The Refuge Podcast with Jennifer Elwood: Recent Episodes
Jennifer Elwood
The Refuge Podcast is a place for women to cultivate their faith in the shelter of God's Word. In this interview-style podcast, Jennifer will chat with guests who share unique stories of faith to encourage listeners in their walk with Christ, emphasize the importance of remaining covered in the Word on a daily basis and, for season one, help you receive a gift of Scripture each day from the Gospel of Luke as we Count Up To Christmas 2021.
This podcast season—a series of five talks titled “People Who Suffer Well”—dives into five characteristics of people who endure difficulties with focus on the Lord.
In the final episode in this series, we discuss cultivating a heart full of Jesus-Joy through my story of restored faith. And I share my study of Mary Magdalene’s Jesus-Joy moment when discovering His resurrection. I encountered a mic-drop moment when I noticed something in the translation of what Mary says to Jesus… (I’m so glad I decided to study Hebrew, y’all.) Listen in to find out what it is!
If you’re looking for a speaker for an upcoming event for the women of your church, I’d love to talk to you! Feel free to contact me at jenniferelwoodwrites@gmail.com and check out the speaking page on my website. https://jenniferelwood.com/speaking
Music Credits:
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-fun
Music from #Uppbeat
https://uppbeat.io/t/tranquilium/nestled
License code: MQW7HCITSWCEW9WK
Episode 87: People Who Suffer Well Cultivate a Heart of SurrenderThis podcast season—a series of five talks titled “People Who Suffer Well”—dives into five characteristics of people who endure difficulties with focus on the Lord.In this episode, we discuss cultivating a heart full of surrender through the adoption story of my daughter Carol. I'm grateful that the Lord aided our surrender in this way! We also study Jesus, our perfect example of surrender, during His suffering on the cross. There is much we can learn by studying the historical context and original language of the Bible and I hope this encourages you to continue closely walking with Jesus.If you’re looking for a speaker for an upcoming event for the women of your church, I’d love to talk to you! Feel free to contact me at jenniferelwoodwrites@gmail.com and check out the speaking page on my website. https://jenniferelwood.com/speakingMusic Credits: Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-funMusic from #Uppbeathttps://uppbeat.io/t/tranquilium/nestledLicense code: MQW7HCITSWCEW9WK
This podcast season—a series of five talks titled “People Who Suffer Well”—dives into five characteristics of people who endure difficulties with focus on the Lord.
In this episode, we discuss cultivating a heart full of the Word through Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (NIV).
Here are the resources I mentioned…
Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith
Kristi Mclelland: you can find a variety of courses, including her Rest course, at https://newlensbiblicalstudies.com
John Mark Comer’s Practicing the Way: https://practicingtheway.org
If you’re looking for a speaker for an upcoming event for the women of your church, I’d love to talk to you! Feel free to contact me at jenniferelwoodwrites@gmail.com and check out the speaking page on my website. https://jenniferelwood.com/speaking
Music Credits:
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-fun
Music from #Uppbeat
https://uppbeat.io/t/tranquilium/nestled
License code: MQW7HCITSWCEW9WK
Episode 85: People Who Suffer Well Cultivate a Heart Full of The Word
This podcast season—a series of five talks titled “People Who Suffer Well”—dives into five characteristics of people who endure difficulties with focus on the Lord.
In this episode, we discuss cultivating a heart full of the Word through one of my favorite women in the Bible, Mary the mother of Jesus.
If you’re looking for a speaker for an upcoming event for the women of your church, I’d love to talk to you! Feel free to contact me at jenniferelwoodwrites@gmail.com and check out the speaking page on my website. https://jenniferelwood.com/speaking
Music Credits:
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-fun
Music from #Uppbeat
https://uppbeat.io/t/tranquilium/nestled
License code: MQW7HCITSWCEW9WK
Welcome to the kick-off of Season 5 for The Refuge Podcast!
I’ve recently enjoyed my first weekend retreat (March 2024) as a speaker and, with the encouragement of my dear friend Angie and the movement of Holy Spirit, decided to reimagine and record the five messages from that weekend for the podcast. This series of five talks, titled “People Who Suffer Well” dives into five characteristics of people who endure difficulties with focus on the Lord.
In this first episode, we will discuss the importance of cultivating a life saturated in prayer through the story of Hannah from 1 Samuel.
If you’re looking for a speaker for an upcoming event for the women of your church, I’d love to talk to you! Feel free to contact me at jenniferelwoodwrites@gmail.com and check out the speaking page on my website. https://jenniferelwood.com/speaking
Music Credits:
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-fun
Music from #Uppbeat
https://uppbeat.io/t/tranquilium/nestled
License code: MQW7HCITSWCEW9WK
Merry Christmas!!
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 25: The Bonus Gift of Christmas Peace
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 24: The Gift of Everlasting Life
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 23: The Gift of Jesus' Obedience
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 22: The Gift of Communion
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 21: The Gift of Our Future Home
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 20: The Gift of the Cornerstone
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 19: The Gift of Transformation
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 18: The Gift of Humility
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 17: The Gift of Preparation
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 16: The Gift of the Law's Fulfillment
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
-
Each Day’s Scripture Gift
-
A Focus Verse
-
Audio Devotional
-
Prayer
-
Worship Recommendation
-
2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke here: https://www.amazon.com/Counting-Up-Christmas-Gifts-Gospel/dp/1735791008/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2W5E8AUEKLXHG&keywords=counting+up+to+christmas&qid=1700671743&sprefix=counting+up+to+christmas%2Caps%2C222&sr=8-1
Access the Digital Journal: https://mailchi.mp/55d73f2c6b69/counting-up-to-christmas-journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF: https://mailchi.mp/d63e5b56b773/counting-up-to-christmas-resources
-
5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
-
Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
-
Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook here: https://www.amazon.com/Counting-Up-Christmas-Companion-Cookbook/dp/1735791024/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2W5E8AUEKLXHG&keywords=counting+up+to+christmas&qid=1700671743&sprefix=counting+up+to+christmas%2Caps%2C222&sr=8-4
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 15: The Gift of Joy
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 13: The Gift of Lamentation
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 12: The Gift of God's Care
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 5: The Gift of Healing
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
-
Each Day’s Scripture Gift
-
A Focus Verse
-
Audio Devotional
-
Prayer
-
Worship Recommendation
-
2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke here: https://www.amazon.com/Counting-Up-Christmas-Gifts-Gospel/dp/1735791008/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2W5E8AUEKLXHG&keywords=counting+up+to+christmas&qid=1700671743&sprefix=counting+up+to+christmas%2Caps%2C222&sr=8-1
Access the Digital Journal: https://mailchi.mp/55d73f2c6b69/counting-up-to-christmas-journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF: https://mailchi.mp/d63e5b56b773/counting-up-to-christmas-resources
-
5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
-
Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
-
Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook here: https://www.amazon.com/Counting-Up-Christmas-Companion-Cookbook/dp/1735791024/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2W5E8AUEKLXHG&keywords=counting+up+to+christmas&qid=1700671743&sprefix=counting+up+to+christmas%2Caps%2C222&sr=8-4
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 10: The Gift of Fully Present Relationship
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 9: The Gift of Generosity
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 8: The Gift of Determined Trust
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
-
Each Day’s Scripture Gift
-
A Focus Verse
-
Audio Devotional
-
Prayer
-
Worship Recommendation
-
2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke here: https://www.amazon.com/Counting-Up-Christmas-Gifts-Gospel/dp/1735791008/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2W5E8AUEKLXHG&keywords=counting+up+to+christmas&qid=1700671743&sprefix=counting+up+to+christmas%2Caps%2C222&sr=8-1
Access the Digital Journal: https://mailchi.mp/55d73f2c6b69/counting-up-to-christmas-journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF: https://mailchi.mp/d63e5b56b773/counting-up-to-christmas-resources
-
5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
-
Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
-
Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook here: https://www.amazon.com/Counting-Up-Christmas-Companion-Cookbook/dp/1735791024/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2W5E8AUEKLXHG&keywords=counting+up+to+christmas&qid=1700671743&sprefix=counting+up+to+christmas%2Caps%2C222&sr=8-4
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 7: The Gift of Faith
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 6: The Gift of Reconciliation
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 5: The Gift of Healing
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 4: The Gift of Freedom
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 3: The Gift of Our True Father
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 2: The Gift of Jesus' Birth
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
Counting Up to Christmas Chapter 1: The Gift of Prayer
Listen in as Jennifer reads her book, Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke a chapter a day. As you listen along, you’ll experience:
- Each Day’s Scripture Gift
- A Focus Verse
- Audio Devotional
- Prayer
- Worship Recommendation
- 2 Minutes of Christmas Quietude and Space to Journal
I recommend listening with your Bible and a copy of the paperback—or the ebook and journal.
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke
Access the Journal
Access a Christmas Resource PDF which includes
- 5 Tips to Find Refuge and Rest in Jesus this Christmas
- Spotify Playlist and Worship Links that Accompany the Devotional
- Links to Season 1 of the Refuge Podcast where I interview guests to help open the gifts of Scripture each day from the devotional, both audio and YouTube
Grab a copy of Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
Music Credits:
Intro music from Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/tis-the-season
License code: 9AI0R4QPYXYQSLBC
Quietude music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/holy-holy-holy
License code: AHHDLEBSZ5JLEVDL
I could not love the final episode of Season 3 of the podcast more. My lovely friend Lynn Cowell joined me to deep dive into Psalm 46:10 and we enjoyed studying this verse together:
“He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth” (NIV).
We discussed:
- That Psalms are songs and we should approach them with music in mind
- A few different translations and a paraphrase of the verse
- What we learn about God from the entirety of Psalm 46
- Definitions of the words still, know, and exalt
- A few commentaries and how they are meant to be read after your own study (not first)
- Our own personal transformation after studying this Psalm in depth
- The message of her book co-authored with Michelle Nietert, Managing Your Emojis: 100 Devotions for Navigating Your Feelings
Lynn Cowell is part of the Proverbs 31 Ministries’ speaker and writing teams. She is the author of several books, writing for women of all ages. Lynn calls home North Carolina, where she and her husband, Greg, and the occasional backyard deer are adjusting to life as “just us”. Along with their three adult children, the Cowells love hiking, cooking, and anything combining chocolate and peanut butter. You can check out her other (many!) books, ministry, and blog at https://lynncowell.com
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-fun
Wrapping up the interviews for Season 3 of the podcast is one of my favorite Proverbs 31 writers, Wendy Blight. I met Wendy on the ‘red bus’ in Israel in 2015 and I’m so thankful to connect with her all these years later.
If you followed the podcast last year, you’ve noticed God pointing me towards a greater understanding and experience of rest. So when I saw Wendy’s new book announced, Rest for Your Soul: A Bible Study on Solitude, Silence, and Prayer, I had to know more.
During our time together we discussed:
- A reminiscence about our time in Israel
- how she was led to write a Bible study on this topic
- Her process of abiding in Christ as she healed from overwhelming anxiety
- The importance of renewing our minds with Scripture repeatedly in order to retrain our brains to focus on Jesus and not circumstances
- What the reality of rest, solitude, and prayer feels like and the benefits to our minds and hearts from regularly
- The verse that inspired her writing of this book: Psalm 46:10, “He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (NIV).
Stay tuned for next week’s episode when I deep dive into Psalm 46:10 with Lynn Cowell.
