Dig Deep Podcast: Recent Episodes
Jess Alston
There is hope, even in the pit. As we conclude this series, we find in Jacob’s blessing a beautiful picture of Joseph’s resilient spirit and the seeds of a much greater story being sown.
As he reunites with his brothers, Joseph is presented with the opportunity to determine the future of their relationships - will they be his brothers or his slaves? In his response, we find inspiration for how forgiveness can lead to seasons of relational peace.
Stacia Hejeebu walks us through what is possibly the most beautiful chapter in the book of Genesis and helps us see our lives, both the good and the pain, in light of God’s greater story.
After 20 long years, the dream that God gave Joseph when he was just 17 years old becomes a reality in his life. Whether we have to wait 2 months or 20 years, what should we do with the dreams God has placed in our hearts?
Is it really true that God can grow good things in the pit? In this episode, three amazing Dig Deep members share their stories of how God has grown good fruit in the soil of their suffering.
Joseph is finally lifted out of the pit and is given the opportunity to enjoy honor, wealth, a family, and fulfillment in his work. As he reflects on that last 13 years in “the pit”, he names his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim, reminding us of the truth that God can grow good things in the pit.
This is it, Joseph’s big break! He has finally been brought out of the pit and he suddenly has a huge bargaining chip. He alone can interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. But instead of leveraging his gifts for his own benefit, Joseph responds with a surprising posture that will challenge us to consider how we view our own gifts, abilities, and relationships with others.
Most of us hate waiting. We jump lines at the grocery store, we avoid traffic using all the latest apps, we multitask while we’re on hold with customer service. Waiting is never fun but waiting on God to move in our lives can be downright painful. Joseph spends year after year as a slave and prisoner, longing for freedom, longing for God to move in his life and change his circumstances. But even in the midst of his waiting, Joseph discovered the secret to avoiding bitterness and even thriving.
Joseph’s life continues to be impacted by the sinful choices of others. His circumstances have now been shaped by the lies, hatred, jealousy, lust, and greed of those close to him. But even through slavery, temptation, and wrongful imprisonment, Joseph maintains his integrity.
What do we do when we fall into the pit and God seems to be silent? We cry out like King David, “Where are you, God?!” In the void of that silence we can quickly lose our footing and slip far from God but there is a simple but profound act that gives us humility on the peaks and hope in the pit.
Joseph’s story begins with his relationships. And, like most of us, we learn that Joseph has both loving and contentious relationships in his life. As we see some of Joseph’s relationships tragically unravel, we will step back and take an inventory of our relationships - both with God and with others.
If you’ve ever felt stuck in a pit then you are in good company with the men and women of the Bible. This semester we are going to search for hope and practical truth together as we study the story of Joseph, a man who know a lot about life in the pit.
As we conclude our Transformed series, we return to Paul’s challenge to respond to God’s mercy by giving our lives over to him as a living sacrifice. Is it possible that real life is on the other side of laying our lives down?
Revenge is sweet. Or is it? As counterintuitive as it may seem, what if blessing our enemies is the way to real healing?
As we approach the end of this semester and cover the final verses of Romans 12, we are going to see that some of the most distinct marks of transformation in our lives will be seen in the way we relate to those who have wronged us.
Guest speaker Marja Humphrey breaks down Romans 12:13-17 revealing the power our presence has on the lives of those around us.
How do we keep moving forward when life gets really, really hard? In this episode, Jess interviews her mentor, Stacia Hejeebu, who speaks with wisdom and authenticity about suffering, prayer, hope, and the transformation that is possible in our lives when we allow our pain to draw us closer to God.
Guest speaker, Kathy Petersen, paints a picture of genuine love and calls us to consider who how we can extend that genuine love to those around us.
In this episode, guest speaker Peggy Wolf, a self declared “Quality Time ENFJ,” helps us better understand how God has gifted each of us in unique and beautiful ways for the benefit of the whole body. Peggy lovingly challenges us to stop wasting time wishing we had someone else’s gifts and get to work using the gifts He has given us for His glory and for our good.
Blogger and guest speaker Ashley Tieperman unpacks the next section of Romans 12, reflecting on the beauty and complexity of the body of Christ.
If we want to get an accurate picture of who we really are, instead of looking in the mirror, we should look into scripture. Our truest identity is seen most clearly when viewed through the lens of faith.
Each of us wonders sometimes what God’s plan is for our lives. We might pray for guidance about a big decision on the horizon or a current need. However, in Romans 12:2, Paul reveals an important relationship between God’s will and our own transformation.
