Joyful Journey

Jesus has many names, but one of His Names that is mentioned most at Christmas is Immanuel, meaning “God with us”. Where does this Name come from, and how are we supposed to understand the prophetic work of Isaiah in light of the Christmas story? Janet's husband Pastor Brent joins us to help teach us how the old testament prophecy in Isaiah 7 foretells the birth of Christ, who is “God with us”...

The New Testament repeatedly calls the church community the body of Christ. That sounds simple enough, but it takes hard work to develop loving, Christlike relationships in our church community.  Listen to this episode as Janet and Jocelyn discuss the importance of being involved in a church community. They discuss the different ways that a church community can help us all grow more like Christ in...

Thanksgiving is a time when we set aside a special episode to rejoice over the Lord’s blessings in our lives and to give thanks to Him as the Giver of all good gifts! For our Thanksgiving special, Janet and Jocelyn share and explain their current favorite… Book Sermon Song Bible passage We hope all our listeners are able to take some time to reflect and rejoice over God's faithfulness this sea...

From the moment we open our eyes to when our head hits the pillow, our lives are filled with a million and one decisions, small and great. As Christians, we want the choices we make to honor the Lord and to align with His wisdom and love as described in Scripture. This episode, Janet and Jocelyn consider how to make wise decisions that bring glory to God in the big and small moments of our lives....

If we’re being honest, who among us hasn’t broken the commandment “Thou shalt not covet?” We see what others have, and we want it for ourselves. It may even be a good thing we are wanting - but one that God has granted to others and not to us. Janet and Jocelyn explore the struggle common to us all and ways to fight against the envy that wages war within our hearts. Episode Transcript⁠ Books Seein...

Emotions can sometimes feel like they come out of nowhere. How can we react to and guide our emotions with Scripture?  Jocelyn and Janet discuss where emotions come from, are emotions sinful, and how we can use scripture to handle our emotions in a biblical way.  Episode Transcript Books Untangled Emotions - J. Alasdair Groves, Winston T. Smith Managing Your Emotions - Amy Baker Feelings and Faith...

God created humanity to communicate with each other in a host of verbal, non-verbal, and written ways, but how can we be sure to let Scripture guide our interaction with others? Janet and Jocelyn discuss biblical principles that should lead our communication with others. They use God’s relationship with us as an example to follow so we can connect with others in a wise and loving way. Episode Tran...

The golden years. The empty nest. Retirement. The fall of life. While our culture views the 50’s and 60’s with a unique kind of anticipation and dread, Christians must be ready for the special gifts and challenges this season holds. In this episode, Janet and Jocelyn discuss how women of God can praise and honor God throughout their 50’s and 60’s by choosing faithfulness, hope, and endurance throu...

Lingering grief and fear can take hold in the life of those who have experienced miscarriage. Like all difficult and unwanted experiences, the key to moving on after pregnancy loss is the hope we find in Christ. Stephanie Green returns for part two of her interview about miscarriage. She discusses  the hope that families can find in the character of God, and how Christians can be good stewards of...

Statistics show that 1 in every 10 women experience a miscarriage. The loss of a child before birth carries a unique grief, along with physical and emotional suffering that leave a lasting impact on a mother’s body and soul. Stephanie Green knows this pain all too well. Having walked through miscarriage herself and having spent years walking alongside others who have, Stephanie joins us to share h...

We all need to eat. We're human, with physical bodies that need food to live! And to some degree or another, we all know what it's like to have a difficult relationship with food. How can we fight to honor the Lord with our bodies and the way we eat? Janet and Jocelyn welcome Alexandra back to the podcast to discuss what the Bible has to say about food, disordered eating, and how we view o...

There are a million and one things vying for our attention in today’s busy, constantly-on-the-go world. It can feel exhausting knowing what opportunities to accept and which ones to turn down — especially if it’s a choice between very good things!  Janet and Jocelyn explore what biblical wisdom has to say about our decision-making and how to ensure we are giving our “best yes.” Episode Transcript...

