Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

On this week’s episode, we’ll hear from three people with special connections to the Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child , which collects shoebox gifts filled with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items, and delivers them to children in need around the world to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way. For many children, this shoebox is the first gift they’ve ever received. Bill...

This special bonus episode of the Jesus Calling Podcast features multiple guests talking specifically about the power of prayer. We hope you find inspiration from the stories of how the simple act of prayer brings hope, peace, and a deeper relationship with God to people from all walks of life.    Links To Full Episodes Lauren Akins Joyce & John Smith James Martin Carlos Whittaker Travis Tritt Sar...

When we find ourselves in a difficult season of our lives, we may ask ourselves the question, How did I get here? And when we aren’t able to figure it out right away, we may turn on ourselves for the blame—bringing on deep feelings of regret and shame. Psalm 145 reminds us that when we seek the Lord, He will answer us and deliver us from all our fears. It also says “Those who look to Him are radia...

This week we get to hear from three very special guests—they are sisters who have stuck together through the good times and the bad: Country and Gospel music singing sisters Reba McEntire , Susie McEntire-Eaton (host of the second season of Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith) , and Alice Foran. These sisters look back on what it was like growing up on an 8000 acre ranch, traveling to rodeos with thei...

Many of us struggle with the concept of prayer. What should a good prayer look like? Am I doing it wrong? How can I make sure I know that God is hearing me? The good news from God is that every single one of your prayers—even the silent ones—are heard and cared about by Him. There is no right or wrong way to pray, all that matters is that you talk to God consistently, and you will find the joys of...

Often, when we are in our most desperate, vulnerable state, looking for answers and help, God is our last resort, our final plea when nothing else is working. Psalm 30:2 says, “Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me,” which reminds us that no matter where we’ve turned, how we might’ve fumbled our plans, He will always help us pursue His path to wholeness and joy, because it is ne...

This special bonus episode of the Jesus Calling Podcast features multiple guests speaking to the topic of grief. We hope you find encouragement, comfort and healing as you listen to mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, sisters and children who have lost someone close to them, how they leaned on God as they coped with the loss and how, with His help, they were able to move forward.     Links To Full...

Being raised in a faith-steeped environment can provide rich soil in which we can plant ourselves, allowing us to grow tall and firm and confident in the good news of the gospel. But remaining steadfast in faith comes with a heaven-sent assignment: to share it with others. That doesn’t mean, however, that we should push ourselves to the brink of burnout—it’s a careful balance of stewarding our mis...

Romans 8:28 reminds us that God will work all things together for good—not just the rosy parts of life, but also the ugly, twisted parts. This week’s guests have both overcome addictions that could have wiped them out completely, but instead they chose to call on God in hopes of finding something better—and were amazed to see Him show up in their darkest moments. Editor-in-chief of Guideposts Maga...

When talking about the concept of faith, the Bible tells us that “ faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ” Even though we can’t literally see God, the Bible also tells us simply; when we seek God, we shall find Him . The ways we seek and find God in the midst of our lives can look different from one person to another. One may study everything they can about h...

*Trigger Warning*  This episode contains content that talks about suicide and self-harm that could be disturbing to some listeners.    Many of us could never imagine that we would ever go through a dark time so dark and so hopeless that we would consider taking our own lives. Yet, so many people who have experienced deep depression know what it feels like when their minds can’t seem to grasp on to...

Do you have a dream for your life that didn’t pan out exactly as you had planned? Maybe something out of your control happened that made that dream impossible, or maybe you made some choices that turned your life in a direction that wasn’t in line with your hopes and goals? Though we can be filled with regret over dreams lost or deferred, God has another way of looking at those shifts in our lives...

Finding our way in life can be challenging, overwhelming, and discouraging. The path may seem clear at times, and then others, we feel pushed in a direction that may not feel comfortable or familiar. The only thing that we can trust is that God will show us the way and we must step out in faith to find our purpose. Travis Tritt , a wildly popular 90’s country star, thought he had his life mapped o...

