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This week, we’ll hear from writer and producer Brian Bird, whose decades-long career in film and television includes When Calls the Heart and Touched by an Angel. Brian shares how he discovered his gift for writing through others who championed for him and how he uses his ability for storytelling to bring positive change to the world. Next, we’ll hear from Alister McGrath, a former atheist who became an Oxford trained scientist and theologian, who tries to bridge the divide between faith and science and desires to show the world that belief in God is more than just a set of ideas; it’s about a relationship.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Josh McDowell Upcoming interview: Josiah and Jaccob Slavin Jesus Calling: Harvest of Blessings   Brian Bird When Calls the Heart  Touched by an Angel The Story of Everything www.thestoryofeverything.film   Alister McGrath Atheism Christianity C.S. Lewis Matthew 7  Rethinking Christianity   Interview Quotes: “When I mentor young people, one of the things that I tell them is that they have to identify the one thing that God made them to do. Find three people like me to identify what you’re good at. Get into the symphony, don’t just be in a garage band.” - Brian Bird “I found that just by being a friend maker as a Christian—and not trying to preach at people, but just loving people—they want to know why I am the way I am. They want to know why I have peace in my life, why I am content. You have to earn the right to share your faith with people. It’s not handing them a tract, it’s handing them a life, it’s handing them a relationship.” - Brian Bird “I think in the world today, there’s so much cynical content out there that people are starved to death for content that is not cynical; content that is even idealistic, that inspires them to reach for their higher selves, that helps them feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves.” - Brian Bird “I found myself at a turning point in my life where I loved science and still believed my future might lie in science, but at the same time, I was having this real longing to immerse myself deeply in Christian thinking, deeply in the Bible, in really understanding what this was all about.” - Alister McGrath  “I loved studying Christianity and I wanted to make connections with science, but I also began to realize there was a need to be able to connect up with people beyond the church, to be able to deal with the questions that they had about faith, as indeed I had as an atheist.” - Alister McGrath  “What I’m finding in my many conversations with people is this growing realization that Christianity has this ability to really set out a worldview that is not going to disappear tomorrow. And it also seems to have this deep ability to make sense of life and give us a sense of personal identity and personal stability.” - Alister McGrath  “Apologetics, I think, is moving in a new direction. We need to be able to reassure people Christianity is true, but we also need to show them it really transforms life. It’s a trustworthy truth that transforms us.” - Alister McGrath “I think one of the things I didn’t really fully appreciate was that Christianity was giving me more than just a kind of intellectual framework. It was strongly relational. This is about a friendship, a relationship with a living God who journeys with you as your Shepherd through life wherever you are going.” - Alister McGrath ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Interviews: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Video Interviews: https://bit.ly/4f79RAW  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/4q5iTCx  Scripture Series: https://bit.ly/4wAVGKU  Celebrity Readings: https://bit.ly/4bIS5BJ  Video Devotionals: https://bit.ly/4fG1kFb  Sleep Meditations: https://bit.ly/4w0xu37 Shorts: https://bit.ly/3RHFubh  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week, we hear from TV host and podcaster Kelly Rizzo, who shares about the sudden loss of her husband, comedian Bob Saget, and how she views grief and coping in the aftermath of losing a partner. Next, we’ll hear from Dominique Jones, also known as DOE. She grew up leading worship in her father’s church before joining her family’s group, Forever Jones. After experiencing both success and setbacks in the music industry, she eventually stepped out as a solo artist and began finding the freedom to tell her own story through music.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Stacy Henagan Upcoming interview: Brian Bird Jesus Calling: Harvest of Blessings   Kelly Rizzo Bob Saget Eat Travel Rock TMZ www.Kelly-Rizzo.com www.ComfortClubOnline.com   Dominique Jones Forever Jones www.doejonesmusic.com Shiloh   Interview Quotes: “In the very, very early stages of grief—like day one or week one—you can’t possibly think about moving forward or anything in those very early stages. You can only focus on ten seconds at a time, maybe a minute, maybe an hour. You can’t even think about next week.” - Kelly Rizzo  “After a sudden loss, you’re just so disoriented and you’re in such a spiral and everything feels like a foggy dream and like this can’t be real. And the only thing that can get you through it is just literally focusing on today.” - Kelly Rizzo  “I’m not saying I understand what His plan is, and I’m not saying I totally get it, and I am not saying that I’m happy with this situation, but I’m certainly not thinking even for a second that there is no God now because something bad happened to me.” - Kelly Rizzo “For me, loving deeply but grieving deeply, is still continuing to share Bob with the world and sharing his message of love and laughter and just caring about people.” - Kelly Rizzo “God speaks more than English. He doesn’t just speak English, He