Wendy’s bio: Wendy is a wife, mother, author, Bible teacher, attorney, and the Biblical Content Specialist for Proverbs 31 Ministries. Her heart's desire is to connect women more deeply with God's Word. To learn it, pray it and know with confidence they can tackle any problem life presents through it.
Wendy has a new release coming out in August, "Rest for Your Soul: A Bible Study on Solitude, Silence & Prayer." She’s authored four other books, Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner, Living So That, I Know His Name and 1 John: Walking in the Fullness of God’s Love. Wendy has been a featured guest on Oprah Radio, The 700 Club, Family Life Today with Dr. Dennis Rainey, Revive Our Hearts with Nancy Leigh DeMoss and Building Relationships with Dr. Gary Chapman. Wendy lives with her husband, Monty, in Charlotte, North Carolina and loves most when her children, Lauren, Morgan and Bo come home to visit and fill their home with lots of love and laughter!
You can follow her journal at www.wendyblight.com, Instagram, and Facebook.
This episode comes courtesy of a call out during a church service months ago. During prayer time during the church service, I prayed about the podcast and contemplated whether or not to create the deep dive episodes with guests. I saw my guest Alaena Stahl as part of the worship team that morning and wondered if she might be a guest... And when the call out happened, Pastor Dusty said that whatever I was wrestling with, God was in it. And then sent Alaena over to pray for me, so here we are.
This episode also comes courtesy of many texts and face-to-face interactions that ensued over a busy summer with two moms and 6 collective children and managed to carve out an afternoon that went blessedly uninterrupted. Diving into Psalm 45:1, we discussed:
-
a few different translations of Psalm 45:1—"My heart bursts its banks, spilling beauty and goodness. I pour it out in a poem to the king, shaping the river into words" (the Message paraphrase was our favorite).
-
some of the original Hebrew words from this verse
- what this verse meant to us personally as a Psalm of a bride to King Jesus
- the importance of pouring out our joy and lamentation as a river into words to the Lord
- Alaena shared a poem from a time of grieving in her life, and I shared the vision the Lord gave me of my dear friend Nancy Ness, whose Lady Lits' group inspired me to deep dive into this verse
Alaena is a singer/song-writer as well as the co-owner of Catalyst Coffee in Yakima, WA with her husband Ryan. They have three amazing children and are robustly involved in the ministry of Vineyard Church Yakima. You can check out their beautiful coffee shop in Yakima @catalyst.coffee.co.
Welcome to my first panel interview for the Podcast! My dear friend Nancy Ness reached out to me last year and I’m delighted to share our interview on how to abide in Christ as a writer (or creative of any kind).
This episode also stands as a tribute Nancy. Two weeks after filming this episode, we received news that she suddenly passed away. Her heart desired connection and she embraced the gift of encouragement. She left behind many friends and family members with fond memories of her gentle, kind nature.
And she wrote beautifully. You can enjoy her final work in Jill Wilson’s Lift Newsletter.
During our episode together, the group and I discussed:
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The Bible verse of focus for their Mastermind group: “My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer” Psalm 45:1 (NIV).
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The location and published books, or works in progress, of each author and the Bible verse that inspires their personal writing
- A synopsis of their upcoming Christmas anthology, coming in late Fall 2023!
- How they write fiction while abiding in Christ as well as helping their characters abide in Christ as well
We mentioned Ginny Yttrup, https://ginnyyttrup.com.
We also mentioned Tessa Afshar, https://tessaafshar.com.
Nancy Ness bio: Nancy grew up reading the backs of cereal boxes and every children’s book with a horse as the hero. Her story of emotional healing was sparked by taking a brave first step to trust God to heal her childhood wounds. You can read her work at www.nancy-ness.com
Linda Sammaritan bio: Linda writes realistic fiction, mostly for kids ages ten to fourteen. She has completed a middle grade trilogy, World Without Sound, based on her own experiences growing up with a deaf sister. Her current work-in-progress is a women's fiction series entitled The Cracked Quartet. You can follow her journey at her website, Twitter, and Facebook.
Susan Marie Graham bio: Like a lot of writers, I'm an introvert. I'm also disabled, so my way of sharing the Gospel is through Christian fiction. I'm currently working on a series about the Fruit of the Spirit. You can follow her journey at her website, Instagram, Substack & Facebook.
Jill Wilson bio: J. Bea Wilson joyfully adopted her pen name after living with chronic pain for more than two decades. A freelance editor for over thirty years, she is now in her season of knitting wooly yarns, both fiber and fiction. Her passion is using story to unveil and celebrate the essential role of people with disability within the body of Christ. The six novels planned for her Blemished Sheep Series recast biblical accounts into modern or future contexts. Subscribe to her Lift! newsletter by visiting her website and follow on Facebook and Instagram.
Sarah Soon bio: Sarah is a freelance writer who's collaborated with other authors in a devotional anthology, Option Ocean. She’s also ghostwritten two memoirs and wrote several physician biographies in the coffee table book, The History of Medicine in Tulsa County. And she’s written magazine articles for Tulsa Lifestyle Magazine. You can follow her journey at sarahsoon.com.
Mari Eygabroad bio: I have served as a missionary for over eight years in Africa with my husband, a pilot/mechanic with Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF). My heart is to encourage and equip other women preparing to go into missions. You can check out her book and workbook Living Uprooted as well as follow her journey at www.marieygabroad.com, and on Instagram and Facebook.
Janet Weiner bio: I grew up in southern California and studied French against my 6th-grade teacher's advice that I'd never use it. I’ve now lived in France for over twenty years. Based on actual events, my first historical novel takes place in my village and home, the over 500-year-old Château de Planque. You can follow her journey at www.janetjoanouweiner.com, Instagram and Facebook.
Last week’s episode with Leigh Mackenzie touched on Psalm 23:4 and I’m so excited about what I learned during the deep dive of this verse!
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (ESV).
Sandra Joseph joined me for this precious time of study and I’m excited for you to hear what we discovered in this oft quoted Bible verse.
We discussed:
- our initial thoughts of different words used in a few translations
- we wondered what true comfort truly looked like
- several words in their original language and their deeper meanings
- the words of a few heartfelt commentators
- what we learned about God and His role as our Shepherd
- how we both personally experience true comfort
- the message of her book What He Asks: My Journey of Finding God Faithful through Chronic Illness
We mentioned (and highly recommend!) the ReNEW writer’s conference. You can follow them at https://renewwriting.com and on Instagram renewwriting.
Melanie Chitwood was also discussed and is a wonderful resource for writing coaching and editing. You can find her at https://melanieschitwood.com/ or on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/melanieschitwood/.
Author bio:
Sandra Joseph is a speaker, Biblical Life Coach, blogger, and author of devotionals, scrapbooking instructional books, and other publications. She points people to a place of recognizing and remembering God's faithfulness in their stories. In her book, What He Asks: My Journey of Finding God Faithful through Chronic Illness, she shares a very personal look at her own journey of finding God faithful through chronic illness.
For two-thirds of her life, she has been married to Bill and endured the diagnosis of Type 1 diabetic. The wedding and diagnosis occurred within days of each other. Sandra treasures her role as a mother and Grammie/Mimi. She graduated from Geneva College and was honored with a Distinguished Alumni Award. She has lived in the rolling hills of Western Pennsylvania most of her life. Sandra will forever be thankful for insulin, good medical care, and most importantly, the gift of God’s amazing grace.
You can follow her at www.whatheasksbook.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/whatheasksbook, and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sljoe5/.
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-fun
This week’s episode addresses one of those hard, but necessary topics: trauma. I was introduced to Leigh Mackenzie through a mutual friend, Mabel Ninan. She published the book She Seems So Normal: Shatter the Plastic Princess, Embrace Authentic Faith where she shares the need for authenticity and shares her story of overcoming the trauma of abuse.
We discussed:
- Leigh’s discovery of her need for trauma therapy and how that ignited her to tell her story
- The process she went through to become transparent instead of shallow
- The the church’s need to be a safe place for people to heal from trauma
- Forgiving instigators and enablers of abuse
- Psalm 23:4 and the healing influence Jesus’ role as a shepherd has on her life
- Evaluating what safe looks like in someone to share traumatic experiences with
- Journaling and the processing the good things that happen in our lives
- Our process of staying connected to the Lord through His Word
During the episode, we mentioned Mabel Ninan, you can check out her Far From Home book and podcast at https://mabelninan.com.
Leigh’s bio: Former top Pureflix mommy blogger, magazine writer, and megachurch sermon research assistant, Leigh Mackenzie is an author, podcaster, and motivational speaker. Her recently released book, “She Seems So Normal: Shatter the Plastic Princess, Embrace Authentic Faith" has been an Amazon Top 10 New Release for Abuse Self Help, Spiritual Biography, Pastoral Care, and Christian Self Help.
Grab a "Build Your Anxiety Toolkit" by requesting in one of these places or follow along with her story: https://leighmackenzie.com, Instagram @xoxo_leighmackenzie, on Facebook at Leigh Mackenzie, and on Twitter at leighmackenzie3.
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-fun
During last week’s episode with Carolyn Rice, we discussed her Bible study Healing the Father Wound: A Women's Bible Study through the Gospel of Mark. The passage in Scripture that came up as we spoke was the story of the withered hand from Mark 3:5: “He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored” (NIV).
So, I decided this verse needed a deep dive. I talked about:
- The broader context of this story
- Take a look at two pictures of the synagogue in Capernaum here and here. The dark foundation is the ruin of the 1st century synagogue.
- So. Many. Definitions. The words of this verse go deep and so, I opened them up.
- I read several translations of this verse, including my own paraphrase.
- I shared some commentary, including a passage from my friend Dennis Cornish’s book Matthew: A Parascriptural Gospel Narrative
- Conclusion of what we learn about God and my own personal takeaways
Jennifer Elwood is an author and speaker, and hosts the Refuge Podcast and Bible Study Community where women cultivate their faith in the shelter of God’s Word. This Yakima, WA resident is a lover of Jesus, wife of Tom, mom of three, and bonus mom and grandma. She’s a travel fanatic, coffee addict, and enjoys nerding out on Biblical context when studying the Bible. Going to Israel for the first time in 2015 sparked her desire to write and she has not stopped since. She’s author of Counting Up to Christmas: Twenty-Four Gifts from the Gospel of Lukeand Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
You can follow her journey at https://jenniferelwood.com or @jenniferelwoodauthor on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube.
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-fun
Healing wounds often brings a sting that we’d like to avoid. After speaking to my friend Carolyn Rice, I deepened my realization that working through this pain with Christ heals wounds more completely. If you endure deep wounds from a parent, or a close loved one, I hope you find peace and a desire to heal through this message.
During our interview, we discussed:
- The form of Carolyn’s bible study, Healing the Father Wound: A Women's Bible Study through the Gospel of Mark
- The downfall of trying to earn love
- The stories of healing from man with the withered hand in Mark 3 and the bleeding woman in Luke 8
- Our habits that help us abide in Christ during this season
Bio: Carolyn has written several books on finding healing in Christ, she hosts the Abide in Jesus Podcast and also a video podcast on Youtube.
She holds an Associate Degree from Seattle Bible College, has served in women’s ministry, Alpha Ministries, home group ministry, prayer ministry, taught Cleansing Stream Seminars, and served as the Alumni Director for Seattle Bible College. Her book Healing the Father Wound: A Women's Bible Study through the Gospel of Mark and other publications are available on Amazon.com.
