Sensible Faith: Recent Episodes
Deborah Evans
Thanks to everyone who's listened to, enjoyed, and shared this podcast. I am moving Sensible Faith into other formats and platforms. However, this content will be available to you through April of 2023. Feel free to listen, download, and share through April of 2023. My heartfelt thanks to everyone who has listened, given feedback, and supported this project. Continue to seek, find, and enjoy a Sensible Faith. Thank you, and God's blessings to each of you!
Stay peaceful and enjoy the benefits of daily prayer while living through hard times: having a safe place to open your soul, gaining guidance, and exposing and understanding your blind spots.
How do we pray when we have done our due diligence, but still are unsure about moving forward? Pray the Prayer of Agreement with God.
Reading the Gospels, five minutes of daily prayer, and vetting those who have access to your children in the church are three steps every new believer should take. Listen to learn why.
Evaluating our progress based on what's happening with others is never a good idea. Instead, consider your spiritual growth in terms of transforming renewal and God's love.
How do Christ followers "function by faith", or live by faith? What are the signs of living by faith? How de we evaluate our progress in the life of faith?
Jesus teaches us to forgive. What do his teachings say about human nature and about the Kingdom of Heaven?
Samson's story, in the Old Testament Book of Judges, gives us insight into questions and answers about suicide, God's mercy, hell, bottoming out, and redemption. Samson's story is relevant and powerful in the 21st century.
The "attitude of gratitude" sounds great. What are the "actions of gratitude", and how do you accomplish these actions?
How do we share and give comfort to those in pain, lost, frustrated with life, or uncertain of how to go on? Learn a model, shown by Jesus Christ, of how to connect with and encourage those who need comfort.
Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk's book, The Body Keeps the Score, provides a spiritually informed, science based guide to naming, accepting, and recovering from trauma. Listen to a few brief excerpts from the book and connect trauma recovery to faith and to following Jesus Christ.
Follow these steps to naming, isolating, and removing the elements of fear that will limit your quality of life and your authentic Christian witness. Deconstruct the fears that damage your life.
Jude verse 24 describes the final destination of the Christ follower. Is this your destination? Do you look forward to this moment? Listen to a reading of this verse and do your spiritual checkup.
A pleasurable experience can easily transform into an addiction. Take this self checkup to determine if your religious practice is making you a better disciple or just showing you a good time.
Focus, gratitude, and action are the signs of worship. During the time between the Ascension and Pentecost, the early disciples modeled a pattern we can follow.
Can we take care of ourselves and do the work of peace in response to evil? Yes. Learn seven steps to creating peace even when surrounded by the energy of evil.
Who feels more essential or important to you: your pastor-teacher or Jesus? To whom do you feel more personal connection, more personal loyalty, or more personal gratitude? A few passages from Revelation may give you a new, fresher perspective on Jesus.
Your children belonged to God before they belonged to you. Following God's will is more important than pleasing your children. Mary, the mother of Jesus, has lessons for us about mothering and caregiving.
Obedience to Christ is not optional if you consider yourself a Christ follower. Jesus said his sheep follow him. Take the obedience challenge with this three point self check.
What happens and what can we do when expectations and dreams collapse? Remember this: God's promises are permanent.
Easter Vigil, the time between the crucifixion and the resurrection, is a time of learning to rest, plan, and persevere after deep loss.
Self-examination is essential for spiritual progress. The apostle Paul urged Christians in Corinth to examine themselves. Socrates said the unexamined life is not worth living Listen to a story about a radio antenna and learn more about the practical process of self examination.
What is salvation? What are the benefits of salvation? Why does Jesus say "you must be born again?" Is "born again" a political orientation or is it something completely different?
What does the American family look like in 2022? Is the Proverbs 31 woman relevant in the 21st century? Why did God create and bless families?
Why is true forgiveness so difficult, and why is it the only way to live if you want deep peace and honest happiness?
Physical healing often, but not always, happens in response to prayer. How do we pray for physical healing? Our prayer for healing begins with knowing and trusting God's character.
