The Equipped: Recent Episodes
Clarisse Garcia
Welcome to "The Equipped" Podcast, where corporate woman Cassie Duke and college basketball coach Clarisse Garcia help you uncover what God's Word says about who you are and His promises for you! This podcast is a journey to equip and empower you to operate and thrive in your God-given identity!
In this episode, we discuss the four seasons (Secret Time, Showing and Growing, Birthing, and Stewardship) we navigate while waiting for that which God had promised us! We parallel physical pregnancy with spiritual promises. Whether you are physically carrying a child in pregnancy or God has given you a promise that has yet to manifest, you have a purpose inside of you that was given to you at birth. Learn with us as we discuss how God teaches us to steward each to reach full term. Enjoy and God Bless!
Bookending the “Book of Wisdom,” chapter 31 of Proverbs gives us insight into walking in God’s ways. Although it particularly highlights being a noble or excellent wife, we can all take these lessons of encouragement and apply them in our lives to grow closer to God and walk in His wisdom. Enjoy and God Bless!
When Jesus was here on earth, He taught us many things. In one lesson, He gave us instructions on how to pray a marvelously complete prayer that includes all parts of life experience. Many of us have already learned the Lord’s Prayer, but do we really know what we are saying? Today, we dive deep into what each phrase means and how we can be better equipped in our prayer life, whether by saying this specific prayer or using it as a model. Enjoy and God Bless!
Have you ever wondered about the stories in the Gospels that Jesus shared? Parables are God’s lenses into the principles of His Kingdom. In this episode, we talk through what parables are, how and why God used them, and different lessons we learn from them! Join us today as we dive into the depth of Jesus’s heart for his people through storytelling! Enjoy and God Bless!
Every season in life is designed to help us grow closer to God, our Maker. Different seasons allow God to move in different ways. Clarisse shares her journey through singleness and how God has now prepared her heart for marriage. She also releases God’s word for His people about being close to His heart in all seasons of life! Enjoy and God Bless!
What is required of us? That which was modeled so perfectly by Jesus during His time here on earth: Justice, Mercy, Humility. Today’s episode unpacks these commands to enable us to walk as Christ did with Him always at our side. Enjoy and God Bless!
The days seem to get away from us at a high rate, but God remains the same and we are who He says we are—EVERY DAY! We wanted to recount God’s faithfulness over the past few months, so tune in to hear our life updates and lessons from God! Enjoy and God Bless!
Sometimes the concept of wearing a crown can be a little arbitrary since we see it mostly in other cultures, or in cultural events such as the Miss America pageant, prom where the queen dons a tiara, or even in dress-up. Unlike these crowns, Jesus wore a crown of thorns, which paved the way for us to be genuine servants and followers of Him. Our reward for doing so is an imperishable crown. We discuss the different crowns in this episode and give a glimpse of our eternal life with Jesus! Enjoy and God Bless!
“He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord…He trusted in God so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those before him.” What an amazing phrase to encapsulate the legacy of King Hezekiah, a man fully yielded to God. In this episode, we study Hezekiah’s love of God to learn how to cling closely to God as we follow in His footsteps. Enjoy and God Bless!
God and hate in the same sentence seems controversial, and borderline blasphemous. Our thoughts are a mute point when it comes to this, as we find a list of things God hates in His Word. Our good, loving God wants to make sure we know that there are things that place us in hostility against Him. Tune in today as we uncover the truth about what God hates to reveal those things that He loves. Enjoy and God bless!
When God tells us to do something, it is because He sees the whole picture. We can either partner in obedience with Him or choose to do our own thing. Today, we study the story of Lot’s wife, who faced grave repercussions for looking back when commanded not to do so. In this episode, we discuss guarding our “eye gate” as we walk with God. Enjoy and God Bless!
Worship can be a seemingly broad-spectrum topic, so in this episode, we turn to God’s Word to hear His heart on worship. We will answer questions like, “What is worship?” “How does it look?” “What do we do?” This episode will break down barriers to worship and teach how to adore God best. Enjoy and God Bless!
God calls us to be holy. Not as we are able, but as He in us is able to be. Today’s episode is based on the words of Peter, whose wisdom from God directs us in how to live a holy life, one surrendered and obedient to Jesus. Tune is as we talk through practical points of living out God’s call to holiness on our lives. Enjoy and God Bless!
We wear many hats every day while juggling our day to day responsibilities. In all situations, God’s Word says to rejoice! Today, let’s take our hats off and let God guide us in His truth as we navigate busy schedules. Enjoy and God Bless!
Scripture tells us that we can say this with confidence: “The Lord is my helper.’” God is a very present help and place of shelter for us whether we are going through small situations or life changing events. He cares so much about assisting us in life, and we can humbly receive the help He provides. Tune in today to find out how! Enjoy and God Bless!