You can follow along her journey at carolynsbooks.com, @carolynriceauthor on Instagram, Abide in Jesus podcast on Facebook, and @carolynrice on YouTube.
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-fun
This is another new first... A Deep Dive episode with a guest in person! My dear friend in real life—Kelly Wilbanks—came over at 7am one morning to avoid child-related interruptions. We sat side by side in my grandmother’s chairs and opened up this Scripture. We both studied, "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you" (James 1:27, NLT) and this convicted our hearts. We discussed:
- Our initial thoughts of this verse
- A brief flyover of the Book of James
- The presence of widows and orphans throughout Scripture
- A breakdown of a few words in the original language
- The relationship between action and faith
- What this verse tells us about God and how we plan to live differently in light of the truth of His care for orphans and widows
Kelly’s Bio: I’m a total word-nerd, audio-book listener, and a chronic journaler (like since I could form sentences).
I love the Bible, Pumpkin Cream Cold Brews, and campfires. I love digging into life, truth-seeking, and finding a way when there seems to be no way.
I love to helping writers reach their audience by building bridges between themselves and their readers. If you’d like some tips and tricks to do this well, head over to https://kellywilbanks.com. You can sign up for my newsletter, reach out for coaching, or talk to me about helping produce your newsletter.
You can also follow her journey on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kellyewilbanks/, Threads at https://www.threads.net/@kellyewilbanks or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KellyEWilbanks.
Other things we mentioned during the episode:
Margaret Feinberg’s upcoming Bible Study—James: What You Do Matters (pre-order available through December 19th, 2023)
The Bible Project
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-fun
I loved spending time with “Mommy Linda” Gunter hearing her phenomenal, humor-filled story of adoption and how that led to her starting a non-profit organization, “Love Him Love Them.” We discussed:
- Linda’s first date with her husband where they made a pact of not wanting children
- God’s sense of humor in the fact that they now serve and care for 5,000 orphans in Haiti
- Her journey of obedience toward adopting her friend’s 5 children
- Visiting Haiti at Christmas time with her family and how that shifted their ministry
- The question, “What hot mess are we in that God wants to turn into a message?”
- The why of adoption
- The process of constantly communicating with God in the midst of distractions
Linda’s bio: Throughout her career as a real estate investor, Linda Gunter was faced with homelessness, drugs and prostitution in Atlanta, GA. She and her husband chose to make a difference the only way they knew how, by turning one of their rental properties into a homeless shelter. They named their non-profit George’s Place in honor of Linda’s daddy, and they operated with funding from their friends and family.
As years passed, they moved out of the Atlanta area and closed the shelter in 2003. Love Him Love Them became their new name, which included an after-school program, jail ministry, providing for foster children, hosting community activities for special needs adults, and an annual Thanksgiving meal delivery for the local homeless and homebound.
In 2004, a tragic event occurred that left 5 Haitian children without a mom and dad. A few years later, Linda’s family grew from the size of 2 to 7. Because of their new children, the Gunters would soon have an encounter in Haiti that would change their lives and their ministry forever.
Today, Linda continues to change lives through the ministry work of Love Him Love Them. Linda authored three books that share stories of miracles she encountered in Haiti and during the choir tour in the United States.
Follow along on Linda’s journey through https://lovehimlovethem.org. Her three books are:
Miracles with Mommy Linda
Choir of Angels: How 30 Orphans Changed Their World
Peanut Butter Crackers and Flip-Flops
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-fun
This is a new first... A Deep Dive episode with a guest! (And it's my birthday to boot - what a gift.) When Alicia Terry reached out through our mutual friend/coach Melanie Chitwood, God led me to take shelter with her under Psalm 119:68, and I'm SO glad He did. We both studied, "You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees" (NIV) and what we found together was rich. We discussed:
- varying versions of this verse and a paraphrase Alicia wrote
- the structure of Psalm 119 (the longest chapter in the Bible)
- the words "good" and "decrees"
- the influence of Psalm 119 on Christians in history
- what we learned about God, ourselves, and what we want to do differently in light of these truths
- we also discussed her new book "I Am Who God Says I Am: Getting to the Heart of Your Identity”
Alicia's Bio: Alicia Terry is a truth seeker and her writing reflects it. She is a communications professional and master storyteller who uses her gifts of candor, transparency, and humor to inform, educate, and move people to action. Her heart’s desire is to help people know truth, discover who they are in Christ and to courageously live from that identity and vantage point to honor God and build His kingdom.
You can follow along on her journey, and sign up for future Saturday Morning Book Chats, at https://abovethefraypublishing.com. Additionally, she can be found on Instagram and Pinterest. You can grab a copy of her book I Am Who God Says I Am at Amazon.com.
We also mentioned Amy Lively's book How to Love Your Neighbor Without Being Weird.
We’re continuing along into Season 3 of the podcast with my lovely guest, Allison K. Daniels.
We discussed:
- Her fertility journey over the past few years
- How God has been present in the midst of these challenges
- Having peace and contentment during the Lord’s perfect timing
- Abiding in the goodness of Christ (Psalm 119:68)
- The importance of reading and meditating God’s Word for yourself
Stay tuned this coming Friday for the Bible verse Deep Dive episode coming up into Psalm 119:68 with guest Alicia Terry.
Allison’s Bio: A captivating storyteller, Allison shares her powerful testimony of walking away from God after 20 years of fertility struggles. Her journey from faith to fear to freedom in Christ. Allison's desire is for people to learn how to cling to faith and live in joy as the child of an amazingly good God.
Allison loves leading Bible Study groups. She will be launching her podcast, God Speaks First, to encourage listeners to hear God and believe what He has said.
Two of her greatest joys: being a wife to Sean and a good Caramel Macchiato.
You can follow along on her journey at www.allisonkdaniels.com. Follow her on Instagram at @allisonkdaniels and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/iamallisondaniels and listen to Family Prayer Time at https://youtube.com/@allisonk.daniels8724.
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-fun
When I recorded episode 45 with Erica Renaud, we discussed the faith of Meshach, Shadrach, and Abendego. So, I decided their actions in Daniel 3 needed a deep dive treatment!
In this episode, I discussed:
- historical information
- the context of this verse from chapters 1-3
- defined “deliver”
- and examined what The Moody Bible Commentary and Matthew Henry’s had to say
- expounded on two take-away thoughts
You can listen to the interview with Erica that accompanies this deep dive here:
Audio Link: https://jenniferelwood.com/the-refuge-podcast-episode-45-abiding-in-christ-while-praying-with-children-with-erica-renaud
YouTube: https://youtu.be/x4xKer-40FA
Jennifer Elwood is an author and speaker, and hosts the Refuge Podcast and Bible Study Community where women cultivate their faith in the shelter of God’s Word. This Yakima, WA resident is a lover of Jesus, wife of Tom, mom of three, and bonus mom and grandma. She’s a travel fanatic, coffee addict, and enjoys nerding out on Biblical context when studying the Bible. Going to Israel for the first time in 2015 sparked her desire to write and she has not stopped since. She’s author of Counting Up to Christmas: Twenty-Four Gifts from the Gospel of Luke and Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
You can follow her journey at https://jenniferelwood.com or @jenniferelwoodauthor on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
We are continuing on with season three by focusing in on prayer, specifically with our children. My engaging guest Erica Renaud recently published a book on this topic and what she shares will change your perspective on praying with your children.
In this episode we discussed:
- the story behind her book’s origins and how the Lord led her to pray and worship with her children
- 5 qualities of the heart we desire for our children as they grow their faith through prayer
- shaping conversations with our kids to include challenging subjects from the Bible
- how to abide in Christ more closely when praying with your children
Stay tuned for Friday’s complimentary episode when I deep dive into Daniel 3:16-18: “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up’” (NIV).
You can follow along on Erica's journey at www.ericarenaud.org. Follow her on Instagram at @Erica.Renaud and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/EricaRenaudSpeaker. And here’s the link to grab a copy of her book Pray with Me: Help Your Children Engage in Powerful and Authentic Prayer.
Erica’s Bio: Erica is a powerful speaker, passionate writer and founder of two ongoing prayer initiatives. She speaks at various events and conferences throughout the Northeast. Closer to home, Erica and her husband are active in their congregation leading a regular prayer and worship gatherings. Her first book Pray with Me: Help Your Children Engage in Powerful and Authentic Prayer released April 4, 2023. When she's not ministering to others via a microphone or written words, you will find Erica at home discipling her five children between the ages of 5 and 17. With most of the children currently homeschooled, her house is rarely short of laughter, schoolwork, and mess. In her 'free' time, Erica loves to frequent the mountains, lakes, and coffee shops of upstate New York.
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-fun
This is my first deep dive episode of the year and as often as I can, I’ll be recording these live on Facebook!
When I recorded episode 43 with Janet Weiner, we discussed about how Genesis 1:27 inspired her to consider herself as an image bearer of God and how that helped spark creativity.
In this episode, I looked at:
- the context of this verse
- defined a few repeated words
- peeked into the IVP Bible Background Commentary and Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
- read other Bible verses that repeat this theme
- and talked about what we might consider saying to ourselves when we look in the mirror
You can listen to or view the episodes with Janet with these links:
Audio link: https://jenniferelwood.com/the-refuge-podcast-episode-43-abiding-in-christ-while-growing-creatively-with-janet-weiner
Video link: https://youtu.be/QwzJbU1nz30
Jennifer Elwood is an author and speaker, and hosts the Refuge Podcast and Bible Study Community where women cultivate their faith in the shelter of God’s Word. This Yakima, WA resident is a lover of Jesus, wife of Tom, mom of three, and bonus mom and grandma. She’s a travel fanatic, coffee addict, and enjoys nerding out on Biblical context when studying the Bible. Going to Israel for the first time in 2015 sparked her desire to write and she has not stopped since. She’s author of Counting Up to Christmas: Twenty-Four Gifts from the Gospel of Luke and Counting Up to Christmas: The Companion Cookbook.
You can follow her journey at https://jenniferelwood.com or @jenniferelwoodauthor on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Welcome to Season 3 of the Refuge Podcast! We are kicking off this interview series in the south of France with my new friend, Janet Weiner.
In this episode we talked about:
- Janet’s journey of living abroad on the mission field in France
- How the Lord led her to a season of increased creativity even when she had doubts
- A few ways Janet abides in Christ through her creative pursuits
You can check out her book “Though Darkness Descend: Huguenot Resistance Book 1."
Want to listen to the Deep Dive episode that accompanies this episode? If so, you can here:
Deep Dive Video: https://youtu.be/FxjCY2cR7TA
Deep Dive Audio: https://jenniferelwood.com/the-refuge-podcast-episode-44-a-deep-dive-into-genesis-1-27-with-jennifer-elwood
Janet’s Bio: Hi! I'm Janet… I grew up in southern California and studied French against my 6th-grade teacher's advice that I'd never use it. I’ve now lived in France for over twenty years. First in the Alps, then several wonderful years in the center of Paris.
Currently, my husband and I live in St. Hippolyte du Fort in southern France, where we've established a Christian training center, YWAM Bridges of Life. We’ve also lived in Amsterdam, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Kona, Hawaii. For my work in Christian ministry, I’ve had the joy of traveling to over forty countries. Never a dull moment!
