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Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org.

Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

Anxiety is a meteor shower of what-ifs.  The sky is falling, and it’s falling disproportionately on you.  Anxiety ain’t fun!

One would think Christians would be exempt from anxiety.  But we are not.  It’s enough to make us wonder if the apostle Paul was out of touch with reality when he wrote in Philippians 4:6, “Be anxious for nothing.”  Is that what he meant?  Not exactly.  He wrote the phrase in the present active tense—implying an ongoing state.  As if to say, “Don’t let anything in life leave you perpetually breathless and in angst.”

The presence of anxiety is unavoidable, but the prison of anxiety is optional. Could you use some calm? Of course you could.  We all could.  We all could use a word of comfort. And God is ready to give it.

Read more Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

“A pleasure is full grown only when it is remembered.” These words, uttered by a character in C. S. Lewis’ book Out of the Silent Planet, depict the joy one has in reminiscing over cherished experiences in life. Though we rightly delight in the breathtaking scenery along the path of a hike or in sharing an important milestone with a loved one, these might be merely the initial pleasure. Often, later reflection on such moments (and those like them) compound the joy of having experienced them.

Perhaps this is another reason Jesus instructs His disciples to regularly share in what we call the Lord’s Supper. As He shared the Passover meal with them the night before His death, He infused it with a new layer of meaning. When partaking of the unleavened bread and “fruit of the vine,” Jesus described them as representing His body and His blood (Luke 22:18). His disciples were to share this meal regularly, doing so “in remembrance of [Him]” (v. 19).

The Jewish people remember how God delivered them from Egypt through celebrating Passover (see Exodus 12:17). Those who trust in Jesus’ sacrifice retell God’s deliverance from the consequences of sin by partaking of the Lord’s Supper—a somber, yet joyful remembrance. By sharing in it regularly, we practice what it means to “remain” in fellowship with Jesus (see John 6:56) and savor the pleasure of our communion with Him.

Networking feels fake because most people do it wrong. Michael Bungay Stanier has a better way. In this conversation, MBS breaks down how to connect without the cringe, the seven questions you need...

Read the whole entry... »

Founder transitions are some of the most difficult moments in ministry leadership, but they don't have to end poorly.

After leading the church he planted for 27 years, Keith Spurgin shares the lessons he learned about succession, feedback, sabbaticals, and letting go with confidence. 

He also reflects on the leadership mistakes he nearly made during COVID and how stepping away for a year ultimately prepared both him and his church for a healthy transition.

00:00 Introduction and Keith's ministry journey

00:45 Nearly derailing a succession plan during COVID

01:45 Why handing leadership to a team changed everything

06:45 Building trust before succession

07:45 Why Keith stayed away for six months after stepping down

09:00 Lessons from an unexpected year-long sabbatical

15:20 Why every leader needs honest feedback

18:15 Processing life after ministry

24:00 The Growth Resourcing Group

26:00 Unknown: Finding Connection in a Disconnected World

27:30 Why Keith's next book is about finishing well

Preparing for a leadership transition? Start a conversation with a specialist at Ministry Transitions. Learn more about Keith's leadership resources at Keith Spurgin.

Today's Free Gift:

For Better or for Worse – Disability has a way of trying even the best of marriages. The cumulative effects of daily routines that never vary, social isolation, financial pressures, unmet expectations, and a life that is vastly different from most couples can wear on the spirits of the strongest husband and wife.

Married to Joni Eareckson Tada for more than 37 years, Ken Tada shares that disability does not have to be the defining word in your marriage. Instead disability is an invitation for you and your spouse to depend on Jesus in your weakness and grow closer to each other than you ever thought possible.

Use the coupon code: RADIOGIFT for free shipping!

*Limit one copy per person*

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Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org.

Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

The moment you sense a problem, however large or small, take it to Christ. “Max, if I take my problems to Jesus every time I have one, I’m going to be talking to Jesus all day long.” Now you’re getting the point.

An unprayed for problem is an embedded thorn. It festers and infects the finger, then the hand, then the entire arm. Best to go straight to the person who has the tweezers. We can only wonder how many disasters would be averted if we first go to Jesus. Philippians 4:6 says, “Don’t worry about anything. Instead pray about everything.” Tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank him for his answers.

Here’s my challenge for you: every day for four weeks, pray four minutes. Then get ready to connect with God like never before.

Read more Before Amen: The Power of a Simple Prayer

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

After Lam Wai Chan moved from his native Singapore to pastor a church in Japan, he panicked. The church had barely twenty members. In a nation known as a “missionary graveyard,” where about one percent of the nation’s people are Christian and many churches sit empty, Lam felt “like I was taking over a sinking ship.” Crying out to God, he sensed the answer: Offer the church back to Me.

Rather than “update” worship or music, Wai Chan asked members to pray—for their needs, family members, friends who didn’t know Jesus. Slowly, the church doubled in size.

Their faithful praying is a living, biblical model of how to build a community in Jesus. First, pray. “In every situation by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God,” Paul wrote, “and do all of this without worry about anything” (Philippians 4:6). In this way, we offer our ministries, churches, and programs back to God. We may plant seeds and water them, but as Paul said, “Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow” (1 Corinthians 3:7). He was imploring believers at Corinth to stop quarrelling about which church leader they followed (v. 4).

As Paul said, “No one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (v. 11). Let’s prayerfully give our churches back to Him. Then, watch them grow.

Many leaders assume disengagement is primarily a motivation or performance problem. But what if the real issue is that people no longer experience their work as life-giving?

In this episode, Jay Bransford, President & CEO of Best Christian Workplaces, explores why Life-Giving Work is the second most powerful driver of employee engagement. Drawing from decades of workplace culture research, he explains how leaders unintentionally drain meaning from work, why role alignment matters, and how connecting daily tasks to mission can dramatically increase engagement and ownership.

You'll gain insight into:

• Why Life-Giving Work is one of the strongest drivers of engagement

• How leaders unintentionally drain meaning from work

• What happens when employees are in the wrong seat

• Practical habits that create energized, flourishing teams

Subscribe to Called to Flourish and share this conversation with a fellow leader. Access full show notes, resources, and transcript at: https://workplaces.org/podcast/your-people-arent-burned-out-their-work-may-be-draining-the-life-out-of-them 

This summer, we're replaying some of the most useful episodes from the StoryBrand Podcast — episodes that can help you clarify your message so your marketing can actually drive sales.

Most taglines don't work. They sound clever, but when customers see them, nothing happens. No interest, no sales, just crickets. That's because most taglines are vague, confusing, or forgettable. And when people have to burn mental calories trying to figure out what your business actually does, they'll just move on to the next option. If your tagline isn't clearly offering something your customer wants, it's not helping you. It's costing you. So how do you make sure your tagline actually drives results?

In this replay host Donald Miller and and former host Kyle Reed break down why most taglines fail and reveal the simple formula that makes a tagline work. You'll hear real-time critiques of famous (and not-so-famous) taglines, learn how to avoid common mistakes, and get insider tips on crafting a line that actually grows your business. If you're reworking your own tagline or helping clients with theirs, this episode will give you a practical filter for turning words into revenue.

Ready to clarify your message and grow your business?

Attend StoryBrand Your Business LIVE to learn how to explain what you do in a way customers instantly understand:
https://storybrand.com/live/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=sbyourbusiness&utm_term=sbpod&utm_content=SB_workshop 

Visit StoryBrand.com for business training, messaging tools, and resources to help you grow:
https://storybrand.com/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=storybrand&utm_term=sbpod&utm_content=SB_home 

Follow on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/storybrand

Connect on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/storybrand