The ascension, not the resurrection, is the final chapter of Jesus' earthly ministry and work. What are we missing when we forget the ascension?
The prayer of faith is more about listening than speaking. How you practice this principle will change your life.
Throughout the scriptures, we are advised and commanded to "fear not", or to stop fearing. How can we accomplish this consistently? How can we kill the habit of fear?
Zilpha Elaw was born in rural Pennsylvania in 1790. Her death date is unknown. A pioneering African American woman ex-pat, Elaw traveled to England and engaged in a five year evangelistic preaching campaign. Her life displays the principle "Demonstration Defeats Debate."
Jarena Lee's writing gives us a unique insight into honestly facing doubt and finding the faithful assurance that cancels spiritual uncertainty and insecurity.
This episode answers questions about why it's important to learn about and acknowledge the work of Black women preachers from the 19th century.
Maria W. Stewart is acknowledged as America's first African-American woman public speaker. Near the end of her life, Mrs. Stewart published a compilation of her speeches and writings. This compilation, Meditations from the Pen of Mrs. Maria E. Stewart, is available as a free download at archive.org. Listen to an excerpt on today's episode.
How can reading, particularly non-fiction (history, biography, science, poetry, social sciences, etc.) build our empathy and courage? Find some answers here.
How do we accept the death of a loved one? Prayer is a key to moving beyond anger, defeatism, or disbelief.
Listen to learn and understand why Christ followers are continually urged to "fear not", which actually means to reject the energy and perspective of being unloved, unready, unprotected, and unsuccessful.
Move from dreaming to goal setting to achievement of your dreams as you move into 2022.
Effective, authentic living requires an expanding knowledge base and the consistent acquisition of new knowledge and skills. Build the habits of lifelong learning into your routines as you move into 2022.
What is practical, realistic hope? What is faithful hope? How do we bring hope into 2022?
Indulging in regret can harm your future and damage your emotions. There are real and practical alternatives to regretfulness.
The final beatitude appears in Revelation 22:14. What in this final word from Jesus to his followers moves you to prayer and action?
In Revelation 14:13, we find one of the "final beatitudes." Jesus reminds us our works will follow us. Consider how you are building your track record.
When you have reached the end of one thing but have not started what is next, you may be in a time of discomfort or uncertainty. Spiritual growth involves releasing the old and embracing the new. Learn a few insights to help you navigate this transition.
Are you tithing based on a fear of being cursed? Do you have savings and an emergency fund to get you through an unexpected, sudden event? Together, let's examine who should tithe...and who shouldn't.
Galatians 5:1 says "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." What does this mean, and how is this freedom experienced?
According to the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), over half a million (543,018) people were reported as missing in the U.S. in 2020. What does this mean for those left behind? How can we pray for them?
We constantly hear of the need for faith. Where is your faith focused? Do you have faith in Faith, or do you have faith in Jesus Christ?
Scripture and Christian tradition teach the idea of God as omnipresent, meaning everywhere. What does this mean, and is there a practical application for this truth?
Jesus said you must be born again. The Apostle Paul wrote he was crucified with Christ. What do these things mean? Do these ancient teachings and ideas have any relevance to our lives in the 21st century?
There are biases and prejudices against Christians, especially those who claim to believe the Bible. Are these biases and prejudices ever justified?
Be inspired by the physical and mental benefits of a daily prayer practice: rest, clarity, and an energized focus on what matters most.
Who is "the evil one", and why does Jesus teach us to pray for deliverance from this entity?
Why does Jesus teach us to say these words in our prayers? God never tempts anyone. What do these words mean?
Forgiving and being forgiven are different perspectives of the same experience. Let God show you how to forgive.
How can we understand and apply this prayer request? Doesn't God already know what we need? What does "daily bread" really mean?
Jesus wants us to pray that God's will is done here on earth as it is in heaven. What does this mean, and how can we apply this to our lives?
God's will is not to be feared, but is to be known, embraced, and enjoyed. Why is there so much confusion and conflict around knowing and doing God's will?