Despite missing our four children and grandchildren, living in the US, I love my life! I delight in the endless opportunities to discover past stories of depth and inspiration while soaking up the beauty, culture, and history all around. And, of course, there’s the incredible food and wine.
I’ve dabbled in writing over the years, but never found the time to pen a novel. After a significant birthday a few years ago, I decided it was now or never. Based on actual events, my first historical novel takes place in my village and home, the over 500-year-old Château de Planque.
You can follow along on her journey through her blog at www.janetjoanouweiner.com. Follow her on Instagram at @janetjoanouw and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/janet.weiner/.
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-fun
Here we are, the last episode of 2022 and a deep dive into one of the two women who have books of the Bible named after them: Esther.
For the previous episode, I talked about Amy Carroll and Lynn Cowell’s new Bible study Esther: Seeing Our Invisible God in an Uncertain World. So, I dove into the verse we all are likely familiar with, the moment of choice where Esther faces life or death: “For if you remain silent at this time, liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish [since you did not help when you had the chance]. And who knows whether you have attained royalty for such a time as this [and for this very purpose]?” (Esther 4:14, Amplified Bible)
In this episode, I spent quite a bit of time looking at the history behind the story of Esther as well as where her story lies in the thread of Scripture. And then I turn our attention to what this tells us about God, and how that impacts what this verse says about us today.
If you’d like a copy of the 10 questions I will be use for the solo deep dive episodes, head over here to download the PDF: https://mailchi.mp/18893c5c043d/10-great-questions
Join the Counting Up to Christmas Facebook Group I mentioned in the episode here: https://facebook.com/groups/countinguptochristmas
Jenni’s bio: Jennifer Elwood resides in Yakima, Washington and hosts the Refuge Podcast and Bible Study Community where women cultivate their faith in the shelter of God’s Word. She’s a travel fanatic, coffee addict, and enjoys nerding out on Biblical context when studying the Bible. Going to Israel for the first time in 2015 sparked her desire to write and she has not stopped since. She’s author of Counting Up to Christmas: Twenty-Four Gifts from the Gospel of Lukeand an upcoming Companion Recipe Book. Stay up to date with her at www.jenniferelwood.com and @jenniferelwoodauthor on Facebook and Instagram.
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-fun
I’m so excited for you to meet both of my guests today! For the last interview episode of our peace-focused podcast season, Lynn Cowell and Amy Carroll join me to lead you through their peace-filled takeaways from their new Bible Study called Esther: Seeing Our Invisible God in an Uncertain World.
We talked about:
- How their perspective changes as they more deeply studied the book of Esther
- Why they used the process of listen - feel - do - speak to open up Esther as they wrote their study
- Lynn discussed her lesson focused on listening and illuminates how Esther did this so well, and how that can bring peace to us
- Amy then chats about how she experienced greater peace through Esther’s story of feeling before she acted or spoke
You can check out a sample of Esther and learn more at https://estherbookstudy.com. (It may be the PERFECT Bible study for your women's group!) You can also grab a copy at Amazon and other online distributors.
I’ll be coming your way next week with a deep dive into Esther 4:14 since we are, in fact, created for such a time as this.
And, as mentioned in the mid-reel, here is the link to sign up for the free Count Up Virtual Event, headed your way November 1-5th.
Author Bios:
Lynn Cowell is part of the Proverbs 31 Ministries’ speaker and writing teams. She is the author of several books, writing for women of all ages. Lynn calls home North Carolina, where she and her husband, Greg, and the occasional backyard deer are adjusting to life as “just us”. Along with their three adult children, the Cowells love hiking, cooking, and anything combining chocolate and peanut butter. You can check out her other (many!) Books, ministry, and blog at https://lynncowell.com
Amy Carroll finds delight in gathering a community of women with tender hearts and strong voices. She’s a speaker and writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries, a speaker coach, and the author of Breaking Up with Perfect and Exhale. A woman who adores a great story and a challenging idea, Amy has branded co-hosting the Grit ‘n’ Grace the Podcast “one of my favorite things.” Amy and her husband live in lovely Holly Springs, NC where you can find her on any given day texting her adult kids, typing away at her computer, or trying to figure out one more alternative to cooking dinner. Check out her book, coaching ministry, and blog at https://amycarroll.org or give her a follow on Instagram @amydohmcarroll
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-fun
Shalom friends!
We’re going to nerd out today with a deep dive into powerful Proverbs 18:21— “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." (NIV) I touched on this verse in my last podcast episode, Finding Peace in Christ when Speaking Life with Jane Berry.
I’ll be using some of the questions I usually ask when studying the Bible, but I depart from them a bit to make time to pay tribute to a mentor, Kathy Pietsch, whose Christ-focused life influenced my thoughts and words so powerfully as I considered the words in this verse. She passed into glory this last week.
In this episode, I talked about:
- The Biblical thread where the book of Proverbs lies
- Recalled details of the life of Solomon
- Applied this verse through the life of my friend and her influence of me
If you’re interested in signing up for the Count Up Virtual Event I mentioned at the beginning of the episode, head here: https://livesteadyon.com/count-up-registration
If you’d like a copy of the 10 questions I will be using in these solo deep dive episodes, head over here to download the PDF: https://mailchi.mp/18893c5c043d/10-great-questions
Jenni’s bio: Jennifer Elwood resides in Yakima, Washington and hosts the Refuge Podcast and Bible Study Community where women cultivate their faith in the shelter of God’s Word. She’s a travel fanatic, coffee addict, and enjoys nerding out on Biblical context when studying the Bible. Going to Israel for the first time in 2015 sparked her desire to write and she has not stopped since. She’s author of Counting Up to Christmas: Twenty-Four Gifts from the Gospel of Luke and an upcoming Cookbook Companion. Stay up to date with her at www.jenniferelwood.com and @jenniferelwoodauthor on Facebook and Instagram.
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-fun
We get to travel down under to Melbourne, Australia for this episode with author of the devotional Speak Life—Jane Berry.
During our time together, we chatted about:
- How we connected through the Refuge Conference I hosted in the summer of 2021, and later in Jane’s Speak Life Facebook group
- How the reality of Covid lockdown changed Jane’s perspective and helped her find greater joy as she sought gratitude in her circumstances
- The role of speaking life to others and how that brings peace to us
- Finding peace through blessing and prayer
- A circumstance where a popular food chain and Psalm 34 intersected
- We discussed two Bible passages she points readers towards to speak life and bring peace
You can connect with Jane through her website https://janeberryauthor.com and on instagram @janeberryauthor. If you sign up for Jane’s email list, you will also receive a free download of her devotional, 40 Days of Gratitude.
Get your freecopy of the book we discussed from this episode, Speak Life: a 30-Day Journey Exploring the Power of Your Words as a PDF download with the coupon THEREFUGEPODCAST.
Additionally, you can find a copy of her bookMinistering Like Jesus: How to Grow in Healing, Deliverance, and Miracles at Amazon.com.
To check out details regarding the Ministry Co-op and register, head to https://livesteadyon.com/ministry-co-op-open-enrollment/
Grab a copy of my PDF 10 Great Questions to Ask when Studying the Bible here: https://mailchi.mp/18893c5c043d/10-great-questions
Author Bio: Jane Berry loves chocolate and great coffee, catching-up with friends, and spending quality time with her husband and two teenagers. With 40+ years of ministry experience, 30+ years as a medical professional, and homeschooling her children, Jane has a unique gift and skill set in drawing the gold out of Scripture while identifying and calling the gold out in others. She naturally lives a supernatural life that is infectious, and her powerful testimonies show anyone can apply God’s living Word to their lives. Jane passionately believes that the words we say are powerful and has amazing testimonies with speaking life.
Shalom friends!
We’re going to nerd out today with a deep dive into powerful Psalm 18:2— “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety." (NIV) I touched on this verse in my last podcast episode, Finding Peace in Christ when You’re Far From Home with Mabel Ninan.
There’s a lot we can learn about God, and ourselves, from this verse. I recently identified 10 (of many) questions I ask when I approach Scripture from a contextual point of view, and I answer several of them in this episode! I considered:
- The writer, original audience, time frame, and genre
- This Psalm’s relationship to 2 Samuel 22
- Meaning of several words in the original language of Hebrew
- A surprising way peace is embedded in the form of this Bible verse
If you’d like a copy of the 10 questions I will be using in these solo deep dive episodes, head over here to download the PDF: https://mailchi.mp/18893c5c043d/10-great-questions
If you are a writer looking for a great community and your interest was piqued when I mentioned the Ministry Co-op, you are invited to check it out and register early! Here's the link: https://livesteadyon.com/ministry-co-op-open-enrollment/
Jenni’s bio: Jennifer Elwood resides in Yakima, Washington and hosts the Refuge Podcast and Bible Study Community where women cultivate their faith in the shelter of God’s Word. She’s a travel fanatic, coffee addict, and enjoys nerding out on Biblical context when studying the Bible. Going to Israel for the first time in 2015 sparked her desire to write and she has not stopped since. She’s author of Counting Up to Christmas: Twenty-Four Gifts from the Gospel of Lukeand an upcoming Cookbook Companion. Stay up to date with her at www.jenniferelwood.com and @jenniferelwoodauthor on Facebook and Instagram.
Today’s guest, Mabel Ninan, is originally from India and was transplanted to the United States several years ago when her husband transferred her for his job. When she moved, she didn’t realize the loneliness she would experience - or how that would deepen her relationship with the Living God. She recently published a book called Far From Home: Discovering Your Identity as Foreigners on Earth and it is a gem.
Throughout this episode we discussed:
- The skein of identity
- Greater peace through the truth in Psalm 18:2
- What she learned from biblical Joseph and his identity as a foreigner
- Her sense of home being tied to more than one place
- Our future home
- Practical advice for people interested in helping foreigners feel more at home in their community
You can connect with Mabel through her website https://mabelninan.com and on instagram @mabel_ninan. Her book, Far From Home: Discovering Your Identity as Foreigners on Earth, is available from Amazon and other online book stores.
Grab a copy of my PDF, 10 Great Questions to Ask when Studying the Bible, here: https://mailchi.mp/18893c5c043d/10-great-questions
Author bio: Mabel is an author, speaker, Bible teacher, and host of the YouTube podcast, Immigrant Faith Stories. An immigrant from India who has lived in seven cities across the U.S. in fourteen years, she navigates between cultures, feeling at home everywhere and nowhere. Her first book, “Far from Home: Discovering Your Identity as Foreigners on Earth,” released in July 2022.
Mabel hopes to inspire believers to embrace their pilgrim journey on earth and live out their identity as citizens of Heaven. She enjoys reading, dancing, and traveling, but finds her greatest satisfaction and joy in studying the Bible and having conversations about her faith.
She is currently pursuing M.A. in Theological Studies from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Mabel lives with her husband and son in Silicon Valley, California.
Shalom friends!
We’re going to nerd out today with a deep dive into beautiful Psalm 34:14— “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” (NIV) I touched on this verse in my last podcast episode, Finding Peace in Christ and Pursuing it with Debbie Patrick.
There’s a lot we can learn about God, and ourselves, from this verse. I recently identified 10 (of many) questions I ask when I approach Scripture from a contextual point of view, and I answer them all in this episode! I considered:
- The writer and original audience
- What exactly is a Psalm?