speaks heart. There’s a reason why I can communicate something through a note, and someone can understand and hear what my heart is saying to them without me using words.” - DOE  “Every life experience, every failure, and every success—everyone has something to say and speak to concerning the fabric of our faith, the story of our faith.” - DOE “When I was able to tell the truth and live the truth, I was actually able to find healing.” - DOE “I think there’s room for my humanity in my relationship with God and my anguish and my pain.” - DOE ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Interviews: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Video Interviews: https://bit.ly/4f79RAW  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/4q5iTCx  Scripture Series: https://bit.ly/4wAVGKU  Celebrity Readings: https://bit.ly/4bIS5BJ  Video Devotionals: https://bit.ly/4fG1kFb  Sleep Meditations: https://bit.ly/4w0xu37 Shorts: https://bit.ly/3RHFubh  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week, we hear from legendary husband and wife songwriting team Bill and Gloria Gaither, who went from teaching school in a small Indiana town to writing some of the most sung hymns and songs in the modern church, including “Because He Lives” and “He Touched Me.” They’ll talk about the lessons they’ve learned about failure, success, and how one of their most famous songs came from a time when the world around them felt anything but stable. Next, we’ll hear from The Voice season twelve winner Chris Blue, who initially turned down multiple opportunities to audition for The Voice. He’ll share how he eventually returned to his family’s gospel music roots after years of pursuing a different path.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Jordan Smith Upcoming interview: Kelly Rizzo   Bill and Gloria Gaither Dottie Rambo  www.gaither.com   Chris Blue The Voice season twelve The Jackson 5 Foundations: The Hymns of My Heart   Interview Quotes: “Jesus Himself was born into the most unstable of worlds. And so we go on with our life because the resurrection is true. It’s not just a one-time shot in history. The resurrection is built into every fiber of creation. It’s everywhere around us, and we can believe that because He lives, we can face tomorrow.” - Gloria Gaither  “Be good to that gift that God has given you.” - Bill Gaither “We’re constantly teaching, and one of the best teachers is failure. If you learn from failure, it makes you wise.” - Gloria Gaither “If you get up in the morning with expectations, you are bound to be disappointed. But if you get up in the morning with expectancy, saying, ‘What is God going to do today?’ then you’re never disappointed, and you’re always in awe of what God does.” - Gloria Gaither “The pines are green. The sky is blue. It’s a riotous circus of color. Now I can either just go about my business and not notice that, or I can take that in and realize that God is sending us love letters from His heart every minute of every day. It’s up to us whether we read them or not.” - Gloria Gaither  “We have this moment to hold in our hands and to touch as it slips through our fingers like sand. Yesterday’s gone, and tomorrow may never come, but at least we have this moment today. And Jesus said, ‘I’ve come to bring you life more abundantly.’ And that is the abundant life—when you can use the God-given resources that He’s given to your mind and make the right choices on how you spend your time.” - Bill Gaither  “I think it’s a wonderful gift that prayer is portable.” - Gloria Gaither “When it came down to being selected [for The Voice] and being the last one, I thought, Man, I’m wasting my time. Jesus never called me to this. Maybe I heard wrong. But I didn’t. He was saving the first to be last and the last to be first.” - Chris Blue “After you win, you get money, you get the accolades, you get the deal, you get different opportunities. But then it goes away. That was hard at first because my expectation was you win and you just keep climbing. But that wasn’t the reality for me. You have to really work. You have to continue grinding. You have to continue pushing as if you never won.” - Chris Blue  “When Jesus called me to sing Christian music again, I knew that I needed to let the world know that sometimes you can stray away from your path, but like GPS, it’ll always recalculate and get you back on track.” - Chris Blue  ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Interviews: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Video Interviews: https://bit.ly/4f79RAW  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/4q5iTCx  Scripture Series: https://bit.ly/4wAVGKU  Celebrity Readings: https://bit.ly/4bIS5BJ  Video Devotionals: https://bit.ly/4fG1kFb  Sleep Meditations: https://bit.ly/4w0xu37 Shorts: https://bit.ly/3RHFubh  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

From his roots in Virginia to decades with the Statler Brothers and beyond, Jimmy Fortune has walked through seasons of success, heartache, and loss. In this episode of Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer, Jimmy shares how a praying mother and a Bible left open in a hotel room kept him seeking God, and why he continues to hold on to hope through every note and every trial.   Guest’s Links Facebook: @JimmyFortuneMusic Instagram: @jimmy.fortune Watch this interview on our YouTube channel! https://bit.ly/3PIHsqI  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website TikTok   *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Best known for his role as Brick Heck on the hit NBC show The Middle, actor and YouTuber Atticus Shaffer shares the profound lessons learned from living with the chronic pain and the medical challenges of osteogenesis imperfecta. He also reflects on his moving caretaking journey, discussing the role reversal of supporting his mother through her own health struggles and how their shared hardships deepened his capacity for compassion. Later, we speak with content creator Ariel Fitz-Patrick. Raised in a strict, rule-bound home, Ariel grew up hiding her mistakes out of shame. As an adult, she learned to run toward God instead of away, transforming her perspective on grace. Today, she leverages her social media platform to promote a healthy lifestyle for Gen Z.