Believe & Speak

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a great deal of uncertainty, which is a magnet for worry. Today’s episode provides a gentle reminder of Jesus’s command not to worry. He says, “do not worry” three times in the span of nine verses. Fortunately, when Jesus gives a command, he always empowers us to obey. In today’s scripture reading from Matthew, Jesus offers a valuable perspective on worrying. Empow...

At the end of every podcast, I always say, “Your tongue has power. Use it for good.” It’s not easy for me to use my tongue for good when my thoughts aren’t so good. Over the past week or so, I was having a particularly hard time with the increasing duration and escalating restrictions of the COVID-19 quarantine. I confess that I was getting bitter about being forced into isolation. I struggled to...

Today’s declaration verbalizes a promise Jesus made with an if/then condition. His promise that you will bear fruit and that your joy will be complete hangs on your decision to remain in Jesus and remain in his love through obedience. The Scripture comes from a record of Jesus’s last hours on earth with his closest friends. It was written by the disciple Jesus loved, and it is filled with encourag...

Today’s podcast is second in a two-part series on Psalm 91. This episode not only encourages you to not be afraid of terrors and disease, but it also reminds you and I of the power and authority we have to crush fierce lions and serpents under our feet. The Bible calls Satan a lion on the prowl, looking for someone to devour. The Bible also refers to Satan as a cunning serpent. Psalm 91 reminds us...

Since the Coronavirus outbreak captured the world’s attention, I have heard Psalm 91 quoted multiple times. In a difficult season like the one we’re in right now, the specific promises in this psalm resonate deeply, bringing comfort and igniting hope. In today’s episode, I will be echoing a psalm that has already been quoted in response to COVID-19. But even though you may have heard it more than...

I could not have known when I kicked off this podcast 13 weeks ago how different our world would look today—from the empty shelves in the grocery stores to the empty highways during rush hour. I live in California, the first state to quarantine its residents due to COVID-19. The fact that I can’t drive to the corner store and buy a package of toilet paper proves I’m not in control of even the basi...

The heading in my Bible above Psalm 63 says that David wrote it when he was in the desert. Time in the desert exposes empty places. The verses in today’s podcast show us how David felt and where he turned in a particularly dry season. While I have clung to several different promises of God during dry seasons in my life, Psalm 63:1–8 was the constant cry of my heart during my driest, most desolate...

Isaiah 43:1–4 is filled with words of affirmation—from the wonderful promise in verse one that you belong to God, to the tender expression of God’s love for you in verse four. Many of the affirmations found in these four verses would make a great-sounding and powerful declaration. I certainly welcome you to declare that God has redeemed you and summoned you by name. Declare that you belong to God...

Believers in Jesus have been adopted into the family of God and are co-heirs with Christ. The Spirit you received when you accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior does not make you a slave. The Spirit makes you royalty, with all the wealth, prominence, power, and authority given to an heir of the King. Adoption into God’s family gives you access to God’s resources and elevates you to royal status....

Today we complete our seven-week series through Psalm 139. Every phrase I’ve given you to declare on the Believe & Speak podcast is grounded in truth, and today’s declaration is no exception. You and I can walk in victory, my friend. Hallelujah! The life-giving declarations I’ve been giving you each week are packed with power, and I hope you’ll continue to declare the truth you’ve learned listenin...

In a world of so many lies and half-truths, I am passionate about sharing pearls of truth. I happen to believe the Bible is filled with truth. That’s why this podcast is based on Scripture. We are now six weeks in to a seven-part series on Psalm 139. Each week, I read a passage from the Bible, and then I give you a phrase to declare that smacks of truth. Finally, I close with a prayer that I encou...

This week’s episode is the fifth installment in our seven-week series. The truth you’ll hear today from Psalm 139 gives you the right to declare this: God’s countless thoughts are for me. When you know without a shadow of a doubt that the one who is in control of this crazy world not only has his eye on you but also has his thoughts focused on you, you must also know that you are not forgotten. I...

If you’re new to the Believe & Speak podcast, welcome! I release a new episode every Wednesday, and follow a simple format: I read Scripture, give a declaration based on that Scripture, and close with prayer. The catalyst for this podcast is my book that releases July 14th. The book—called, Longing to Belong: Discovering the Joy of Acceptance—is built on the same premise as this podcast: namely th...

We continue our seven-part series today with our third installment. We are working our way through Psalm 139, which paints the perfect picture of beautiful you. If you believe every word of this psalm, you will never doubt your worth. If you speak aloud each declaration I give throughout this series, you will empower your tongue with the truth of who you really are. You can declare with confidence...

Today’s episode is the second installment in a seven-part series drawn from Psalm 139. The verses you’ll hear read today absolutely affirm that God is always with you. In fact, you can never sink to a pit so low that God can’t reach in and rescue you. You can never ascend to a peak so high that God will decide you no longer need him. You can never climb out on a limb so far that God will leave you...

This week, I begin a seven-part series that will take us all the way through the verses of Psalm 139, a psalm that holds great significance for this podcast. Psalm 139 provides the foundation for my soon-to-be-released book, which served as the catalyst for launching this podcast. In other words, if it weren’t for the book, I wouldn’t have thought to start a podcast called Believe & Speak. And if...

What to expect each week: Since we’re just getting started with this podcast, I thought I’d review the three-part format of Believe & Speak: Scripture Declaration Prayer Each week, I list the scripture reference right here in the show notes. Feel free to look it up in your Bible, and review it to help seal its truth in your heart and mind. You’ll find the declaration each week on the featured imag...

What to expect each week: I begin each podcast by reading a passage of scripture that tells of your significance and great worth. Then, I give you a simple phrase pulled from the passage, and challenge you to believe and speak the phrase. I encourage you to declare it daily throughout the week because your tongue has power. I close each podcast with a prayer to impress the declaration upon your he...