Grace Gathered: Recent Episodes
Women of Grace
This monthly podcast applies Biblical truths to shared conversation about our everyday lives as women and followers of Jesus. It follows along with the current themes of The Gathering events at Grace Chapel Sanford, beginning with the 2022 season & digging into what it means to “Flourish.” Together, let’s saturate our minds with Jesus to the point of overflowing!
John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
A special thank you to worship pastor Jed Bayes for writing this music just for us.
In this message, Libbie introduces us to the patterns that Jesus set in motion for us to follow - every single one is a demonstration on how to love one another. "Loving other Christians the way Christ loves the church means loving them more than we love ourselves." Thank God for the love Jesus has shown to us! Join us this season for more conversation on the topic of "Love One Another," as well!
John 13:34
Welcome to Season 3! We hope you’ll join in the conversation as we study the “One Anothers” of the Bible. Claire and Stephanie jump into the heart of the matter - before we can minister to one another, we must first have the heart of Jesus, one that is open, humble, and inviting. Come alongside us to challenge what the world says about the subject with what Jesus says about it!
For further reading & reference, explore the following verses and literature: Stephanie, Libbie, and Claire are reading from the ESV, unless otherwise noted. Matthew 22:37-39, Philippians 2:5 (NIV), Matthew 19:14, 2 Peter 1, 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, Love One Another by Don McMinn, Living Out the One Anothers of Scripture, a 30-Day Devotional by Revive Our Hearts Ministries.
In a very special episode, Libbie walks us through the practice and power of praying Scripture aloud over our loved ones in the form of spoken blessings. We explore the ways we have seen prayers cover generations of people and encourage each other to answer the call to put this into practice. Together we uncover ways we have already begun implementing this in our own lives and what we can do to grow and encourage each other in it!
We hope you enjoy the end of the summer series, and we can't wait to see you next month in Season 3!
A note & an apology: while the quality of conversation is top notch, the sound quality is poor! Thank you for bearing with us through the current struggle. We promise you won't want to miss it!
For further reading & reference, explore the following verses and literature: Stephanie, Libbie, and Claire are reading from the ESV, unless otherwise noted. 2 Corinthians 10:5, Mark 10:13-16, Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge by Mark Batterson.
In our second episode on prayer, we talk about how we can distinguish between venting to our confidants, sharing gossip, and sharing prayer requests with the intent that God has for prayer! Is is an easy thing to disguise sharing and gossip as sharing prayer requests, so today we examine our hearts and Scripture to help ensure our words are powerful for giving life! Join us in our special next episode as we discuss how we can imbue our prayers for our loved ones with the power of Scripture. You won't want to miss it! For further reading & reference, explore the following verses and literature: Stephanie, Libbie, and Claire are reading from the ESV, unless otherwise noted. James 5:16, Exodus 17, Galatians 6:2, Matthew 7:3-5, Psalm 139:23-24, Proverbs 18:21, John 13:35, Ephesians 4:29.
We are excited to have you join us in the first of three episodes in our summer series on prayer!
In this episode we welcome new co-host, Claire! Together we share a conversation about why we pray, why we don’t pray, and what happens when we pray. The three of us share the different practices we have around prayer journaling and our experiences with the difficult and graceful balance between hoping, praying bold prayers, and praying “Thy will be done.”
For further reading & reference, explore the following verses and literature: Stephanie, Libbie, and Claire are reading from the ESV, unless otherwise noted. Proverbs 27:17, 1 Peter 5:7, Philippians 4:6, Colossians 4:2, Matthew 6. A Call to Prayer by J.C. Ryle, Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge by Mark Batterson.
In the rest of the summer series we will explore how we can discern sharing prayer requests from venting and gossiping, and how our prayer habits can affect the lives of our loved ones and others around us so powerfully. See you there!
Welcome, friends! At our LIVE at the Gathering event in April, we took the opportunity to record a live podcast to answer questions that were submitted and share a little about ourselves! Thank you to all who participated, and a special thank you to our lovely host, Karli Bullard!
Our prayer for this podcast continues to be that it would be a place to gather grace and truth, and we hope this pop-up podcast is a great place to get acquainted with the purpose and the women behind it.
We finish up our two-part season finale with conversation about how to surrender is ultimately to worship. The daily responses to grace add up to this end goal: to put God back on the thrones of our hearts. This is worship! Join us as we talk about some of the idols that rule our hearts and things that get in the way of our surrender.