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Lisa Harper Upcoming interview: Bill and Gloria Gaither Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season   Atticus Shaffer  osteogenesis imperfecta The Class The Middle AtticusShafferVlog   Ariel Fitz-Patrick Imma See for Myself   Interview Quotes: “There are many times in this life where God does not give a direct answer immediately. Sometimes He doesn’t give a direct answer at all. But we as Christ followers are in need of still pursuing the upward call of Christ, despite what we may or may not understand, because we need to remember who God is and who His character is.” - Atticus Shaffer “My respect for [my mom] as a nurturer, as a caretaker, and quite frankly, that of those who truly and genuinely are caretakers and have a nurturing spirit within them, has only quadrupled because of the work and the care and the dedication and the love that is truly had.” - Atticus Shaffer  “I’m very grateful for all of the different things that I have been able to do in my life thus far, namely The Middle, and being able to be one of the leads on a now going-down-in-history family sitcom.” - Atticus Shaffer  “I’m realizing every step of the way is important in developing who I am, my strength, and how I will be able to deal with the opportunities coming my way—making sure I don’t compromise, making sure that I know who I was before I even got on social media. It was all so necessary.” - Ariel Fitz-Patrick  “It’s always been important to me, especially when I became a young adult, to humanize the Christian walk. Because the way I grew up, there’s this disconnect with reality.” - Ariel Fitz-Patrick “Most of us know the message of forgiveness—you go to God, you confess your sins, He forgives you. But then we end up in this loop sometimes of being repeat offenders. And it’s kind of like, Well, if I’m a repeat offender, I can’t just keep going back to God because now He’s mad at me. And I think that’s what’s missing in so many of our walks. There’s nothing perfect about humans. The only thing that makes us perfect is when we are fully in Christ.” - Ariel Fitz-Patrick  “I think it’s important for me, and creatives like me, to use our imaginations to paint the picture that the Bible is singing, because not everybody’s going to pick up [the Bible]. So I think that’s the importance of using social media and imagination and creativity to reach the generation that’s here now.” - Ariel Fitz-Patrick ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Interviews: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Video Interviews: https://bit.ly/4f79RAW  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/4q5iTCx  Scripture Series: https://bit.ly/4wAVGKU  Celebrity Readings: https://bit.ly/4bIS5BJ  Video Devotionals: https://bit.ly/4fG1kFb  Sleep Meditations: https://bit.ly/4w0xu37 Shorts: https://bit.ly/3RHFubh  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week, we hear from first-round NFL draft pick and former Cincinnati Bengals player David Pollack, whose career was cut short by a devastating neck injury. David shares the heartbreak of a dream lost and the strength he drew from that time years later, as he watched his wife face a brain cancer diagnosis. Next, we’ll hear from physicist and author Dr. Brian Miller. While studying at MIT, Brian found his faith challenged by skeptics and began asking whether belief in God could stand up to scientific scrutiny. The answers he found changed the way he sees both science and the world around him.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Kent Chevalier and Johnny Shelton Upcoming interview: Atticus Shaffer Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season   David Pollack Attention Deficit Disorders University of Georgia www.DavidPollack.com Every Day Counts   Dr. Brian Miller Rice Broocks God’s Not Dead Man with Messiah The Shawshank Redemption www.Discovery.org The Intelligent Design of Life   Interview Quotes: “It’s amazing to watch God work in the stillness. It’s amazing to watch God work in the quiet. The Bible says, ‘Be still and know that I am God.’ Well, how many times do you do that? How many times do you get still enough to hear from God?” - David Pollack “There’s going to be a time in your life where you are forced to carry a cross you didn’t earn, you didn’t deserve, and you don’t want. And here’s the thing—how are you going to carry it?” - David Pollack  “Because God’s been so gracious to us and given us a lot of hard times in our lives, you start to figure out how you’re going to handle it. I think running away from God is not an option anymore. It’s running to God.” - David Pollack “What I often find with people is the more they understand that the world was created, the more they have awe and wonder at its creation, and the more they know where to look to see what’s most remarkable about creation. The more we look, the more we see it’s optimally designed, and brilliantly designed, to achieve a goal. It’s not just that we have a Creator, but a Creator of virtually infinite intelligence and wisdom and care and love.” - Dr. Brian Miller  “Pretty much every major prediction of people that believe life is an accident has proven false, but every major prediction of people who believe life is designed has proven true.” - Dr. Brian Miller “As we show