Abiding Free | Biblical Truth & Encouragement

1. Have any of your relationships been strained due to political differences or ideologies?

The last two years have been difficult for all of us, and when it comes to sitting at the table with those with polarizing views, it seems that we have all had to navigate a lot more recently.

But how have you handled it? Have your relationships been strained or severed because of differing views?

Friends, this is not what Christ wants for us.

Today, we are having a conversation with Shivangi Trueblood. Shivangi was raised Hindu, and today she shares her story about how the many seeds planted throughout her life ultimately led to her salvation.

Toward the end of the conversation, we also talk about the importance of working through political tensions for the sake of Christ’s name. It takes humility and self-control to live out God’s word, but if we can work through these tensions with sound minds, the body of Christ will be so much stronger and we can be yet another step closer to Abiding Free.

Thank you for joining us this week at Abiding Free.

Episode Highlights: 

• Shivangi’s background.
• Shivangi’s journey to becoming a believer.
• A beautiful story of God working through political differences.

Find More on Abiding Free:

• Instagram: @abidingfree
• Follow us on Facebook
• Check out our Website HERE
• Contact: [email protected]

When is the last time you’ve done something uncomfortable?

Thank you for joining us for another week of Abiding Free. This week we are sharing a conversation with Hollywood producer, author, founder, podcast host, mom, and wife, Shelene Bryan.

This episode is one you will not want to miss. 

Today, Shelene shares how her curiosity and determination to prove someone wrong quickly became a trip that would forever change her life. Her leap of faith and courage to step out in discomfort was never something that she had planned, but in retrospect, it was part of God’s plan all along. Throughout Shelene’s journey, God was weaving His perfect plan and shaping Shelene’s heart and mind to become kingdom-focused rather than career or world-focused.

Where does your focus lie?

Through today’s episode, we hope that you begin to view life through the lens of Hebrews 12 and run with perseverance the race marked before us. God has not given us his life to waste on things of this world or to focus on what doesn’t matter,  but to make a lasting impact for His glory. Shelene’s life is a beautiful example of this.

Are you ready to run the race?

Please see the links below for more information on the ministry that Shelene has founded.

Episode Highlights:

• Shelene’s background.
• Shelene’s story of going to Uganda.
• Why we shouldn’t wait on the perfect moment to help others.
• The importance of being kingdom-minded.

Find more on Shelene:

• Skip1.org
• Splash! Podcast with Shelene Bryan

Find More on Abiding Free:

• Instagram: @abidingfree
• Follow us on Facebook
• Check out our Website HERE
• Contact: [email protected]

Do you ever wonder what it truly means to have faith?

Can you have faith and lack belief? Does having faith mean that you are automatically saved? Is it something you take action on or hold onto? Does it all go hand-in-hand?

Today, on abiding free, these are all questions that we begin to address. 

We quickly unfold that faith is a dynamic and complex word, but it’s something that is essential nonetheless. While having faith isn’t always easy, it is a crucial element in our walks with Christ. 

This week, our hope is that through this episode and the passages we share from scripture of people living out their faith, you feel inspired and propelled to have a lasting faith that loves God enough to endure through the good, the bad, and the difficult times.

When we learn these truths and apply these principles, we will all become one step closer to abiding in true freedom.

Thanks for joining us this week.

Episode Highlights: 

• Is faith a noun or a verb?
• Saving faiths vs. not saving faiths
• The parable of the sower.
• The importance of having unwavering faith.

Find More on Abiding Free:

• Instagram: @abidingfree
• Follow us on Facebook
• Check out our Website HERE
• Contact: [email protected]

Links Mentioned in Episode:

• The Gospel Coalition - Pastor Carter
• The Gospel Coalition - Doctrine Saving Faith

Quotes: 

• “Do you know what faith actually is?” -Shannon
• “James 2:19 “You believe that God is one. Even the Demons believe this and shudder.”
• “Many people of today have faith in the facts but do not believe in God.” Kristin
• “Does your life reflect your faith?” Shannon
• “Walking in faith is not easy.” Kristin
• “Hold tight to saving faith and endure to the end.” Kristin Nave
• “Satan wants to mute our faith.” -Shannon

Does the heaviness of this world ever make you feel like you’re stuck in bondage?

Today we are talking more about freedom, but more specifically, Edenic freedom. If this is a term that’s not familiar to you, that’s ok. We will be discussing the details of what Edenic freedom is, and what it actually means to be free more in depth today.