For further reading & reference, explore the following verses and literature: Stephanie and Libbie are reading from the ESV, unless otherwise noted. 1 Peter 3:15-16, Ephesians 2:4-5, Romans 1:18-23. Forty Days of Grace, by Paul David Tripp (Day 14).
In our season finale studying "Grace Upon Grace", Libbie uses the story of the prodigal son to demonstrate how each of us are relationally lost and in need of grace. Through our season, we talked about what grace can look like when it shows up in our lives, and in this message Libbie challenges us to not let grace be just an instance, but a constant posture of our lives. We know that when we approach the Father in need of grace, He goes beyond our wildest expectations in His response!
John 1:16
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As we near the end of Season 2 of the podcast (Season 5 of the LIVE events!) we continue the conversation about grace and how it is woven throughout our lives. We now ask the question, “what is to be our response to grace?” When we begin this journey by asking, “What can I do to show God that I’m grateful?” we are, yet again, walking the way of striving. With words from a shared devotional, we challenge each other to not only recognize the grace in place in our lives, but to respond to it with what God really wants: our surrender.
For further reading & reference, explore the following verses and literature: Stephanie and Libbie are reading from the ESV, unless otherwise noted. Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 4:6, Romans 12:6, John 4. Forty Days of Grace, by Paul David Tripp (Day 14); Growing Up: How to be a Disciple Who Makes Disciples, by Robbie Gallaty
Join us as we welcome Leanna Hernandez in studio after sharing her testimony with us at our most recent LIVE at the Gathering event. Have you ever felt like you've messed things up so badly that you are no longer someone God is paying attention to? Come together with us as we talk about what it means when God is silent, how he equips us to do what He's sent us to do, and how He never stops working in our lives, even when we have "messed up the plan." Rest alongside us in the assurance that God never stops working in our lives and sending us out, whether our God-given mission is one as grand as planting a missionary church or as humble as working on a marriage. It is all kingdom work and in His sovereign hands!
For further reading & reference, explore the following verses and literature: Stephanie and Libbie are reading from the ESV, unless otherwise noted. James 4:2-3.
Check out Leanna's testimony shared on our social media!
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I know you've heard us talk about discipleship groups a lot! If it is ever something God has laid on your heart, we always have groups starting up and ready to join! You can go right to registration here: https://www.gracechapelsanford.com/next-steps/groups/
The mission of both The Gathering & the Grace Gathered Podcast goes beyond the walls of our church and into the lives of other women through outreach. This season’s outreach is focusing on reaching the lives of those affected by human trafficking. Our first guest, Beverly Weeks, runs a human trafficking outreach & rescue organization called “Cry Freedom Missions.” Beverly begins with some of the ways the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but ends with the Way of Jesus, coming so that we could live life abundantly. The content of this message is powerful and filled with God’s truth, hope, and conviction to meet people where they are and to speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves! *It also includes some sensitive content; please, consider and pray before you share with the younger women in your life.
Our second guest, Tina Wright, challenges us to become more aware of the grace that is all around us and evident in our world. She gives us examples of tools we have that help us to notice and remember, though the devil works to get us to forget the gift of grace that gives us hope in this broken world. It is a hope that though the world is broken, it won’t be broken forever, and hope that though we cannot break the cycle of our own brokenness, God absolutely can.
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Happy new year from us here at Grace Gathered! We know that the new year can bring harsh expectations and easy disappointments. God has some expectations of us, and they don't have anything to do with gym memberships or eating healthier... they have everything to do with us letting His grace flow through us to others. Join us as we talk about four practical ways we can do just that... by His grace.
For further reading & reference, explore the following verses and literature: Stephanie and Libbie are reading from the ESV, unless otherwise noted. Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 4:6, Romans 12:6, John 4.
Imagine the details of Jesus's life and how relatable they are! Jesus had tempations of jealousy and bad hair days, just like us. He was holy, yet made Himself breakable. John 1:14 MSG reads, "The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood." What grace upon grace that God became flesh and blood to live among us, and what a thing to celebrate at Christmastime and every day!