people the evidence of the design of the world, we’re trying to show that there is a greater purpose, there is true hope in life, that they do have a purpose. And when you understand that there’s a greater story that God is calling you to be a part of, it’ll help you live a life that can have a purpose, that will resonate into eternity.” - Dr. Brian Miller “As you reconnect with God and you allow your life to come into alignment with the work of the Holy Spirit in you, suddenly the story will become true. Suddenly, you’ll become a player in the story, you’ll see God act through you in powerful ways.” - Dr. Brian Miller ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Interviews: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Video Interviews: https://bit.ly/4f79RAW  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/4q5iTCx  Scripture Series: https://bit.ly/4wAVGKU  Celebrity Readings: https://bit.ly/4bIS5BJ  Video Devotionals: https://bit.ly/4fG1kFb  Sleep Meditations: https://bit.ly/4w0xu37 Shorts: https://bit.ly/3RHFubh  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Welcome to a special scripture-focused bonus episode of the Jesus Calling Podcast, where pastor Matt Whitman helps us explore the book of Matthew, spanning its genealogy, the Sermon on the Mount, and Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. By examining Jesus’ ministry and life as a fulfilled prophecy, the episode reveals the foundations of Christianity and the hope found in realizing our place in the narrative.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always  Jesus Listens   Matt Whitman The book of Matthew The Lightning-Fast Field Guide to the Bible   Interview Quotes: “At the end of the Old Testament, you’ve got these promises hanging out there that God’s going to redeem everything, but there isn’t a clear timeline on it. And then you turn the page over to Matthew, and the hope starts, and the clarification on the whole arc of history starts, and this is where the Bible really begins to come into focus.” - Matt Whitman “You meet Jesus, and you start to realize this is for me. I am part of this story. I am invited into this thing and I’m getting a sense of where I fit.” - Matt Whitman “Right there at the front end of Matthew, we’re being told that Jesus is not a new thing. This was always the plan, this is more than just the next step in the plan, this is the culminating event in the plans.” - Matt Whitman  “We can’t solve the problem. We need God to step into the muck and into the mess. If there is any solution to the curse from all the way back in the garden, it’s going to have to come from God. And Matthew is saying, ‘Open your eyes. This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for.’” - Matt Whitman  “How many of us have prayed that God would show us what is true, show us what is real? In Matthew 3, God shows up and affirms that He sent Jesus, that He is the Son of God, and that He is pleased with Jesus and what He’s about to do. It sets the stage for everything.” - Matt Whitman  “The first stuff that Jesus teaches publicly is the beloved beatitudes. He throws down this gauntlet and is saying right out of the gate, “I’m a King, there is a kingdom, and the rules of my kingdom are different than the world’s kingdoms.’” - Matt Whitman “One of the very first things that Jesus clarifies is that this isn’t a new religion. This was always the plan. Redemption would always come through Christ. God would always be with us. Jesus is the completion and fulfillment of all of it, not something new.” - Matt Whitman “Jesus has demonstrated power over life, death, distance. It seems like He should be so completely ‘other’ that He would be detached from humanity. But instead, he says ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I’ll give you rest.’” - Matt Whitman  “Jesus is not coming to heap more things upon people. The load of sin, the load of human frailty, is very heavy. And the answer to this is Christ. That is where hope can be found.” - Matt Whitman  “Death is defeated, the story finds its symmetry, and we feel great about it, but we feel even better when we realize we are in this story. You are heirs and agents of this kingdom. You are an honored son or daughter of the King.” - Matt Whitman “Our hope was always in the main character of this book, who is Crhist, and who is present and who has changed our identity and invited us to participate in building His kingdom.” - Matt Whitman ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok   *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

*This episode contains content that may be triggering for some listeners.* This week, as the country remembers the twenty-fifth anniversary of 9/11, we’re talking with Darin Kinder, a retired Secret Service agent who survived the September 11th attacks and was later awarded a Medal of Valor for his actions that day. Kinder recounts the chaos of that morning, from treating the wounded on the street to making the choice to go back into a collapsing tower to help others get out. Later in the episode, we feature Sam Eaton. After enduring years of severe depression, the former music teacher had made plans to take his own life on Christmas Day in 2011. However, a single pivotal question intervened at the final second, steering him toward a new direction and a mission to support others through their own darkest trials.