Romans 12:1-2 challenges us to respond to God’s mercy in the most appropriate way - the total surrender of our lives. This surrender is the essence of worship, demonstrating that God is worthy of trust and obedience, and the result of this unconditional surrender is transformation.
As we step into this study of Romans 12, I believe we will see that in many ways this chapter of the Bible is a beautiful “after picture” of a life changed by Christ. And the Apostle Paul tells us right up front that the transformation we long for is possible because of one thing and one thing only: God’s mercy.
Our fears are a lot like stories. Like all good stories, our fears have a characters, a plot, vivid imagery and they focus all of our attention on one question: what will happen next? These storylines make us lose sleep, leave us emotionally strained and gradually begin to shape our behavior, our decisions and even our faith. What if instead of trying to shove our fears into the corners of our minds we had the courage, in Christ, to face them head on?
Is God really there? Does God really care? Is he paying attention to what’s going on around me? And if he is good and he does care then why doesn’t he do something? Is he even able to do anything? We all live with some degree of doubt in our lives; what matters is what we do with it. Whatever your doubts are, we are going to see today that Jesus isn’t afraid of them.
If your faith has ever felt strained under the weight of grief, doubt, or fear, you are in good company. Jesus’ own disciples struggled to understand his resurrection and accept the hope that it offered them. In this series we will take a closer look at the conversations Jesus had with three of his followers and see that he didn’t reject them because of their struggles but drew them closer to himself.
Jesus once told the painful story of a broken relationship between a father and son. In that story, Jesus makes it perfectly clear that God's love is not like human love. God is like a father who stands, unmoved, scanning the horizon, waiting for His lost child to come home. There is no greater love. His love is relentless.
On the cross we see God's heart split open. And what we find there, at the very core of God's love for us, is forgiveness.
Foundational Scripture: Luke 23
Courage is the power of the mind to overcome fear. While we may feel a wave of courage on occasion, most of the time courage is a decision that we make that is in direct conflict with our emotions. The same is true of love. While we're prone to view love primarily as an emotion that we feel, Jesus shows us that love is much more often a decision - and sometimes a decision that is in direct conflict with our emotions.
Jesus' command seems pretty straight forward: to love one another as he has loved us. But in a culture where welove our families and we love our favorite tv shows, we need to take a moment to ask, what kind of love is Jesus talking about?
Foundational Scripture: John 13; Luke 9
In a surprising outburst of anger, Jesus shows us what it really means that love always protects.
Jesus left his disciples with this command: “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” In this series we will take a closer look at several major events from the life and ministry of Jesus and ask, “how has he loved us?” What does it say about God’s love that he would choose to send his Son to earth as a vulnerable newborn baby?
As we conclude this series we turn the issue of “enoughness” toward ourselves and consider the question, “Am I enough?” What are the questions behind that question, and how does God respond when we bring those questions to Him?
We live in bigger houses than ever. We fill our closets and basements and attics. We fill our garages and then offsite storage units to capacity. When it comes to stuff, when is enough enough?
When it comes to our finances it is so easy to buy into the mindset that if we just had a little bit more we would have enough. The type of relationship we have with money will determine whether or not we ever experience the peace of mind and satisfaction of having "enough."
Jess begins a new series that pauses to consider why it is that we often feel we just do not have enough.
As we conclude this series, Wounded Healer, Jess interviews author and speaker Aubrey Sampson on the topic of shame. In her book, Overcomer, Aubrey helps readers dismantle the lies of shame and rebuild their identities in Christ. Through both her personal experiences and her profound insights, Aubrey offers hope both to listeners who have long suffered under the weight of shame and to those who are just discovering shame’s influence on their lives.
Jess interview Kara Watson on the painful subjects of miscarriages and infertility. Kara shares from her personal experience with both types of suffering as the two discuss the uniqueness of this type of grief, the dangers of isolation and comparison, and the insidious lies that creep in amidst the pain and the powerful truths that leads to healing.
Jess interviews Nicole Hahn on the topic of chronic pain. As someone who suffers from chronic Lyme Disease, Nicole shares about finding joy in the midst of her pain, and how she's seen God use her suffering for His glory.
Foundational Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Isaiah 6:8, Job 13:15
In this special mini episode, Jess shares a personal update about the recent loss of Grandmother, Sybil, and reflects on the beautiful legacy of faith she has left for her family, friends and all who knew her.