Join Libbie as she leads us in study and exploration of the special way John writes for us about Jesus, and enjoy an exerpt from Max Lucado's daily devotional, "Just a Moment." We are honored to have you join us here in this space, and we hope you'll join us for a LIVE! event soon! Stay updated at https://www.gracechapelsanford.com/events/ and connect with us on social media!
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On the heels of an episode about discerning condemnation from conviction, we sit down with Marie to hear her story of abortion, redemption, and beauty from ashes. Each with our own secrets and shame, we discuss how important and beautiful it is to bring light to the darkness, to have community, and to watch together in awe at the work God does with it all! Marie also answers our questions about this program coming to Grace Chapel Women.
Find information and registration for the "Surrendering the Secret" resource at Grace Chapel at https://gracechapelsanford.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2052558 and discover more information on the program and author, Pat Layton, at https://surrenderingthesecret.com/.
Also, keep an eye out for Marie's video from December at the Gathering on our social media:
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Facebook: Grace Chapel Women
Join us as we talk about the life-giving difference between condemnation and conviction. We imagine how the devil has tried to use shame and guilt to limit the impact of women like us in the lives of those around us, and we study the lives and legacies of the unlikely women in Jesus’ lineage to demonstrate how God works so very differently, bringing outsiders and sinners into the story of grace and hope.
Also check out Season One, Episode Three! While this current episode is about our unlikely place in God’s work and Kingdom, there we talk about how God uses unlikely friendships to accomplish His amazing work. It is a delight, and an encouraging sidekick to this episode, especially at Christmastime! God truly uses all types of women, and what a personal gift to us that we can find at least one to relate to!
For further reading & reference, explore the following verses and literature: Stephanie and Libbie are reading from the ESV, unless otherwise noted. We also read from New Morning Mercies, October 2, by Paul David Tripp.
Tamar’s story is found in Genesis 38; Rahab’s story is found in Joshua 2 and 6; Ruth’s story is found in Ruth 1-4; Bathsheba’s story is found in 2 Samuel 11-12 and 1 Kings 1-2; Proverbs 31; Romans 8:1-2. Jesus’ lineage as recorded by Matthew is found in Matthew 1:1-17.
“Let Grace abound…” a prayer that covers a multitude. Join us as we explore a Psalm of David, written from a place of devastation due to sin, but nonetheless full of hope. We can learn from David to take an honest approach to our sin, therefore realizing new depths of gratitude. As He transforms us and renews us, we learn to love what He loves and hate what He hates, rejoicing always in the grace that makes it all possible.
For further reading & reference, explore the following verses and literature: Stephanie and Libbie are reading from the ESV, unless otherwise noted. Psalm 51, Matthew 1, Genesis 33:10, 1 Saumel 15:22.
We forget so easily how much we need God. We reduce the value of grace in our lives, forget about it, and steward it recklessly. Today we challenge each other to dare to ask God to remind us, and to show us His glory and grace. In the hours we do deeply know our hopelessness and helplessness, let us not also forget the second half of the story of grace: that He meets us in that place to redeem us and pour out grace upon grace.
For further reading & reference, explore the following verses and literature: Stephanie is reading from the ESV, unless otherwise noted. John 1:16, Genesis 3:14-21, Genesis 9:13-17, Genesis 32:24-31. New Morning Mercies, by Paul David Tripp.
Join us and our guest, Lana Lamkin, as we begin our new season talking about "Grace Upon Grace." Lana reminds us that grace is something easily overlooked, but it comes to us every day in the form of something even so simple as the air we breathe. Lana's testimony involves being a double-lung transplant survivor, and the story - full of God's grace in small ways and big ways - reminds us that each of us have the same story through Jesus: we get to live because someone else has died.
We are honored to have you join us here in this space, and we hope you'll join us for a LIVE! event soon!
You can also check out more of Lana's story in her recent book, "Breathing in the Unexpected."
In many ways our relationship with God is shaped by our relationships with others - it is also limited in many ways if we only know Him as "God." Join us as we study some of His names in the Bible, and let us introduce you to the God we have each come to know by different names. Discover with us where these names are revealed in Scripture, as well as some practical ways to pray them over and into your life. Our prayer is that you would know Him by many names, including Savior and Friend!
To start your exploration, the following includes just some of His names as introduced in the Bible.
