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Ryan and Kayla North describe the joys and challenges of foster parenting and adoption. Then award-winning songwriter Tony Wood shares heartwarming reflections on the holiday season tied to our emotions, relationships, and God’s gift of Jesus Christ.

Wait No More Suitcase Bundles

Manger Throne

Christmas Stories Podcast

Help Deliver Hope and Joy!

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If you’re a mom who’s living somewhere between curated perfection and chaos, don’t miss this Building Relationships with Dr. Gary Chapman. Author, speaker, and homeschool mom, Jamie Erickson says if you are an overwhelmed mom, it’s time to quiet the chaos and reclaim what matters most. The overwhelm does not have to steal the joy of your motherhood journey. Hear encouragement on Building Relationships with Dr. Gary Chapman.

Featured resource: OVERWHELMED MOM: QUIET THE CHAOS, MIND WHAT MATTERS, AND ENJOY YOUR LIFE AGAIN

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Read: John 15:12-15; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

“Mom, it’s going to be so great having Piper live right across the street!” Ava said as she got ready to go help her best friend’s family move things into their new house. “Now we can sit together on the school bus and go to each other’s houses all the time. And pizza is her favorite food, just like mine!”

Mom smiled as she took a pizza out of the oven. “It’s nice that you and Piper have so much in common.”

Ava nodded. “We’re going to do everything together.”

The next day Ava came storming into the house. “Piper isn’t my best friend anymore,” she said. “I went over to see if she could play and found out she was off playing tennis with Lucy.”

“Oh, Ava,” said Mom. “It’s nice that you two are friends, but you need other friends too. Lucy and Piper like tennis, and you don’t.”

“I don’t care,” said Ava. “Best friends always stick together!”

At dinner that evening, Ava was surprised to see spaghetti on her parents’ plates and pizza from the day before on her own. “Where’s my spaghetti?” she asked.

“Since pizza is your favorite food, I decided you could have it for every meal,” Mom told her.

Dad nodded. “Mom says you can even have it for breakfast every day. Isn’t that great?”

“I don’t want pizza all the time,” Ava said. “I like other things too.” She frowned. “Why are you doing this?”

Mom smiled. “Well, I was hoping it would help you see that variety is a good thing—not only in meals but also in friendships. Piper needs the freedom to have more than just one friend, and you do too. The Bible tells us to love our friends, but the way you’re treating Piper isn’t very loving at all—it’s selfish.”

“Mom’s right, Ava,” said Dad. “After all, Jesus didn’t spend all His time with just one person—if He had, others wouldn’t have known that He was the Son of God who had come to save them. How can you be like Jesus and reach out to someone who needs a friend?”

Ava thought about it. “Maybe I’ll invite Cassie over to watch a movie, if that’s okay.”

“That’s fine,” said Mom. “But first you need to eat some spaghetti!”

–Ruth McQuilkin

How about you? Do you get jealous if your best friend has other friends? It’s good to have a close friend you want to spend time with, but both of you need to spend time with other friends too. The mark of real friendship is love for each other, and love means giving your friend the freedom to form friendships with others. You need other friends too—and they need you! How can you show someone Jesus’s love by being a friend to them?

Today's Key Verse: A friend loves at all times. Proverbs 17:17 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Enjoy many friends

How do you respond when you find that your faith is being tested and your prayers seem to go unanswered?

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My father first locked eyes on my mother at a party in London. Next he gate-crashed a second party, then organized a third, just to see her again. Finally, he asked Mum out for a country drive, picking her up in his old Rover sedan—his treasured possession.

Mum and dad became sweethearts, but there was a problem. Mum was about to move to Peru to become a missionary. Dad took her to the airport, then five months later arrived in Peru himself—to propose to her. And the best part of the story? He’d sold his beloved Rover to pay for the plane ticket.

If you would’ve asked Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, what her most treasured possession was, she’d have shown you a precious bottle of “expensive perfume” (John 12:3). And if you’d have been at the party she and Martha threw for Jesus (v. 2) and watched her lavish that bottle’s contents on his feet, you’d have known just what Jesus meant to her. He was that precious, that valuable.

For my mother, Dad selling his car wasn’t just about a plane ticket. It was a sign of how much he valued her. And Mary’s actions had deeper meaning too—she was preparing Jesus for His burial (v. 7). Like her, when we sacrifice for God what we treasure most, we take part in His redemptive work by echoing His great sacrifice for us.

Money: it’s one of the hardest things to surrender—and one of the clearest ways to trust God. When we give, we declare our dependence on God, rather than our bank accounts. On the next Faith & Finance Live, Dr. Art Rainer joins Rob West to explore how generosity becomes an act of trust that changes our hearts and deepens our faith. Then, it’s on to your calls. That’s Faith and Finance Live—biblical wisdom for your financial journey. That’s weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio.

Faith & Finance Live is a listener supported program on Moody Radio. To join our team of supporters, click here.

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To learn more about Rob West, click here.

To learn more about Faith & Finance Live, click here.

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Segment 1

• Is there spiritual danger in letting my child be entertained by Star Wars? – Anonymous

• What should I say to a man who is struggling to be a godly husband and father? – Ethan

Segment 2

• Is Christian rap a net positive? – Anonymous

• Should I leave my job because it celebrates transgender ideology? – Anonymous

• Am I too old to start seminary at 58? – Ric

Segment 3

• My pastor tore up a copy of the Bible as a sermon illustration. Is this helpful or disrespectful? – Anonymous

• Should a woman attend a watered-down church in the interest of submitting to her husband? – Gary

Segment 4

• What exactly is “fellowship” in the Bible? – Anonymous

• Is it possible for us to overthink and therefore misunderstand a Bible passage? – Tristan

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Isaiah wasn't just concerned with Israel—God had something to say to all the nations. Dr. John walks through Isaiah 13-27, where the prophet delivers oracles against Babylon, Assyria, Moab, Egypt, and other surrounding nations, accurately predicting the rise and fall of empires centuries before they happened. These chapters culminate in God's message to the whole earth: the Lord will judge the world for its transgressions, but for those who trust in Him, there's hope beyond the darkness.

The Grand Vision: God's Story Through Isaiah: Isaiah is the second-most quoted book in the New Testament, yet many Christians have never studied it deeply. In this 10-message series, Dr. John guides listeners through this essential prophetic book, exploring Isaiah's 50-year ministry during one of Israel's most turbulent periods. From temple visions to confrontations with kings, from oracles against nations to prophecies of the coming Messiah, Isaiah reveals God's sovereignty over all history and His plan for the world through Jesus Christ.