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Where is God when we are experiencing betrayal? In today’s episode, Parker Primrose fills in for Emma Dotter as he and faithful Watermark member Nate Alvis talk about how David wrestles through the betrayal of a dear friend. Nate recounts how David walks through fear, fury, and faith and how he places his trust in God despite his circumstances.     Additional Scripture mentioned in the podcast:  2...

What is a freewill offering and what does it have to do with gratitude? In today’s episode covering Psalm 54, Emma Dotter asks us about what our natural response to God is and whether we are moved to gratitude when we think about Him. In the Old Testament, a freewill offering was a voluntary offering to God as God moved the hearts of the people, while today, as believers, it more looks like notici...

Today on the podcast, Emma Dotter is joined by new Join The Journey Volunteer Admin, Lauren Atkinson, to discuss what David means in Psalm 53 when he says “there is none who does good.” David defines a fool not by someone’s intellectual capacity but by their spiritual state. Fools reject God in their hearts, and that is all of us before Christ. David cries out to God for salvation to come out of Z...

Who are we trying to promote in our lives, us or God? In this episode, Emma Dotter points out man’s tendency to lean toward temporary gratification in seeking praise, but that those who choose to be rooted deep in the house of God shine for Christ, not themselves. As believers, we are ambassadors for Christ and witnesses to all people, and we are left with the choice whether to glorify Him and tru...

Can God take the Holy Spirit away from us? Today, Emma Dotter unpacks Psalm 49, where David is begging God to not remove the Holy Spirit from him after he committed a grievous sin. Thankfully, as believers, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit when we are saved and cannot have Him removed from us. While we may experience consequences for our actions, we can find freedom in confessing our sins and co...

Today, Emma Dotter is joined by faithful Watermark member Alexia Voltzow to talk through Psalm 50 where God judges the moralists and the wicked. All of creation belongs to God, so He does not need burnt offerings or our performance. There is good news for the people of God – in Christ the ultimate sacrifice has been provided. God desires our hearts, and our thanksgiving honors Him. Listen through...

What happens when we trust in money? In Psalm 49, the psalmists lay out how wealth gives us a false sense of security because temporal solutions cannot solve eternal problems. In this episode, Emma Dotter recognizes the contrast between the shepherd of those who trust in wealth with those who trust in God and leaves us with an encouragement of how God rescued us from death and a challenge of how t...

All throughout the Bible, we see God’s love and protection of His people even when they don’t deserve it. Today, Emma Dotter and faithful Watermark member Jamie Morrison discuss Psalm 48 and how we can experience God firsthand through Jesus, rest in the fact that God loves and protects His people, and learn from the big view of God that is presented at the end of this psalm.     Additional Scriptu...

Is it okay to move around in worship? In today’s episode, Emma Dotter and faithful Watermark staff member and singer Davy Leffall (new last name alert!) talk about how being informed by God’s Word helps us to distinguish between objective truth and subjective opinions. Davy then goes on to show how Psalm 47 is about recognizing God’s presence and character and responding rightly to Him.     Grab a...

Today, Emma Dotter is joined by Watermark Institute fellow Hannah Staubs as Hannah wraps up her time in the Institute and walks through Psalm 46. In a broken world, tragedy is going to happen. As believers, we find comfort knowing that Christ has entered into our brokenness. He is our refuge and help. The Lord of Hosts is not far off, but near and powerful. He is the God of Jacob, who always has b...

Through what lens should we view Scripture? Today, Parker Primrose fills in for Emma Dotter as he and faithful Watermark member Tip Housewright discuss how Psalm 45 captures the lavish picture of the beauty and majesty of God and our relationship with Him. Tip shows how this psalm points to Christ and His bride, the church, and explains why it is so important to see the Old Testament through the l...

Where is God in our suffering? In today’s episode, Emma Dotter unpacks Psalm 44 and how we should respond when bad things continue to happen in our lives. Even when we are faithful in pursuing God and obeying Him, life may still not go our way. At the end of the episode, Emma draws hope from Paul in Romans 8, when he references this psalm to encourage believers that in Christ and His love, we are...