We all have nicknames that describe who we are and reflect the closeness of those who use those names of endearment. God’s character is also revealed through His names which we find in Scripture. One is “Jehovah Jireh,” which focuses on God as provider. Tune in to hear how God shows up for us in all things! Enjoy and God Bless!
We live submitted to something—or someone: beliefs, ideals, spouse, self, own understanding, logic, etc. In James 4:7, we are told to “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee.” We have the option to cooperate with God’s vision for our lives or continue to walk in our own ways. In this episode, we talk about two Biblical examples of how God can use us as we surrender to Him, and choose obedience to Him and His plan, which often requires us to pivot. Tune in today for tips to pivot on purpose, in God’s purpose for our lives. Enjoy and God Bless!
How often do we typically talk about the headliner topics: elections, Black Lives Matter, immigration, human rights, and even COVID? While we may be quick to jump passionately into dialogue about what’s going on in the world, we can often neglect the main headline that remains the best news—Jesus Christ. Jesus teaches us during His time here on earth that we need to focus on the MAIN THING, not the main-steam! Our podcast session is pulled from a seemingly obscure passage from Luke 13, but allow this episode to shed light on nuggets of truth for us as we navigate this world, and all the media that gets thrown in our direction. Enjoy and God Bless!
When God tells us to do something, we have the option to do it or not. In the story of Noah, when God told him to build an ark, to the corrupted world around him, it was completely crazy and seemingly absurd. He could have totally said, “No way!” Yet, in ALL that God commanded, Noah was obedient in the face of disbelief. God shows us that we can trust Him even when we or the world around us doesn’t understand. Today, we highlight the details of Noah’s journey to apply it to our own lives. Enjoy and God Bless!
We can look to our good God to be everything we need in every season of our lives. His presence is constant. His love is everlasting. One thing He teaches us as we journey with Him is that He can be trusted as reliable, loyal, and steadfast! Tune in today as we talk about how God’s faithfulness allows us to believe in Him and His promises, regardless of how life positions us. Enjoy and God Bless!
The moment Cassie had an encounter with Christ and His great love, she was forever changed. Her life was transformed from people-pleasing to one lived in God’s power and passion. Tune in for this special treat as our co-host Cassie Duke shares her first hand account of God’s work in her life! Enjoy and God Bless!
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” (Jeremiah 33:3) This scripture is an intimate invite for all of us into the secret place with Jesus where His presence changes everything as we sit with Him. In today’s episode, prayer warrior Ashley Reyes talks about navigating breakthroughs and disappointments in prayer and intercession. Tune in for an AWESOME TESTIMONY and TRUE TRUTH NUGGETS about how God moves and works through our intimate time with Him. Enjoy and God Bless!
We all have a calling and ministry regardless of whether or not we are serving in the church. Some days can be completely energizing and others can leave us utterly exhausted, in body and mind. While we are serving God well and waiting on His promises, God says that we can be strengthened and renewed from Him. Dig deeper with us today as we dive into scripture to learn what it means to wait on the Lord and how to do that well! Enjoy and God Bless!
God created us with an inner desire for community. We need friends. Our best friends have our ear and our time. Today we talk about a friend who is a constant companion. Learn what God’s Word says about how our relationship with God is a friendship guided by help and peace. We discuss how it looks when we enter into partnership with Him in friendship. Enjoy and God Bless!
We are in a “crossroads moment” in history where there is a distinct opportunity and challenge to treat all people with care, consideration, and concern. We are called to honor humanity. It can be hard to honor others when we are overly internally focused. It is often even harder to honor those who view the world differently than us. Join us as we look to God’s Word for guidance in learning to live in love for our world and all who live in it. Enjoy and God Bless!
The desire to be INTIMATE (known and understood) is knit into the very fabric of our make-up as humans. The one relationship that can completely fulfill our heart cry for ultimate intimacy is with God. When we show up, lock in, and live out of the relationship we build with God, we get to know Him deeply, continue to grow in Him, and show others how to do the same. Enjoy and God Bless!
“By the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony, we overcome.” (Revelation 12:11) One of the ways we can learn to grow in our walk with God is by learning from others. In this episode, Clarisse shares about her journey with Jesus, and encourages you to remember that whatever you face can be done so with peace from God while rejoicing daily. Enjoy and God Bless!
Living in unprecedented times can cause the reality of our circumstances to drive us to feel many different sentiments and take a variety of heart-stances. Although situationally, our world can seem bleak, God’s Word encourages us to choose to live in His perfect peace without fearing what the next moment may hold. Be encouraged that you are not alone and you can uproot any fear in your life and replace it with promises from His Word. Enjoy and God Bless!
