Rinse and Repeat with Carol Eskaros

Ever wonder how God is going to work a particular situation out? What do you do at times like that? Today, we see Ruth facing poverty of widowhood by doing what she is supposed to do - she works, and trusts the rest to God. In other words, she is faithful and obedient, and God directs her to the perfect place for her to receive His provision - the fields of her Kinsman Redeemer, the Goel, Boaz. Tu...

Who we spend our time with really matters. Today, as we turn to the next installment in our study of the book of Ruth, we see how Elimelech’s family changed living in the land of Moab.  When they left the “House of Bread,” Bethlehem, they began to live more like the world around them. That happens to us more than we may be willing to admit. While I challenge our comfortable life choices in today’s...

According to author Warren Wiersbe, when troubles come, we really have three options—we can endure them, escape them, or enlist them. Which approach do you tend to take? Do you simply try to "white-knuckle" through your seasons of difficulty? Do you try to escape them in some way through endless amusements or even denials? Today, as we open a new book of the Bible, Ruth, we will learn ho...

Today we have an incredibly special guest, Asia Eskaros, sharing about how we are to live "Life on Mission." Sharing from her experiences in Togo, West Africa, Asia explains how we can be prepared to share the Gospel in season and out, wherever we are, and how the Gospel of Jesus Christ applies to all cultures and in all places. Asia also offers practical tools for living life on mission. Join us...

Have you ever faced something so difficult that you just weren't sure you'd ever get through it? The loss of a loved one, the break of a trust, the dissolving of a relationship... and you just didn't know how you would make it? Today I revisit an episode I have entitled "A Way through the Fog," based on a fascinating account from the life of George Mueller. More importantly,...

"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." Today, we will explore Philippians 4:13's remarkable truth in its context and come to understand that in Christ, we can be content in every situation. What's more, we can learn to trust Him to provide for all of our needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19), just as He did for the generous church in Phili...

Does my life belong to Christ? How is my relationship with God's Word? What does it look like to truly be content? In today's episode, I ask a LOT of questions (deeply personal and hopefully meaningful ones), especially exploring Philippians 4:11b, "for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content." All of that, and I get to share the biography of a TRULY remarkable missi...

How could one Man be approached so easily by the destitute, sought by the sick, loved by children, and trusted by the marginalized?   One word.  Gentleness. Jesus said it best of Himself. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29)...

Have you ever experienced something so painful, and found yourself just so stuck there? A hurt, a trauma, a loss, and you don’t see a way forward? For a long time, in reading Paul's words in Philippians 3:13-14, “…forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus,” I bel...

How tragic! What a waste! Cut down in his prime! When someone dies unexpectedly, so many difficulties arise. Likewise, when someone falls ill and is not healed, similar questions are sometimes asked: What is happening here? Why is God not healing them? Is something wrong with their faith or their walk with the Lord? Today on R&R, we address many of these difficult questions of faith and come to un...

Do all things without complaining and disputing. Philippians 2:14 states the prohibition. Complaining, murmuring, arguing within or among ourselves - we simply must NOT do it. And throughout Scripture we see why complaining is so very dangerous, and how it affects not just our relationships, but also our very souls. Today we explore this key verse in Philippians, as well as looking closely how God...

Groveling. Running around at the behest of another. These may be the pictures we have in our heads when we think about humility but it really should NOT BE SO. Humility is having FULL dependence on God's mercy, and it has nothing to do with insecurity, or humiliation, as we will see in today's episode. Rather, humility is to have "the mind of Christ" (Philippians 2:5). Turn to Ph...

Miscommunication will happen. Misunderstandings. Out-and-out conflicts. Everyday situations arise that cause ruptures in our relationships, even among other Christians, and yet, we do not have to stay in that state. God has given us that way to mend those ruptures in order to live in unity with other believers in Jesus. Today, we explore Paul's directive to the church in Philippi to stand fast...

What are we living for? As in REALLY living for? In Philippians 1:21, the Apostle Paul writes, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." To him, life was about surrendering everything to the service of Christ, knowing that in the end, it was far better to enter into eternity and be with Christ! Are we living for our families? Our careers? Ourselves? Or is it ultimately that for...

When you think confidence you may think of one whose shoulders are held high, who has a certain air about them. You may think of a certain athlete or actor or even someone you know personally who has a lot of confidence. You may even have a lot of confidence. Rarely do you consider imprisonment for one's faith a source of confidence, but that is precisely what we are about to see in Paul's...

Last week we explored how we can run to God in desperate situations, and one such situation can involve crisis in our relationships. Today I am sharing a reprise message about overcoming deep hurts in our relationships. To begin, I couldn't resist retelling a HILARIOUS story from my early marriage, to illustrate the need for healing in all of our relationships. Then I explore the story of Jacob an...

"God if you give me the life of my child, I will serve you all the days of my life." We have all seen that scene in the movies - someone is in desperate need, so they begin to negotiate with God. Or perhaps we have LIVED that scene. When was the last time we really sought God out of a place of desperation? When did we last pray less like "Now I lay me down to sleep" and more li...

It has been called the JOY epistle. It has been called the Jesus Christ epistle. It is one of the prison epistles of Paul the Apostle. It is the Book of Philippians, and it is one of my all-time favorites in God's Word (if we can have favorites). This week we embark on a new study through one of my life books, and we explore especially a key verse in the very beginning, " being confident...

Today marks the conclusion of our series on the life of David, and also the most egregious sin in David's life - when he numbers the people. In this narrative, David's pride causes him to take an unlawful census of Israel, which leads to the death of 70,000 but also offers insight into David's heart when he repents of his sin. What do you do when someone in your life refuses to heed go...

In this second-to-last episode in our series on the life of David, we will look at a few of King David's key reactions. In particular, we look at David trusting in God when under severe criticism by a man named Shimei. In this instance, we see David trust the Lord's sovereignty and maintain perspective during Shimei's hateful tirade. We see how we, too, can be encouraged to do the same. We also re...

On today's episode from our series on The Life of David, we explore the greatest betrayal of David's reign - when Absalom leads a coup, and takes with him Ahithophel, David's once trusted advisor. It is a sad tale, filled with intrigue, spies, deception, division, and familial and national heartbreak. From this story, we learn important lessons on how we are to handle divisive people i...

Misunderstandings and miscommunications account for the loss of countless friendships, the dissolution of churches, and the damage of marriage, but that need not be the case. On this week's lagniappe edition of Rinse and Repeat, we explore how one woman of the Bible, Mary of Bethany, was misunderstood again and AGAIN and how Jesus defends her each time. Jesus not only defends her, He commends...

Today we study one of the saddest accounts in Scripture - the sexual assualt of Tamar by her brother Amnon. The agonizing account offers us many lessons - lessons on NOT indulging our children, as King David seemed to do, lessons on being mindful of what we watch for our own spiritual well-being, lessons on supporting those who have been assaulted... Listeners be cautioned - In studying the entire...

How do you handle criticism? What do you do when someone confronts you? Sometimes criticism, correction, or rebuke can be painful, but often it is also a necessary part of our spiritual maturity. Today as we continue our study on the life of David, we see David commit the infamous sin with Bathsheba. Then, his good friend, Nathan the prophet, lovingly but firmly corrects him about that sin. David'...

Have you ever tried to do something kind, and were grossly misunderstood? Then you have experienced precisely the situation David faces in 2 Samuel 10. In today's episode, we see how the misunderstanding could have been avoided, and how we too can avoid and handle misunderstandings in our own lives. Beyond that, today's episode gives us insight into how God's hand was on David, preserving him, and...