A Legacy of Faith
The Wounded Healer - Anxiety and Depression
Join Jess as she interviews Amy Smith on the topic of Anxiety and Depression. In this episode the two discuss the stigma around the topic, treatment, and they offer words of encouragement both to listeners who are experiencing suffering in the area of mental health as well as to listeners who do not suffer in this way but are surely connected to people who do.
Foundational Scripture: Isaiah 53:4-5, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.
Trust - A Legacy of Trust
Join Jess as she wraps up this series on trust by interviewing a very special guest - her grandmother, Sybil. As we strive to trust God more fully, we have so much to learn from Sybil who has faithfully placed her trust in Jesus throughout many storms in this life.
Foundational Scripture: Matthew 14:27
Trust - Trusting God
Growing trust is a process that takes time and intentionality. In this episode Jess revisits the five ingredients of trust discussed in week one and addresses how we can apply those same ingredients not only to our relationships with others but to our relationship with God as we grow our trust God in Him.
Foundational Scripture: Matt. 8:23-27, Matt. 14:22-33
Trust - Building Trust
Jess kicks off this new series by defining trust and offering some practical terminology to help us take steps to increase trust in our relationships. Whether you’re in a relationship that has been marked by broken trust or simply want to deepen your trust in an already healthy relationship, the principles in today’s episode will help you better understand what trust really is and how to build.
Foundational Scripture: 1 Cor. 13:4-7
Grace Upon Grace
Merry Christmas from Dig Deep
Dysfunctional - God for the Dysfunctional
“Dysfunctional” sounds a bit harsh. “Dysfunctional” is awkward. We’d prefer for our dysfunctional relationships to not be the topic of conversation at a party. But Jesus is not thrown off by our dysfunction. In fact, he seems to have no problem walking right into the middle of it. As we look at Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well, we see that Jesus puts his finger right on the heart of this woman’s dysfunctional relationships and lovingly offers her a way forward, a living water that will never run dry. No matter how dysfunctional our relationships have become, healing is possible because he offers that same living water, that same way forward, to us.
Foundational Scripture: John 4:1-30
Dysfunctional - Preventive Maintenance
Relationships, like cars, break down from time to time. And healthy relationships, like cars, need some good old preventive maintenance to keep them running smoothly. In this episode we'll consider Paul's words from Romans 12:10 and explore practical ways to "outdo one another in showing honor."
Foundational scripture: Romans 12:10
Dysfunctional - Healing Is Possible
Join Jess as she interviews her guest, Amy Smith, who has first hand experience living out the principles discussed in week one and two of this series. Amy shares about the brokenness in relationship caused by the divorce of her parents, the empathy and grace that opened the door to relationship, and the story of the beautiful healing that she never dreamed would be possible.
Foundational Scripture: Romans 12:9-10
Dysfunctional - Weapons of War
What do we do when the cracks of in our relationships grow into an uncrossable chasm? We all have relationships that seem unfixable because the disagreement has grown too large, our differences seem too stark, or that person did something that left a deep wound on our hearts that has not yet healed. When we stand face to face with our enemies, what weapon will offer us the best chance at victory?
Foundational Scripture: Romans 12:18
Dysfunctional - Out of Step
When it comes to car maintenance, we all know that a small misalignment can lead to disaster if it's left unaddressed for too long. Is there a relationship in your life that needs some realignment? You've fallen out of step with each other and your relationship begins to strain under the tension. In this episode we'll take a closer look at some of the common causes of our disconnects and consider some practical ways we can realign that relationship before it leads to serious damage.
The Hungry Heart - The Bread of Life
As we conclude this series we look to Jesus in John 6 for the answer to the question: “What will truly satisfy our hungry hearts?” His answer catches the crowd of people following him off guard. Jesus claims that he, himself, is the bread of life. As we’ve attempted to navigate our hungry hearts in practical ways throughout this series, we cannot conclude our time on the topic without deeply pondering these words from Jesus. What does it mean that he is the bread of life?
Foundational Scripture: John 6:1-13, 22-70
The Hungry Heart - The Power of the Other
Who we eat next to matters. Researchers have found that we eat up to 20% more or less simply based on who we sit with at lunch, and in the same way, our spiritual lives are deeply impacted by the invisible forces of relationships. Dr. Henry Cloud calls this invisible force “The Power of the Other.” As we seek to have our hungry hearts satisfied by God Himself, I believe He wants us to see that who we surround ourselves with has a profound influence on our spiritual diets.
Foundational Scripture: Proverbs 27:17, 19:20, 13:20, 16:16, 15:31-33.
The Hungry Heart - Taste & See
There are certain things our hearts seem to universally crave: real happiness, peace, a feeling of belonging, a deep sense of purpose. Where should our hearts turn if we live in a world that is a food court full of spiritual cheetos? The prophet Isaiah, King David, and the Apostle Peter all send us the same message: “taste and see that the Lord is good.” He is the one who can truly satisfy the longings of our hearts and He is calling us to come, sit and listen.
Foundational Scripture: Isaiah 55:1-2; Psalm 34:8-10; and 1 Peter 2:1-3
The Hungry Heart - Spiritual Cheetos
For the past several decades, food industry experts have sought to achieve the “bliss point” in their processed food creations. They strive to find that perfect balance of salt, sugar and fat that keeps us coming back for more and more and, yes, more. Is it possible that this same bliss point exists for our souls? Could it be that the world is offering us a buffet of options that will momentarily give us a sense of satisfaction but in the end leave us hungrier than before? The good news is that the things we hunger for most are good desires that were placed in our hearts by God and He wants to invite us to dinner, to the feast that can truly satisfy our souls.
Foundational Scripture: Isaiah 55:1-2
Shine - Fix Your Gaze
“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine” are sweet words for a kids song but they are much easier sung than lived out, especially when life gets messy. In this episode, as we wrap up this series, we’ll see that there’s power in a clear focal point. Whether we’re navigating our way through a dense forest or a season of trouble and pain in this life, we must fix our eyes on the light. It’s only as we fix our eyes on Jesus, the true light, that He makes His light to shine in and through our brokenness for the world to see.
Foundational Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:6-10,18; Matthew 5:14-16
Shine - Just Show Up
I am a grown woman who is afraid of the dark. I am not even that ashamed to admit it! We naturally turn away from darkness, avoid it, even fear it. But God has called us to shine His light in the dark places. In this episode we’ll focus our hearts on the reality that all light has to do to fight darkness is just show up.
Foundational Scripture:
Matthew 4:12-17; Matthew 5:14-16; Isaiah 58:10; Revelation 21:3-5
Shine - Share Your Story
Whether it’s a wave of nausea or itchy armpits, sharing what we believe with someone can cause a major anxiety rush. In this episode we’ll explore three principles of sharing our faith that will give us practical steps to take and help to alleviate some of the unnecessary anxiety that we feel. The best news of all is that when Jesus commands us to “go” He also promises He will be with us always (Matthew 28:19-20).
Foundational Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 10:13-15; Matthew 13:34-35; 1 Peter 3:15-16; Acts 26
Scripture to consider sharing as you share your story with others:
BEFORE: Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, John 8:12
HOW: Romans 5:8, John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5
AFTER: 2 Corinthians 5:17, Matthew 6:33, Romans 12:1-2