- How 1 Samuel 21 helps unlocks deeper meaning
- This shows us that God is serious about seeking and pursuing peace!
- What this means for us today
If you’d like a copy of the 10 questions I will be using in these solo deep dive episodes, head over here to download the PDF: https://mailchi.mp/18893c5c043d/10-great-questions
Jenni’s bio: Jennifer Elwood resides in Yakima, Washington and hosts the Refuge Podcast and Bible Study Community where women cultivate their faith in the shelter of God’s Word. She’s a travel fanatic, coffee addict, and enjoys nerding out on Biblical context when studying the Bible. Going to Israel for the first time in 2015 sparked her desire to write and she has not stopped since. She’s author of Counting Up to Christmas: Twenty-Four Gifts from the Gospel of Lukeand an upcoming Cookbook Companion. Stay up to date with her at www.jenniferelwood.com and @jenniferelwoodauthor on Facebook and Instagram.
Thank you for joining me for the latter half of my second podcast season! We’ll be focusing on finding peace in Christ, which I believe is the result of finding rest in Christ that we explored last spring.
My first guest is author Debbie Patrick, a ministry friend that I’ve met in real-life! When we had a chance to talk over plates of burgers and fries this past summer, Debbie shared with me the journey the Lord is bringing her through as she’s experienced a “too much” season. In this episode, we discussed:
- The details of her “too much” season
- Debbie’s realization of her need to pray for peace and receive it
- Not allowing previous anxiety into today (when the anxiety inducing event has passed)
- Ways to find moments of beauty and joy in the midst of hard days
- Debbie leaves us with a few truthful treasures with regards to pursuing peace
You can grab the PDF I mentioned during the mid-reel, 10 great questions to ask when reading the Bible, at: https://mailchi.mp/18893c5c043d/10-great-questions
You can connect with Debbie at https://anchoredandalive.org as well as on Facebook @anchoredandalive and Instagram @anchoredandalive. Her book, What’s Next, can be ordered HERE.
Author bio: Debbie is a survivor of cancer, metal poisoning, and chronic pain. She’s been a wife to one amazing guy for 35 years and has two beautiful daughters. They live in Western Washington. Speaking, writing, and spending time near the water are what she enjoys most. She is an advocate for metal testing and shared her story with the FDA in Washington D.C. Her goal is to see mandatory metal testing before all metal implants.
Here it is—the final episode in this podcast season! Today, you’ll meet my friend and author Susie Crosby as we engage in a conversation about surrendering in Christ as we pursue rest.
During this episode, Susie and I discussed:
- the need to surrender to rest in Christ
- the importance of trust in this process of learning to fully rest
- resting is not laziness
- God’s promises related to rest
- the need for rest in the midst of mental health difficulties
- we always have the hope of Jesus
If you're reading this before June 30th, 2022—it's not too late to enter the Rest in Christ this Summer Giveaway! I'll be giving away two gift collections to help you carve out meaningful time with Jesus (including Susie's wonderful book) on my birthday, 6/30, at 8pm PT. Check out the details and enter HERE.
Author bio: Susie is an active blogger and an elementary-school PE teacher. She loves the beach, strong coffee, and the tuna and meaningful ways Jesus works through people and words. Susie is also a wife and mom, and makes her home in Seattle, WA.
You can connect with her blog and Just One Word Newsletter at https://susiecrosby.com. Follow her on Facebook @susiecrosbyauthor and Instagram @susiecrosby. Her book, Just One Word: 90 Devotions to Invite Jesus In, is available on amazon.com.
You can grab a copy of the other book we discussed, Come, Sit, Stay: Finding Rest for Your Soul by Ellen Vaughn here.
This week, we get to hear from one of my ministry BFFs Angie Baughman, a Pastor and founder of Steady On Ministries. One of her messages this year focused on talking to our triggers and I’ve found this process can bring rest to out of control thoughts—and I hope you do too.
In this episode Angie and I discussed:
- traumatic events in our lives that formed some of the triggers we’ve experienced
- turning points that caused turning back towards Christ
- Angie’s experience of Psalm 40:1-3 nourishing her as she healed from a car accident
- 5 helpful steps to work through to allow us to talk to our triggers in light of God’s Word
Angie created a beautiful download outlining these 5 steps and accompanying Scripture. You can get it at https://livesteadyon.com/talk-to-your-triggers/
You can also enter my Rest in Christ this Summer Giveaway: https://kingsumo.com/g/b9zz5c/rest-in-christ-this-summer-giveaway I'll be drawing for two gift collections on June 30th at 8pm PT (on my birthday!). These are:
1—Sacred Rest by Saundra Dalton-Smith MD, Mommy and Me: Cooking with Jesus (a book I collaborated on), Strong Hearts Bible Study by Angie Baughman, The Art of Struggling by Beth Hildebrand, Counting Up to Christmas Cookbook Companion (coming this Fall), a set of rest-inspired Scripture/prayer bookmarks and a $20 Amazon gift card to grab something restful.
2—Sacred Rest by Saundra Dalton-Smith MD, Mommy and Me: Cooking with Jesus (a book I collaborated on), That I May Know Him by Tina Wanamaker, Just One Word by Susie Crosby, Counting Up to Christmas Cookbook Companion (coming this Fall), a set of rest-inspired Scripture/prayer bookmarks and a $20 Amazon gift card to grab something restful.
Author Bio: Angie Baughman’s core desire is to live in fellowship with Him. Angie loves her family. Her husband, Matt, and their two sons, Alex and Josh, are the people she gets to do life with in Southern Illinois. Angie loves teaching. Nothing fills her up like leading a Bible study or sharing a message to a group that is heart-ready to hear it. Angie loves the local church. She grew up a preacher’s kid and jumped into ministry as early as her teenage years. She has served as a pastor since 2004. Angie also loves taking trips to Walt Disney World, sipping cups of hot tea, watching old Law & Order episodes, and almost anything with a paisley print. You can follow on her journey at https://livesteadyon.com, on FB @livesteadyon and IG @angiebaughman421. And you can connect to multiple resources on her bio link at https://linktr.ee/livesteadyon
You can grab her books at Amazon.com: Strong Hearts: Increasing Our Trust in Jesus through Examining the Lines of the Lord's Prayer or A Journey Worth Taking: Exploring the Significance of the Gifts the Wise Men Brought to Jesus.
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-fun
I am excited to introduce you to my friend, Beth Hildebrand, author of The Art of Suffering: Finding Hope When It Feels Like Your World's Falling Apart. Her book spoke deep rest to me as I read through the pages, so I just had to interview her! In this episode, we covered:
- Beth’s struggle and God’s guidance that brought her to the message of her book
- two chapters in her book that illuminate the topic of rest in the midst of struggle
- the struggles Jesus went through that show us that He really understands the hard things we go through
- the art projects that help readers solidify the messages in the chapters of her book
- a time of Beth’s need for intense physical and mental rest and how that shifted her priority of practicing Sabbath
- what looks like rest to one person may not be to another
Here’s the link to my Rest-Filled Spotify Playlist and Bookmark Resource
Author Bio: Beth Hildebrand is a writer, blogger, mentor, the Group Coordinator and a leader in her church and community. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, and the young adult son and daughter are in and out of the house. She enjoys traveling, several forms of art, reading, and dancing with friends whenever there's a chance. You can follow her journey at https://bethhildebrand.com as well as @bethnhildebrand on Instagram or @bethnhildebrandauthor on Facebook. Grab a copy of her book, The Art of Suffering, HERE.
Hot off the press… I’d love to share with you a resource I created, including a Spotify playlist and 5 scripture/prayer bookmarks (to help find peace when your thoughts aren't at rest) for use in your summer reads! You can find it HERE.
Annnnddd, of course, I’m delighted to introduce you to my friend Chere Williams, host of the Faith, Coffee and a Kid Podcast and Blog. In this episode, we talked about:
- the importance of grounding our faith in Jesus
- the need to create space for Jesus
- how recharging is important! (Even more than recharging our phones each day!)
- the truth that while everything is permissible, not everything is beneficial
- consciously choosing rest centered in Christ
- carefully discerning our yesses and no’s
- our need for rest when our world turns upside down
- seven practical ways to rest in Jesus
You can access the 7 Ways to Restore, Replenish, and Refresh in Jesus PDF that accompanies this episode HERE.
Author Bio: As a single mom of faith, Chere Williams has reached out to encourage single mothers through her blog and podcast, Faith, Coffee, and a Kid. She founded the online conference Single Moms of Faith: Burning Bright Not Burning Out. Her blog was named one of the Top 15 Single Moms Blogs in Earnest Parenting and was named among the Top 50 Parenting Blogs at https://mykidsneedthat.com. She was a columnist for Moms of Faith, a Mom Mentor for Graham Blanchard Publishing, and has been a contributing author to several publications. She has an incredible 16-year-old daughter and enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading a good book, volunteering, throwing a good party, indulging in a good mystery, and traveling! You can follow her journey at https://www.faithcoffeeandakid.com/. You can access her podcast HERE. And this is her Instagram.
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-fun
I’m excited for you to meet my hometown friend, speaker and author, Tina Wanamaker. In this episode we discussed:
- We can approach times of conflict in faith that God’s good plan will be accomplished.
- Discussion continued regarding the rhythm of rest that God created and how much we need to observe and enjoy this.
- Tina recounts a few simple, nature-focused ways to purposefully take rest during the day.
- Enjoyment of “being” over “doing”
- How the awareness of God’s love can bring deep rest
- There is rest working with (not against) the Holy Spirit
- The role of surrender and gratitude on our journey to experience rest
- The need to share everything with the Lord to experience a restful relationship with Him
Author Bio: Tina is a lover of Jesus, wife of 21 years, mother to 4, homeschool teacher, jail Chaplain, international ministry leader, author, and speaker. Her goal is to encourage growth in Christ by knowing Him in the practicalities of life. You can stay in touch with Tina at https://tinawanamaker.com.
If you’re close to Washington State, you may want to pencil in the Focus Conference on October 15th. You can learn details about this upcoming one-day, in-person event HERE.
Tina’s books include:
Characteristics of a Christian Woman: A Focus on the Characteristics Portrayed by a Woman Following after God
That I may Know Him: A Deeper Walk in Relationship in Christ
My guest today is the wonderful Melanie Chitwood! In this episode, we talk about all things biblical self-care.
I wanted to let you know about a self-care giveaway that Melanie is offering right now! You can find all the details through her socials @melanieschitwood on Facebook and Instagram.
And now, let’s dive into the recap:
- Melanie begins with the story behind the scenes of her life and her wakeup call for the need to take better care for herself.
- We move on to the reality of life: often when we say ‘yes’ to big things, more piles in that we don’t have control over.
- Diving into Scripture, we look at Jesus’ invitation to rest and how He modeled self-care.
- Sometimes we need get out of our own way and pay attention to what prevents us to rest.
- Facing the lies of the enemy with regards to rest is wisdom.
- It’s healthy to schedule rest (really!)
- Biblical care is taking care of our entire being: mind, heart, and soul.
- There is something about nature that refreshes us. Filling up on God’s creation is restorative.
- We touched on our gratitude that mental health issues are receiving more compassion.
- Gratitude for good counselors comes up.