Many experiences in life can prompt us to question if God hears us when we pray, or if our prayers even matter. We learn today through the life of Hannah that God’s answers to our prayers are not evidence He hears us. He hears us because He says He does in His Word. We can be at peace with this fresh reminder today! Enjoy and God Bless!
Receiving God’s grace means that we have unmerited and unearned favor to live better than we deserve in spite of the trials and circumstances we may face. Through all seasons of life, we can express confidence in the Lord as He produces endurance, character and hope in us! Tune in to hear how God’s great grace allows us to have joy at all times! Enjoy and God Bless!
Regardless of the season in which we find ourselves, having a heart and an attitude of gratitude leads to a life of gratitude! We discover new nuggets about being grateful, so tune in today to learn about this Kingdom principle modeled by Jesus and his followers that we can mirror in our own lives! Enjoy and God Bless!
In today’s society, it is so easy to become offended. Maybe someone didn’t appreciate what you did for them. Perhaps an expectation you had didn’t get met or you didn’t get what you wanted out of a situation. It could be that someone’s behaviors or words caused hurt. Whatever you feel from the act of offense is likely right to feel, but is it RIGHT? Learn today how to equip yourself to deal with offense and get rid of the things that put barriers between yourself and others! Enjoy and God Bless!
If desire is a sense of longing, yearning, or hoping for something, what is it that we desire most in this life? Some answers may reflect the SOUL nature. Other answers may be in alignment with the SPIRIT. But there is a SOLE desire that allows us to be about the ONE thing, and that is God. We discuss how to understand God’s deep delight for us, and how to practically walk out a life of desiring God in a world that pulls our heart strings in a thousand different directions. Enjoy and God Bless!
Have you ever wanted a life-reset? Like you just needed a new opportunity at doing life differently? When we make the decision to believe in and receive Jesus Christ, that’s what happens: “If anyone is in Christ, [they are] a NEW CREATION. The OLD has passed away; the NEW has come.” There is such hope and freedom in living from the new self because we are not the same as we used to be. We are different. We are changed. God in us transforms us and liberates us from habits, bondages, sin patterns, and brings us into a greater knowledge of who He is and who we are IN HIM. If you are saved, unsaved, or even on the fence about being saved, be blessed by this message as you learn how living as a Brand New You is TRULY possible daily. Enjoy and God Bless!
When the Bible “urges” us to do something, the visual painted is that of one person being called to another’s side, usually to be encouraged and strengthened. That’s exactly what Paul does in Ephesians. This episode delves into part of what he was inspired to write to unpack “4 U’s” that every believer needs to know to fulfill our roles as we journey through life here on Earth. Enjoy and God Bless!
“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Our concept of pride often revolves around this notion of arrogance, which is a form of pride, but not the only type. We can experience pride, or deep satisfaction, in a job well-done, a task well-executed, a goal achieved in excellence, or having great self-worth. However, the pride that can serve as the ultimate pitfall is when we prefer self-will over God’s Will. This is a dangerous place of existence because we live out of “self-sufficiency, self-importance, and self-exaltation in relation to God.” In this episode, you will learn how to shift towards a life led in humility, living out God’s Will in your life. Enjoy and God Bless!
After experiencing tough seasons when God’s promises seem SO far out of reach, how do we navigate life and our relationship with God when we DO receive that which He has promised? Blessings follow obedience and are on the other side of challenging seasons. Tune in to hear how to stay close to and not forget about God during seasons of abundance. Enjoy and God Bless!
Even on cloudy days, the sun is still there, above the clouds, always shining. On our brightest days and in our bleakest hours, we can rest in knowing God is steadfast, faithful, and never leaves us. When everything around us screams otherwise, our belief in Him and His plans for our life will never allow us to be put to shame. Tune in as we talk about enduring in all things because of God’s love alive in us! Enjoy and God Bless!
As new creations in Christ, we know that we no longer have to walk according to the flesh but can walk by the Spirit. How do we know whether we walk in the flesh or the Spirit? We are known by our fruit and we see the evidence of Holy Spirit’s Fruit in our lives when we operate in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. Dive deeper into the heart of God with us today as we learn to bear these fruits in our lives! Enjoy and God Bless!
With Independence Day around the corner, our hearts and minds are shifted to gratitude for the very freedom we enjoy today. What a better time to discuss the freedom we have in Christ, who paid the highest price to bring the truth that sets us free? Learn how Jesus liberates us from everything—from affliction and being brokenhearted to captivity and being bound! Enjoy and God Bless!
Whether it’s waiting on a promise from God or self-inflicted through unrealistic expectations, everyone has felt varying degrees of being defeated in expectation or hope. We don’t have to live that way. Today we discuss disappointment—how it looks and how to deal with it through Christ who has equipped us! Enjoy and God Bless!
