Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

It’s a hard truth that none of us is exempt from the pain of losing loved ones. And while Jesus tells us that, “In this world, you’ll have trouble,” He also promises that no matter what, He will never leave our side, and that He’ll remain a rock we can lean on through the pain of loss. Our two guests, country music artist Eddie Montgomery and Jesus Calling reader Kacie Clousing, have experienced t...

Through all the highs and lows that life throws our way, there is one constant: God. Despite uncertainties, despite pain, and despite hurt, God is always there, longing for us to rely on Him to become our source of Joy. Author and joyologist Dawn Barton has faced more fall-to-your-knees pain and loss than most can imagine. And after every setback, Dawn shares she found the secret to moving forward...

In observance of Memorial Day, veteran and country music artist Craig Morgan and the First Lady of Louisiana, Donna Edwards , join the Jesus Calling Podcast to share how their faith, families, and a dedication to public service have shaped their lives in incredible ways. Craig Morgan served in the Army for 17 years before pursuing a country music career, which now allows him to serve military memb...

We don’t have to be perfect to receive God’s love. He longs to meet us in our brokenness so that He can be a part of our healing. Olympic gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson East and her husband, NFL player Andrew East , share their love story that’s now blossomed into parenthood. And in their young marriage, Shawn and Andrew have weathered highs and lows, including a painful miscarriage, and they re...

God is the restorer of all, and He often works through us to rebuild lives, to touch hearts, and to transform people here on earth. Stars of HGTV’s “Restored by the Fords” brother-and-sister-duo Leanne and Steve Ford share how their supportive parents paved the way for their creative careers, encouraging their kids to try new things, even if they made mistakes along the way. When they understood f...

Whether or not we see Him, whether or not we feel Him, God is always near, walking beside us no matter where we go. YouTuber and mother of eight Angela Braniff shares how she checked all the boxes to gain a “perfect” life, until she realized Jesus’ life was about far more than giving her what the world considered “perfect.” By warily trusting God’s plan, and learning that she didn’t have to please...

One of God’s greatest gifts is the healing we can find in forgiveness, whether we’re learning to to love and accept others or even ourselves. April 19, 2020 marked the 25th anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing , when Bud Welch’s 23-year-old daughter Julie was tragically killed in the blast. Bud shares how he turned his grief into compassion for Bill McVeigh, father of the bomber Timothy McVeig...

Sometimes we have to take a step back and reevaluate, taking a different approach to the things we can control—such as nutrition and wellness—in order to open our hearts and minds to spiritual connection with God. HGTV’s Christina Anstead shares how her stressful career and crumbling marriage took a toll on her emotional, mental, and physical health, and how she fought her way back to wellness by...

Sometimes our dreams seem so far out of our reach, we don’t know if we’ll ever achieve them. And sometimes we’ve been chasing dreams for so long, we need to remember why we began the chase in the first place. Matthew Barnett, pastor of the Dream Center , shares how the organization is serving the people of Los Angeles during the COVID-19 pandemic. He talks about how, over the course of the center’...

In our weakest hour, when all hope is lost and we don’t feel like we can pick ourselves back up, God is there, waiting for us to release our burdens and ask for help. Writer and speaker Lisa Bevere had to overcome a hurt she didn’t even realize was holding her back: a difficult relationship with her mother. Lisa spent years trying to find a female mentor, only to discover God wanted Lisa to be the...

The more we work and serve alongside people who are different from us, the more readily we see the image of God in everyone. Former San Diego Chargers player Miles McPherson shares how he got mixed up in drugs and the wrong lifestyle in the NFL, but was saved by God when he called out to Him in his lowest moment. Today Miles pastors the Rock Church in San Diego shares that we all have one very imp...

In our darkest moments, when we’re searching for hope and healing, we can take comfort in this: we serve a God of restoration, and His greatest desire is to heal our hearts. And all around us, we can see God’s handiwork in the living testimonies of lives restored by Him. Husband-and-wife ministry team John and Stasi Eldredge share how they help others discover (and, for some, remember) the life-ch...