Books we referenced—
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero
Sacred Rest by Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD
Author Bio: Melanie Chitwood is a writer, writing coach, and editor. She’s the author of Harvest House books, What a Husband Needs from His Wife and What a Wife Needs from Her Husband.
For the past six years she’s been a writing coach and editor, working with Christian nonfiction writers of all abilities. She writes at https://melanieschitwood.com where she offers two blogs:
1) Writing Tips
2) Doing the Best We Can, where she writes about biblical self-care.
Her favorite times are spent with family and friends around her farm table, playing games, telling stories, and laughing hard. She’s a former Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker and writer and is a P31 COMPEL Writers' Membership Site blogger. You can find her on the socials @MelanieSChitwood on Facebook and Instagram.
Welcome to the second season of the Refuge Podcast! I am soooo excited to journey with you as we seek answers to what biblical rest looks like in our lives.
In this premiere episode, my guest Liv Dooley and I talk through seven different kinds of rest from the book Sacred Rest: Recover your Life, Renew your Energy, Restore Your Sanity by Saundra Dalton-Smith MD. Here are the points we covered:
- The truth that sleep is not rest but a biological function: “It is rest that makes sleep sweet.”
- Listening to our bodies to can help us determine the kind of rest we should take
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We dive into the 7 different areas of rest taken from Saundra Dalton-Smith MD’s book Sacred Rest
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Physical Rest—we discussed slowing down and enjoying a bedtime routine, not racing to bed to give our bodies time to settle down before sleep.
- Mental Rest—taking in too much information can set us back, causing us to want to retreat. Sometimes we need to turn off the external input to decrease overstimulation.
- Emotional Rest—hiding emotions can look like rest but actually drains us. Being our authentic selves can help us emotionally rest as we share of ourselves and truly enjoy the opportunities we have to .
- Spiritual Rest—“laying down our fight to rest.” Remembering how we felt when we first began to know the Lord, not having an agenda but spending unstructured quiet time in Him, is a beautiful way to enjoy this type of rest.
- Social Rest—“finding solace in one another.” Determining the friendships that refresh our souls and making time for them helps us enjoy this kind of rest.
- Sensory Rest—removing external distractions to give peace to the internal. Schedule time to put down the phone!
- Creative Rest—“soaking in beauty and light.” Step outside and find something beautiful to rest in. Purposefully planning your sabbath or longer sabbatical is a helpful practice.
You’re invited to join the Sacred Rest Book Club on the Colorfully Candid Paradim Facebook Group that begins this summer!
You can follow along with Liv on her website https://livdooley.com, @candidliv on Instagram, and check out her Best Kept Secret Podcast. She has a wonderful resource for writers if you’re interested: A 12-month Self-Publishing strategy and Schedule.
Guest Bio: There is nothing Liv loves to talk about more than the Word of God. She is a Bible teacher, author, and the podcast host of The Best Kept Secret with Liv Dooley. Liv is passionate about helping creatives become confident and communicate clearly about Christ Jesus.
Liv has lead a Christian nonprofit for girls and women called The Colorfully Candid Paradigm in Las Vegas for eight years. Together, she and the team of women she leads have supported thousands of women across the world from their base in Las Vegas. When Liv is not writing, teaching, or podcasting, you can find her hiking a mountain, taking a road trip with her husband, or curled up in the corner with a good book.
You can connect with her blog at livdooley.com or follow her on Instagram @candidliv or @colorfullycandid to keep the conversation flowing.
Do you get excited about books you can’t put down? Me too! In between podcast seasons, I’ll be creating bonus author episodes from time to time to help you find refuge in His Word through new, must-read books to add to your reading stack.
Today’s guest is Mari Eygabroad who recently published her first book, Living Uprooted: Encouragement for the Missionary Wife. I connected with her recently in a Bible study group and am SO excited for you to meet her!
In this episode we discussed:
- African geography (Mari lives in Lesotho—pronounced ‘Les-oo-too’—a country surrounded on all sides by South Africa).
- We discussed the story she called a “God-sized edit" of her life that sent her as a missionary wife to Africa—including her pastors’ matchmaking efforts.
- A few of the many challenges missionary wives face as they prepare to go abroad including complications and fatigue, the difficulty of good-byes, spiritual warfare, loneliness, the importance of making connections ahead of the move, and culture shock
- The importance of TRUST in God through the challenges she’s faced as an expat
- She gives a sneak peek of the proof of the paperback of her book!
You can grab a copy of the ebook on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Redemption Press.
If you’d prefer a paperback copy for yourself or to send to a friend preparing to head into the mission field (or is already there and needs to know she isn’t alone), it should be available by June 2022.
You can connect with Mari at https://marieygabroad.com, on Instagram @marieygabroad, and Facebook @marikeygabroad.
Bio: Mari served as a missionary for over eight years in Africa with her husband, a pilot/mechanic with Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF). She is a stay-at-home mom and homeschools her two children. Before moving overseas, she worked as a Massage Therapist, Personal Trainer, and Physical Therapist Assistant. She planned on using those skills in ministry overseas, but God had a different path for her. During their first few years living in Africa, their family faced many hardships and tragedies. She felt unequipped to properly handle some of the difficulties she had gone through. After searching for resources that could have prepared her for what she experienced, she found nothing published that could have helped prepare her beforehand. God put it on her heart to write the book she wish she’d had. Her heart is to encourage and equip other women preparing to go into missions.
Do you get excited about books you can’t put down? Me too! In between podcast seasons, I’ll be creating bonus author episodes from time to time to help you find refuge in His Word through new, must-read books to add to your reading stack. This is the first one!
My dear friend Stacey March just published her first book, Chosen: The Fire of Intimacy with the Lord of Harvest. I just had to tell you all about it!
In this episode, we discussed:
- Her years-long journey to finish, polish, and publish this book
- Stacey’s journey of God bringing her into a relationship with greater intimacy than she ever imagined
- The importance of living with and for Jesus
- How much we enjoy small, intimate communities of women to cultivate faith
- The passion and purpose behind her co-ministry with Tabatha Haines at Havar International
Check out Stacey’s book Chosen: The Fire of Intimacy with the Lord of Harvest on Amazon.com.
Connect with Stacey and grab a copy of her free resource Hard Wired for Friendship (co-authored with Tabatha Haines) at https://havarinternational.com
Instagram @stacey_march3 and Facebook @staceymarch
Check out the Hey, Var! podcast at https://havarinternational.com/podcast or the video version on YouTube
Whether she’s on a stage, behind a mic, or tucked away on her couch in the quiet, Stacey March’s passion is to live in intimate relationship with God and others wherever He calls her to be. She is forever learning to be wife, mom, friend, and lover of the One who saved her life.
Intro Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/a-little-bit-of-fun
On today's podcast, host Jennifer Elwood reads Scripture to illuminate the bonus gift of peace for Christmas Day.
To connect with Jennifer, you can head to her website https://jenniferelwood.com. Sign up for her newsletter to be informed of future podcast seasons!
The gift of Resurrection, Eternal Life, opens today with guest Tammy Valdivia. After discussing the beauty of candlelight Christmas Eve service, she expounds on what a beautiful gift resurrection is to us, not just because of Christ’s sacrifice, but how we have the privilege of enjoying resurrection in our own lives as we walk in obedience and faith.
You can click on these links to connect with Tammy and her ministry endeavors on Facebook & Instagram.
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram @jenniferelwoodauthor. And you can check out my new collaboration, Counting Up To Christmas in Uganda and the USA: A Recipe & Devotional eBook at https://mailchi.mp/d987f948a94c/seed-of-hope-ebook-fund-raiser.
Bio: Walking through a radical transformation 15 years ago, Tammy Valdivia totally realigned her life and mission. She now walks through the highs and lows of life with her eyes firmly fixed on Jesus. Milky coffee, dark chocolate, belly laughs, and deep conversations bring such delight to these earthly days. But nothing thrills her soul more than spurring others on in living vibrantly for Christ.
Today’s gift, Jesus’ Obedience, is opened today by Shiela Daniel. After discussing the annual tradition of reading the biblical account of Jesus’ birth, we talk about how fear and insecurities can impact our steps of obedience to the leading of the Living God. Whatever call you may have on your life, and may be hesitating in, we hope you are encouraged to take a few baby steps. Our prayer for you today is that you will step into the bravery of obeying God when challenges arise.
To connect with Sheila, head over to https://www.faithfamilyfriendship.com. You can also connect with her on social media at https://www.facebook.com/sheiladanielblog and https://www.instagram.com/sheiladanielwrites/. Her book, Escape and Rescue: A Story About Love, Grace, and Redemption is available at amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram @jenniferelwoodauthor. nd you can check out my new collaboration, Counting Up To Christmas in Uganda and the USA: A Recipe & Devotional eBook at https://mailchi.mp/d987f948a94c/seed-of-hope-ebook-fund-raiser.
Bio: Sheila Daniel is a wife, a mom, and a Mim. She has been married to her husband, Brad, for thirty-four years, and has had the privilege of homeschooling all five of their children. Sheila began her public writing journey shortly after joining the “grandma” club six years ago, and recently released her debut novella, Escape and Rescue. When Sheila is not busy with her family or working on her latest writing project, she enjoys blogging at https://www.faithfamilyfriendship.com.
For today’s episode, Jennifer invited her pastor Nate Wright to open the gift of communion. After talking about what a Christmas traditionalist he is, and ponder an illumination of Communion present in sacred art, he unfolds the gift with a lot of heart. Communion is a sacred, wonderful gift that opens so beautifully when shared communally with reverence and appreciation of all Jesus accomplished on the cross.
Thank you again to Nate and if you’re in the Yakima Valley and want to connect with our church, check out https://mbcyakima.com.
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram @jenniferelwoodauthor. And you can check out my new collaboration, Counting Up To Christmas in Uganda and the USA: A Recipe & Devotional eBook at https://mailchi.mp/d987f948a94c/seed-of-hope-ebook-fund-raiser.
On today’s show we have a very special guest: Santa himself! Santa Corky Kinter loves Jesus and opened the gift of our future home by pointing us to our true north star, the light of the world—Jesus. Listen in as we tear up contemplating the amazing gift God sent us in His son.
You can keep up to date with Santa Corky and book future virtual and in-person visits on his Facebook Page: @christmasadventureswithsanta and https://www.facebook.com/santa.corky.9
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram @jenniferelwoodauthor. And you can check out my new collaboration, Counting Up To Christmas in Uganda and the USA: A Recipe & Devotional eBook at https://mailchi.mp/d987f948a94c/seed-of-hope-ebook-fund-raiser.
I’m so glad author Marcy Bursac could break away from the beauty pageant circuit to help us open the gift of Jesus the Cornerstone. After discussing her tacky Christmas tree and ”Santaur” ornament, she shares how the habit of morning devotionals begins the day for her family on the solid foundation and cornerstone of Christ. Our prayer for us is that we would intentionally connect with the Living God in HIs Word regularly and remember who our secure foundation is: Christ.
You can connect with Marcy, her book, Podcast, and socials at https://forgottenadoptionoption.com.
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram @jenniferelwoodauthor.
Bio: Adoption was Marcy’s Plan A. While remote schooling her children during the pandemic, Marcy felt compassion for the remaining 120,000 U.S. children who are waiting in foster care to be adopted. So she wrote a book (The Forgotten Adoption Option: A How-To and Self-Reflection Guide for Pursuing Foster Care Adoption), launched a podcast (The Forgotten Adoption Option Podcast), and is on a quest to find forever families as United States of America’s Mrs. Ohio. She is educating the country on who waiting children are and how foster care adoption is the fastest and most affordable way to adopt children with a financial cost of $0 - $2,500 per child.