Join Jess as she interviews Amy Smith on the topic of Anxiety and Depression. In this episode the two discuss the stigma around the topic, treatment, and they offer words of encouragement both to listeners who are experiencing suffering in the area of mental health as well as to listeners who do not suffer in this way but are surely connected to people who do.
Join Jess as she wraps up this series on trust by interviewing a very special guest - her grandmother, Sybil. As we strive to trust God more fully, we have so much to learn from Sybil who has faithfully placed her trust in Jesus throughout many storms in this life.
Growing trust is a process that takes time and intentionality. In this episode Jess revisits the five ingredients of trust discussed in week one and addresses how we can apply those same ingredients not only to our relationships with others but to our relationship with God as we grow our trust God in Him.
Jess kicks off this new series by defining trust and offering some practical terminology to help us take steps to increase trust in our relationships. Whether you’re in a relationship that has been marked by broken trust or simply want to deepen your trust in an already healthy relationship, the principles in today’s episode will help you better understand what trust really is and how to build.
Join Jess as she returns to the podcast after an extended break during which she and her husband welcomed a new baby girl into their family. Hear Jess explain the meaning behind their new daughter's name and how it has influenced her faith.
Join Jess for a mini-episode to celebrate the coming of Christ, and to look ahead toward some changes in store for the podcast in early 2017.
“Dysfunctional” sounds a bit harsh. “Dysfunctional” is awkward. We’d prefer for our dysfunctional relationships to not be the topic of conversation at a party. But Jesus is not thrown off by our dysfunction. In fact, he seems to have no problem walking right into the middle of it. As we look at Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well, we see that Jesus puts his finger right on the heart of this woman’s dysfunctional relationships and lovingly offers her a way forward, a living water that will never run dry. No matter how dysfunctional our relationships have become, healing is possible because he offers that same living water, that same way forward, to us.
Relationships, like cars, break down from time to time. And healthy relationships, like cars, need some good old preventive maintenance to keep them running smoothly. In this episode we'll consider Paul's words from Romans 12:10 and explore practical ways to "outdo one another in showing honor."
Join Jess as she interviews her guest, Amy Smith, who has first hand experience living out the principles discussed in week one and two of this series. Amy shares about the brokenness in relationship caused by the divorce of her parents, the empathy and grace that opened the door to relationship, and the story of the beautiful healing that she never dreamed would be possible.
What do we do when the cracks of in our relationships grow into an uncrossable chasm? We all have relationships that seem unfixable because the disagreement has grown too large, our differences seem too stark, or that person did something that left a deep wound on our hearts that has not yet healed. When we stand face to face with our enemies, what weapon will offer us the best chance at victory?
When it comes to car maintenance, we all know that a small misalignment can lead to disaster if it's left unaddressed for too long. Is there a relationship in your life that needs some realignment? You've fallen out of step with each other and your relationship begins to strain under the tension. In this episode we'll take a closer look at some of the common causes of our disconnects and consider some practical ways we can realign that relationship before it leads to serious damage.
As we conclude this series we look to Jesus in John 6 for the answer to the question: “What will truly satisfy our hungry hearts?” His answer catches the crowd of people following him off guard. Jesus claims that he, himself, is the bread of life. As we’ve attempted to navigate our hungry hearts in practical ways throughout this series, we cannot conclude our time on the topic without deeply pondering these words from Jesus. What does it mean that he is the bread of life?
Who we eat next to matters. Researchers have found that we eat up to 20% more or less simply based on who we sit with at lunch, and in the same way, our spiritual lives are deeply impacted by the invisible forces of relationships. Dr. Henry Cloud calls this invisible force “The Power of the Other.” As we seek to have our hungry hearts satisfied by God Himself, I believe He wants us to see that who we surround ourselves with has a profound influence on our spiritual diets.
There are certain things are hearts seem to universally crave: real happiness, peace, a feeling of belonging, a deep sense of purpose. Where should our hearts turn if we live in a world that is a food court full of spiritual cheetos? The prophet Isaiah, King David, and the Apostle Peter all send us the same message: “taste and see that the Lord is good.” He is the one who can truly satisfy the longings of our hearts and He is calling us to come, sit and listen.
For the past several decades, food industry experts have sought to achieve the “bliss point” in their processed food creations. They strive to find that perfect balance of salt, sugar and fat that keeps us coming back for more and more and, yes, more. Is it possible that this same bliss point exists for our souls? Could it be that the world is offering us a buffet of options that will momentarily give us a sense of satisfaction but in the end leave us hungrier than before? The good news is that the things we hunger for most are good desires that were placed in our hearts by God and He wants to invite us to dinner, to the feast that can truly satisfy our souls.
