The Jesus Storybook Bible Podcast

A social media post caught minister Rashawn Copeland's attention when he was in a dark, desperate place, and he felt the love of God in that moment, which ultimately saved him from a destructive pattern in his life. Now, he emphasizes the importance of being real and authentic with young people, sharing our testimony, and treasuring the message we've been entrusted with, because sharing that truth...

Moving from the era of blogging to the age of Instagram has shifted our perspective on motherhood and how we share those parenting moments with the wider world. Melanie Shankle shares her unique takes on the evolution of motherhood and how friendship can be a life-saving element in all of the change surrounding us.   Quotes "We have this internal thing where we measure ourselves by what other peop...

With the world constantly waging war for our attention, it's becoming more and more difficult to sit with ourselves and God. Singer/songwriter Jon Guerra's practice of stillness during his commute to his studio in Chicago helped him to create the ethos of his "devotional music," and he hopes that his music will inspire others to direct their everyday experiences towards God.   Quotes "In the histo...

Alli Worthington started a company with only $42, Google, and a fortitude that God would make a way. She shares how going through a tough financial downturn made her less afraid of failure and reframed how she viewed motherhood. Now, Alli's passionate about helping women to believe in themselves and trust in God to guide their steps towards their dreams.   Quotes "Going through losing it all makes...

Hooray! We are celebrating the 100th episode of the Jesus Storybook Bible Podcast, and while we can't believe we're already at this milestone, we're honored to share the celebrations with a special guest host today, our friend, Ellie Holcomb. Ellie walks with us down memory lane as we visit some powerful episodes with guests who speak to God's never stopping, never giving up, unbreaking, always an...

America has seen a steady decline in the percentage of farming individuals in the last century, so how do we maintain a connection to the land that God gave us? Dr. Ellen F. Davis—professor of Bible and practical theology at Duke University Divinity School—has come to see how the Bible could help redirect our connection to creation and how we care for it. Dr. Davis' extensive research led her to b...

Peter Greer found his purpose amidst the rubble of the Soviet Union empire. While studying in Moscow, he had lunch with an individual that jump started his purpose in alleviating poverty through ingenuitive finance and business tools. Traveling all over the world, he's found that deep lasting hope can be found in the action of others in community—working together to find solutions to life's bigges...

What God most wants for us, says Duke Divinity professor Norman Wirzba, is that we be flourishing together, that we live in communion, and that in our sharing of life with each other, we can experience God's love. Norman shares why nurturing the world changes our lens from consumer to carer, and why asking, "How do we build more beauty in the world?" is a question most worthy of our attention.   Q...

When you feel broken, can you ever truly heal? Author and speaker Toni Collier says you can—and she's the living proof. Toni vulnerably shares the road that took her to rock-bottom at age 24: a childhood and teen years filled with emotional neglect, sexual trauma, an eating disorder, substance abuse—and how counseling gave her the tools to discover the joy and hope she had when she was a little gi...

At 36, Charlie Duke walked on the moon as part of the Apollo 16 space mission. At 37, he asked himself, Now what? Charlie shares his incredible journey to the moon and back, and how his biggest achievement lay just beyond his galactic voyage—because God was going to use that walk to open doors Charlie could've never imagined.   Quotes "No matter what life status people are, they want to meet someb...

Elizabeth Davis is a Tony-nominated actress who finds meaning in stories—even in the painful ones. As Elizabeth went through her own season of grief, she found meaning that art connects us to each other and reveals that even though we all feel pain from failure or loss, we are never alone in our suffering.   Quotes "I hope to take my art and lay it as an offering. And say if you are in pain, here...

What does it take to build a healthy community? It starts, says pastor Brian Davis, by showing up with an open heart. Brian shares about the hard work of church planting, why he's determined to share God's love in hard places, and why there's no greater reward in nurturing a new church than reaping the joy of community.   Quotes "The Lord's grace is sufficient for every challenge that He brings Hi...

God's Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love is woven throughout the pages of scripture—even the Old Testament, as writer and teacher Nancy Guthrie has discovered. As her family has endured heartbreaking losses that no parent ever wants to face, Nancy holds onto hope as she receives continual comfort from a God who's always been determined to dwell among his people.  ...