Sooner or later, someone is going to sin against you. It’s just a fact of life in living in a broken world. So are we ready to know how to respond when — not if — that happens? Janet and Jocelyn walk us through a biblical response to others sins, including passages like James 5:20. Episode Transcript Resources Books A Fight to the Death - Wayne Mack Diehard Sins - Robert Jones Killing Sin Habits -...

There is a unique heartache and deep sorrow that often accompanies those who walk the hard path of infertility. Ali Engle joins Janet and Jocelyn in this episode to cover why this struggle presents so many unfulfilled longings and temptations, and she helps give those who are suffering hope that Christ is truly near to the broken-hearted and can comfort even empty arms. Episode Transcript Resource...

How can Christians grow in discernment without becoming cynical and critical of the world around them? In this age where the truth can be hard to find, discernment is a skill that is equally as difficult to develop.  In this episode, Janet and Jocelyn discuss discernment and how important it is to use scripture to decide how to interact with the world without becoming critical, cynical, and antago...

What is everyone in this weary world looking for? Rest for their souls. And though we often seek that peace and satisfaction in lesser things, the only remedy that will truly satisfy can only be found in Jesus Christ, as demonstrated in the Scripture. Joining us this episode is Dale Johnson, Executive Director of the Association of Biblical Counselors and host of the Truth in Love podcast. Listen...

Today on the podcast, we talk with Brad Bigney about helping people who struggle with doubt in their Christian walk.  Many Christians find themselves struggling to believe. Life’s hardships can often cause us to question God, His love, and His authority. Scripture has much to say about doubt and has answers for those of us who have times where we struggle to believe. We pray that this discussion w...

In a world that is constantly redefining the lines of good and evil, Christians are called to a higher standard. As followers of Jesus, God expects us to set our morality according to His Word - and what HE says is right and good, not what is right and good in our own eyes.  This episode, Janet and Jocelyn will define what true righteousness looks like and how we can hold fast to God’s ways amidst...

In light of Easter weekend, we are releasing a special episode with Janet's husband, Pastor Brent Aucoin, who joins us again to share his wisdom from the Old Testament and to help us ponder an important question: Where is the resurrection of the anticipated Messiah predicted in the Old Testament? The answer may surprise you... Listen to hear how the OT leads toward the absolute necessity of th...

Grief is an inescapable part of the human experience. As Christians living in a broken world, sometimes we encounter situations which don’t seem to fit with what we want or expect God to do.  Today, we welcome special guest Mark Vroegop, the author of the book Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy, to discuss our biblical response to grief and how to lament in line with the teachings of the scriptures. Episode...

Aging is a difficult process and can cause fear and worry for many. How can we prepare our hearts for the challenges that may come with aging? Join us this week as Janet and Jocelyn are joined by special guest Dr. Amy Baker, author and Biblical Counselor, to discuss the biblical view of aging. Amy helps us understand our purpose in this season of life and reminds us that God’s grace is not depende...

Our hosts, Janet & Jocelyn, had a unique opportunity to record a special live episode at our church’s Biblical Counseling Training Conference in Lafayette, Indiana. In addition to discussing how everyone is a counselor, Janet and Jocelyn answer audience questions submitted online and in-person. We enjoyed meeting many of our listeners and we hope this can be a blessing to those who weren’t abl...

The Christian life can be a difficult road, especially if your husband doesn’t follow God’s Word. Does the Bible have anything to say about how to live with an ungodly husband? Janet and Jocelyn discuss ways the Bible tells us to interact with a husband who doesn’t want to grow or be Christ-like. Through a foundation of a right view of God, wives can still glorify God in the midst of a difficult m...

Everyone experiences moments of anger, and when left unchecked, it can easily turn into bitterness—a resentful anger dwelling in one’s heart. How can God’s Word help us to defeat bitterness in our counselee’s or our own heart? In this episode, Janet and Jocelyn interview special guest Steve Viars, Senior Pastor of Faith Church in Lafayette, IN. They discuss Pastor Viars’ book called “Overcoming Bi...

At the beginning of each year, people are excited and motivated to set new goals and become better in different areas of their lives. Often those looking for change in the new year strive for perfection, and give up when they get burned out or make mistakes. It is wise to set goals and work toward positive change, but Christians often lose sight of the ultimate motivation of glorifying God. In thi...