Join us as we celebrate the release of two new Jesus Calling books for Christmastime! On this special episode, we talk with Christian singer/songwriter Mark Lowry about his favorite Christmas traditions and get a behind-the-scenes look at how he wrote one of the most beloved Christmas songs of all time, “Mary, Did You Know.” During the second half of our show, we continue the celebration as we talk with the president of  Christian Book Distributors, Ray Hendrickson, and his staff as they commemorate 40 years of ministering to the world with Christian products. Ray and the CBD staff share how they take great joy in sharing products that help their customers through tough times and grow their faith—products like our very own Jesus Calling.

Celebrating the Power of Jesus’ Love: Mark Lowry and CBD President Ray Hendrickson

Millions have been encouraged and inspired by the words of the #1 best-selling 365-day devotional "Jesus Calling." Listen to real-life stories of faith as told by those who have experienced the power of living in His presence.

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*This episode contains content that may be triggering for some listeners.* Have you ever had a moment where you plastered on a smile, carried on through your day as if everything was perfectly okay, but really on the inside you were hurting? It’s okay to have sorrow, and it doesn’t mean we are cut off from joy in the midst of it. In the Psalms, David reminds us that God reveals joy during all the ups and downs of our lives. “You make known to me the path of life,” David prays, “in Your presence there is fullness of joy.” [Psalm 16:11]  Molly Stillman is an author, speaker, blogger, and podcast host who leans toward the brighter side of life and wants to bring that joy to others. The daughter of a nurse who served in Vietnam, Molly’s mother championed for the rights of women veterans all while battling alcoholism and addiction. Molly witnessed her mother’s powerful influence, despite her afflictions, and would come to know what it was like to hold both joy and grief in her heart as she navigated life after her mother’s death. Jeanine Amapola is a speaker and influencer who battled alcohol addiction and toxic relationships. At her lowest point, she wasn’t sure she’d ever feel joy again, but the healing began as she connected with a community of women who had experienced some of her same hardships.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview:  Jen Lilley Upcoming interview: Andre Ward  Psalm 16:11 NIV   Molly Stillman  Vietnam veteran Alcoholics Anonymous Sharon Ann Lane PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) Vietnam Veterans Association  Home Before Morning  pulmonary edema  collagen vascular autoimmune disease  Proverbs 17:22 NIV  If I Don’t Laugh, I’ll Cry   Jeanine Amapola  Ecclesiastes 4:9 NIV  Becoming Happy and Healthy   Interview Quotes: “A lot of veterans today say that women veterans have access to a lot of the things that they have access to because of the advocacy and trail that my mom blazed. And I got to be a front row witness to all of this.” - Molly Stillman “I wasn't walking with Jesus in any way, shape, or form, so I had no solid foundation on which to place anything in my life. And so everything I had built and was continuing to build, was just on very, very loose sand that had no firm foundation.” - Molly Stillman  “The shame and the embarrassment, the guilt, that washed over me felt like I had a ton of bricks on my chest and my shoulders. It was devastating to find myself in this position and to just feel that level of condemnation towards myself.” - Molly Stillman  “I walked through the doors of a church and I heard that there was a God in heaven who created me on purpose, with a purpose, for a purpose, that He loved me just as I am, that He’d forgiven me of the mistakes that I made, and that there was hope to be found in Him. And so I walked out of those doors that day with hope. And that is a powerful, powerful thing when you are hopeless.” - Molly Stillman “People that say that God doesn't have a sense of humor clearly don't read the same Bible I do, or have the same relationship with God that I do.” - Molly Stillman  “I found myself floating around and just looking for affirmation in all the wrong places. And because I had such a severe, severe disdain for myself and a low self-worth, I went to all these other places to try and find confidence and identity and worth and value.” - Jeanine Amapola “I just remember feeling, Man, there's got to be more. I'm not happy. I'm trying to connect with God. I keep going back to my old ways. I keep making bad decisions. I hate my body. I don't like myself.” - Jeanine Amapola “God did not design us to be alone. He literally says, ‘It is not good for man to be alone,’ and so we should pay attention to that. If God says that, then why are we surprised when we're alone, and all of a sudden we're facing all this insecurity and anxiety and depression and doubt and all these lies, and we're feeling lackluster and lukewarm in our faith? Why are we surprised?” - Jeanine Amapola  “If you're wanting to have a good friend, you should also be a good friend. I think it's important to surround yourself with people that inspire you, that are also places that you want to be, that are going to live life in such a way that you're like, Wow, that motivates me to want to look more like Jesus.” - Jeanine Amapola ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter  Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok