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Jay Lowder  Upcoming interview: David Pollack Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season   Darin Kinder World Trade Center complex www.DarinKinder.com Bury Me in a Dirty Suit   Sam Eaton Recklessly Alive You Can Do This   Interview Quotes: “The 343 New York City Firefighters who died [on 9/11] answering the call, running to the threat so that others may live, embraced the embodiment of what we all must be as ambassadors of Christ.” - Darin Kinder “We are called to be that man, that woman, standing in the alley, pointing people to the light of life. ‘Those who follow Me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life,’ said Jesus. And that’s our mission as witnesses of Christ, as ambassadors representing Christ—to be the man, to be a woman standing in the alley, pointing people to the light of the world.” - Darin Kinder  “Sometimes God creates miracles, but most of the time He creates people. This world is full of problems, and you and I were created to be part of the solution for at least one.” - Darin Kinder  “I want to encourage people to get outside of the walls of their church and engage humanity, engage the problem. Bring the love of Christ, bring the light of Christ into the dark places.” - Darin Kinder  “I was so angry because so much of the messaging I had heard in my Christian journey was ,’God has great plans for your life.’ We hear that so often. And of course, I believe that. But in moments of extreme pain, when you can’t see hope, I was like, ‘Oh God, wow, if these are the great plans that you have for our lives--so much pain that I’m not even sure I want to be alive--how can you be a good God?’” - Sam Eaton “Have you really given life everything you’ve got? Because I think that’s the life that Jesus calls us to: to be brave and courageous and to give it what we’ve got, no matter how hopeless we might feel.” - Sam Eaton “I was made on purpose for a purpose, and there’s been this good God who’s been this quiet and gentle voice that’s willing to meet us when we make a little time for Him.” - Sam Eaton “We lose almost 50,000 people a year to suicide in the U.S. We just have to be willing to talk about it, to have these hard conversations, and to encourage people to seek the medical help that can help them like it has helped me create a life that they want to live and that they can love.” - Sam Eaton  ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Interviews: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Video Interviews: https://bit.ly/4f79RAW  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/4q5iTCx  Scripture Series: https://bit.ly/4wAVGKU  Celebrity Readings: https://bit.ly/4bIS5BJ  Video Devotionals: https://bit.ly/4fG1kFb  Sleep Meditations: https://bit.ly/4w0xu37 Shorts: https://bit.ly/3RHFubh  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

We’re joined by author and counselor Chuck DeGroat, who explores the profound invitation of the second half of life—a season where we are called to move beyond the “proving and performing” of our younger years. Chuck shares why this transition calls us to detangle our identities and embrace a slower, “non-microwavable” path to healing. He explains how cultivating spaces of safety and reconnection allows us to finally come home—to ourselves, to one another, and to God. Later, we’ll hear from David and Alicia Lloyd. After more than two decades of dedicated service in the country of Haiti, they faced a devastating crisis that upended their world and challenged everything they thought they understood about God’s faithfulness. They share the raw, vulnerable journey of navigating profound loss and the unexpected ways they ultimately discovered God anew in the aftermath.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Erin Leigh Nelson  Upcoming interview: Darin Kinder Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season    Chuck DeGroat Carl Jung Thomas Merton Henri Nouwen Genesis chapter three www.chuckdegroat.net Who You’re Becoming   David and Alicia Lloyd www.missionsinhaiti.com Strong to the End   Interview Quotes: “We’re often wrestling with this invitation of the second half of life where there is some sense that the rules of the first half of life don’t work any longer, and that there’s a deeper realization that they’re being invited to.” - Chuck DeGroat  “I think that the work that I invite others into, and the work I’ve had to do myself, is some detangling from the identity of that first half of life. What I thought I needed to chase after—that usually comes with a lot of should’s. And we’ve got to trace that story back often to early childhood. Where did those should’s and ought’s come from? And what was the deeper dream? What was the deep longing, the deeper vision?” - Chuck DeGroat  “You’re noticing things that you didn’t have time to notice in the first half of life when you were living according to the rules of busyness and proving and protecting. But with that, there are also questions of mortality like, Did it mean anything? What have I lost? Who have I hurt along the way in my busyness and my workaholism?” - Chuck DeGroat “God created us with a physiological connection point, or maybe even call it a homing beacon, that reminds us that our deepest longing is for home, is for connection, is for love.” - Chuck DeGroat “We stray from home into places that are disconnected, sometimes overwhelmed, sometimes frantic. Sometimes we find ourselves in anxious places, and yet the invitation to my clients, the invitation from God to you and to me, is always to return home.” - Chuck DeGroat  “There’s no fast track to change. There’s no microwavable pathway to change. It’s slow, and sometimes painful, but it begins with reconnection, and reconnection can only happen when our nervous systems experience a sense of safety. When we know within us, and around us, that we’re in a place where we’re truly seen and known and held, that’s when we can begin to shift in a new direction.” - Chuck DeGroat  “We had prayed so many times before that [God] would show up in the middle of whatever we’re facing, and [He] had showed up, God, like we prayed.” - David Lloyd “God did show up, just not the way we had prayed. But God was