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How can your faith be real if you’re still struggling with the same things? Maybe you’ve followed Jesus for years but you’re still anxious, still doubting, still falling back into old habits, or still making mistakes you thought you would have outgrown by now. Eventually, it can make you wonder whether anything has actually changed. Week 5 Notes PDF 2 In this episode, Josiah walks through Peter’s greatest failure. Hours after confidently telling Jesus he would never leave Him, Peter denies even knowing Him three separate times. But Jesus had already predicted Peter’s failure, and surprisingly, His biggest concern wasn’t simply that Peter would mess up. It was what Peter would believe about Jesus afterward. This message draws heavily from the book, "Gentle and Lowly" by Dane C. Ortlund. We would highly recommend you check it out!

When you lose someone you love, get devastating news, go through a breakup, experience trauma, or just keep taking hit after hit, it can be almost impossible not to wonder if God is distant, disappointed, or punishing you. In this episode, Josiah walks through the story of a grieving widow whose only son has died. She never asks Jesus for help. She does not even approach Him. Jesus simply sees her pain, and His heart overflows with compassion. This conversation explores what Jesus feels toward us in suffering, why pain does not mean God has abandoned you, and how Jesus offers a kind of love, security, and hope that cannot be taken away. If you are hurting, grieving, angry at God, or wondering where He is in all of this, this episode is for you. This message draws heavily from the book, "Gentle and Lowly" by Dane C. Ortlund. We would highly recommend you check it out!

A lot of us understand the idea that Jesus died for our past. But what about right now? What happens when you fall back into the same habit, make another mistake, or find yourself carrying the same guilt you thought you had already moved past? In this episode, Chuck explores two things the Bible says Jesus is actively doing today: interceding for us and advocating for us. Jesus isn’t distant, retired, or waiting for you to get your life together. He is praying for you, standing with you, and continually reminding you that your worst moment does not erase what He has already done for you.  If you’ve ever wondered whether you’ve used up your last chance with God, whether Jesus is tired of forgiving you, or whether your latest failure finally pushed Him away, this conversation is for you. This message draws heavily from the book, "Gentle and Lowly" by Dane C. Ortlund. We would highly recommend you check it out!

Have you ever believed God could forgive you, but wondered if He actually wanted to? Maybe you’ve made mistakes you can’t stop thinking about. Maybe something was done to you that left you feeling damaged. Or maybe there are parts of yourself you’ve spent years trying to hide because, deep down, you’re afraid that if people really knew you, they would pull away. In this episode, Josiah walks through the story of a man with leprosy who approaches Jesus with a surprising question: “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” He doesn’t doubt Jesus’ power. He doubts Jesus’ desire to come close. But while everyone else steps back from this man, Jesus reaches forward and touches him. This conversation explores shame, the feeling of being “unclean,” why our worst moments make us distance ourselves from God and other people, and what Jesus’ response reveals about how He actually sees us. Because what if every time you come back for help, forgiveness, or healing, you are not increasing God’s frustration with you? What if you are giving Him the opportunity to do exactly what He loves to do? If you’ve ever thought, “God may love people, but I think I’m the exception,” this one is for you. This message draws heavily from the book, "Gentle and Lowly" by Dane C. Ortlund. We would highly recommend you check it out!

Have you ever felt exhausted in a way that sleep doesn’t fix? Maybe life is busy. Maybe you’re burned out. Maybe you keep messing up in the same ways, and somewhere along the way you started believing that God must be getting tired of you too. In this episode, Josiah looks at one of the only places where Jesus describes His own heart. Surprisingly, Jesus doesn’t describe Himself as demanding, disappointed, or distant. He says He is gentle and humble. This conversation explores what that actually means for the parts of your life you’re embarrassed by, the questions you’re afraid to ask, and the struggles you keep pretending aren’t that serious.  This message draws heavily from the book, "Gentle and Lowly" by Dane C. Ortlund. We would highly recommend you check it out!

How do you know if you’re making the right decision? Which job should you take? Who should you date? Where should you live? What if you choose wrong and accidentally miss the life you were supposed to have? For a lot of us, trying to find the “perfect” path creates so much pressure that we end up overthinking everything and barely moving at all.  In this episode, Josiah walks through one of the Bible’s most practical teachings on decision-making and challenges the idea that your future depends on perfectly choosing every step. Instead, the focus shifts from finding the perfect path to becoming the kind of person who can trust God, obey Him when life does not make sense, and stay faithful in the small decisions nobody else sees.