God works in mysterious ways. When we have the road mapped out, He can take us in an entirely different direction than where we thought we were headed. Auntie Anne’s Pretzels founder, Anne Beiler , shares how she was striving to keep up the pretense of a perfect life, but when her daughter was tragically killed and Anne was manipulated and abused by someone who should’ve been a counselor, Anne bur...

God will always be with you, supporting you in times of joy and carrying you through times of despair. This week’s guests tell how, after weathering success and loss, sharing their artistic talents with others have brought hope and healing: country music artist Lauren Alaina and hospitality pioneer Kreis Beall . Lauren traces her path as a young singer from the American Idol stage to Dancing with...

“Why me, God?” Sound familiar? We’ve all questioned why God has allowed bad things to happen in our lives, but this week’s guests, musician Dave Pittman and home designer Rachel Van Kluyve , have faced serious trials that caused them to question their purpose and how to move forward. Growing up, Dave faced bullies because of his Tourette’s Syndrome. After a deep, dark battle, Dave learned to embra...

Fear of the unknown and fear of change are some of the greatest struggles we will ever face. How can we possibly leave behind what’s familiar to us? How will we know where to go next? What will happen to us and our loved ones? It can be terrifying, lonely, and confusing. Today’s guests share how they found the courage to make a change, which led them to freedom and joy like they had never experien...

We’re able to share our hearts and to love others because God chose to love us first. Today’s guests, Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons of RUN-D.M.C. and his wife Justine , along with evangelist and founder of Think Eternity Matt Brown share how they’ve learned to develop qualities of pure, selfless love and how this love has profoundly changed their lives. When he was at the height of his music career, Re...

Jesus didn’t come for perfect people—He came to heal the broken and the hurting. Today’s guests, artist and author Amy Kavelaris and Christian music artist Austin French , share how God met them in their broken places and healed their lives and hearts. Amy draws inspiration from the awe-filled way her three little girls see the world, and it reminds her of the light God is in her life. When she ge...

Life will give us our share of dark times, but we can choose to be the light. Today’s guests share how they use the power of story to share messages of hope and purpose. Award-winning ABC News correspondent Linsey Davis shares how she has taken lessons from her childhood in church, her time as a reporter, and the values she’s trying to instill in her young son to show that what’s important is lovi...

Our planet holds more than seven billion people, and each one reflects who God is—because He created every one of us in His image. Today we hear from two women who have learned the value of who God created them to be and now lead others into finding their own worth as they carve out new spaces to foster connection. Nona Jones, head of faith-based partnerships at Facebook , shares how she overcame...

None of us is guaranteed a pain-free life. But when we can’t see the right way to move forward, that’s where God steps in to take us by the hand and leads us out of the dark. On today’s episode, Army veteran and Bachelorette contestant Luke Pell and author/speaker Jack Deere share some of their painful moments—an unexplainable, near-death experience; watching a spouse slip into an alcohol addictio...

Ever wonder exactly who you are and what you were made for? Today’s guests tell how, as they pursued ways to know God and themselves a bit more, He’s helped them understand their true selves—not what other people say they are. Enneagram coach Beth McCord shares how she and her husband, Jeff, used this popular personality test to understand each other and improve their marriage, finding out the att...

No matter where we grow up, no matter who our parents are or which zip code we live in, each of us will meet challenges. And in those moments, we have a choice: do we give up, or do we keep going? Today we talk with two athletes who, with God by their sides, have endured the sting of defeat and the joy of victory. Lolo Jones is one of only ten athletes who have competed in both the Summer and Wint...

Some of God’s greatest miracles come when He brings good out of dark places. In Ogden, Utah, pastor Matt Roberts felt he didn’t feel comfortable inviting his friends and neighbors to church as it didn’t feel like a place where people could be vulnerable, so he decided to create an open community he thought they—and he—would feel like they belonged. When his former youth pastor, Rob Cowles , came f...

Christmas can be a time for joy, but also for reflection—and for many, a reminder of lost moments and loved ones. This week’s guests, musicians Dailey & Vincent and Ernie Haase , remind us this season is filled with hope, because God loved us so much that He sent Jesus into the world. These artists tell us how they fell in love with music (from bluegrass to gospel) and why they center their songs...