Be Light Podcast

It is so easy to get wrapped up in all of the chaos that is swarming around us.  We hear news reports about Covid-19, rioting, politics, killer hornets, and natural disasters and there are days when we just want to throw our hands up in the air in surrender.  I have heard many say, "I can't want until 2020 is just over" and I have been guilty of saying similar things.  However, while diving into the word recently, I came across the story of Esther.  

Today, we will be diving into the story of Esther, discussing her purpose during a crucial time in history, and how God used her mightily.  We will be challenging the perspective we often have of "I can't wait for this year to end" and discussing why instead we should be asking, "God, how can you best use me during this time?  I am surrendering to your will.  Show me."  It's by no accident that you are here, alive, during 2020.  God had this designed before the creation of the universe.  Let's take a moment to dive in and discuss how just this shift in perspective can change everything.

Last week we discussed how to find strength while we are waiting.  This week are are diving in deeper, discussing what God could be doing while you are waiting.  We are taking a deeper look into the story of Jonah.  Many of you know the story of Jonah and it may be easy to skim through, but today we will challenge you to examine how God could have been working on Jonah while he was running and even more when he was in a period of waiting.
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This week’s memory verse is Proverbs 3:5-6 where it says:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart

    and lean not on your own understanding; 

in all your ways submit to him,

    and he will make your paths straight.

Many of you may have heard this verse many times and have the tendency to just skim through it.  Make an effort not to.  I so distinctly remember going to the hospital in labor with my first little girl and saying aloud, “I trust in you Lord with all of my heart.  I will not lean on my own understanding.  In all my ways I will acknowledge you and you will make my path straight.”  Pray and say back the scriptures.  This helps them resonate in your heart and become a part of you and the things you are going through right now.

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Thank you for joining us and be sure to check us out  at be.light.today on Instagram and on Facebook at Be Light Today.  During the week we post encouragement and ideas for your family when it comes to school or just being together.  We hope each of you has a great week!

Right now, especially being in this time of COVID, we are in the midst of waiting.  We feel uncertainty and doubt.  We want to figure it all out and we start to feel unrest.  Today we will be discussing how to find strength when we are waiting.

This week’s verse is Psalm 46:10 where it says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”  There is so much peace and comfort to be found in this verse.  We don’t need to struggle.  We don’t need to figure things out.  He tells us to be still and to trust Him, knowing that He IS God and He is over it all.  When we are in a waiting period it is easy to want to figure it all out now and to not be patient, but through reflecting and meditating on this verse we are able to find strength that can only be found in Him.

Thank you for joining us today on the Be Light Podcast.  Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook as we post scripture and encouragement along with fun homeschooling tips, photography, fitness and nutrition ideas, along with great books to read.  Really anything and everything that can help you feel a little lighter!  

This week’s memory verse is:  "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:12-13

This week’s challenge is for you to find specific ways to bring God, his word, and prayer into your home.  Write down the ways in which you are already doing this and pray over them.  Ask God where you can do more and ask Him how you can best minister to each of your children.  After all, He created them and he knows their hearts and minds better than anyone else.

We hope you have a great week!

On our last podcast we discussed what it means to renew your mind.  On today’s podcast we are discussing practical ways to actually do this.  You may hear people say, “we are called to renew our minds”, but how can we do that, especially when we are in a time that feels very uncertain?  Join us today as we share some ideas with you on how we can renew our minds on a daily basis.

 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:2

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” -Romans 12:2

There are many days when I feel like I need a complete overhaul on my way of thinking.  I get going down the wrong path and everything starts to spiral.  We are called to renew our mind and then we will be transformed, but how do we do this, especially during crazy times?  In today’s podcast we will be discussing the most important things when it  comes too renewing your mind.  Thank you for joining us! Please leave a comment and rating on iTunes! We would love to hear from you!

*On a side note, my computer has crashed and Apple stores are closed so we have no intro or closing and editing was limited, but we missed you all so the show must go on! 

We are definitely in crazy times right now, but we can find comfort in knowing that none of this has taken God by surprise.  In today's podcast we will dive into the word, discussing times throughout scripture when we see faith enacted along with times where the figures of the Bible showed a bit of panic.  I'm sure we can all relate to both, depending on the day! Thanks so much for joining us and we hope you leave feeling a little lighter and encouraged!

Memory Verse
This week’s memory verse is John 6:58 where it says, 
“This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 

Let our focus this week be on putting our trust in the everlasting provisions that trust and faith in Jesus provides instead of the worldly comforts and provisions that we can so easily become accustomed to that are a part of this world.

Challenge
This week’s challenge is to practice putting your faith in Jesus first.  If that means using this time in your homes as a reset to start spending intentional time in His word and in prayer do it.  Use it as an opportunity to become more connected to Him and to hear His voice through all of the chaos.  Maybe your entire family is home all together.  I know that is so different for many of us.  Use it as a time to start a family devotional.  This can be short and sweet, especially if this is completely new to you, but use it as a time to redirect your family’s thinking onto trusting God and allowing your thoughts to be more on Him instead of anything else we see on TV or on our social media feeds.

I feel like, especially in recent years, we use the word worship synonymously with the idea of singing at church.  Singing the word of God and raising our voices in praise to Him are definitely forms of worship, but worship can be done all day, every day, whether we are in a church pew or sitting in the middle of our living room, piles of laundry surrounding us, and the kids and dogs running around us like little crazies! Join us today as we discuss what worship looks like, why we need to be doing it, and how to do it.

Memory Verse
This week’s memory verse is Psalm 66:4 where it says, ““All the earth will worship You, And will sing praises to You; They will sing praises to Your name.” This is just is such a powerful reminder of how sovereign God is and how we celebrate His sovereignty through worship and praises.

Call to Action
This week’s call to action is to be intentional about worshiping the Lord this week.  That can mean just sitting down and looking at his creation and meditating on it and thanking Him.  Dig into his word and be intentional about it.  Pray that God will show you ways to glorify Him by the way you treat those around you.  Worship can easily be done in the way you listen and react to those around you.  Over all of this, prayer and thankfulness is such an amazing way to glorify God and to worship Him each day and can be done all throughout your day.

Thank you for joining us today and be sure to join us next week as  my Mom and I discuss the most recent changes that have taken place in regard to the coronavirus.  I’m really looking forward to discussing what God has been revealing to us when it comes to finding the calm in the midst of the storms in this life.  Hope you have a great week!

Last week we started a mini-series where we started discussing ways to feel a lighter.  We kicked it off discussing trust.  This week we are discussing love.  Jesus says that loving God is the greatest commandment and after that, loving others.  When we focus on loving God first then we start to see those around us in a completely different light.  Loving God and loving others releases us from the burden of harboring resentment and anger.  However, this type of love can only be done through the powerful work of the Holy Spirit working through you.  Join us this week as we continue discussing how to feel a little lighter in this life through loving God first and by loving those around you.