- Elohim: The Creator God
- Jehovah: The Realational God
- Adonai: The God Who Rules
- Jehovah Tsaba: The Lord Our Warrior
- Jehovah Jireh: The Lord Our Provider
- Jehovah Shalom: The Lord is Peace
- Jehovah Rohi: The Lord My Shepherd
- Jehovah Nissi: The Lord My Banner
- Jehovah Mekoddishkem: The Lord Who Sanctifies
- Jehovah Rapha: The Lord Who Heals
- Jehovah Tsidkenu: The Lord Our Righteousness
- El Elyon: The Most High God
- El Shaddai: The Lord God Almighty
- Immanuel: God With Us
For further reading & reference, explore the following verses: Libbie and Stephanie are reading from the ESV. Genesis 1:1-27, Genesis 3:8, Genesis 16:1-15, Exodus 17:8-14, Job 42:5, and John 15:12-15.
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We are all intentional about something, be it decorating our homes with perfect details, cutting calories, or making plans and hitting certain goals. In this episode, join us and two of our friends as we talk about love languages, and how learning a "second language" should be our number one intention and goal, whether it is the primary love language of a spouse, child, or friend. We read in the Bible that loving God and loving those around us is the greatest commandment, and it is the way we can most closely resemble Jesus.
For further reading & reference, explore the following verses: Libbie and Stephanie are reading from the ESV. Matthew 22:36-39, 1 Corinthians 13:7. Find the Love Language test here https://5lovelanguages.com/quizzes/love-language.
Join us as we begin our mini-series on relationships as Christians, starting off with our relationships to who we are as a part of the whole. God gifted us each with spiritual gifts, "an act of faith designed to strengthen the faith of those around us." This episode started out by looking at one of the spiritual gifts tests (you can find it here https://gifts.churchgrowth.org) and then flipped... God showed us that we don't begin by defining things such as gifts, but by praying for the desire to strengthen those around us! It is then that we see the Holy Spirit develop a gift in us. Join fellow "students of self," Stephanie and Libbie to discuss how knowing who we are in Christ is an essential beginning to our relationships with others around us.
For further reading & reference, explore the following verses: Libbie and Stephanie are reading from the NASB. Romans 1:11-12, 1 Corinthians 12:12-13:13.
Our first year at the Grace Gathered Podcast is coming to a close with a summer mini-series on relationships! Before we start a new season alongside our Live at the Gathering events in the fall, join us as we talk about who God gifted us to be, how we can learn to love the people around us well, and how our relationships with others effect our relationship with God (and vice versa). In the last episode, we will be learning together about God's many names in the Bible, and we pray that it blesses each of us with an even greater understanding of who He is. Thank you for joining us!
For a reveal of the Live at the Gathering theme coming for the 2024 Season, follow us on social media @gcc_sanfordwomen https://www.instagram.com/gcc_sanfordwomen/ or Grace Chapel Women https://www.facebook.com/gcsanfordwomen
As we wrap up our season of study on Flourishing, Libbie teaches us that to Flourish is to be as close to God's original design for us as possible, and that this is demonstrated in practicing Sabbath rest. Along with the other spiritual practices and disciplines we studied through the year, Sabbath rest is one way we lay claim to what God has for us and accept the invitation He lays before us to live life abundantly. We focus again on the ways the world has warped God's design, making it legalistic and impossible to attain, where God's design is a life-giving covenant where His name is glorified and grace abounds.
Green pastures, our souls restored, a banquet set before us, goodness & mercy following always... these images from Psalm 23 paint a picture of what it looks like to Flourish. We have been studying spiritual disciplines and practices all season long to teach us how to begin, and this episode shows us how we might know when we have truly begun to Flourish: when we follow the Shepherd, our "cup overflows," and we will have confidence that we will "dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
The ESV is used by Stephanie in this episode. Psalm 23, contrasted with Psalm 69.
Our constant attempts to flourish without really hearing from God are like trying to grow a plant without sunshine. And just think of the things we might miss out on if we don't hear His voice! We believe that God's plan for us to flourish not only includes a sensitivity to His direction, but chances for us to hear Him speak love into our lives. We hope to do more in this episode than simply encourage a practice that will allow us to know the path ahead, but also to build a relationship with the One who walks beside us. Join us as we talk about practicing silence, from implementing a "quiet time" into your day all the way to the practice of absolute silence (as unfamiliar to us as it probably is to you! If you are an expert on this, we want to personally hear from you because we need some tips!) Here, we challenge each other to identify the things that are noisy in our lives - externally and internally - and to take them captive to a reverent hush so that we can hear God's voice.