there.” - David Lloyd  “For me, my moments of grief, my moments of breakdown, were when I was by myself, which was usually not always the most opportune times.” - David Lloyd “I realized that God still does care about us, He does still realize that we’re hurting, and we can just call out to Him, and we can say, ‘We need some relief.’” - David Lloyd ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Interviews: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Video Interviews: https://bit.ly/4f79RAW  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/4q5iTCx  Scripture Series: https://bit.ly/4wAVGKU  Celebrity Readings: https://bit.ly/4bIS5BJ  Video Devotionals: https://bit.ly/4fG1kFb  Sleep Meditations: https://bit.ly/4w0xu37 Shorts: https://bit.ly/3RHFubh  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week, we’ll hear from Megan Piphus, a puppeteer and ventriloquist known for playing Gabrielle on Sesame Street. She’ll share how a childhood spent in her father’s church led her to an opportunity at the Jim Henson Company and how she’s since used puppetry to teach kids about God’s love. You’ll also meet her puppet, June Bug, who occasionally jumps in to help tell the story. Next, we’ll hear from legendary voice actor Jim Cummings, whose iconic performances as Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Darkwing Duck, and countless other beloved characters have brought comfort and joy to generations. Jim reflects on discovering his gift at a young age, the surprising path that led him into voice acting, and the unforgettable moments when his work became a source of hope for people facing difficult circumstances.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: RaeLynn Upcoming interview: Chuck DeGroat   Megan Piphus Gabrielle on Sesame Street  Psalms 126:6 Cinderella Sweep Saving Our Daughters Sesame Street on PBS   Jim Cummings The Jack Benny Program www.JimCummingsWorld.com   Interview Quotes: “I realized that puppetry was something that you could learn and something that you could do for other people and do for kids.” - Megan Piphus “I believe that God’s timing is perfect and divine. I knew very early that I had a calling to teach kids about God’s love.” - Megan Piphus “By teaching [children] something new, they are inspired to be anything.” - Megan Piphus  “It is so important for young girls to see themselves represented in the most diverse spaces and unique spaces.” - Megan Piphus “Oftentimes, kids are told, ‘I don’t know if you can do that, or I don’t know if that’s possible.’ As we get older, our world slowly confines into a space of what we see is possible and what the world tells us is possible. What I loved about puppetry is it kind of broke the rules of what’s possible.” - Megan Piphus  “I was always in a lot of plays as a child, and I didn’t want to be the student prince, or this and that. I wanted to be the troll that lived under the bridge. I was inadvertently doing research for what I was going to ultimately do when I grew up.” - Jim Cummings  “Winnie the Pooh is like comfort for the soul. ‘You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.’ He’s got a lot of that folksy wisdom that people rely on to get through tough times. And I’ve just been very fortunate to be a part of that.” - Jim Cummings “I think the key word with Winnie the Pooh and the whole Hundred Acre Wood gang is ‘sincerity.’ It’s all just the interaction between friends, and it’s that bonding time, and it’s a celebration of the time in life when everything’s magical.” - Jim Cummings  ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Interviews: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Video Interviews: https://bit.ly/4f79RAW  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/4q5iTCx  Scripture Series: https://bit.ly/4wAVGKU  Celebrity Readings: https://bit.ly/4bIS5BJ  Video Devotionals: https://bit.ly/4fG1kFb  Sleep Meditations: https://bit.ly/4w0xu37 Shorts: https://bit.ly/3RHFubh  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Hallmark Channel star Jen Lilley as offers a deeply personal account of her 15-year journey with bulimia and moving forward toward recovery and freedom. She also gives a look at her new book, Wake Up Your Faith, encouraging listeners to overhaul their spiritual life by approaching it with a sense of adventure.   Guest’s Links YouTube: @TheJenlilleyFacebook: @jenlilleyofficial Instagram: @jen_lilley  Watch this interview on our YouTube channel! https://bit.ly/3M1wDhG    ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website TikTok *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today, we’re joined by Coby and Cory Cotton of Dude Perfect, who share how a simple idea filmed in a backyard with friends grew into videos watched by millions around the world on YouTube. They reflect on the early days of creating trick shots just for fun, the challenges that came with unexpected success, and a medical emergency that reminded them to slow down and make room for what matters most. Next, we hear from author and grief counselor Jennifer Marshall Bleakley, who shares how losing her golden retriever, Bailey, opened her eyes to the depths of pet grief, the memories that remain, and the love we carry after saying goodbye.