Called Into Being

We're back! After a haitus...here's why. (It's a good reason, I promise.)

In this episode, we talk about:

- good news

- why the road bumps we face might not be the end of the story

- where to find endless creativity

- practical tips to help you focus, get inspired, and create or move forward

This episode is adapted from one of my previous blog posts.

—— Connect with me on Instagram and Facebook @whatyoumakeitblog. Get free Bible study resources at whatyoumakeitblog.com.

Today's guest episode is long overdue (but luckily our guest isn't!). At the point we recorded earlier this year, my friend Leslie Konhaeuser was expecting her third child, who is now here with us and healthy. Leslie shares about working through transitional times in your relationship with God (not just for moms!), watching how he meets us in our mess, being self-aware to tackle the hard stuff, and more.

In this episode, we talk about:

- when you hit a wall - experiencing the abundance of God - how to not be shaped by your world and culture - cultivating self-awareness - not taking yourself too seriously - why Target Pick-up can save your life (not an ad) - the balance between the hard and the redeemed - not having to live up to our high standards of who we should be Connect with Leslie at Motheringbyfaith.com and @leslie.konhaeuser on Instagram. Connect with me on Instagram and Facebook @whatyoumakeitblog. Get free Bible study resources at whatyoumakeitblog.com.

The big news I've been waiting to share - and the story behind it that tells you all you need to know. (Spoiler alert: God did it.)

Join me in a special episode where I'm spilling the beans on an exciting development, talk about how we got here, and what's coming next.

Get updates and free Bible study resources at whatyoumakeitblog.com.

Obedience is hard to grasp at any age - especially obedience to God. It takes surrender, humility, vulnerability. It means trusting God and letting go of control.

In this episode, we talk about:

- a personal scary moment that prompted this episode

- why obedience is necessary, even though we are saved by grace

- who we're obeying (Is God like a mean boss? Or like Santa Claus?)

- why God is worthy of our trust

- what obeying God looks like

- whether God expects perfection (and why or why not)

This episode is adapted from a blog post I wrote this past year.

—— Connect with me on Instagram and Facebook @whatyoumakeitblog. Get free Bible study resources at whatyoumakeitblog.com.

If I had to describe Pricelis Dominguez - ministry leader, podcaster, coach, and more - in one word, it would be passionate. Pricelis is on a mission to help women live purposefully and free. This conversation is like a quick coaching session for your heart, mind and spirit. In this episode, we talk about:

• the driving force behind starting a ministry
• the importance of community when it comes to our callings (and walks with God)
• embracing gentleness toward ourselves and curiosity toward others
• being gifted and also pursuing growth
• why intentionality matters to us and to God
• helpful practices to live out intentionality, mindfulness and boundaries in our lives

You can find Pricelis at:

Full Collective (ministry) Yas and Amen Podcast My Website + Blog Personal IG Ministry IG —— Connect with me on Instagram and Facebook @whatyoumakeitblog. Get free Bible study resources at whatyoumakeitblog.com.

We tend to put a lot of weight on callings - as if it will tell us (and others) where we belong, what we're made of, and our place in the world. It can feel like a lot of pressure, and we worry if we haven't gotten it all figured out.

In this episode, we'll look into some details about callings and purposes that relieve some of this pressure. We'll relate to some biblical people (and animated ones too!) who experienced callings in possibly unexpected ways. And we'll look at verses that tune our perspective with God's, getting a stronger sense for his call in our lives, and the role he wants us to play. (All in less than ten minutes!)

Ligia Andrade, director of Anew Ministries and local church pastor, joins me today to talk about identity, faith, fulfillment, and purpose. Her faith is contagious, and she speaks vulnerably about challenging lessons learned for her this past summer. We talk about:

• Releasing expectations (and demands) about our purpose
• Finding fulfillment in Christ practically
• What you need to know if you're tired of the trying
• Letting the name God gives you be the one to define you (instead of the name someone else gives you)
• When your family gets involved in your purpose
• When God is at the center of your story

Next episode: March 9!

—— Find Ligia at anewministries.ca and on social media at @anew_ministries. Connect with me on Instagram and Facebook @whatyoumakeitblog. Get free Bible study resources at whatyoumakeitblog.com.

In the story of our lives, what's the moral? Who's the main character? Do our decisions determine our outcome? Can we mess up his plan for us?

In this episode, we talk about:

- A cringeworthy moment with Jesus and his disciples

- Jesus's advice for when we start to gaze a little too much at ourselves or others

- An incorrect theology about our lives that can keep us both proud and afraid

- A closer look at a Bible hero who wasn't really the good guy or bad guy - why his story matters, but not in the way we think it does

- The real good guy of the story, and how that applies to our own stories

- Practicals for what we can do as we play a role in a story that's bigger than us

- Verses on God's justice and mercy

—— Connect with me on Instagram and Facebook @whatyoumakeitblog. Get free Bible study resources at whatyoumakeitblog.com.

In today's episode, author Catherine McNiel shares the inspiration and questions behind her upcoming book, Fearing Bravely: Risking Love for Our Neighbors, Strangers and Enemies. It's a call back to the kind of discipleship that Jesus lived out and asks of us, and of his earliest disciples. What prompted a transformation of the timid disciples into the bold, fearless preachers we see after Jesus's resurrection? We talk about:

• how fear is a helpful - yes, helpful! - feeling, and how it can also hold us back
• warning signs of being "discipled by fear"
• why loving others can feel threatening
• the idol of safety, and the good news about surrendering it to God
• what fear of God looks like, and doesn't
• what privilege adds to our propensity for fear
• how to respond when your calling is not comfortable

— Find Catherine at CatherineMcNiel.com, @catherinemcniel on Instagram and Twitter, and @catherinemcnielwrites on Facebook. (affiliate) Preorder Fearing Bravely here. — Connect with me on Instagram and Facebook @whatyoumakeitblog. Get free Bible study resources at whatyoumakeitblog.com.

This episode was brought to you by the Holy Spirit - seriously. It was going to be something else entirely.

This week, we talk about:

- What construction, hard hats and blueprints have to do with the Bible

- The shame-free motivation for building

- The foundation we're working on

- Sneaky ways that our motivation can get blurry

- The end goal

- What to consider when building gets difficult

- Symptoms of building for yourself over God's kingdom

Check out my conversation with Erin Michele Smith on this topic, at Steps to Trusting!

—— Connect with me on Instagram and Facebook @whatyoumakeitblog. Get free Bible study resources at whatyoumakeitblog.com.