“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine” are sweet words for a kids song but they are much easier sung than lived out, especially when life gets messy. In this episode, as we wrap up this series, we’ll see that there’s power in a clear focal point. Whether we’re navigating our way through a dense forest or a season of trouble and pain in this life, we must fix our eyes on the light. It’s only as we fix our eyes on Jesus, the true light, that He makes His light to shine in and through our brokenness for the world to see.
I am a grown woman who is afraid of the dark. I am not even that ashamed to admit it! We naturally turn away from darkness, avoid it, even fear it. But God has called us to shine His light in the dark places. In this episode we’ll focus our hearts on the reality that all light has to do to fight darkness is just show up.
Whether it’s a wave of nausea or itchy armpits, sharing what we believe with someone can cause a major anxiety rush. In this episode we’ll explore three principles of sharing our faith that will give us practical steps to take and help to alleviate some of the unnecessary anxiety that we feel. The best news of all is that when Jesus commands us to “go” He also promises He will be with us always (Matthew 28:19-20).
Jesus implores us, "let your light shine before men." In this new series we are asking the question: how can I maximize the impact of the light in my life? In the same way that a city on a hill is more visible than one in a valley and a lamp that's placed up high on a stand shares more light than a lamp under a basket, we are going to take a look at our lives and ask how we can be strategic in the ways we share the light of Jesus with the world around us.
Imagine you are standing in the closet of your heart. You are taking an inventory of all of your habits, relationships, beliefs, memories, thoughts, words, and actions. Throughout this series we have discussed several things that start to creep in and live in our hearts including envy, anger, greed and lust. Today, in our final episode, we want to truly crawl into the deepest darkest crawl spaces to bring light into the most hidden places of our hearts. These places often hold guilt over the mistakes we’ve made but they also store our shame which attempts to shape our belief about who we are, leading us away from God and the life for which He designed us.
Our culture seems to blare it’s misguided messages about sex through a giant megaphone. We run into lust at the mall, in our inboxes and our mailboxes, on the sides of highways, and on practically every television channel. Yet most of us have a deep sense that it was meant to be something more. Something deeper. Something truly intimate. The God-given gift of sex was meant to provide us with glue-like relational intimacy and a deep sense of satisfaction, and yet we so often find ourselves outside of His design for sex - experiencing only isolation and emptiness. Thankfully, there is life-giving hope for us all as God leads us to clean out even this very personal corner of our closets.
I don’t believe I’ve ever heard someone say, “You know what my problem is? I’m just so greedy!” Greed is one of the most sneaky closet-dwellers because it is often so difficult to see in the mirror. When we boil greed down to its basic form we see that it is unfortunately common to the human experience but, thankfully, God has shown us a way to fight against the current of greed and live a life marked by contentment, generosity and joy.
Have you ever perfectly cleaned and organized something only to have someone come and mess it up? When our orderly lives are disrupted, and anger invades our otherwise peaceful hearts, it is all too easy for us to say, “Yeah, I’m angry, but it’s clearly their fault!” Over time that anger, when allowed to grow in the dark places of our hearts, turns into bitterness that chokes out some of the most beautiful things in life. Anger can begin to harden our hearts, put a cap on the love we feel for others, and hold us back from taking steps into the future God has for us.
Whether it’s a few dozen mismatched socks, a box full of receipts from five years ago, or a broken vacuum cleaner that you’ve already replaced, we all have things in our closets that need to hit the road. The same is true of our hearts - they are so easily cluttered with things that hold us back, rob us of our joy and hijack our peace of mind. Let’s get real and drag it all out into the open so we can ask God to point out what he wants us to trash and what He wants us to keep. We can do so with confidence, knowing that He loves us and wants to give us a rich and satisfying life.
Even when our lives are shaking, or the world is shaking around us, God's Kingdom remains unshaken. This is why we dig deep to lay the foundation of our lives on His Word, so that we can be grounded in the truth that is unshakeable.
Jess interviews Kara Watson, author of a new study of the Bible's teachings on the physical human body. With an emphasis on the female form, Kara digs into both God's design of and desires for our physical bodies. Kara brings a fresh and honest perspective to the topics of self-image, beauty, and strength.
n the words of T. Swift: "You know it used to be mad love, but baby now we've got bad blood." Conflicts often start small but can escalate quickly to create painful results, leaving our relationships pained and empty. A critical element in learning to tame the beast is to discover how we can not just diffuse an argument but reestablish unity in the relationship.