While it’s true that the burdens of this world are often more than we can carry alone, there is hope. There is hope because we don't have to carry those burdens alone, and we have so much to look forward to and hope for.

Our hope today is that through this episode, you learn something new about the powerful story of redemptive freedom, and through that can cling to the anticipation that while there definitely are dark days, we still have so much to look forward to with the coming freedom of Heaven.

Episode Highlights: 

• What it means to actually be free.
• What was freedom intended to look like in the garden of eden before sin entered the world?
• What happened to freedom after the fall?
• How did the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus impact biblical freedom?
• What do we have to look forward to and hope for?

Find More on Abiding Free:

-Check us out on Instagram: @abidingfree

-Website: www.abidingfree.com

-Contact: [email protected]

Is reading the Bible something you look forward to or do you struggle with motivation at times?

Today we are talking all about the impact that reading God’s word can have on our lives. This conversation is unique as we are sharing the perspectives of women from three different generations: 

Baby Boomers-Amy Hale is a wife, mom of three, and Gigi to three who loves to encourage women. Amy became a believer early on, but did not truly become a student of the word until later on in life. Her insight on reading God’s word is compelling and convicting.

Millennials-Kristin Nave is not only the host of Abiding Free, but she is also representing the Millennial Generation today. Kristin shares pieces of her story and has amazing encouragement for those who are looking to grow in their Bible reading practices.

Gen Z- Rachael Spelling is a wife and student of God's word graduating with a BA in biblical studies. Today, Rachael shares how her shift in Bible reading not only changed her view on God, but also changed the trajectory of her life and career path. 

This dynamic conversation is both enlightening and encouraging. As believers, reading the Bible should not feel like a chore, yet so often it does when we approach it with the wrong hearts. When we learn to become students of the word, everything changes. 

Our hope through this conversation is that you find the encouragement to lean into God’s word and grab a hold of the freedom Christ has truly intended for you.

Welcome back to Abiding Free.

Episode Highlights: 

• Amy’s journey to Bible reading.
• Rachael’s journey to Bible reading.
• How people can easily misuse the Bible.
• How to study God’s word.
• The value in journaling.

Find More on Rachel Last name:

• Instagram: Rachel | Simple Bible 🌿 (@simplebible) • Instagram photos and videos

Find More on Amy Hale:

• Instagram: @amyhale 

Find More on Abiding Free:

• Listen to episode 3 of Abiding Free HERE
• Instagram: @abidingfree
• Follow us on Facebook
• Check out our Website HERE
• Contact: [email protected]

*Disclosure: Some links are Amazon affiliate links and a small portion of your purchase will come back to us while your cost remains the same.

Quotes: 

• More people started reading the bible during COVID
• Before COVID 48% of Americans were using the bible in some ways, and in June of 2021 there was a 4% increase.
• Generation Z has the highest number of people who identify as atheists.
• “I remember thinking “The Bible says a lot of things that no one ever told me that it says.”” -Rachel
• Reading the Bible truly changed my life. -Rachel
• It wasn’t until I started reading my bible that God became so much more real to me. And it wasn’t until I started reading my Bible that I realized that’s how He spoke back to me. -Amy
• We want the bible to be a magic eight ball that tells us who to marry, and what job to take–we want God to tell us exactly what to do, yet we don’t want Him. -Rachael
• A lot of people misuse and mistreat the scripture because we are too focused on ourselves. -Rachel
• I was reading the bible for years before I t

Nearly half of Americans are suffering with chronic illness or pain. Are you one of them?

Chances are that even if you aren’t someone who suffers with chronic illness or pain, you know someone who does. These ailments can leave us feeling discouraged, depressed, and hopeless especially when we are looking at them through an earthly lens. 

But what if we told you that there is good that can come from our suffering?

This week on Abiding Free, we are diving deeper into the struggles that come along with chronic illness and pain. Shannon so graciously dives into her experience with illness, and what the reality of these experiences have forced her to learn.

While these trials can often lead us to moments of despair that leave us on our knees, we hope you will walk away from this episode being reminded that even when we are down, our loving Father is near. As we go through trials and tribulations, God meets us. 

Whether you suffer with these things directly or you know someone who does, our prayer today is that you are able to shift your lens, break free from the chains that the enemy wants to bind us with and lean into the freedom that the Father has planned for us — even in our most painful moments.

