The Jesus Storybook Bible Podcast

To celebrate the Easter season and the hope it brings, Sally's reading stories from The Jesus Storybook Bible of how Jesus rescued every single one of us. Hallelujah, He is Risen!    Resources Mentioned in This Episode The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones   Connect with Sally Lloyd-Jones Jesus Storybook Bible Facebook Jesus Storybook Bible Instagram  Sally's website Sally's Facebook Sall...

To prepare our hearts for Easter, Sally invites you to listen as she reads two stories from The Jesus Storybook Bible that remind us of this truth: in spite of anything we could ever do, Jesus — our servant king — loves us so very much.   Quotes "It's easy to despair, but the hope of Easter tells us that no matter how dark it looks, whatever is going on in your life right now, however desperate, l...

While caring for his father living with Alzheimer's for the past seven years, NBC News and MSNBC anchor Richard Lui has come to realize there's a key element missing in our world: serving others. Richard shares how giving ourselves the grace to practice selflessness imperfectly allows us to hone our skills and pave the road for even greater acts of service down the road.   Quotes "We don't often t...

At 26 years old, Katherine Wolf was enjoying a season as a wife and new mom when she unexpectedly suffered a massive stroke that left her with serious impairments to her body. Katherine spent some dark days asking God, "Why did this happen to me? What good can come of this?" Eventually she found the answers: God doesn't make mistakes. And He can use any story to point others back to Him.   Quotes...

Some think science and faith exist in separate worlds, but Curt Thompson sees things a different way. As a successful psychiatrist who's also a person of deep faith, Curt shows that having a deep understanding of science can give us a greater understanding of the world God made for us, while leading us into a deeper relationship with Him.    Quotes "Every generation of people has to have its own c...

Spring brings light and hope to the world, just like the arrival of a baby. To celebrate the miracle of new life all around us, Sally's reading from her brand-new picture book Little One, We Knew You'd Come , available right now at your favorite book retailer!   ***Want a free gift?***  Sign up for Sally's newsletter, and get FREE printables from "Little One, We Knew You'd Come" and "The Jesus Sto...

It's scary to leave your comfort zone. But Jonathan Evans has found that God doesn't call the qualified—He qualifies the called. The son of Lois and Dr. Tony Evans, Jonathan reminds us of the story of Joshua: that our lives are so much greater when we don't rely on ourselves for understanding and instead trust a God who has greater plans for us than we could ever imagine.   Quotes "God doesn't nee...

Writer Cole Arthur Riley's path to God was long and winding. She explored many religious traditions, but God eventually used the written word—a medium near and dear to her heart—to draw her to Him. Founder of the creative community Black Liturgies, Cole shares why stories touch us like nothing else, and why God has always used them to shape our understanding of Him.   Quotes "I think our humanity...

In 1994 Jeanne Celestine Lakin lost everything—her home, her parents and family and friends—in the Rwandan genocide. This week, Jeanne shares two incredible journeys she's undertaken: her unlikely path to the United States, and how God helped her walk toward radical forgiveness for the people who changed her life forever.    Quotes "After I survived the genocide, I really prayed and I asked God to...

Kathy Keller joins The Jesus Storybook Bible Podcast to share how she became a penpal of C.S. Lewis, the story of founding Redeemer Presbyterian Church with her husband Tim, and how her friendship with Sally and the Jesus Storybook Bible moves her deeply. Kathy says, "The Bible is about Jesus, and therefore, if you understand the whole narrative arc of redemption, every page does whisper His name....

By the time she became a GRAMMY winner, singer/songwriter Ashley Cleveland had found the success she learned to prize as a child. But it wasn't until she hit rock-bottom in her alcohol addiction that Ashley realized performing still left her with longing—and that God could give her the love and affirmation she'd craved all along.   Quotes "I'm a person who really understands bondage. I've lived in...

Our world's living through a challenging time. But US Senate Chaplain Barry C. Black reminds us that God has led us through challenging times in the past—and He's guiding our way right now. Chaplain Black also shares the surprising road he took to Senate chaplaincy, and how he believes that God is always working for our good, even when we don't realize it at the moment.   Quotes "God is always in...