Grief, death, and loss are an inevitable part of life, though knowing that doesn’t make the pain any easier to bear. Whether you’ve faced unexpected loss time and time again or are navigating grief for the very first time, the waves of difficulty can be drowning. But the good news is that God can offer us a life raft. Isaiah 57:18-19 says, “I will heal them; I will guide them and restore comfort t...

The best news we could ever receive is that in the middle of our most broken, painful moments, there is Someone who will reach out to us—no matter what we’ve done, who we’ve hurt, or the mistakes that we’ve made. God does not care what you look like, or the road that you’ve traveled—all He cares for is your heart and where you’re headed. Sharon Jaynes is an international conference speaker and aut...

Many of us feel called to serve others in some way—and often when we think about what that could look like, we feel paralyzed by too many options. There are so many needs all across the world that must urgently be met, so how do we know where to start? This week’s guests, CEO of Convoy of Hope Hal Donaldson and CEO of Haiti Made Will McGinniss share how they found a way to make real change in live...

When we face life experiences that hurt us, that drastically alter the way things go, it can cut deep and cause us significant pain. But as the Bible says in 1 Peter 2:24 , “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” Remember that even in the most daunting of circumstances, Jesus took your wounds as His own so th...

Every Christian faces a time in their relationship with Jesus that is frustrating, that’s full of questions, full of doubt, full of wondering if God is even real, if He listens, or if He cares. But time and time again, the Lord has proven that He does hear your every prayer, as Psalm 66:19 reminds us: “God has surely listened and has heard my prayer.” God is also okay with our doubts—He gives us t...

Many of us have had a moment in our lives that define us as people and as servants of God—and sometimes that moment comes at a fork in the road. Which path will you take? The one you’ve worked hard for and the world tells you you should want? Or the one God wants you to take? It’s almost guaranteed that every time you decide to take the Lord’s path, you will encounter mountains of blessings that y...

At this time of year, as we celebrate the brave men and women who fought for the freedom of our country, it’s a good time to reflect on what it actually means to be brave. Sometimes, as in the case of our military heroes, bravery means laying down your life for a greater good, or for your fellow man. Sometimes bravery can mean stepping into something new, apart from everything you’ve known before,...

The idea of loving others doesn’t seem too difficult when we put it in the context of those closest to us, the ones who support us, care for us, and who give love in return. But the love that God commands us to have as Christians goes beyond that love we have in small circles—and it demands that as Jesus first loved us, we must love others in return. In the Bible, we’ll find in I John 4:20-21 , it...

Maybe you’ve heard someone say “Well, if you really knew me, you might not like me…” or maybe you’ve even said that to yourself. There can be much fear in being truly known— will I still be loved, despite my mistakes, despite my desperate thoughts, despite that I might not ever be enough on my own ? The resounding answer to that question from God’s perspective is yes . God promises to love us with...

It’s often been said that we shouldn’t live in the past, but sometimes, inevitably, our past mistakes can haunt us. Regret over decisions made, things we’ve said and done that impacted others negatively, or opportunities missed. But God calls us to a different reality—one that is based on the present with Him and the promise for a future that He lovingly prescribes. Our guests this week have all h...

The concept of identity is a lofty one to wrap our minds around, and we are often encouraged to make sure our identity aligns with who God has called us to be. But how do we do that in real life? It often takes a situation beyond our control, where we feel over our heads, to get us to a point where we realize we have to realign our priorities. It’s there, in that space, that we often find God, and...

When we’re having a bad week and it seems like everything is going wrong, it’s nice to be able to have one constant to look to—something that never changes, is always reliable and there for us when we need it. This week two men of faith share how God’s love has been that constant in their lives; Grammy award winning country singer from the group Rascal Flatts , Gary LeVox and pastor, speaker, and...