For today’s episode, Danielle Poorman is here to open the gift of transformation. After discussing their family’s tradition of celebrating the 12 days of Christmas, she walks through how a personal tragedy caused the greatest spiritual transformation she experienced. Our prayer for us is that we keep God’s transformational power at the forefront of our hearts and minds as we experience the ups and downs of the rest of the holiday season.
You can connect with Danielle and receive updates about her upcoming devotional and podcast episodes for her Renewing Motherhood ministry at https://daniellehope.com. You can also find her on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest @mrsdaniellehope.
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram @jenniferelwoodauthor.
Bio: Danielle Poorman is wife to an amazing husband of 14 years, mother to two lovely children, and a “once upon a time classroom teacher turned stay at home mom.” Her days are spent teaching my children and drinking plenty of coffee! She wants mothers everywhere to know there is a purpose in what we do. Behind the “picking up,” teaching, training, working, cooking, etc, there is a purpose. There is value and there is virtue. She invites you to join her to walk together and learn from one another along the way and encourage one another to draw closer to God in our motherhood.
Thank you again to Susan Hoekstra for helping us open the gift of humility. After discussing a musical Christmas tradition, we move into discussing three areas requiring humility in our lives: making mistakes, recognizing we are limited, and sin. Our prayer is that we can take a firm grasp onto humility and notice how that can bring a Christ-centered focus to our lives.
You can connect with Susan at her website, https://susankhoekstra.com and her book, A Firm Grasp: Feeling Validated in a Notice-Me World is available at Amazon.com.
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram @jenniferelwoodauthor. And you can check out my new collaboration, Counting Up To Christmas in Uganda and the USA: A Recipe & Devotional eBook at https://mailchi.mp/d987f948a94c/seed-of-hope-ebook-fund-raiser.
Bio: Susan Hoekstra is a musician, lay counselor, author, song-writer, speaker, ministry leader, and host of THE NOTICE Podcast. She started A FIRM GRASP Ministries to encourage others to gain a firm grasp on God's mercy, leading them to notice the way God notices. She has been featured in Just Between Us magazine and Christian Devotions. Her book A FIRM GRASP: Feeling Validated in a Notice-Me World explores our need for acknowledgment and approval and how the God of mercy satisfies! Sharing her diverse testimony and encouraging others towards a deeper understanding of God's mercy is her passion.
I loved opening the gift of preparation with my sister Danae Weber! Listen in as we lament the lack of Christmas PJs growing up, and discuss the important of preparing our heart, minds—and expectations—for Christmas Day. Our prayer for you is that no matter what Christmas looks like for you this year that your expectations are Christ-centered.
You can follow Danae on Instagram
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram @jenniferelwoodauthor. And you can check out my new collaboration, Counting Up To Christmas in Uganda and the USA: A Recipe & Devotional eBook at https://mailchi.mp/d987f948a94c/seed-of-hope-ebook-fund-raiser.
Bio: Danae Weber lives in Yakima, WA and is a special education K-5 teacher. Her daughter Gracie is 11 years old (who by the way was very involved in the production of my Christmas devotional book.) When she has free time, she enjoys reading and playing the ukulele. She also loves studying the Bible and growing in her relationship with God.
Opening the gift of the Law’s Fulfillment with Bree Blum was, well, fulfilling! After talking about her tradition of returning home to decorate for Christmas, we addressed the law’s fulfillment with an eastern lens and peer into the culture, history, and language of Scripture to consider what this all really means. You’ll want to shema, (listen in) to this episode and hear Bree’s unwrapping of this wonderful gift.
To connect with Bree, head over to https://intentionalfilling.com and check out @intentionalfilling on Facebook and Instagram.
To RSVP for ”A Mary Christmas,” an on-line Christmas party on 12/16 at 5pm PST featuring my talk ”Nothing is Impossible with God (Even a Joy-Filled Christmas)", head over to intentionalfilling.com and click on the link in the homepage.
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram @jenniferelwoodauthor. And you can check out my new collaboration, Counting Up To Christmas in Uganda and the USA: A Recipe & Devotional eBook at https://mailchi.mp/d987f948a94c/seed-of-hope-ebook-fund-raiser.
Bio: Bree Blum, a Ministry Leader + Community Connector at Intentional Filling, an online ministry helping women intentionally grow their faith by being rooted in the Word and its context. The ministry hosts seasonal online studies that focus on the Jewish roots of the Christian faith and has an online shop that includes Bible study resources (included in your freebies), faith-based apparel, and online courses. Bree earned her Master's degree in Elementary Education: Literacy, Language, and Learning from Marshall University and is a life-long learner of Scripture. You can find her at intentionalfilling.com, and @intentional filling on FB and IG.
On today’s podcast, we will open the gift of joy with Melissa Smith. Her thoughts on God’s illumination in her life that joy is not a choice—but a person—can help us realize how much we can depend on Christ’s joy whenever the holidays wreak havoc on us. Our prayer for you is that throughout the holiday season, you are able to carve out time to cultivate a deeper, joy-filled relationship with Jesus.
You can connect with Melissa Smith at https://framedinjoy.com and @framedinjoy on Instagram.
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram @jenniferelwoodauthor. And you can check out my new collaboration, Counting Up To Christmas in Uganda and the USA: A Recipe & Devotional eBook at https://mailchi.mp/d987f948a94c/seed-of-hope-ebook-fund-raiser.
Bio: Melissa Smith is living out her everyday adventures in the suburbs of Texas. She loves three things: God, beauty, and words. When she won her first camera in fourth grade, she began collecting beauty. Since then, she has captured snapshots of life: a quiet moment, a startled smile, simple joy. When she is not shuttling her teens to school or homeschooling her youngest, Melissa gathers beauty and writes on her website, framing suffering in the context of joy with Christ. She hopes to bring a slice of loveliness to her readers and point them to her wonderful, loving Savior. You can find her on Instagram and her website: framed in joy.
If you’ve never considered saltiness a gift, you may have your mind changed today. Today, Jennifer and her guest Kristin St. Martin open the gift of saltiness. We carefully step into (because you can’t dive into salt saturated water!) the deeper meaning that God attached to the miraculous mineral He created. Listen in as we liken the purity of salt to the message of the Gospel. Our prayer for you is to bring Jesus-centered seasonings to your relationships and celebrations.
There are a few zoom connectivity issues in this episode—thank you ahead of time for your grace.
You can check out my new collaboration, Counting Up To Christmas in Uganda and the USA: A Recipe & Devotional eBook at https://mailchi.mp/d987f948a94c/seed-of-hope-ebook-fund-raiser. Included in this eBook is the recipe for smoked salt!
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram.
Bio: Kristin St. Martin serves the Lord right in the heart of apple country, in her small hometown of Naches, Washington. Her husband of 18 years and their two daughters help run a small family business, that not only ministers to their community, but serves the best homemade biscuits and gravy around—and she is not kidding! Kristin loves to grab her ukulele, head to the mountains, and practice worshipping God through music in his glorious creation. Since her trip to the Holy Land in 2018, she has hungered to learn more about the land, history, and people of Israel.
I’m so thankful Denise Pass joined me to open the gift of lamentation. Listen in as we discuss how despair can impact us and the privilege of relationship with Him—that we can approach the throne of grace and not be afraid to lay all the ups and downs of our lives on Him. Our prayer for us is that we may shed any doubts that the Living God can handle our woes and be assured He desires a deeper relationship.
You can connect with Denise's social media links, books, and her daily Bible Tribe Video/Podcast at www.denisepass.com and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/denisepass_seeingdeep
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram @jenniferelwoodauthor. And you can check out my new collaboration, Counting Up To Christmas in Uganda and the USA: A Recipe & Devotional eBook at https://mailchi.mp/d987f948a94c/seed-of-hope-ebook-fund-raiser.
Bio: Denise Pass is the author of Make Up Your Mind – coming in 2022 – and Shame Off You published in 2018, and a women's event speaker with Compassion International. She is the Director of Worship Arts and Family Ministries at her church and a Bible teacher, worship leader, podcaster, and CCM Artist/Songwriter with her ministry, Seeing Deep Ministries, where readers see deep in a shallow world. (By the way, I am one of her interns!) A writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries' First 5 app, Denise is passionate about cultivating a devotional life in others, stopping biblical illiteracy, and has a daily Bible reading plan broadcast, The Bible Tribe, to help viewers apply Scripture to their lives. With four of her children finished with college, Denise has an MA in Biblical Exposition from Liberty University and loves finding new ways to share God's timeless truths. A homeschool mom for 23 years, Denise and her husband enjoy family time and traveling.
Today, author Beth Hildebrand joins Jennifer to open the gift of God’s Care. After discussing a home-based Christmas tradition, Beth shares how this gift opened in her life during a time when she had doubts about God but determined to persevere in relationship with Him.
To stay connected with Beth Hildebrand head to her website https://bethhildebrand.com, Facebook or Instagram.
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram @jenniferelwoodauthor. And you can check out my new collaboration, Counting Up To Christmas in Uganda and the USA: A Recipe & Devotional eBook at https://mailchi.mp/d987f948a94c/seed-of-hope-ebook-fund-raiser.
Bio: Beth Hildebrand is a writer, blogger, mentor, and leader in her church and community. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, has a son and daughter in college, and enjoys traveling, art, taking photographs, reading, and dancing with friends or by herself whenever there’s a chance.
On today’s episode, the opening of Scripture gifts continues and we turn our attention to the Inspired Word. My guest, Angie Baughman, begins by talking about one her favorite traditions - passing the light from one candle to another at church on Christmas Eve. As we continued, I loved how she likened God’s Word to Mary Poppins’ carpet bag—it looks ordinary from the outside. But once you open it, and dig through, you’ll be surprised and delighted by what comes forth! We also discussed how God is with us in our battles and encourages us through His Word.
You can connect with Angie on her website https://livesteadyon.com and on Facebook and Instagram @livesteadyon.
You can pick up her books, Strong Hearts: Increasing Our Trust in Jesus Through Examining the Lines of the Lord’s Prayer andA Journey Worth Taking: Exploring the Significance of the Gifts the Wise Men Brought to Jesuson Amazon.com.
You can join the book study Influence: Building a Platform that Elevates Jesus (Not Me)(available on Amazon.com) that will meet on Tuesdays January 11 - March 29 via zoom from 9:30-10:30am PSTby emailing Angie: angie@livesteadyon.com.
Check out a link detailing the archaeological finds in Gath from the Times of Israel. https://www.timesofisrael.com/colossal-ancient-structures-found-at-gath-may-explain-origin-of-story-of-goliath/
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram @jenniferelwoodauthor. And you can check out my new collaboration, Counting Up To Christmas in Uganda and the USA: A Recipe & Devotional eBook at https://mailchi.mp/d987f948a94c/seed-of-hope-ebook-fund-raiser.