Happiness is Fleeting, But Joy Lives Deep Within Our Souls: Molly Stillman & Jeanine Amapola

In all the moments of our lives, whether we’re dealing with depression or anxiety, or navigating the responsibilities of taking care of other people, or simply trying to make our days have more depth and meaning, our connection to others is key to our well being. Through prayer, intentionality, and consideration, we can strengthen that cord that ties us to others and build relationships that become a lifeline when things get hard. This week, we're joined by Dansby Swanson, a major league baseball player for the Chicago Cubs. Dansby shares the ups and downs of being a major league baseball player, including the stress and anxiety that comes with the job–and how his connections to his family, caring coaches, friends, and to God, made all the difference in getting a handle on his depression.  Later in the episode, we'll hear from John Inazu, a professor of law and religion, who discusses how we can foster healthier conversations around challenging topics, creating understanding and connection even with those who disagree with us.  Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview:  Jordan Davis Upcoming interview: Molly Stillman  Thank you to our sponsor: www.give.cru.org   Dansby Swanson Chicago Cubs Vanderbilt Atlanta Braves   John Inazu  Washington University  ROTC scholarship   Interview Quotes: “God created us to live in community with one another, because there's such a level of His love and connection that comes with that.” - Dansby Swanson  “God does a lot of things through people for me, and I'm just so grateful that I'm able to keep that perspective, to just trust in Him and His plan, and just be able to realize what He's done for me along the way.” - Dansby Swanson “Our identity is secure in Christ and what He did for us and no matter how great we are, we're still never going to be perfect. Jesus is the one that lived a perfect life so that He could sacrifice Himself for our shortcomings.” - Dansby Swanson “I think the way we respond to hostility or adversaries, even if we don't win the point, we might actually still model a kind of relationship or model the fruits of the spirit in a way that will make that other person pause.” - John Inazu “I think we are formed by the people around us most deeply when we give them permission and find the time to sit with conversation and listen and pause.” - John Inazu  “There will be times in life and roles that you have where you're not equipped yet to jump into that hard conversation. Prayer has to be the anchor of this; that you wake up and you thank God for the part that you get to play in His story, and then you ask for more of the fruits of the spirit.” - John Inazu  ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter  Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok

The Restorative Power of Connection: Dansby Swanson and John Inazu

Content warning: This episode contains mature content and may not be suitable for all listeners. When we face darkness in our lives that threatens to overwhelm us, it can feel like it’s harder and harder to find any light. But in  Hebrews 6:19, it says “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” That anchor is Jesus—and He is waiting to hear our cares and concerns, and is present to be that Rock we can cling to in every trial we encounter.  This week, our guests talk about how they turned to Jesus when they started to lose hope in humanity. Talk show host and author Tamron Hall had periods in her life where her job took a toll on her mental health, and when she asked God to help her see the good in humanity again, she was able to find a renewed passion for helping others. LaRae Quy, a former FBI agent and spokesperson, faced the harsher side of humanity during her twenty years as an undercover and counterintelligence agent. Hearkening back to the lessons of patience and perseverance she learned growing up on a Wyoming ranch, she reached out to God to bring peace to her mind, which was haunted by the hurts she had seen perpetrated on so many victims in the cases she covered.  Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview:  Jay Hewitt Upcoming interview: Dansby Swanson  Hebrews 6:19 NIV Thank you to our sponsors: www.give.cru.org | BetterHelp.com/JesusCalling   Tamron Hall   Jordan Manning series Watch Where They Hide Deadline Crime  Exodus www.tamronhallshow.com   LaRae Quy  Romans 5:3 NIV www.laeraequy.com   Interview Quotes: “There's no school that can prepare you for a parent handing you the kindergarten photo of their child who's just been found dead and looking to you for comfort, but also believe that you are going to care for them while telling their story and not use it as an opportunity just to get people to watch TV.” - Tamron Hall “I lost my dream job before the public nationally, but I knew it was in God's hands, and I knew that I didn't need to do anything other than find peace with it and find my lane.” - Tamron Hall  “The win is in the loss. Faith is in the challenge. The uncertainty is supposed to bolster the faith and the belief that it is going to happen in God's time.” - Tamron Hall “When I'm on set, before I walk out of the doors of the show, I ask God to guide me in my words and let me be a comfort if I need to be that for someone, allow me to bring a smile to someone's face if that's what they need.” - Tamron Hall  “God opened the door and I have no doubt it was the right path for me, because the values of the FBI closely aligned with the values I developed on that Wyoming ranch.” - LaRae Quy  “We need to have faith in something. We need to find value somewhere. It's how we psychologically survive and thrive.” - LaRae Quy “Through prayer and self-awareness, we get to the truth of who we really are, and the journey of self-discovery can be hard because we’re asked to look at the good, the bad, and the ugly. It doesn't do any good to try to hide all of that from God, because God knows us better than we know ourselves.” - LaRae Quy “Anytime we connect with God, it brings hope back into our lives. Without hope, we cannot be brave.” - LaRae Quy  ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter  Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok

