The Kingdom of God Drawn Near

“Hey friend, you’ve got a little something in your teeth…” This is truly one of my greatest fears when out in public, especially after eating, as my top right incisor turns inward and forms a nook that bits of spinach and spices love to dig in and stay. It had been three hours since I’d eaten, so I was mortified! How many people had noticed the stuck food but said nothing to help me? “You are trul...

My husband Dale’s favorite Christmas movie has always been Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life.” At some point each Christmas season, Dale pulls out the old 1946 black and white film and the whole Brown clan watches the classic tale of George Bailey. A dreamer from childhood, George had big plans for his life - he was going to travel the world, seeking adventures. He was absolutely not going to a...

Yahoo! It is Sunday again and our second Feast Day!! On this Lord’s Day, enjoy worshiping with your church family, through songs and hymns, through the reading and teaching of God’s Word, through giving cheerfully, and enjoying the blessed gift of food, chocolate, social media, or anything you may have set aside for your Lenten promise. Moments of Prayer Today we focus on Jesus’ prayer for wisdom...

“You’re not the boss of anyone!” yelled my sister-in-law, Amy, at their family’s black lab/boxer mix, Frank, as she pinned all 80lbs of him to the floor. The whole Brewer/Brown clan was in the North Carolina mountains to celebrate my dad’s 70th birthday party and we had given him a darling 8-week-old, 5lb Shitzhu puppy named Blaze. Frank couldn’t understand everyone’s enthusiasm for the tiny fluff...

Podcasters, influencers, brand creators. These are professions, careers that one can make money doing that didn’t exist 20 years ago. I imagine each of you reading this have certain podcasters who are your favorites. Honestly, I’m slow to the podcast frenzy, but my daughters rarely go a day without listening to The Toast . “Take a bite out of the morning toast, weekdays with Jackie & Claudia Oshry...

Happy Day 8 of #LentenDaily2025! If you have committed to fast from something during this season, you’ve made it through week one. How is it going? Any headaches from a lack of caffeine? Realizing how much time you have since fasting from social media and not quite sure how to fill it? If you are fasting from food during the day, are you finding yourself exhausted by 5pm and still have 4-5 hours b...

“Finally, we’re a family!” Mary Grace exclaimed, when Dale and I were finally able to bring her baby brother, Reagan, home from the hospital. Not even 3-years-old and already exhibiting a flair for the dramatic, Mary Grace expressed her relief that finally Reagan was home, along with Mama and Daddy, and we were reunited as a family once again. In utero, Reagan suffered from duodenal atresia - his...

I remember the day of my baptism as if it were yesterday. It was the summer of 1974. I was eight-years-old and just finished third grade at Bells Ferry Elementary School in Marietta, Georgia. Earlier that spring, as my father was putting me to bed, I prayed to Jesus, thanking Him for forgiving all of my sins and asking Him to save me. It was a response to what the Holy Spirit had been doing in my...

Mary Poppins Practically Perfect When Jane and Michael Banks, children of a wealthy and uptight English family, are faced with the prospect of a new nanny, they are pleasantly surprised by the arrival of the magical Mary Poppins, but aren’t quite sure what to make of her. Unlike the long line of their previous nannies, Mary Poppins is not to be trifled with, and seems to instantly know Jane and Mi...

Yahoo! It is Sunday! And our first Feast Day!! On this Lord’s Day, enjoy worshiping with your church family, through songs and hymns, through the reading and teaching of God’s Word, through giving cheerfully, and enjoying the blessed gift of food and anything else you’ve been fasting from. Moments of Prayer This year, as we experience the six Sundays leading up to Resurrection Sunday, we will focu...

“Tell my story, Mama! Tell the story of the day I was born!” As our four children were growing up, on the morning of their birthdays, I would tell the story of their birth as they devoured their birthday pancakes. Each story was unique with details that made each child feel special and he/she hung on every word. At some point during the day we would look at the birthday kid’s baby book and remembe...

“You believe me?” A client had just shared something she had never before spoken. “Absolutely,” I replied. She pushed, “Isn’t it too outrageous to be true? Do you think I’m crazy?” I reassured her that I trusted her and therefore believed her. Her recently surfaced childhood memories were hard, devastating, in fact. Yet I had worked with this client for over two years and she had never given me re...

Day 2 - Learn about the two prophecies from the story of Zechariah in today's episode. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Lent Day 1 - Learn about the history of Ash Wednesday and Luke as this year's featured Gospel writer in today's episode. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Learn about the history of Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday, as well as the tradition of a King's Cake in today's episode. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

If we observe a Lenten fast for any other reason than to follow Jesus in His sufferings, we will quickly give up. Learn more in today's episode! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

It's the First Feast Day! This episode is a little longer as it also includes this week's hymn, King of King's by Hillsong Worship. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Is it 40 days or 46 days? Learn all about Feast Days on today's episode. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

What does the term Lent mean? Why fast during Lent? Learn more in today's episode! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Learn about the meaning behind the theme for the Lenten study, "The Kingdom of God Drawn Near". This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

Today through Easter Sunday, these daily audio devotions will drop into your email inbox or Substack app each morning. These devotions will include readings from the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Luke, whose narrative allows us to follow Jesus from the announcement of His upcoming birth to Mary, to the beginning of His public three year ministry to Easter, thus the theme The Kingdom of God D...

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com