Gospel Spice | Awaken Delight in God through faith in Jesus Christ

Stephanie here! We are in our Come to the Table series, and today is a bit of a surprise! I always find it fascinating to find fresh ways to worship Jesus Christ through the connections between different feasts and seasons. So today I invite you to delight in Christ through the unexpected juxtaposition of Purim and Lent. We invite you into a delightful exploration of the divine tapestry that inter...

In our bustling, fast-paced world, the concept of stillness can often seem alien, if not downright impossible. But as we learn from Gretchen Saffles, embracing stillness and our weaknesses can bring us closer to God and foster a deeper sense of inner peace. Gretchen and Stephanie discuss the challenge of being still and overcoming the need for constant productivity. Advised by her Christian counse...

Succoth stands as a beacon of joy, celebration, and divine presence, weaving together the rich history of Israel with the identity of Jesus as our Messiah and Lord. So, today I invite you into the tapestry of Succoth, exploring its historical roots, its connections to the identity, mission, life and teachings of Jesus, and its enduring relevance in understanding the presence of God in Scripture an...

Stephanie welcomes Sally Clarkson to discuss her rich experiences in living a faith-filled life across various cultures. As both women share their journeys, the themes of community, self-awareness, and intentional delight arise, inviting us on the path of delight and gentleness, in the gentle spirit of Christ. Sally Clarkson’s gentle wisdom, intimate reflections, and emphasis on intentional deligh...

In the midst of the rich tapestry of Jewish feasts and celebrations, Yom Kippur, known as the Day of Atonement, holds a pivotal place. In our Christian faith, we can draw stunning parallels with Jesus as our high priest and ultimate sacrifice. Yom Kippur is a solemn and holy day in the Jewish calendar, a festival centered around national atonement, involving deep personal and communal repentance....

Stephanie has a fun surprise for anyone who has loved the show for some time! She is joined by her husband Jonah, for the first time on the show, to celebrate a momentous milestone: the fifth anniversary of the podcast! Through a heartfelt conversation, they invite you to explore the themes of spiritual growth, understanding God’s love, and the journey of faith. They hope to point us to God’s fait...

Stephanie navigates through key biblical passages that tie Rosh Hashanah (also called the Feast of Trumpets) to the second coming of Jesus. This feast invites us to tell the Lord, in answer to His invitation to seek Him, “Your Face, Lord, will I seek.” He always initiates relationship: How will we choose to respond to His holy trumpet call? Picture this: the sound of trumpets, a grand gathering of...

Today, we invite you to join us as Sandra McCracken and Stephanie explore the interplay of faith, cultural insights, and the essence of beauty in worship music. Stephanie sits down with renowned musician Sandra McCracken to dive into the multifaceted ways God uses to connect us to Him, including beauty, language, and culture. Their conversation touches on various facets—from the linguistic richnes...

Have you ever wondered if God speaks more loudly through our feasts and fasts, than He does through our mundane, ordinary circumstances? In this episode in our “Come to the Table” series on the Jewish and Christian feasts, Stephanie reflects on the significance of ordinary time, the ordinary moments of life. They are the backdrop to our feast days. They are the bulk of our time. The present, nestl...

Stephanie sits down with Pam Farrel to discuss a harrowing yet faith-affirming journey through unexpected medical emergencies, profound spiritual experiences in Christ, and the indomitable power of joy. Pam's story is not just one of survival but of thriving through adversity, guided by God’s presence, Pam’s steadfast faith, and the prayers of many. Heaven’s Glimpse and Joy’s Power During a medica...

Today we discuss our sacred journey from mourning to joy, desolation to restoration. It is about the legacy of holy sorrow. In this new episode of our new series around the Jewish feasts, I invite you to travel into the historical and spiritual significance of Tisha B'Av, the 9th of Av in the Jewish calendar, and the hope it holds for the future. This day beckons us into a profound journey through...

Stephanie here! I have often found that, when I'm discouraged, or when I struggle to see things from the perspective that God might have on a situation, a relationship, maybe my own heart, I find it so useful to dig into Scripture and look at the stories of people in Scripture who may have experienced something similar. I also find that, beyond Scripture, it is useful to look at the lives of faith...