For further reading & reference, explore the following verses: Libbie and Stephanie are reading from the NASB. John 10:10, 2 Corinthians 10:5, Psalm 46:10, Exodus 14:14.
Whether you are listening for the first or second (or third!) time, please enjoy this recording from our live at the Gathering Event. Here, Libbie speaks to us about how we are all being formed into someone simply by living. With our goal to be formed into the image of Jesus, she invites us to examine the things that form us, and implores us all to understand the ways we can be intentional about it. This is not something that happens overnight, but over a lifetime. Explore with us the difference between trying and training, and learn together with us to honor the process of formation.
Whether you are listening to this episode while on your feet, driving around from errand to errand, or (wishfully) relaxing at the beach, your heart is in need of the rest that the Savior alone offers. How do we do all that is asked of us and still find time to rest? Join us as we redefine things like peace, work, and rest by diving into our Bibles. Take a deep breath with us as we remember that God created both work and rest, and experiencing rest doesn’t have to wait until our work is finished! For further reading & reference, explore the following verses: Libbie and Stephanie are reading from the NASB. Ephesians 4:22-24; Psalm 46:10; Exodus 14:13-14; Matthew 11:28-30; John 10:10.
We saturate our schedules, our minds, and our attention spans all while our souls cry out to be satisfied and saturated with Jesus. Join us as we talk about slowing down, living our lives with rhythms that are modeled by Jesus, and about how one of the ways the devil comes to steal and destroy is by stealing our time and destroying our effectiveness in kingdom work. John 10:10
For reference and further reading:
1 Corinthians 1:18
Matthew 18:3
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, by John Mark Comer
Redeeming Your Time: 7 Biblical Principles for Being Purposeful, Present, and Wildly Productive, by Jordan Raynor
Whether you are listening for the first or second (or third!) time, please enjoy this recording from our live Christmas at the Gathering Event. Here, Maggie Buchanan covers us in prayer and speaks to us about the hidden work that God does in our hearts when we spend time in His presence. As in God's physical creation, our spiritual lives reflect seasons. Even in the seasons where we feel as though we have little to show in terms of personal ministry, God asks us to rest in knowing that He never stops His sovereign work in our hearts.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Love, Libbie & Stephanie
Just as there is no bloom without soil, seed, and sunshine, there is no flourishing without digging into God's Word. Our Bibles provide us the living and active ingredients that set us apart as followers of Christ, keeping us rooted to our Lord instead of binding us to this world. Join us and Maggie Buchanan as we continue to talk about the Difference Maker! Let us not simply grow, but let us grow to reflect the beauty and characteristics of our God.
Be sure to follow @gcc_sanfordwomen on Instagram, and connect further with Maggie @maggieyowbuchanan
Maggie and Stephanie discuss the Parable of the Sower, found in Matthew 13: 1-23
Libbie shared a quote from the following book: Wiersbe, Warren W. The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: New Testament. Published by David C. Cook, 2003.
Join us as we talk about the impact of friendship on our flourishing, and as we further explore the unlikely friendship between two women of Christmas, Elizabeth and Mary. In addition to being vulnerable when we are isolated, we need women to speak truth to us, to celebrate with us, and to praise God with us. May we all be pleasantly surprised when God brings people into our lives that are unlikely, but who reflect Him and His joy to us! One way we are vulnerable in isolation is by lacking someone to recognize, reflect, and rejoice in God's workings in our lives.
For further reading & reference, explore the verses & reading below. Libbie and Stephanie are reading from the NASB.
Luke 1:5-56
Romans 8:28
Titus 2:3-5
Proverbs 18:21
Giddy Up, Eunice, Sophie Hudson, B&H Publishing, 2016
Join us for coffee with speaker Whitney Capps! Whitney joined us for our Fall Gathering event where she spoke to us about what it means to flourish in a busy season and a season of great illness. Here we dig in a little deeper into why we are vulnerable in isolation, and why we truly need community to flourish.
This episode is an introduction to the Grace Gathered podcast. Meet us, Stephanie and Libbie, and hear from us where the podcast began and where we pray it is headed. Wherever you are, wherever you are headed, we hope you'll listen along as we peek into this season's theme of "Flourish."