Why do we so often believe we have to choose between being fully honest with someone and maintaining harmony in the relationship? Is it really possible to speak the truth in love? The authors of Crucial Conversations suggest that it is indeed possible to navigate these conversations in a way that allows us to be fully honest AND fully respectful. Learning these skills will lead us all to deeper, healthier relationships, and increased influence in our communities, workplaces and families.
James chapter 3 reminds us that even the wildest of animals can be tamed, but the tongue is too wild to control. But Ephesians chapter 4 gives us a practical filter to help us train this wild beast. Implementing this filter is challenging, but for those of us who want our words to have a positive impact on those around us, it’s worth the effort.
How can we learn to tame something as powerful and wild as flames of fire? What if we could learn to harness our passion and communicate in a way that gets us what we really want without burning those around us?
In this final episode of the series, Jess and her Mom, along with an adorable surprise guest, talk about the power our words have in our parenting. Join them as they discuss how all communication begins in our hearts, the power of speaking the truth in love, and the value of apologizing to your children.
In this episode, Jess interviews her own Mom to try to discover the recipe for her parenting "secret sauce." Though her Mom insists there is no secret ingredient, she shares some refreshing and challenging insights from her decades of parenting experience.
In this first episode of a new 3-part series, Jess discusses unicorns, mermaids, and the mirage of "the perfect parent." This episode will encourage the weary parent and help us all shift the focus of our parenting efforts from perfecting tasks to investing in love relationships with our kids.
In this episode, Jess discusses how we can look forward to God growing new things in us as a result of the storms that come during the rainy seasons of life.
In this out of the ordinary episode Jess seeks to encourage those who, like herself, have found themselves facing a dark storm in their lives.
Take this week to catch up on any old episodes you may have missed from the Dig Deep Podcast. Join Jess again next Tuesday as she explores anxiety and depression, and the important decision that must be made a hundred times a day to simply "do the next thing."
Do The Next Thing
From an old English parsonage,
Down by the sea,
There came in the twilight,
A message to me;
Its quaint Saxon legend,
Deeply engraven,
Hath, as it seems to me,
Teaching from Heaven.
And on through the hours
The quiet words ring
Like a low inspiration-
"Do the next thing."
Many a questioning, many a fear,
Many a doubt, hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment,
Let down from Heaven,
Time, opportunity,
Guidance, are given.
Fear not tomorrows,
Child of the King,
Trust them with Jesus,
Do the next thing.
Do it immediately;
Do it with prayer;
Do it reliantly, casting all care;
Do it with reverence,
Tracing His Hand,
Who placed it before thee with
Earnest command.
Stayed on Omnipotence,
Safe 'neath His wing,
Leave all resultings,
Do the next thing.
Looking to Jesus, ever serener,
Working or suffering
Be thy demeanor,
In His dear presence,
The rest of His calm,
The light of His countenance
Be thy psalm,
Strong in His faithfulness,
Praise and sing,
Then, as He beckons thee,
Do the next thing.
- Author unknown
Jess and her husband, Ben, answer listeners' questions about marriage.
Join Jess and her husband, Ben, for part two of Restoration Marriage as they discuss gutting houses, bayou cockroaches, addiction, confession, and forgiveness. Be sure to tune in next week for a marriage Q&A to conclude the series.
Jess interviews her husband, Ben, in this first of two episodes that dig into the gritty, sometimes dangerous work that is marriage. Join them as they discuss wedding mishaps, learning to apologize, rusty metal, mold spores and going to counseling.
An interview with Josh and Jen Smith about their journey through infertility, adoption and, ultimately, their experience of God's redeeming work in their lives and in their family.
Jess interviews her two sisters, Jill and Joanna, to unpack some of the lessons they've learned over a lifetime of sisterhood and friendship about how extroverts can love introverts, and vice versa.
Jess interviews her two sisters, Jill and Joanna, to unpack some of the lessons they've learned over a lifetime of sisterhood and friendship about how extroverts can love introverts, and vice versa.
There's a big difference between knowing about someone and really knowing them. This is true for the celebrities we stalk on Twitter, and it's true about God as well. In this episode, Jess challenges listeners to spend time alone with Jesus, really getting to know Him.