A resident of St. Paul, Minnesota, singer/songwriter Sara Groves has spent the last few years examining the lenses through which she's always looked at the world, and looking at the stories she's told herself about her life. And through her music, Sara is exploring the invitation Jesus extends to each of us—to hand over our assumptions about the world and the lenses we use to look at the world, an...

Stories are powerful. We can probably all point to the story that made us a reader and/or a writer. Stories shape the way we see the world, they give us empathy as we get to walk in someone else's shoes. Podcast host Sarah Mackenzie believes passionately in the gift of story. This week she joins the Jesus Storybook Bible Podcast and shares such wonderful insights, including this: "Every time we sh...

What sounds fun to you? It's a question author and That Sounds Fun podcaster Annie F. Downs finds herself asking pretty often. Annie has a knack for finding fun and joy in places you might not think to look: in our spiritual lives, in our harder moments. Annie shares how seeking joy is kind of like riding a roller coaster: when you keep yourself open to experiencing fun, even if you don't know wha...

The Japanese art of Kintsugi has been around for centuries. As earthquakes frequently rocked Japan, tea masters found that lining the cracks with gold not only mended the pieces, it made them more beautiful and more valuable than the originals. Lawyer Haejin Shim Fujimura reminds us that God's love mends His children the same way. Haejin shares her work as an advocate for the oppressed, particular...

Internationally acclaimed visual artist and writer Makoto Fujimura shares how watching his art come to life on the canvas helps him understand God's invitation to us to be co-creators with Him, how making art is a way of loving God's broken world, and of loving others. Makoto says, "God of the Bible is the Creator, and therefore it's impossible to understand this God without having some sort of un...

To celebrate the merriest week of the year, author Sally Lloyd-Jones reads aloud three special Christmas stories from The Jesus Storybook Bible , perfect to listen to together as a family. Wherever you are this season, let your heart be filled with childlike wonder and be transported into the great stories of incredible acts that God did to show His love for each and every one of us. Merry Christm...

As our world drifts further apart, it can feel hard to love the people who seem so different from us. But Lisa Schultz, Chief of Staff for the US Senate Chaplain's Office, has found a common touchpoint for reaching across the aisle: uniting over God's love. Lisa shares the joy she's seen in removing the labels that we allow to divide us, and how scripture can be a touchpoint for people of all walk...

Despite our preconceived notions, the Bible is not a book of rules. Rather, it outlines a great gift we were given: the gift of grace, despite what we might deserve or what we might've done, good or bad. Author and artist Ruth Chou Simons joins The Jesus Storybook Bible Podcast to share how she learned that we cannot be the hero of our own lives—in fact, our lives are filled with richer connection...

Singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen said, "There's a crack in everything—that's how the light gets in." Sometimes the way we approach Scripture is to think we have to have everything about it perfect—ourselves, our interpretations of it—to have a fulfilling spiritual life. But writer Shauna Niequist reminds us that couldn't be further from the truth. Shauna shows us that allowing ourselves to be imper...

Editor and author Trillia Newbell joins The Jesus Storybook Bible Podcast to share a beautiful message of unity: God died for every tribe, every tongue, and every nation, and our differences glorify the incredible Creator He is. Trillia reminds us that until we mingle together again in heaven, it's imperative that we treat every person—no matter how different they may be from us—with love and comp...

Flip through streaming services on a Friday night, and chances are you might see actor Julian Leong bringing a story to the screen. But the comedic actor, who's also pursuing a master's degree in biblical studies, has dedicated some serious thought to his craft, and how he can use his experiences and passion not for his own gain, but to be God's mouthpiece and help the world to flourish. Julian sh...

Writer and English professor Karen Swallow Prior has noticed a trend among her students: they're not sure how to think biblically in a world grappling with social issues that change by the minute. People talk at length about these issues on social media, where the comments section can devolve into a name-calling free-for-all in a matter of seconds. Karen shares how to keep yourself open enough to...

As a teen grappling with emotional growing pains that come with getting older, Sho Baraka saw his father and brother accept a faith that radically altered their lives with a peace he wished he could have for himself. Since then, Sho has traveled the world as a Christian hip-hop artist and activist, with a passion to restore the world with the love that makes us whole in body, mind, and soul. He sh...