What does it look like to desire God like a deer pants for water? In Psalms 42-43, we see a sweet picture of the psalmists’ dependency on God and their hope in Him. Emma Dotter and faithful Watermark member Kathy Cox encourage listeners to come to God in honesty, praise in the waiting, and remembrance of His past faithfulness.     Want to listen to Shane and Shane’s song about Psalm 42? Check out...

What if God doesn’t restore me to full health? Emma Dotter today chats with faithful Watermark staff member Shane Rasch about Psalm 41, where David is in a low point of his life but chooses to entrust himself to the faithfulness of God while suffering. Shane explores how David recognizes God sustaining and upholding him and points how our final and eternal hope for restoration is in Christ.      W...

What does it look like to wait patiently for God in the midst of suffering and trials? In today’s episode, faithful Watermark member Anthony Anderson and Emma Dotter talk about what it looks like to trust in God and His deliverance. Anthony points to the example of David to see how we can be transparent about where we are and how God reaches through the darkness we face and overcomes the circumsta...

Why does God care about us if we have such short lives?  Today Emma Dotter is joined by Watermark staff member Delissa Villa on the External Focus team to walk through Psalm 39. David understands our fallen nature and the brokenness of the world. He highlights that our days are fleeting, and our lives are short. In light of the reality that Christ has come, we like David have hope in life and deat...

Sometimes the grief and anguish for our sins are all internal, but today Hannah Staubs and Wayne Walker unpack the physical anguish of sin. Wayne, the founder of Our Calling, teaches listeners about the grief of sin, and the way we can see it on the outside and the inside. But, there is hope in the forgiveness that can be found in Christ!    Want to learn more about Our Calling? Check out the link...

When we hear the phrase, “be still” oftentimes, we can read that as “don’t take action” or “don’t move." But what does this phrase mean regarding Scripture? Today, Hannah Staubs from the Watermark Institute interviews Watermark member, Justin Powell. Justin shares that being still before the Lord is more of a heart issue than an action issue. Being still before the Lord is a daily choice to surren...

In today’s podcast, Emma Dotter interviews faithful Watermark Member, Jen Hernandez. In a unique way, Jen sees clearly how her own story parallels Psalm 36. Her own decisions led her away from the path of life and righteousness. But, Jen continues to show that this passage also connects to Ephesians 2, and how God’s rich mercy has met her, and God offers that to us as we listen today!     Addition...

Oftentimes when we are done wrong by our enemies, we can take the role of God in retaliation. But what if we changed our view to praying for their redemption and softening hearts? Hannah Staubs today interviews Zac Whitley, as he challenges listeners to pray to stay in their own lane and trust in God’s work of redemption.     Additional Scripture used in the podcast:  1 Thes. 5:14, “And we urge yo...

What does it look like to taste and see that the Lord is good? In today’s episode, faithful Watermark member Robert Monroy and Emma Dotter talk about what it looks like to be in a close relationship with God. He highlights that in Christ, we get to experience joy and wonder of the goodness of His love and call others to experience the same.     Additional Scriptures in the Episode:  John 1:12, “Ye...

As we continue our “Love our City” campaign, Emma Dotter interviews Watermark Member, Dana Spangenberg! So much of Dana’s story involves attempting to fix situations by her actions, but she expounds on how her dependence on the Lord is where she finds hope. As she shares, Dana shows the attention of God for the whole earth to the personal relationship with his people.     Want to get involved with...

Why are we called to confess to the Lord if he already knows our thoughts? In today’s episode, faithful Watermark member T.J. Detwiler and Emma Dotter talk about how confessing our sins to God instills humility, repentance, and an open heart in us towards God. Since God knows everything, acknowledging our sin and no longer trying to hide it allows God to pour His mercy, forgiveness, and healing up...

How can we have confidence in God when we experience distress? In today’s episode, faithful Watermark staff member Hannah Pickle and Emma Dotter talk about the structure and statements of Psalm 31. Hannah points out how David sees God working even though he still felt the brokenness of the world. God has won the war even if we feel the effects of sin in our day to day life, and we can trust Him in...

What if I feel like I can't dance in my mourning? Emma Dotter today interviews Daniel Roby, a faithful Watermark Member and the CEO of Austin Street Center.   David is familiar with mourning, but he also is familiar with the joy that comes from the Lord. There is a calling for expression, and acting in the joy of the Lord.     Looking to get involved with Austin Street Center? Check out the link h...