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Steve Wohlberg Upcoming interview: Megan Piphus   Coby and Cory Cotton of Dude Perfect Bell’s Palsy www.DudePerfect.com Operation Trick Shot   Jennifer Marshall Bleakley Paws In His Presence Pawverbs devotional series ww.JenniferBleakley.com Thank You For Loving Me   Interview Quotes: “I’ve gone through different seasons in my life where I’ve been more consistent and less consistent, but there is no doubt that meeting with Jesus every single day differentiates someone that just says they’re a believer and someone that actually has a relationship with Jesus.” - Cory Cotton  “I wouldn’t trade that experience [of having Bell’s Palsy] for the world, because I think it was really God helping me lean into that dependence on Him.” - Cory Cotton  “The only answer for how [Dude Perfect] happened is God, because it doesn’t really make a lot of sense.” - Cory Cotton “The business [Dude Perfect] cannot be healthy unless our friendships are healthy.” - Coby Cotton  “I think when I meet with [God] in the morning and try to find the peace in whatever situation that I’m dealing with, and try to center [myself] on what the priority in life really is—if you’re not in the Word, or if you’re not in the devotional that’s pointing you to the Word, I think you’re missing out.” - Cory Cotton  “I think God planted the seeds in my heart to see animals as ambassadors of His grace on this planet.” - Jennifer Marshall Bleakley “The world right now can seem a rather harsh place. So many people have been so hurt by other people. How kind of God to sprinkle ambassadors of His grace all across this planet in the form of animals. God is constantly pointing us to animals throughout Scripture, encouraging us to look to the eagle, to look to the lion who He feeds, to look to the ant who’s busy at work.” - Jennifer Marshall Bleakley “Animals are the ones that we can be 100% ourselves with. They show up for us on the good days and the bad days and are as impressed by us when we feel like we have it all together and when we’ve just fallen on our face. I really do think it is a beautiful picture of God’s love and His feelings toward us that we don’t have to try to clean ourselves up to come to Him. He just loves us as we are and just desires for us to be present with Him.” - Jennifer Marshall Bleakley  “I discovered firsthand that God is not afraid of our questions and that He will hold us through them.” - Jennifer Marshall Bleakley  “I think it’s vitally important for us, especially as believers, to honor the grief that people feel when they’ve lost a pet. It is such a kindness and a gift to hold space for someone who is grieving, to be a compassionate witness and just say, ‘I see you and I’m going to stay here with you in the hurt and in the heavy.’” - Jennifer Marshall Bleakley  “Invite people to invite us into their pain and then to weep with them, to stand with them in that pain, to sit with them, and then gently start to walk with them toward the light of healing.” - Jennifer Marshall Bleakley ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Interviews: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Video Interviews: https://bit.ly/4f79RAW  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/4q5iTCx  Scripture Series: https://bit.ly/4wAVGKU  Celebrity Readings: https://bit.ly/4bIS5BJ  Video Devotionals: https://bit.ly/4fG1kFb  Sleep Meditations: https://bit.ly/4w0xu37 Shorts: https://bit.ly/3RHFubh  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Welcome to a special scripture-focused bonus episode of the Jesus Calling Podcast, where we examine the stories and roles of mothers in the Bible with author and host of the Old Ladies Know Stuff podcast Rhonda Stoppe. Rhonda walks us through the lives of women in the Bible like Naomi, Eunice the mother of Timothy, Mary, Rahab, the woman at the well, Herodias, and more. Rhonda shows us what we can learn from Biblical mothers that challenge and equip us to guide the next generation.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Rhonda Stoppe Moms of the Bible   Interview Quotes: “God calls older women to teach the younger. When I look back on my life, I remember not having a clue how to be the wife I wanted to be, the mom I wanted to be, the woman I wanted to be. I needed mentors. I needed help.” - Rhonda Stoppe “I couldn’t stop exploring the lives of these women in history that God used for their time. So many of their flawed stories reflect the grace of God that says, ‘Now I’ve got you broken and now I can use you in a way I never could have used you had you not failed.’ Because now you’re relying completely on Christ alone.” - Rhonda Stoppe   “If you look at all the moms in Scripture, and children throughout history, you will find that their first teachers were not theologians. It was their moms.” - Rhonda Stoppe  “Eunice and Lois were pouring into Timothy. They didn’t know that they were raising the young man who Paul would one day hand over the mantle of his ministry to. Do what’s in front of you, trust God with the outcome.” - Rhonda Stoppe “We want to follow Jesus wholeheartedly. We want to raise our kids in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We want to live in a manner worthy of our calling. And we want our life to reflect Christ’s love so that our kids want to follow Jesus.” - Rhonda Stoppe "‘No greater love has a friend than this: that he lays down his life for a friend.’ You are God-ordained, called to be the moms of this next generation. You’re shaping world changers. You are the architects of the next generation—this is an incredible calling that God has put on your life." - Rhonda Stoppe Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Joining us this week is worship leader turned viral comedian Heather Land. After growing up in the shadow of her mother’s decades-long addiction, Heather reflects on how this painful season—alongside her unexpected shift from the worship stage to the world of comedy—taught her that while our paths may take unforeseen turns, our core calling to encourage and uplift others remains constant. Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Rachel Kessler, an Episcopal priest and Kenyon College chaplain who completed her PhD in medieval studies at the University of Toronto before pivoting to seminary after hitting academic burnout, then built a following as the “Nerdy Priest” on TikTok after a student secretly downloaded the app on her phone.