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Paul arrives in Corinth frustrated, and facing more opposition to the work God has called him to. In the middle of his discouragement, God reminds him: “Do not be afraid. Keep on speaking. I am with you.” Paul’s story reminds us that difficulty doesn’t always mean we’re headed in the wrong direction. Sometimes faithfulness simply means continuing to show up, trusting that God is working even when we can’t see it yet. God gives us people to walk alongside us, moments of encouragement along the way, and His presence through it all. Wherever God has called you, don’t give up. Keep going. He is with you.

Paul walks into a city full of different ideas about truth, happiness, meaning, and God in Acts 17. It doesn’t feel all that different from our own context in Seattle. Instead of condemning the people around him, Paul listens and meets them where they are, pointing listeners toward the God they’ve been searching for all along. His example invites us to look honestly at the ideas and truths shaping our own lives, while learning how to share Jesus with humility and courage.

Paul and Silas arrive in Thessalonica with a message that begins to turn the city upside down: Jesus is King. Some receive the good news, but others resist it. We see how God can use ordinary conversations, open homes, and everyday faithfulness to slowly change a city. The same invitation to live differently because of Jesus is available for us today. We get the opportunity to share His hope with courage, and to trust that one conversation, one table, and one neighborhood at a time can make a difference.

In Acts 16, almost nothing goes according to plan. Paul and Silas face closed doors, unexpected people, opposition, and even prison. Their story reminds us that following Jesus isn’t about finding the perfect open door or figuring out God’s entire plan for our lives. It’s about learning to listen, trust, and follow Him one step at a time, even when the way forward doesn’t make sense. What might change if, instead of asking God to bless our plans, we simply asked, “God, what do You want me to do here?”

Is the grace of Jesus really enough? In Acts 15, the early church wrestled with this question like we do today. We can easily turn faith into another place to perform, prove ourselves, or decide who belongs. But the Gospel was never meant to be a checklist. We are loved and welcomed by God not because of what we’ve achieved or how well we’ve performed, but because of what Jesus has already done. His grace is enough and there’s nothing we need to add to it.

In Acts 14, the crowd quickly begins worshiping the messengers instead of the God who brought the miracle. This story invites us to consider the people, power, success, or approval we sometimes look to for what only God can give. As Paul and Barnabas point the crowd back to the living God, we're reminded that following Jesus means turning from the things we trust to save us, welcoming His presence, and learning to keep going even when the road gets hard.

In Acts 13, Paul tells the story of God’s faithfulness from generations past all the way to Jesus. Along the way, we’re reminded how easy it is to focus on what we have, what we’re missing, or what others have and lose sight of the greatest gift we’ve already been given. Jesus invites us into a story bigger than our own, where we can receive His grace with joy and share it freely with others. What might change if we stopped trying to fit Jesus into our story and began seeing ourselves as part of His?

What does it really mean to discover God's calling for your life? Barnabas and Saul aren't searching for their next assignment in Acts 13. They are worshiping, praying, fasting, and listening together when the Holy Spirit sends them out. Their story reminds us that we're called to Jesus first, before we're called to a place, a career, or a mission. As we learn to make space for God and listen together in community, we can trust Him to lead us into whatever comes next.

What do you do when there seems to be no way forward? In Acts 12, Peter is sitting in prison, chained between guards and waiting for what feels like the inevitable. From every human perspective, the situation is hopeless. But while Peter waits, the church prays. They don't have a strategy or a backup plan. They simply come before God with desperate, expectant faith. This message reminds us that prayer isn't our last resort. It's our first response. Whether you're facing anxiety, broken relationships, financial pressure, addiction, grief, or simply wondering if God is still at work, Acts 12 invites us to keep bringing it all to Him. The early church didn't watch Peter's chains fall off, but their prayers still mattered. And the same is true for us today. God is still listening, still working, and still inviting His people to trust Him with what feels impossible.

In Acts 10, we see how God was already at work long before Peter and Cornelius understood what He was doing. As their stories unfold, we're reminded that God often meets us in the middle of ordinary moments and unexpected interruptions. Rather than trying to force our own plans, we're invited to slow down, pray, and pay attention to where God is already moving. As we learn to trust His timing, we discover that He is often opening doors we never could have imagined.

The Bible is the bestselling book in history—but for many Christians, it's also the least understood. Why does it feel so overwhelming? Why do so many people start reading it only to stop a few weeks later? And what if the problem isn't the Bible itself, but the way we've learned to approach it? In this episode of the But I Tell You podcast, Tyler Gorsline sits down with author and Bible teacher Zach Windahl to explore how discovering the Bible as one unified story transformed Zach's faith—and how it can transform yours. Together they discuss: • Why reading the Bible deeply strengthened Zach's faith instead of dismantling it. • Why so many Christians struggle to understand Scripture. • The surprising Jewish context behind Jesus' invitation to "Follow me." • How seeing the Bible as one story changes everything. • Why spiritual formation requires both invitation and challenge. • Practical ways to fall in love with reading Scripture again—even if you've tried before and quit. Whether you've been following Jesus for decades or you're just beginning to explore the Bible, this conversation is an invitation to rediscover a more beautiful view of Jesus and the story He invites us into. Connect with Zach Windahl Instagram: @aseattlechurch Website: zachwindahl.com If this episode encouraged you, consider downloading the app, subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with someone who wants to know Jesus more deeply. Follow A Seattle Church: Website: aseattlechurch.com Instagram: @aseattlechurch Follow Tyler: Substack: https://tylergorsline.substack.com Instagram: @tylergorsline Follow the podcast: Instagram: @butitellyoupod

In Acts 11, we meet the ordinary followers of Jesus who helped shape one of the most influential churches in the early Christian movement. The church in Antioch wasn't built by famous leaders, but by everyday people who faithfully shared the hope of Jesus, encouraged one another, and lived with remarkable generosity. As we reflect on their story, we're invited to consider what God might do through our own ordinary lives—and how He can use a community of faithful people to bring hope to our city.

In Acts 10, Peter and Cornelius each encounter God in ways that change not only their own lives, but the future of the church. As God challenges Peter's assumptions about who belongs, we're invited to consider the walls we've built between ourselves and others. This story reminds us that our identity is found first in Jesus—not our politics, preferences, or backgrounds—and that the gospel has always been about drawing people together, not pushing them apart. As we learn to see every person as someone made in the image of God, we become a church that reflects the welcoming heart of Christ to our city.

What keeps us from praying with confidence? In Acts 9, Peter prays for Aeneas to be healed and Tabitha to be raised from the dead to remind us that the Holy Spirit is still at work today. Too often we lower our expectations, relying on ourselves more than on God and settling for safe prayers instead of bold faith. This message invites us to move from self-consciousness to God-consciousness, trusting God's character and joining Him in what He's already doing. As we surrender our lives to Him and step out in faith, we discover there's always more of the Holy Spirit than we've experienced, and that God still delights in doing the impossible.

In Acts 9, we witness one of the most surprising stories of transformation in Scripture as Saul goes from persecuting the church to proclaiming Jesus. Along the way, we're invited to consider our own blind spots and the ways God gently exposes what's keeping us from Him without condemnation. We also see that transformation doesn't happen in isolation. Through Ananias' courageous obedience and welcome, we're reminded that God often uses community to shape us. Whether we've followed Jesus for years or are just beginning to explore faith, this story challenges us to trust that God is still changing lives and invites us to take the next faithful step.