What happens when something that once changed your life starts feeling normal In this episode, Isaac walks through the story of Jonah after Nineveh experiences a massive spiritual turnaround. Instead of celebrating, Jonah is frustrated, bitter, and more concerned with himself than the people around him. His reaction exposes an uncomfortable possibility: you can experience God’s grace personally and still slowly become numb to what it actually means.

When life starts falling apart, one of the first questions we ask is: Why is this happening to me? And if God is actually loving, why would He let me go through this? In this episode, Josiah continues through the story of Jonah and explores one of the hardest questions about suffering.

We’re constantly told to trust our gut, look for open doors, and pursue whatever makes us feel most alive. But what if that is actually the most destructive advice you could believe? In this episode, Josiah continues through the story of Jonah and challenges some of the most common ideas we have about finding our purpose. What if peace isn’t always proof you’re making the right decision? What if an open door isn’t automatically a sign? And what if the life that ultimately fulfills you looks completely different from the life you currently think you want? Whether you believe in God, are trying to figure out what you believe, or just feel stuck trying to decide what to do with your life, this conversation is about fear, desire, purpose, and why becoming who you were made to be might require moving toward the very things you’d normally avoid.

What are you actually supposed to do with your life? For a lot of young adults, that question feels exhausting. Pick the right career. Find your passion. Make enough money. Choose the right relationship. Don't fall behind. And somehow, in the middle of all of that pressure, you're supposed to discover your “purpose.” In this episode, Josiah walks through the story of Jonah and challenges the way we normally think about calling. What if your purpose isn't found somewhere between the safest option and your biggest dream? This conversation explores why so many of us feel lost, why chasing a life centered on ourselves can leave us emptier than expected, and why purpose might begin with the people already right in front of us.

Does loving someone mean accepting everything they do? And if you believe someone is headed in the wrong direction, is it loving to tell them, or is that just judgment? In this episode, Josiah looks at the way Jesus actually treated people and explores something our culture often struggles to hold together: grace and truth. Jesus showed extraordinary compassion to people who were rejected, judged, and misunderstood, but He also wasn't afraid to tell people things they didn't want to hear. According to Jesus, genuine love requires both.

**The audio is a little distant for the first 2 minutes and 30 seconds, but it gets fixed right after!**

**Sorry for the poor audio quality. Unfortunately, we had recording issues this week.** What if the biggest thing keeping you from experiencing God's love... is believing you have to earn it? Whether you've been in church your whole life or you're just exploring faith, most of us carry the same assumption: if we're good enough, God will love us more. If we fail, He'll love us less. It sounds normal, but according to Jesus, it's the exact opposite of how God works. In this episode, Josiah unpacks one of the most moving encounters in Jesus' life, where a respected religious leader and a woman with a painful past respond to Him in completely different ways. Through their stories, Jesus reveals why some people are overwhelmed by God's love while others remain emotionally untouched, and why the people who understand grace the most become the people who love the most. If you've ever felt like you need to clean yourself up before coming to God, wondered why faith feels exhausting, or struggled to believe you're truly loved, this conversation might change the way you see both yourself and Jesus.

If Christianity is supposed to be about love... why do so many Christians seem so judgmental? It's one of the biggest reasons people walk away from faith. But what if Jesus had just as much of a problem with judgmental religion as we do? In this episode, Josiah explores one of Jesus' most famous and misunderstood teachings: "Do not judge." This isn't a conversation about ignoring evil or pretending everyone is right. It's about why we're so quick to define people by their worst moments while hoping everyone else understands ours. Why hypocrisy is so easy to spot in other people but so hard to see in ourselves. And why the people who understand God's forgiveness the most become the least judgmental people in the room. Whether you've been hurt by Christians, burned by religion, or caught yourself becoming the kind of person you never wanted to be, this conversation offers a different way to see both yourself and the people around you. Because maybe the opposite of judgment isn't pretending sin doesn't matter. Maybe it's remembering how deeply we've all been loved first.

When a million people were asked to rate how loving they are, every single one put themselves above average. Which is mathematically impossible. We all think we're kind. We all think we love well. This week pokes at that assumption with a few uncomfortable questions: why you keep some people close and quietly let others go, why "they drain me" comes so easily, and whether a lot of what you call love is actually just a trade you've never noticed you're making.