We need our eyes on Jesus. We need to train ourselves to see Him even where it is not obvious. Because He is here. He is in the middle of every detail we are going through. We just forget. So, Stephanie invites you to join us as we train ourselves to see Him. There is something profound in seeking Jesus in the routine of daily life and also in the unusual moments of our years. To find him through...

Have you ever felt the need to belong to a particular group or tribe? Have you ever felt like you didn't belong somewhere? I believe we have this deep wired, this God-wired need to belong. And I believe all of us have at some point experienced the absence of that belonging. And that hurts deeply. The longing to belong is one of my greatest needs, personally. So, when my friend, Michelle Lee Barnew...

Stephanie and Liz Bell Young invite you to join them for another deep, heart-to-heart conversation about Liz's book, "Let There Be Havens." Truly, it’s more about Liz’ heart and how we too can open up our homes in simple ways to welcome everyone in the name of Christ. Liz shared her childhood memory of her mom getting a blade of grass back for her, which became a beautiful symbol of self-sacrifici...

In a world filled with hopelessness, rage, and despair, how do we, as Christians, respond with compassion and love, without eventually experiencing burnout and compassion fatigue? Stephanie is offering you today an enlightening conversation with Hal Donaldson, the founder and president of Convoy of Hope, where he shared valuable insights about the Christian responsibility to acknowledge truth whil...

Could there be more to your Christian faith, than what you have been experiencing so far? Have you ever wondered if you are tasting the fullness of the flavors God infused Scripture with? The Bible teaches that the goodness of the Lord is, literally, tasty (see Psalm 34:8). Has that been your experience? When you come away from your experience of church, or Bible Study, or your own time alone with...

Stephanie here!  I've welcomed Summer Joy Gross on the show a few weeks ago (episode 319) and I wanted her back to continue discussing her book, The Emmanuel Promise, with more of the practical aspects of what it looks like to walk with God in the daily life. As we continue today, we're going to talk about object permanence, repentance, Lectio Divina, imaginative prayers, as different ways that we...

Bonjour! We're back for the second part of our deep dive into understanding pride from a biblical perspective. So, grab your favorite iced drink, settle in, and let's talk about humble pride rooted in the Lord and how we can navigate the delicate balance of pride and humility.  Pride comes in different shapes and sizes. It's not all bad! In this episode, we unpack the distinctions between positive...

Stephanie here! I am inviting you today to join me and Liz Bell Young, to share a deep, heartfelt conversation about creating havens in a world that often feels a bit upside down. It's like a warm hug for your soul. It is deeply Christ-centered, and it will fill you in places you didn’t even know you needed filled. Liz Bell Young's "Let There Be Havens" isn't just a book; it's a whole vibe about c...

Welcome back to our series to experience Scripture through the lens of the French language and culture! Stephanie kicks things off today with a bang by posing a million-dollar question: Is it ever okay to be proud? She gets into the nitty-gritty, unpacking the complexities of this virtue through Scripture and linguistic nuances. Who knew that the French language actually offers a different spin on...

Stephanie here. I welcome Mary DeMuth again on the show, to talk about all the things we didn’t get to talk about when she came on the first time. We talk about deep things – church hurt, forgiveness, compassion, multifaceted journeys deep into the heart of God. We talk about daring to start a new story when it feels too late. Mary is here to tell us, it’s never too late to dream again, to trust G...

You know that feeling when you're stuck waiting for something, whether it's a long line at the grocery store or eagerly anticipating a life-changing event? Well, today we dive into the concept of " patienting " and how it completely flips the script on waiting. Note | You are invited to go deeper by using our extensive digital book that includes, for each of our 12 episodes in the series, a listen...

Stephanie welcomes renowned singer and worship artist Beckah Shae, whose journey is one of resilience, faith, and unwavering devotion to Jesus Christ. Her music’s intimate melodies have the power to touch the human spirit in deeply profound ways. Her story is one of undeniable beauty, resilience, and victory in the face of life’s trials, encapsulating the transformative and redemptive power of fai...

I invite you to continues our exploration of the French words for hope, "espoir" and "esperance," and to dive deeper into their biblical and cultural significance. Scripture draws parallels between the biblical story of Babel in Genesis 11 and the unifying power of hope in Christ. God orchestrated Scripture to be translatable in all languages, which reverses the curse of Babel and offers the poten...