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Cole Arthur Riley Upcoming interview: Dude Perfect   Heather Land @heatherland_iaintdoinit Heather Land’s books   Rachel Kessler “Nerdy Priest” on TikTok  Harcourt Parish Episcopal Church Rachel Held Evans www.nerdypriest.com Nerd Faith   Interview Quotes: “It was challenging growing up in addiction. I think when you’re young, you don’t necessarily know what’s going on. You hear your family talking about it or you know it in theory, but you don’t know how to piece it together.” - Heather Land  “When you’re in addiction, codependency is just alive and well. And I think it makes the best of people act extremely erratically and say things they don’t mean.” - Heather Land  “I asked [my mom] one time, ‘What keeps you sober now?' And without hesitation, she said, ‘This time, I finally decided to stop living in shame.’” - Heather Land “I went through a little season where I really questioned my faith. I had a lot of doubt. I think I was undoing some messed up theology that I needed to deconstruct. This was no surprise to God.” - Heather Land  “When you’ve had a certain life for fourteen years or however long, and then you find yourself walking into the unknown, it is very scary.” - Heather Land “When we doubt God and we’re like, ‘I don’t know about this,’ He’s like, ‘Well, hang on, I’ve got something up My sleeve!’ I just think that's such a beautiful story of who God is and how faithful He is.” - Heather Land  “There is something to be said for the habits of faith when we’re not necessarily feeling that deep connection to God, for just still showing up.” - Rachel Kessler “My online platform as ‘The Nerdy Priest’ really is just an authentic representation of who I am.” - Rachel Kessler “I think you get burnt out in ministry when you are focusing on the ends as opposed to the means. It is so easy to get caught up in writing a good sermon or making a good post that goes viral and getting the engagement. What’s so critical is staying grounded in the truth.” - Rachel Kessler “What I came to realize is that there aren’t rules on how we are meant to relate to Jesus. Through ritual, through the traditions of the church, those are the ways that I communicate with Jesus.” - Rachel Kessler ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Interviews: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Video Interviews: https://bit.ly/4f79RAW  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/4q5iTCx  Scripture Series: https://bit.ly/4wAVGKU  Celebrity Readings: https://bit.ly/4bIS5BJ  Video Devotionals: https://bit.ly/4fG1kFb  Sleep Meditations: https://bit.ly/4w0xu37 Shorts: https://bit.ly/3RHFubh  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

*This episode contains content that may be triggering for some listeners.*  Today we’re joined by author and speaker Sarah Jakes Roberts, who invites us to rethink what true strength looks like—shifting from building a tolerance for the world’s noise to finding stillness in our calling. From stepping back from social media to anchoring identity in daily prayer, Sarah shares the liberating truth she discovered when she finally hit “mute” on the digital world.  Next, we hear from human rights defender Timothy Cho, who recounts his harrowing escape from North Korea. He recounts the oppression and lies that were leveled at him from an early age and the moment he was labeled a traitor in his own country, driving his daring escape to experience the freedom truth brings, and how he now advocates for others to find their own freedom.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Cyntoia Brown-Long Upcoming interview: Heather Land   Sarah Jakes Roberts Woman Evolve 2 Corinthians 12:9 www.SarahJakesRoberts.com The Power in Surrender   Timothy Cho Tumen River Timothy Cho’s Instagram   Interview Quotes: “Strength is not our tolerance for whatever comes our way. It is our ability to stay focused regardless of what comes our way.” - Sarah Jakes Roberts  “Coming to a place where you can admit that I don’t have to be strong enough takes so much pressure off of yourself.” - Sarah Jakes Roberts “My gratitude becomes more magnified because I realized just how unworthy I am, and how good God has been in allowing me this space and opportunity.” - Sarah Jakes Roberts “When we talk about trying to figure out our identity in Christ in a world that is so noisy, we have to be the one to turn the volume down. You have to remember that you hold the remote control. At any given moment, you can hit mute. And in the process of hitting mute, you have to be willing to confront some of those voices that exist within our own head.” - Sarah Jakes Roberts  “Our identity is constantly being developed, and we get to decide whether we allow it to be formed by digital algorithms or by words from God, affirmations that come from stillness and prayer.” - Sarah Jakes Roberts  “Connecting with God daily allows us to be rooted and anchored in such a way that when we show up to the world, we’re not asking the world to tell us who we are.” - Sarah Jakes Roberts  “I asked God, ‘If you are really there and you give me freedom, I will give my life to you.’” - Timothy Cho “Arriving in a democratic country, a free country, I thought it was the end. What I didn’t realize was that it was the beginning of another part of the journey.” - Timothy Cho “I was [able to] fight back against a wave of darkness and trauma. In my desperation and screaming out and tears, I would keep hearing, ‘Son, I love you, I love you, I love you.’” - Timothy Cho “We are facing a lot of hatred in this world at the moment. But hatred never [wins]; only love can overcome all of this hatred.” - Timothy Cho ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.