’s not the kind of relationship God called us to have with others. Today we talk with four women—Laurie Crouch, Victoria Osteen, and Dr. DeeDee Freeman of TBN’s Better Together, and novelist Rachel Hauck—to learn how they’re intentionally cultivating their relationships with others, especially their friendships, and how taking time to nurture those relationships with love reaps lasting rewards for everyone.   Links, Products and Resources Mentioned: Sarah Young, author of Jesus Calling Jesus Calling devotional Jesus Calling books Jesus Calling weekly Prayer Call Jesus Calling Interview Candace Cameron Buré  BetterTogether.tv Laurie Crouch Trinity Broadcasting Network Victoria Osteen Lakewood Church Dr. DeeDee Freeman Spirit of Faith Christian Center Rachel Hauck The Memory House book Asbury Seminary Laura Ingalls Wilder “Little House” book series Once Upon a Prince (Hallmark Channel) Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Interview Quotes: “One of the biggest lies that the enemy put in the church is what we have taken from the world to say, ‘Women can’t get along.’ But we can get along. We can be here for one another. We can encourage each other” - Dr. DeeDee Freeman “When you hear someone's story, their challenge, what they've been through, it causes you to understand that person better.” - Victoria Osteen “I believe the diversity of how we are is a representation of what Christ is. And so we have to learn how to come together, bring our differences together, and really share and look like what God intended for us to look like.” - Dr. DeeDee Freeman  “It's so important to find people you can pray with, and that can agree with you to lift each other up.” - Laurie Crouch “If women knew their worth, if they really understood their value in the eyes of God—and that's where it starts. It's not in the eyes of man, but it's in the eyes of God—I believe we tap into a superpower.” - Victoria Osteen “You know, you can hear scriptures all your life. You can read a scripture a hundred times, but sometimes a friend or someone close to you can read it to you and bring out something that you have never, never thought of.” - Laurie Crouch “I believe God is so awesome with the creativity of how He made us so unique, if you will, to bring our strengths and our talents together to make the whole picture of what God truly looks like.” - Dr. DeeDee Freeman “Love is in everything. Is there any story where there's not a love angle, be it parental or sibling or friendship?” - Rachel Hauck “About the time I started going into full-time writing, I was also on this journey of understanding this amazing love story in scripture.” - Rachel Hauck “When you're confident you're doing the thing that God designed you to do, then you can endure the hard times, or the disappointments, or the ups and the downs.” - Rachel Hauck ________________________ 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.