In this part of the prayer, we invite God to be more present and more powerful in our lives, communities, and world. How would this look and feel?
What does "Hallowed be your name" really mean, and why does Jesus teach us to say this in our prayers?
Does it matter that Jesus teaches his followers to pray to "our Father in Heaven?" Why is it important we begin our prayers in this way?
Before teaching the Lord's Prayer, Jesus warns against long, repetitive, flowery phrases and "showmanship" in prayer. What do these warnings mean?
Our final lesson in the 17th chapter of the Gospel of John shows the five points of Jesus' prayer and how we can apply them for a powerful, life-changing prayer life.
Why is unity among believers so difficult? Perhaps the foundation of unity has not been laid and built. What does Jesus have to say about this? How can we successfully pray for unity?
What does it mean to be sanctified, and why did Jesus pray for His followers to experience sanctification?
In The Gospel of John, Jesus prays for his followers to be protected from "the evil one." What does this mean? Is fear a real thing, or just an illusion?
In Jesus' prayer that is recorded in the 17th chapter of the Gospel of John, we learn the true meaning of eternal life. Understanding this truth is the basis of every prayer we will ever pray.
In the second half of our 30 day prayer school, we will explore two prayers of Jesus. We will study what is known as The Lord's Prayer (Matthew, chapter 6) and Jesus' prayer in chapter 17 of John's gospel. Today's episode is an introduction to these prayers.
You have prayed for others. How can you pray for yourself? Begin with praying to see things as they really are and to always keep the faith.
Why the acronym PUSH (pray until something happens) misses the point and purpose of prayer.
Prayer is not an escape hatch to avoid dealing with difficult situations. This is particularly true when it comes to abuse, mistreatment, or criminal harm to others.
Prayer cannot be used to dominate, manipulate, or control others. Human free will cannot be canceled by prayer.
God has forgiven you. How do you experience the forgiveness of God? Begin with an honest prayer.
Finding the power to forgive may involve refusal to recite the offense and analyzing your hurt as you inquire of God for direction on a new path.
Why "forgive and forget" doesn't work. How prayer will empower you to honestly and authentically free yourself and forgive those who have harmed you.
Find the comfort of God in prayer as you relax your body and breath in a time of quiet.
We've defined prayer, and set a schedule for daily prayer. Now, you must answer the question: why am I doing this?
Don't fear honestly opening your soul in prayer. God welcomes your honest expressions of hope, fear, joy, and anger.
How often should you pray, and for how long? Deborah explains how the "5 minutes per day" prayer commitment will power up your prayer life.
Our 30 day Prayer School begins with a look a Fenelon's famous quote "Tell God all that is in your heart." Can this be done? Yes!
What does it mean to let the peace of Christ rule in your heart? How does this rulership look and feel? Can this way of life really be practically lived?
In Detroit, Michigan on Father's Day in 1990, my father preached a sermon about the legacy a father creates and leaves behind. Listen as Deborah shares from the sermon text and the scripture text in Proverbs 3:1-12.
Give yourself permission to allow relationships to change or end. You can release without criticism, condemnation, or judgment.
The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel van der Kolk,MD explains the science and practical process of moving beyond trauma. Listen to Deborah Ann's review.
Deborah Ann shares information from Johns Hopkins Health about intermittent fasting. What is intermittent fasting, and is there a spiritual connection?
What prayer can we pray for those who grieve? Listen to this discussion of the prayer that will bring comfort.
It is possible to experience the love of God in any time and place, including the most painful and difficult spaces. Listen to a prayer affirming God's love from Woodene Koenig-Bricker's Prayers of the Saints. (1996, Harper Collins)
What is God's holiness, and why does it matter? Listen to this short meditation on connecting with God's holiness.
This well-worn phrase may be a way to express frustration, but it's not a helpful way to strengthen our closeness to God. Energy follows focus. Busyness doesn't equal control or effectiveness. In this podcast, learn an alternative to the negative, useless phrase "the devil is busy."
Unjustly harmed? Release the injurer and respond by giving yourself a gift. Forgiveness is not an obligation. It's a gift you give yourself when harm comes your way.