Bio: Angie Baughman’s core desire is to live in fellowship with Him. Angie loves her family. Her husband, Matt, and their two sons, Alex and Josh, are the people she gets to do life with in Southern Illinois. Angie loves teaching. Nothing fills her up like leading a Bible study or sharing a message to a group that is heart-ready to hear it. Angie loves the local church. She grew up a preacher’s kid and jumped into ministry as early as her teenage years. She has served as a pastor since 2004. Angie also loves taking trips to Walt Disney World, sipping cups of hot tea, watching old Law & Order episodes, and almost anything with a paisley print.
After guest Marvita Franklin welcomes Jennifer into the world of decorating for Christmas early, they dive into the topic of opening the gift of fully present relationship. Check our their conversation that reveals how we can embrace the space Jesus creates for us - and create space for others. Our prayer for you is to lay down the temptation to fix others but to be with them as they process the ups and downs of life.
You can connect with Marvita on her website https://marvitafranklin.com and on Instagram.
You can pick up a copy of her book He Makes All Things Beautiful: God’s Transformation of Our Emotional Wounds, Scars and Brokenness on Amazon.com.
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram. And you can check out my new collaboration, Counting Up To Christmas in Uganda and the USA: A Recipe & Devotional eBook at https://mailchi.mp/d987f948a94c/seed-of-hope-ebook-fund-raiser.
Bio: Most days you can find Marvita Franklin encouraging leaders, problem-solving, or leading change. The rest of her time is spent creating, reading, and learning. Most people know her for training and developing leaders. She is super excited about the opportunity to share her heart around the things she loves most—the Word of God, leader development, and creativity.
Her life mission statement is simple: “To make God’s Word plain and practical so His people live victoriously!”
She is author of the book He Makes All Things Beautiful: God’s Transformation of Our Emotional Wounds, Scars, and Brokenness and the upcoming Bible Study Beauty Secrets for Life(TM) For Women of Influence. She is also Project Manager for Leadership & Talent Development, a Co-Active Coach, and Gallup-Certified Clifton Strengths Coach.
It was a blast opening the gift of generosity with my husband Tom Elwood! After talking about our holiday staycation tradition, and wishing my son Mitchell a happy birthday, we move into how God opened generosity in his life. He shared a valuable lesson of giving from early adulthood as well as the benefits—and possible harm to the recipient—that we should pray through when considering giving.
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com.
You can learn more about my new collaboration eBook, Counting Up To Christmas in Uganda and the USA: A Recipe & Devotional eBook at https://mailchi.mp/d987f948a94c/seed-of-hope-ebook-fund-raiser.
You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram @jenniferelwoodauthor.
Bio: Tom Elwood is married to Jennifer with 4 children, one step-son, and two grandchildren. He gave up his successful Oil Can Henry businesses for semi-retirement in 2015. Since then, he's helped many people keep cars running past their prime and spent many summers working on his 1978 Ozark tri-hull. When he's not tinkering with electronic toys, he enjoys helping his daughter Holly with the family restaurant, Taste and See Deli Bakery.
Today we will be opening up the gift of determined trust with Dianah Male. Listen in as Jennifer and Dianah likens our journey of having trust in the Lord to the story of the woman who experienced great healing from Jesus in Luke 8. As this gift opens, our prayer is that you are renewed in your determined trust of Jesus.
There are a few zoom connectivity issues in this episode—thank you ahead of time for your grace.
You can grab a copy of our co-authored ebook Counting Up To Christmas in Uganda and the USA: Recipes and Cultural Traditions for a donation towards Seed of Hope ministries at www.jenniferelwood.com.
You can stay up to date with Seed of Hope Missions and become a partner for their monthly missions on the website https://allegrosolutions.org/donate/UgandaSeedOfHope001 and on the Seed of Hope Facebook Page.
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram.
Bio: Dianah Male is married to Elijah, a partnership facilitator for Compassion International, and they have four gorgeous children. She loves cooking, music, adventure, and shopping. Her passion for the Lord will find her frequently praying and studying the Word of God. She is executive director for Seed of Hope to the Helpless and leads month missions in and around Kampala, Uganda.
Today we will open the gift of faith with my friend, podcaster and speaker, Janell Wood. After talking about memories created when ”elfing” dear friends from a town in which she previously lived, Janell powerfully opens the gift of faith through the story of Peter stepping out of the boat in the Sea of Galilee.
You can connect with Janell on her website, https://findingsomethingreal.com and her podcast of the same name, as well as on Instagram @janell_m_wood and Facebook @findingsomethingrealwithjanellwood.
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram @jenniferelwoodauthor.
Bio: Janell loves to have honest, imperfect, conversations about faith and doubt. She has a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology, and a background in advocacy and ministry. She is a writer, speaker, high school foreign exchange coordinator, and host of the "Finding Something REAL" podcast - a grace-filled journey for faith seekers and believers needing encouragement. She lives in Eastern Washington with her husband (the kindest man she knows), four kids, and (sometimes) a teenage exchange daughter. In her free time, she can be found watching vintage television with her family, looking for creative solutions to thinning eyelashes, and avoiding the kitchen.
Today, we will open the gift of reconciliation with Tabatha Haines and Stacey March from the Flaws of Friendship Podcast. Check out our mini Hebrew lesson about the word friend and receive encouragement to fully pursue reconciled relationships with the people in your life. Our prayer is that as you receive the bravery from the Lord needed to open this gift, you will walk forward in obedience towards reconciled relationships with family and friends just in time for Christmas.
Connect with Tab and Stacey on their Website and socials Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
Check out their Flaws of Friendship Podcast or the video version on YouTube
You can grab a paperback or Kindle copy of Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram.
Bio: Tabatha Haines and Stacey at the Flaws of Friendship Podcast are two friends who blew up but are being put back together. Now they are helping women get the most out of life from the gift of friendship by helping them discover and live out what it is, what it can do, and who it helps you become.
Have you ever wondered what freedom in Christ really looks like? Listen in as Jennifer opens up the gift of freedom with her guest Shirley Desmond Jackson. After discussing the wonder of twinkling Christmas lights and the surprising meaning behind celebrating Christmas near the winter solstice, Shirley shares from her own life experience how God opened this gift by teaching her life lessons of having grace for herself and setting boundaries.
You can connect with Shirley at her website at https://shirleydesmondjackson.com. You can find her on socials Facebook and Instagram @shirleydesmondjackson.
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram @jenniferelwoodauthor.
Bio: Shirley Desmond Jackson has been a Christian for thirty-nine years. She began her long and varied career by joining one of the most prestigious international accounting firms in the world. After leaving the CPA firm, she continued working in the private industry.
Taking a brief hiatus from her career, Shirley joined the ministry staff of a missionary church in Paris, France. When she returned to accounting, she served as the financial administrator for churches in Europe and the United States. Eventually she opened her own private practice where she mentored women entrepreneurs.
After twenty years of accounting, Shirley transitioned to a career in public education where she specialized in Reading Instruction. After ten years in the classroom, she became an Instructional Coach. In this capacity she trained other teachers in literacy instruction.
Now retired, Shirley and her husband serve their home church by shepherding the hearts of young married couples.
Thank you again to Debbie for helping us open the gift of healing from such a wonderful perspective. After talking about the joy of looking at Christmas lights, we addressed the many areas that God heals in the midst of chronic pain. Our prayer for us is that as the world continues in chronic pain, that we will shine Christ and approach Him for the healing.
You can connect with Debbie Patrick at https://anchoredandalive.org as well as on Instagram @anchored_and_alive and on Facebook @anchoredandalive. Her book, What Now? Navigating through the Truth, Tears and Turmoil of Chronic Pain is available on Amazon.com.
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram @jenniferelwoodauthor.
Bio: Debbie Patrick is a survivor of Breast Cancer, Metal Poisoning, 4 hip replacements and every day Chronic Pain because of metal-on-metal medical devices. Debbie is wife to one amazing guy for 34 years and Mom to two beautiful daughters. They live in Western Washington. Debbie enjoys speaking, writing, and spending time near the water. She is an advocate for metal testing and shared her written story for the FDA in Washington D.C. Her goal is to see mandatory metal testing before all metal implants.
For today’s episode, we will open up the gift of our true father by discussing relationships with our earthly fathers and, even more important, with our true father God. Cheryl Shumake, our guest, shares how personal, intentional, and peace filled our God is. She unwraps this gift of how our true father pursues us with a father’s longing and heart. A favorite quotes from Cheryl is: ”From an indefensible position, the things that we expect a father to do, God will do.” Our prayer for you is that as you contemplate the relationships with father figures in your life, that any ache be covered with the peace that transcends all understanding.
You can connect with Cheryl at https://stepmomsanity and on Facebook and Instagram @stepmomsanity. You can listen in to the Stepmom Sanity Podcast on Spotify and other Podcasting channels. You can get a copy of Waiting to be Wanted: A Stepmom’s Guide to Loving Before Being Loved at Amazon.com.
You can grab a copy of Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke at Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram.
Bio: Cheryl Shumake is a Bible teacher, author, certified Master Life Coach, Stepfamily Educator, SYMBIS facilitator, is currently pursuing post-graduate certification as a Family Life Educator—and nearly a first-time grandma. In 2020 she founded Stepmom Sanity, a Christ-centered, sister circle of support, providing hope and help for stepmoms who are "there," wherever their "there" is, from stepmoms who've been there. Cheryl is an avid adventurer, mom of 1, bonus mom of 3, and wife of Jonathan, who is her willing guinea pig for most things. Ask her about her greatest adventure and she'll tell you: "That I know and love the Lord and get to love others and point them to Him." Cheryl, and her husband, whom she met at 12 years of age, and was a guest at her first wedding in 1987, make their home in Michigan and are frequently invaded by people looking for food and hugs!
Many thanks to Dr. Sonia E. Amin for helping us to witness the choice God made to send his Son as an infant and open the gift of Jesus’ Birth. Our prayer is that we all would be open to choose to honor this gift and point others, in the many circles of relationship we enjoy in our lives, to the amazing gift of Jesus.
You can connect with Sonia and her debut children's book at www.soniaeamin.com and grab a copy of Bax and His Bubbles: All About a Kid and His Thoughts in English or Spanish at Amazon.com. She can also be found on Instagram @soniaeamin and Facebook @drsoniaeamin.
Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke is available on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram @jenniferelwoodauthor.
Bio: Dr. Sonia Amin is a pharmacist and children's book author of Bax and His Bubbles - All About a Kid and His Thoughts. She is passionate about helping others live healthy lives and believes in nurturing spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional health. She lives in Florida with her husband and two sons.
Welcome to the first season of the Refuge Podcast with Jennifer Elwood!
In this first episode, you'll leave inspired after listening in to Amy Earls' wisdom about opening the gift of prayer for the holiday season. Our prayer for you is to daily connect with Jesus as we Count Up To Christmas together this month.
Connect with Amy at her Website
Instagram @authoramyearls
Facebook @authoramyearls
Check out her Fly by Faith Podcast
You can grab a paperback or Kindle copy of Counting Up To Christmas: 24 Gifts from the Gospel of Luke on Amazon.com. You can enjoy daily accountability to read a chapter a day of Luke in the Counting Up To Christmas Facebook Group and on Instagram.
Bio: As a young adult Christian novelist and podcast host, Amy Earls writes and shares stories that encourage teens to grow in their own faith. Amy lives in Oregon’s bike-riding, Beaver-loving college town with stashes of dark chocolate, stacks of books, one husband, two daughters, two guinea pigs named Salt & Pepper, and a never-dying goldfish.