Living in a world that tries to define us, we must look to God’s Word to learn how He uniquely handcrafted each and every one of us. As His “workmanship,” we can know that His plans and purposes for us are specific and tailor made. We look today at making a hard shirt from comparing with conclusions to honoring and admiring others around us. Enjoy and God Bless!
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Why is love the greatest? Listen today as we talk about the depths of God’s love for us and how we communicate that love to those around us. Enjoy and God Bless!
In our culture, “hope” is often uncertain, wavering, and usually means “maybe” or “we will see.” Biblical hope is the exact opposite. Hope is confident expectation. Hope is the “golden cord connecting us to heaven.” Christ is the one who gives us hope and anchors our soul amidst the trials of today. Learn how leaning into God in hopeful expectancy is the most fruitful and assured way to live! Enjoy and God Bless!
God tells us in His Word how important faith is and how to walk out a faith journey with Him. The benefit of faith is not just to get that for which we are believing. Through stories in the Bible and personal experiences, we uncover how a “life of faith is a result of exercising our faith muscles day after day, year after year, until we arrive home.” Enjoy and God Bless!
Have you ever heard of anyone trying to go into a fierce, front-line battle without armor or weapons? That would be irresponsible and ineffective. When we don’t “put on” and “take up” the armor God has equipped us with to walk through life’s spiritual battles, we are unprotected against the enemy’s schemes. Learn the different elements of our equipment from Ephesians 6 and how to utilize each in today’s episode. Enjoy and God Bless!
We serve a very real God. We also have a very real enemy who wants to “kill, steal, and destroy” us. In our spiritual battles, we fight FROM a place of victory, not FOR victory. Join us as we talk about the authority that we have as Christians through the power of God in us. Enjoy and God Bless!
With Easter Sunday just three days away, we honor Jesus in reading the account of His death by crucifixion and resurrection from the grave from the gospel account of Mark. Jesus took our place and died a death He didn’t deserve so we can have new, abundant, and eternal life through Him. Reflect with us as we center our focus on one of the core components of our Christianity—Christ in us now, the hope of GLORY! Enjoy and God Bless!
For our actions to line up with walking in the way of the Lord, WE NEED HELP! God has equipped us with His Holy Spirit and with close friends in our community of believers to hold us accountable to living in a way that brings glory to God through our choices. Today we discuss what true accountability is and how to receive the gift of close friendship to navigate life in Christ! Enjoy and God Bless!
When Jesus walked the earth, one of His messages was to let what we say simply be “Yes” or “No” when it comes to oaths and promises, which helps guide us in living a life of integrity. How do we do what we say we are going to do in a culture that doesn’t always support this kingdom principle? Find out in this episode! Enjoy and God Bless!
Thoughts drive our beliefs, which in turn drive our words and actions! As a connection to last week’s episode about thought life, we dialogue about the keys to keeping our words life-giving! Enjoy and God Bless!
When we accept Jesus, we also receive the mind of Christ. Through our new life in Christ, we have the opportunity to partner with God in all things, including our “thought life.” So often we just allow our thoughts to consume us without realizing the power and authority we have to walk as we have been called—with a sound mind. Learn to effectively do this in today’s episode. God Bless and Enjoy!
One of the fruits of God’s Spirit is faithfulness, which is derived specifically from the very nature of God. God is who He says He is and His faithfulness to us is constant, unwavering, and steadfast. Join us as we dialogue about how God firmly adheres to His promises to us! Enjoy and God Bless!
We are all created to be loved and accepted by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This episode is dedicated to the four different words for love, with the primary focus on God’s “agape” love. We learn that through God’s unrelenting, immeasurable, incomparable, and pure love we are able to truly love God, ourselves, and others! Enjoy and God Bless!
Because we BELONG to God, we are invited into an intimate relationship with Him. Sometimes we are not sure where to even begin or need some help in navigating our “God-Time.” Cassie and Clarisse discuss from personal experience four areas of growth and depth in Christ: Worship, Word Study, Meditating, and Journaling! Our prayer is that you are practically equipped to enter into a truly unique and intimate relationship with God! Enjoy and God Bless!
Today Cassie and Clarisse talk about our inherit status as children of God. Because we belong to God, we are HEIRS with God and co-HEIRS with Christ. Discover all that this means for you and how to walk confidently through life with this revelation! Enjoy and God Bless!
In this week’s episode, Cassie and Clarisse delve deep into God’s Word as He brings revelation about our IDENTITY in Him as being UNIQUE, WORTHY, LOVED, and NEW CREATIONS in Christ! Listen and learn how to undo “stinking thinking” with a renewed mind and surrendered life! Enjoy and God Bless!
Welcome to Episode 1! Cassie and Clarisse spend time briefing the audience of the overview and vision of “The Equipped!” Listen as they delve into 2 foundational Scriptures for every Christian and cover “next steps” for the following week. Enjoy and God Bless!