Why does obedience seem difficult, and consistent obedience too difficult to achieve? Practice this prayer that opens your heart to deep and consistent obedience to God.
When you look at any human person, do you see a creation of God, or do you see something else?
Faith and obedience are like the two sides of a coin. They can't be separated. Why is obedience such a struggle for so many?
Practice this short and simple prayer to help align your food choices with your physical wellness and well being.
In his book The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer teaches us faith and obedience cannot be separated. Listen to Bonhoeffer's thoughts on faith and obedience, followed by a prayer to strengthen your obedience.
Many apologies to my listeners: the Holy Week series was based on Ephesians 2:10, NOT Ephesians 3:10. Many apologies for the confusion.
This is the final podcast in the Holy Week series featuring a word and phrase study of Ephesians 2:10. Learn about two spiritual exercises focused on this verse and practice the exercises to hold the ideas from this study in your mind, will, and emotions.
As we understand our identity as God's handiwork, obedience becomes easier and more attractive. How can this be?
What is the connection between salvation and living a full life? Is salvation only or mostly about escaping punishment, or is salvation the beginning of a life of true, deep pleasure and joy?
God has already planned a good life for us. Are there barriers to achieving this good life? Yes, there are barriers. Learn how to handle and overcome them.
God has planned ahead for us, with good works for us to do. What are good works, and who has the right to say what is "good"? Is it even possible to know the will of God? Find some answers here.
A requirement for handiwork is creation, or re-creation. Why is "born anew in Christ Jesus" a requirement of living as God's handiwork?
A word/phrase study of Ephesians 2:10. We are God's handiwork, God's workmanship. How does this change our understanding of what it means to live as a Christ follower?
The Women's History Month celebration ends with part two of a look at the life and legacy of Lucy Terry, followed by some thoughts about obituaries and how we will all be remembered by those who summarize our life stories in an obituary.
Lucy Terry (circa 1730-1821) lived a life of courage, accomplishment, community service, and family devotion. She is also the author of the poem "Bars Fight", composed in 1746 and passed down orally until it was published in 1855.
In celebration of Women's History Month, listen to a reading from Stewart's self published 1879 compilation of her speeches, prayers, and devotional writings. The book, Meditations from the Pen of Mrs. Maria W. Stewart, is available as a free download from archive.org (Internet Archive).
As we continue our special study for Women's History Month, learn more about Maria W. Stewart. Stewart lived from 1803 to 1879. An African American who is considered to be one first women to give public lectures in the U.S., Stewart published multiple editions of her meditations and speeches. Her writings and speeches focused on religious devotion and political activism.
In celebration of Women's History Month, listen to a reading from Susie King Taylor's Civil War memoir, Reminiscences of My Life in Camp. Taylor (1848-1912) was the only African American woman to publish a memoir of her wartime experiences. The memoir was published in 1902.
During this Women's History Month, learn more about women whose lives demonstrated focused and effective faith. This episode features Susie King Taylor, a Civil War camp nurse who published her memoirs (Reminiscences of My Life in Camp) in 1902.
What does it mean to pray with humility? Humility is a virtue we demonstrate toward ourselves, others, and God. Use one short phrase to begin your prayer of humility.
is humility a sign of weakness? Learn more about how freedom, personal power, and focus are expressed in the practice of humility.
What is humility? Is humility only for the defeated? Why is humility a virtue? Let's explore why true humility is an expression of success.
Do you view your body as the creation of a loving God? What roles will rest, stress reduction, movement, and good nutrition play in your spiritual development and quality of life?
A short meditation to help you remember God's love accompanies you everywhere and in every circumstance.
What happens when we encounter unfairness, a deep injury, or a wounding? How do we move forward with honesty, courage, and purpose? Here are some answers.
The Christmas hymn, O Holy Night, contains a line which explains why God coming to us, as one of us, shows our true worth. How is the worth of a soul established?
Does the Christian teaching of Resurrection involve our physical bodies, or just our minds and spirits? What is the connection between "salvation" and "resurrection"?