Losing Hope? Turn to God: Tamron Hall & LaRae Quy

The Bible reminds us over and over what a gift from God children are. As parents, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the different worries when it comes to raising a child: Are they healthy? Are they happy? Are they kind to other people? One essential element of parenting that sets a great foundation for a child’s well-being is modeling a spiritually healthy life for our kids, so that they know there’s a God who cares for them, and listens when they pray. This week, we get to hear from three experts on how we can mentally and spiritually nurture the young minds of tomorrow. Dr. Daniel Amen is the founder of Amen Clinics, and a leading expert in brain health and mental health. Charles Fay, PhD, is an nationally recognized author and president of the Love and Logic Institute, which joined Amen Clinics in 2020, offering practical solutions for educators, mental health professionals, and parents dealing with challenging behaviors in youth. Melina Luna Smith is the Executive Director of Storymakers NYC, who works with parents to reach their children through storytelling, and gives tips on how to incorporate story into the everyday life as a family, as a way to connect and teach faith values as well.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Dr. Meg Meeker Upcoming interview: Tamron Hall Thank you to our sponsor: www.give.cru.org Jesus Calling for Easter   Dr. Daniel Amen  Amen Clinics Charles Fay, PhD Love and Logic Institute  Brain SPECT Imaging active listening  Raising Mentally Strong Kids   Melina Luna Smith Storymakers NYC www.storymakersnyc.com   Interview Quotes: “The good habits that our kids have to start with are our good habits.” - Dr. Charles Fay, Ph.D. “Write down the mistakes you hope and pray that your kids make.” - Dr. Charles Fay, Ph.D.  “When do we really have the closest, deepest faith encounter with our Lord? Is it when things have gone really well and we've made really good decisions, or is it maybe when we've exercised some free will and we haven't made such a good decision, and then we look up and we say, ‘Oh, please, Lord, I know that I can trust you’? That’s a faith exercise. We all need those.’” Dr. Charles Fay, Ph.D. “If you want to give your child the greatest gift, which is the gift of faith, you need to work on your relationship with God, of course, but also with your kids.” - Dr. Daniel Amen, MD  “When [children] connect with us, they put our values inside of their heart, and those values travel around with them.” - Dr. Charles Fay, Ph.D.  “We want kids to be engaged with [Bible stories], and we really want them to walk away with information and an experience that is meaningful and that is going to shape and form them, so that they know that God is with them, for them, now and always.” - Melina Luna Smith  “God is the ultimate story maker, and we are story makers too.” - Melina Luna Smith “Just as Jesus would always bring the parables to the listeners, He was drawing a story. He was drawing a picture of what was heavenly truth for us to hear.” - Melina Luna Smith  ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter  Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok

Tapping Into Healthy Mental and Spiritual Habits for Our Families: Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. Charles Fay & Melina Luna Smith

On this episode of Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer, we hear from musician Colton Dixon. From his American Idol days to the unexpected challenges in the music industry, Colton shares how his unwavering faith in God has served as his guiding light through every circumstance–enabling him to be a light to others facing their own storms.   Guest’s Links Colton’s Facebook: @ColtonDixonMusic Colton’s Twitter: @ColtonDixon Colton’s Instagram: @ColtonDixonMusic ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter  Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website TikTok   *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media*

Celebrating the Power of Jesus’ Love: Mark Lowry and CBD President Ray Hendrickson

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