The Quiet Place with Sherri Youngward

Ephesians 3:17 TLB And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts,  living within you as you trust in him.  May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love; I would define “at home” as - welcome, invited, free to be yourself.  Paul prayed the church would have their roots deep in God’s love so that nothing in this world would shake them. What a beautiful thou...

Matthew 26:52-54 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?  But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” Scripture was the path He chose, writing our new life with every step.  Though He coul...

Psalm 77:6 I call to remembrance my song in the night; I meditate within my heart, And my spirit makes diligent search. In this episode, I shared an excerpt from a recent Mercy Room online gathering for women. I will also revisit one of my favorite quotes: Remember to store up an accurate remembrance of the way in which God comforts thee. F.B. Meyer Just like we store up emergency lights and candl...

I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Psalm 61:4b NKJV Before recording this episode, I took a walk in the heat of the day. Not the smartest move, but since I had just read of the shadow and shelter of God’s protecting wings, I noticed the protection from tall trees along the path.  The breeze under their shelter was cool and kind.  I chose the shade as much as possible while I walked. And if...

Isaiah 50:4  The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Isn’t it remarkable how a word, guided by God, can sustain us - even when circumstances don’t change?  Some versions say, “...a word in season to him who is weary.” Speaking of our human experience, a word for winter may be different than a word for spring. May Go...

Matthew 9:11-13 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” The kindness and mercy of God draw me in every time. He ca...

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. These verses continue finding their way to me. So, in this episode, they will find their way to you too. There i...

Psalm 23:6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me  all the days of my life— God has helped me do things I didn’t want to do or didn’t think I could do, all by His goodness and mercy.  In this episode, I will let you in on a real-life, real-time story of how God used His goodness, mercy, and a Southern accent to lead me in a direction opposite of where I wanted to go.  If you would like to supp...

2 Corinthians 4:7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. Some of the greatest treasure on earth  is found in the most fragile of jars. Does anyone come to your mind?  I have faces in my mind right now as I think of my own friends who are fragi...

1 Peter 4:8 NKJV  And above all things  have fervent love for one another,  for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”    Cover: To envelop, wrap around as bark, skin, shell or plaster, to cover over. Love covers. We all see faults in each other.  Especially those we know well.  Like bark on a tree,  love covers and protects vulnerable places. In this episode, we will look at how fervent love cove...

Psalm 23:2b He leads me beside still waters. As indicated by the title of this episode, I’m interrupting the We Take Our Turns series this week. Recently I hosted an online event called Shelter to Shelter and my friend Danny Donnelly joined us. I have had some health struggles recently and this time was so refreshing for me. When I sat back and listened to Danny sing and share, I could see on the...

Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:17 that they would have a revelation of Jesus.  Revelation:  something revealed or disclosed,  especially a striking disclosure,  as of something not yet realized.  In this episode, I will share how over ten years ago, I went to Asheville, North Carolina to learn how to prepare a Bible study. It turned out the Bible study preparation was a bit over my head, but I learned...

Here is the third episode in the We Take Our Turns series.  We Take Our Turns is a book I wrote with gathered bits and pieces from my journals. I will read from the pages, share extended thoughts and backstories, and sometimes, like today, I will also add a song or two.  It works just fine to listen to this series in any order.  For God, who said,  “Let there be light in the darkness,”  has made t...

Psalm 147:11 The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy. Here is the second episode in the We Take Our Turns series. We Take Our Turns is a book I wrote with gathered bits and pieces of my journals. Because of the nature of the book, you can listen through in any order.  Along with reading through the pages, I will share extended thoughts and backstories with you...

When we get together,  I want to encourage you in your faith,  but I also want to be encouraged by yours. Romans 1:12 NLT   Encourage: to receive solace and encouragement in the society of others Guess what? The Quiet Place podcast (society) is two years old!  Today, I begin a series through a book I wrote titled, We Take Our Turns . This book is filled with bits and pieces from my journals — comf...

Luke 18:35-37 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” In this episode, I will share a wonderful rabbit trail I followed as I looked up the hymn, “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior.” Fanny Jane Crosby wrote the hymn. What treasure is found in her story an...

Mark 2:16-17 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” In this episode, I will read from a blog post written by Joni Ea...

Numbers 13:30-31, 33b But Caleb tried to encourage the people as they stood before Moses. " Let's go at once to take the land," he said. " We can certainly conquer it!"  But the other men who had explored the land with him answered, " We can't go up against them! They are stronger than we are!" … We felt like grasshoppers next to them, and that's what we l...

Episode 100 landed on Easter! Almost two years ago when I started this podcast, I counted ahead to this day… not really. I’m not that smart. But it was a happy surprise.  Every year at Easter time, I think of the ways the real life of Jesus meets with my real life. Last year's Easter episode (#49 - Real Life) focused on this and this year I'm exploring the same question.  Don’t look now, b...

Isaiah 53:6  All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the guilt and sins of us all.  If you are listening in real time, Good Friday is approaching. It’s the time of year we take a long look at what Jesus did for us, both on the cross and on the way to the cross. I will read prophetic verses from Isaiah and then sing them. No m...

Psalm 139:3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. There is deep comfort in knowing God comprehends and understands our path. He knows right where you are and walks with you every step.  Spoiler alert: I recorded the introduction to this episode with my feet in the ocean. I was almost knocked over by a wave, but I kept my phone from launching into the deep b...

I recently released a three-song album called, Even In Valleys .  In this episode, I will play tracks two and three: "Where He Restores" and "Seek First." There is a thread through the handful of songs on this album — Even in Valleys — Your grace is my “Oxygen” (track 1) Even in Valleys — is “Where He Restores” (track 2) Even in Valleys — “Seek First” (track 3) Here are some of...

I recently released a three-song album called, Even In Valleys . Over the next two episodes, I will share about each song and play them for you. "Oxygen" is the first track. Here are the lyrics to the chorus: "Your grace is my oxygen Bring me to life again Be still my soul We aren’t far from Home" After listening, you will understand why this makes me think of the masks that fall from the cabin of...

Mark 4:37-38 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” In the middle of a scary storm, the disciples questioned if Jesus cared about them. My friend pointed out that during this whole scene, Jesus wa...

Psalm 27:13-14 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! In this episode, I will share the story of the inspiration for Scripture Songs Volume Two . Though I wrote a song to the verse above, I will also share the story of how...