It was for freedom that Christ has set you free. 

Episode Highlights:

• Statistics about chronic illness in America.
• How chronic illness forces us to depend on God.
• What God can teach us through chronic illness and pain.
• How our deepest and darkest trials can be used for God’s glory.

Find More on Abiding Free:

• Episode 1 of the Abiding Free Podcast
• Instagram: @abidingfree
• Follow us on Facebook
• Check out our Website HERE
• Contact: [email protected]

Quotes: 

• “Nearly half of all Americans suffer from chronic disease.” Source
• “The reality of having a chronic disease has forced me to learn to rest and I have grown to be grateful for that.” Shannon
• "For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear, I will help you". Isaiah 41:13
• “As we go through trials, God meets us.” Shannon
• “Suffering equips us to comfort others.” Kristin
• “Sufferers want to be ministered to by those who have suffered.” Steven Saint, Sovereignty, Suffering and the work of the mission
• James 1:2-4 “Suffering produces growth and maturity.”
• “One of the greatest testimonies of the reality of God is a faith that has been refined by fire but has not been destroyed.” Kristin 

When you think of Hell, what do you envision?

Do you see complete darkness or flames engulfing everything around you?  Is it an underground torture chamber?

What if we told you the Hell is likely none of those things?

This week we are sharing an incredible conversation with Pastor and Author Joshua Ryan Butler, and while most people tend to steer clear of the topics like this, Joshua loves to dive into them headfirst. 

Today, Joshua helps us shift the popular narratives surrounding Hell and judgment, and he does this by sharing straight from the word of God. If you’ve ever found yourself wrestling with the idea of judgment and hell or anything of the like, you are in the right place. Joshua teaches on all of this and more. 

When we have the courage to dive into these tough topics, we become one step closer to abiding in true freedom with Christ. 

Welcome back to Abiding Free.

Episode Highlights: 

• An introduction to Josh Butler.
• The paradigm of Hell and how we view it.
• Where Hell is.
• What we know about Hell.
• Answering tough questions about hell. 

Find More on Josh Butler:

• The Skeletons in God’s Closet
• Follow Josh on Instagram
• The Pursuing God

Find More on Abiding Free:

• Instagram: @abidingfree
• Follow us on Facebook
• Check out our Website HERE
• Contact: [email protected]

How can the whole church be faithful to the great commission?

Last week, we dove into the topic of whether or not women should be pastors. This week is a continuation of this topic as we delve into the church as a whole and where our focus should be.

If you have not yet had a chance to listen to last week’s episode, we highly recommend you listen to it before listening to today’s episode. We have linked it below for easy access.

There’s no doubt that the role of women in the church is an essential one. We need to ensure that while men and women play different roles, neither one is diminished in importance. At the same time, it is crucial for both the health of the church and our hearts as believers, that we don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. 

The truth is, if we are more focused on advancing women than we are the great commission, the church will be in a heap of trouble. Today, we are elaborating on this and more. 

We hope that this episode challenges you to dive deeper into God’s word and gives you a launching pad to excel in your role for the greater good of the church.

Welcome back to Abbiding Free, we are so glad you’re here!

Episode Highlights: 

• A brief reiteration of last week’s episode.
• Dangers of side-lining women in the church.
• What we can do to advance the women in our congregation.
• Encouragement for women who don’t see many roles in churches for them.

Links Mentioned in Episode:

• Abiding Free Episode-Women in Ministry Part 1 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/abiding-free/id1582789896?i=1000550294067)
• Four Dangers for Complementarians (4 Dangers for Complementarians (thegospelcoalition.org)
• Don’t sideline the women in your church plant (Don’t Sideline the Women in Your Church Plant (thegospelcoalition.org)

Find More on Abiding Free:

• Instagram: @abidingfree
• Follow us on Facebook
• Check out our Website HERE
• Contact: [email protected]

*Disclosure: Some links are Amazon affiliate links and a small portion of your purchase will come back to us while your cost remains the same.

Get the Selah Bible Journaling Kit for a discounted price today on Amazon with code" SELAH KIT24 at: Amazon.com : Mr. Pen- Bible Journaling Set (Selah Collection), Highlighters and Pens No Bleed, Scripture Markers, Washi Tape, Bible Tabs, Christmas Gift : Office Products

Today we are opening up a can of worms about a very hot topic in the church: What is the Biblical role of women in the church? For instance, can women be pastors?