Psalm 92 reminds us that it's good to give thanks to God for all that He's given us. To show gratitude for His many blessings, Sally's reading from her brand-new children's book Happy (illustrated by Jago!), which reminds little ones to get in the habit of looking for the good in the world, and seeing that it comes from the hands of the Heavenly Father—filling our hearts with happiness.   Availabl...

Are you weary and burdened, looking for rest? Pastor and author Curtis Zackery has been there too. Curtis shares why we find ourselves in seasons of physical and spiritual burnout and how, as he once did, we can climb out of them with intentional practices that refresh our souls.   Quotes "There's always more to do. There's always good things to do. And in doing those good things, in those more th...

"God is so real to me in my music," says Nashville songwriter Luke Laird. Luke shares how he went from growing up in rural Pennsylvania to writing songs with some of country music's biggest stars (like Carrie Underwood, Eric Church, and Kacey Musgraves), and how music is a gift that can touch us in ways that sometimes sermons can't.   Quotes "There is music in just the quiet. When you go outside,...

God breaks into our lives, even in the dark places, giving hope to people like songwriter Sandra McCracken. Sandra shares her lifelong love of wrapping scripture into her life and work, and the delicate balance of holding lament and hope in both hands.   Quotes "I think God's love comes at us from all angles, in all different directions. For me, it was bound up in music and words and being in the...

Life would be so much easier if everyone had access to a pause button. While we don't have a literal red button to push, God gave us a way to access rest and clarity at the most challenging times — prayer and meditation. Ken Shigematsu found peace by studying the rhythm of life that monks in Ireland observed, and he shares his most profound and life changing practices.    Quotes "It's really impor...

If you believed your body was good, how would that change your life? For author Jess Connolly, it radically changed the way she saw herself. The more she remembered how compassionate God was toward her, the more she treated her body with kindness and care—and the more joy she found. Quotes "[I thought,] If God has said my body is good, if I believe that truth, how would I act? How would I move? An...

What does it mean to experience healing, whether from physical, emotional, or spiritual pain? Is it possible to live with pain and experience peace? Writer Amy Julia Becker shares the challenges she's faced on her personal health journey and how she learned to connect her spirit, body, and mind to encounter holistic healing through God's shalom. Quotes "That's been my experience with Jesus, one wh...

"Reading brain" is a phenomenon discussed by psychologists, pastor Claude Atcho, where reading good stories expands your perspective—and your empathy. Claude shares why reading is an important tool in loving our neighbors as ourselves, because we can enter their lives through story. Quotes "I realized I had a unique angle from my literary background and then also my pastoral experience: those two...

Over and over, dancer and speaker Kennith Thomas has seen that when you change your mindset, you can change your life—even in the midst of trying times. Kennith shares how shifting the atmosphere in his son's hospital room during his leukemia battle helped the whole family, and how the story of Samson's last days shows us the pillars we can push when we reach for God's strength. Quotes "Negative t...

To celebrate the hope and joy of Easter, Sally is reading three stories from The Jesus Storybook Bible that remind us in the end, love gets the last word. He is Risen!    *Don't forget to download our FREE "Countdown to Easter" Activity kit! https://bit.ly/3II97Rc   Quotes "Jesus said, 'Anyone who believes in me will live even after dying.' That's the hope we can hold onto." – Sally Lloyd-Jones  ...

As you prepare for Easter, Sally Lloyd-Jones invites you to listen as she reads two stories from The Jesus Storybook Bible : "Washed With Tears" and "The Servant King." They remind us that even as we walk through a broken world, love gets the final word.   *Don't forget to download our FREE "Countdown to Easter" Activity kit! https://bit.ly/3II97Rc   Quotes "'Anyone who believes in me will live, e...

A picture book is a story told in words and illustrations. And when it comes to The Jesus Storybook Bible, Sally's storytelling partner is the talented artist, Jago! In this special episode, Jago shares his unlikely journey to illustrating for picture books, the movie-worthy story of how he came to be the illustrator for The Jesus Storybook Bible, and the awe-inspiring impact his work has had on g...