The Love Offering

Each of us was placed on this earth for a certain number of days. Time is precious, and you don’t want to waste it. You desire a life that has meaning and purpose but you find yourself caught in a current of non-stop rushing. When this becomes your existence, day after day, you find you’ve lived a series of months, even years, unintentionally. In the middle of all of this is the suffocating presen...

“Is your cup half empty or half full?” How would you answer that question today? Better yet, “What is in your cup?” Amanda Schaefer, from A Cup of Gratitude, is on the show today, sharing how she takes the time to stop and see the good around her. She is reminding us to fill our cups with the living water Jesus provides and overflow as we pour out to the empty cups around us. Connect with Amanda:...

If you have been hurt, neglected, rejected, or abandoned by your father, it may feel like every aspect of your life is affected by that broken trust--even your relationship with God. But there is hope. Your father wounds do not have the last word in your life; God does. In this episode, Kia Stephens shares her own story of father wounds, along with examples from wounded women in Scripture who were...

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:12-13). While Jesus doesn’t intend for us to die for our friends in a literal sense, He does intend for us to lay aside our own selfish desires and put the needs of others first. This may mean sacrificing your sleep, resources, tastebuds, comfort, wishlist, hobbies, timeline, likes, dislikes, recognition, reward...

While most of us don’t want to admit it, we crave attention. Our social media–obsessed society is proof that people everywhere want to be seen. But this self-promoting system leaves many women feeling overlooked. In today’s episode, Whitney Akin chats about her book Overlooked where she discovered how the human need for attention and approval is God’s intentional design and encourages you to live...

Does what we do really matter? Can one person make a difference? When we live intentionally, our choices impact every aspect of our lives. With that purposeful perception comes the conviction that jobs, homes, lifestyles and hobbies can and should be leveraged to their full potential and for a greater purpose than our own comfort. Victoria Duerstock is on the show today sharing about her book titl...

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches" (Matthew 13:31-32). The mustard seed is one of the tiniest seeds found in the Middle East, yet it is a fast-growing annual herb that grow...

Aren’t we tempted to quit when things get hard or uncomfortable? I wonder how many times in our lives we would have realized our dream, the desire of our hearts, or the call on our lives if we had pushed through just a little longer. I think about the way many of the heroes of our faith persevered despite difficult or long-lasting circumstances. Consider how their stories would have changed if the...

God chooses and uses unlikely people. He proves it again and again through the stories in His Word. The life messages of women in the Bible whose lives were gloriously interrupted still powerfully change lives today. He uses their stories to change us. He uses our stories to change others. How about you? Are you willing to hear and heed His call? To answer His tap on your shoulder? Will you welcom...

God’s Word is the greatest story ever told—and it’s true! But reading it can feel complicated and daunting. It can be hard to know how—or where—to start. Perhaps you just need a friend who follows Jesus to help. Trillia Newbell is on the show today sharing a joy-filled, thoughtful, and realistic pathway through the entirety of God’s Word. Trillia is a trusted Bible teacher and lover of the Scriptu...

Are our words a refreshing influence on others or a discouragement? Scripture says “the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (Matthew 12:34 b) and our words can bring either life or death (Proverbs 18:21). Therefore, in order to share words that uplift rather than tear down, we must be intentional about filling our hearts with God’s Word. And, on occasions when we don’t know what to say to enco...

Look What You've Done, is a powerful song, now also a book by Tasha Layton. She’s on the show today sharing her journey of finding freedom in Jesus through life's twists and turns. Tasha talks about her early days in small town South Carolina, to her big breakthrough as background singer on stage with Katy Perry, to the mission field in Kenya and beyond. Across many countries and all her days, the...

Dear Mushka is a Nashville-based company that pairs jewelry, apparel, and home goods with scripture. It was started by Katie and her husband Robert in 2014 as a blog turned into a way to raise extra funds for the adoption of the Lewis’ first child. Since then, the business has allowed the family to bring home three sons through adoption (plus two more children biologically), as well as to donate t...

It’s time to take our thoughts more seriously. In the words of an ancient Chinese proverb, “Be careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words. Be careful of your words, for your words become your actions. Be careful of your actions, for your actions become your habits. Be careful of your habits, for your habits become your character. Be careful of your character, for your character...

Show NMany of us feel the pressure to be perfect, but what we really want is the freedom to be broken. We long to hear that our brokenness doesn't discount us, and we want a way out of the pain that threatens to overwhelm us. Toni Collier is on the show today sharing about her book titled Brave Enough to Be Broken. She shares a biblical road map you can use to heal from the pain, the shame, and th...

To last for the long haul and through the stresses and complexities of life, love has to be more than something we feel. It has to be something we do. We have to demonstrate it concretely in our marriages and families, among our friends and acquaintances, and, yes, even among our enemies. Dr. Gary Chapman is on the show today sharing wisdom from his books The Five Love Languages and Love is a Choi...

Do you have any traditions, special dates, activities, or places that help you commemorate significant events in your life? Especially those events where God has done something for you? While traditions often revolve around major events such as the birth and resurrection of Jesus, they can also serve to celebrate personal moments—the little things maybe only you would recognize, such as how God an...

What is your testimony? Have you ever had a hard time articulating it or believing in its power? While our experiences with Jesus may vary greatly, the impact of sharing them does not. In fact, Scripture tells us the devil is defeated by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony (Revelation 12:11). Jesus already completed his part, and now, it’s our turn to follow through with ours. C...

The biggest lie you will ever believe is the one that says you're unwanted. If rejection or betrayal has come crashing through your door - you know the emotional shattering this brings. You understand the brokenness. And you know the heartache of standing in the jagged fragments of a new normal you never wanted. But God is a Masterful Potter. He gently redeems and restores our broken pieces and br...

Are you tired of being at war with your body—and with your thoughts about your body? It’s time to extend yourself, and others, some grace! Rachael Gilbert struggled with shame when she didn’t measure up to her dream body image. Then, as a fitness instructor and licensed counselor specializing in disordered eating, she realized how many of us bury the same painful insecurities. But keeping up appea...

Now more than ever, the world is hungry to gather and thirsty for connection. Many of us wish to share a meal, share our faith, and share our lives with others. We want to open our home to friends and neighbors for the sake of meaningful community, but we’re overwhelmed with hospitality hang-ups. How do I extend an invitation? What will they think of my house or the food? Our welcome has been infl...

A little money can go a long way to create beautiful memories. While big vacations and expensive purchases can be nice, so can things from the dollar store. When we use a little creativity and give gifts from our hearts, even items that are free can have a big impact. ​ This principle is beautifully displayed in the life of a poor widow who gave all she had in the Gospels of Mark and Luke. While h...

When we truly understand who Christ is, our self-importance melts away. This is true humility, the basis for greatness in any work we do for the Lord. But how do we live a life more focused on Christ in a me-centered world? Chelsey DeMatteis is on the show sharing about her book More of Him, Less of Me. In today’s episode, Chelsey points us to the cross and away from the trap of our self-centered...

It means so much when people make an effort for us, doesn’t it? God appreciates our effort too. As unfathomable as it seems, God chooses to use us to fulfill his purposes on earth. He could easily do it all on his own, and there is no doubt he is in control, but he often requires our participation before he acts. Throughout Scripture, we see that he works through those willing to make an effort fo...

You want more. You want to belong to a community that looks out for each other. You believe in your bones we don't have to live detached, distracted, and divided. The question is, how? Shannan Martin is on the show inviting us into deeper connection through simple resets. Through her book, Start with Hello, and today’s conversation we hope you’ll realize a life of security, camaraderie, and joy. T...