This is a significant topic because it has to do with the overall structure of the Church. It’s essential that as Christians we know where we stand on this topic, so that we can engage in crucial conversations. At the heart of it all, where we all hope to stand is firm on the word of God.

But what do we do when two sides firmly believe they have done this, yet they end up with differing perspectives?

We pray. We engage in hard conversations, and we always look at the full context of scripture.  And we have grace, lots of grace.

This week, we are diving into two viewpoints on this topic: Egalitarianism and Complementarianism and having a conversation about these two views. 

As we walk through these viewpoints, we dig deep into scripture and share our takeaways. While what we cover in this episode is certainly not exhaustive, our hope is that through what we share you feel more empowered and equipped to study further, pray, and even engage in conversations with others who might have a different perspective in love and truth.

When we do these things, we allow ourselves to walk in the freedom that Christ has set forth for us.

Thank you for joining us this week on Abiding Free.

Episode Highlights: 

• Complementarianism vs Egalitarian Perspective in the Church.
• What we believe here at Abiding Free.
• What scripture says about this topic.
• Why it’s important to look at the full context of scripture.

Links Mentioned in Show:

• GotQuestions.org: What does the Bible say about women pastors? | GotQuestions.org
• Let Us Reason Together About Complementarianism (thegospelcoalition.org)

Find More on Abiding Free:

• Instagram: @abidingfree
• Follow us on Facebook
• Check out our Website HERE
• Contact: [email protected]

Quotes: 

• “Men and women are equal in value created by God, but have God ordained roles that complement or complete each other.” Kristin
• “Who we are as male and female is ultimately not about us. It’s about testifying to the story about Jesus. We do not get to dictate what man and woman are about. Our creator does.” 
• “Make sure that your viewpoints rest on the enduring word of God.” Kristin
• “Not every conviction holds absolute truth but everything in the bible is absolute truth.” Shannon
• Verses Supporting Complementarianism: Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 2:18, 1 Timothy 2:11-3:7
• “We always have to look at the full context of scripture.” Abiding free

Get the Selah Bible Journaling Kit for a discounted price today on Amazon with code" SELAH KIT24 at: Amazon.com : Mr. Pen- Bible Journaling Set (Selah Collection), Highlighters and Pens No Bleed, Scripture Markers, Washi Tape, Bible Tabs, Christmas Gift : Office Products

When the topic of money is brought up, how does it make you feel?

Money can certainly be a loaded topic especially in the church, but did you know that it is one of the most talked about topics in the Bible? 

Today on the show we are sharing a conversation with our guest Cody Hobelmann. Cody is a certified financial planner who founded The Finish Line Pledge with his brother Kealan. The Finish Line Pledge helps people determine how much money is enough for them to live so that they can give of their finances more freely, but Cody didn’t always live this way.

In this episode, Cody shares his paradigm shift around finances, giving, and who is in charge of it all in the end. His fresh perspective is insightful and encouraging.

God brings freedom in and through all things, and that includes money. We hope through this episode you are inspired to walk in the hope and freedom that Christ offers even in your finances. 

Thank you for joining us for another week on The Abiding Free Podcast.

Episode Highlights: 

• Introduction to Cody Hobelmann and The Finish Line Project. 
• What the Bible has to say about finances.
• A fresh perspective on God’s role with money.
• How financial generosity leads to more freedom.

Find more on Guest:

• Check out the finish line pledge website HERE!
• Get in touch with Cody and his team HERE!

Find More on Abiding Free:

• Website: www.abidingfree.com
• IG: @abidingfree
• Facebook: Abiding Free
• [email protected]

*Disclosure: Some links are Amazon affiliate links and a small portion of your purchase will come back to us while your cost remains the same.

Quotes: 

• “God owns it all. He is the creator of everything. Everything we have is given to us by God.” Cody
• It’s not my money. I didn’t earn it by  my own hand.” Cody
• “If God owns all the money, what role does that put us in?”
• “God doesn’t need me to give Him money. He is entrusting me with His money and he wants me to use it according to His will.” Cody
• “God invites us to something bigger and better when we share what He has give to us.” Cody
• “The joy that comes from serving others is so much more than any new toy that I could ever buy.” Cody
• “Where your money goes, there also lies your heart.”