Digging Deeper LIVE with Andi and Brian Hale

1. Vaccine War Headlines 2. Healthy Living 3. Ugly Truth of Child Sacrifice 4. Faith Matters; Rewards

“Yeah, right!”

That’s often my inner reaction when someone casually glances at my situation and glibly tells me that it’s all going to work out.

It’s a cynical response. Maybe birthed out of hoping—and having hope crushed. Or, dreaming—and having dreams deferred. Or praying—and having prayers unanswered.

Maybe you’ve been there too. Where uncertainty about the future has given way to cynicism and where hope has dwindled into skepticism.

In Scripture, we meet with Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

Her husband had been given a promise that he would be the father of nations. But after decades of hopes being dashed, Sarah was cynical.

Perhaps, initially, she had been uncertain about the details—when would this promised child be born? How would it happen? Would she and Abraham have the energy to take care of a newborn?

Maybe those were the questions that raced through her mind. But as months gave way to years and years to decades, Sarah’s uncertainty seems to have morphed into cynicism.

When a group of three men (angels from God) visit Abraham and tell him that he will be a dad in the span of a year, the eavesdropping Sarah laughs (Genesis 18: 12). It’s not a joyful laugh. But a laugh that’s disbelieving. A “yeah, right” reaction.

But God, in His mercy, fulfills His promise to Abraham and Sarah.

Genesis 21: 1 reveals God’s faithfulness and kindness as it says: “Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised.”

Sarah’s cynicism turns to bubbling-over joy at the birth of her son, Isaac. And she says: “God has brought me laughter…” (Genesis 21: 6).

This time her laughter didn’t stem from doubting—but from seeing the goodness of God in her life.

God can take the uncertain situations, the problems that have no solutions, the disbelief, the anxiety, even the cynicism, and He can turn every situation for our good and His glory.

Let’s pray:

Father God, You are the One who specializes in making the impossible, possible. Father, even as I face an uncertain situation, while I have more questions than answers, while I tend to be cynical and disbelieving sometimes, Father, would you help me put my trust in a faithful God who always keeps His Word? When a deluge of uncertainty and doubt threaten to sweep over me, may I look up to the One who holds the waters in the hollow of His hand, who rebukes the waves, who tells waves how far they can go. Thank You for being a perfectly faithful, magnificently powerful, infinitely wise, all-knowing, always-loving God. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

We’ve all been in the waiting room of life.

We’ve waited for the medical report, sometimes for weeks on end as doctors figured out diagnoses.

We’ve waited for jobs and financial breakthroughs, wondering how we’ll pay the next mortgage or make it through the next month.

We’ve waited for admissions to colleges, asking ourselves if we have what it takes.

We’ve waited for relationships to be reconciled, wondering if broken fences will ever be mended.

We’ve waited for a child, perhaps as fertility treatments failed, wondering if we can go through the emotional agony of hope and disappointment again.

There’s an uncertainty that weaves itself through the waiting.

In our reading today we saw Jacob waiting to meet his estranged brother, Esau. They had parted on hostile terms, with Esau vowing to kill Jacob for his deceptive actions that robbed him of his inheritance and his birthright.

But twenty years on, Jacob wants to make amends with his brother.

Would his once-angry brother still be vengeful?

Jacob’s uncertainty gives way to full-fledged fear. He starts concocting imaginary “What if” scenarios in his mind. Genesis 32: 7 says that

“In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups, and the flocks and herds and camels as well. He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one group, the group that is left may escape.””

But in the midst of his “great fear and distress,” he does a marvelous thing—Jacob turns to God in prayer. He proclaims who God is, he acknowledges what God has done for him, he confesses his fears to God, and he remembers God’s promises to him.

Later that night, there unfolds a powerful yet poignant scene as God meets with Jacob in a wrestling contest. In that intimate encounter with God, Jacob, although injured, receives a new name and a blessing. The next morning, Jacob walks with a limp into the embrace of his brother Esau.

In the face of your uncertain situation, when you feel the ground underneath you shift, turn to God in prayer as Jacob did. Humble yourself under His mighty hand and He will lift you up in due time. Stay locked into Jesus. Don’t let go of Him. Persevere in prayer. Your circumstances may not always change. But God will arm you with the courage to walk with a dependence on Him and a boldness that comes from Him.

Let’s pray:

Father God, The fear of the unknown can leave me paralyzed. Often, I tend to create stories in my mind of what lies ahead. I tend to magnify my problems and my circumstances. Lord, I pray that, instead, I would magnify You as You are sovereign over all my circumstances. You are the all-powerful God who engages with me, who strengthens me, who gives me the courage to walk with boldness into uncertain and fearful situations. The ground may be shaky, but I know I can trust my God, the Rock who was cleft for me. On Christ the Solid Rock I stand. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Have you ever found yourself on the brink of a tough decision? You know the right thing to do, but if you do it, the consequences could potentially be unpleasant, if not disastrous. While you have no way of predicting how things could turn out, you believe that it is incumbent on you to act.

That’s probably how Queen Esther felt as she heard the news about the imminent annihilation of her people, the Israelites. She had to act—and act soon. But doing the right thing didn’t ensure that her future was secure.

Put yourself in Esther’s place for a second. She was about the approach her husband, the King of Persia with an audacious request—to save the Israelites from an edict that the king himself had unwittingly endorsed.

But there was the snag in her plan. By law, the queen had no right to approach the throne. By Persian custom, the king always summoned the queen. If anyone went to the throne without an invitation, there was a very likely chance they could be beheaded for their flagrant flouting of the law.

The “what if’s?” in Esther’s situation are staggering – what if the king was in a surly mood and didn’t want to see her? What if he decided she was not worth the trouble? What if he decided to depose her or, worse still, have her killed?

But here was Esther risking her life because she knew what had to be done. Instead of dwelling on the what if’s of the situation, she boldly proclaimed: “If I perish, I perish.”

That’s startling faith. A faith that says, I will trust my God no matter what. A faith that says I will not let the uncertainty of what may happen, stop me from doing the thing God has called me to do. A faith that says I will not let fear dictate to me.

Today, is God calling you to step out in faith even though the “what if’s?” press in?

Let’s pray:

Father God, You know exactly the situation I’m in. I feel like I know what to do—but it’s exhausting to think that things may not go as I’ve planned. Father, even as my mind gives in to questions and fears and doubts, would you hold me in Your perfect peace? Would you give me the confidence that even though I don’t know what lies ahead, You do—You have it all figured out. Father, help me not to fixate on my fears but to focus on the faith You’ve given me, and the unending supply of grace that will get me through this. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Have you ever felt stuck? Like you were meant to move forward, grab life by the horns, and crush your goals—but your circumstances close in on you and you just can’t get ahead?

Maybe you’ve wondered, “God, is there a plan?” Maybe day after day, week after week, month after month, your dreams get deferred—and you decide to bury the dream because there is no clear answer and no clear timeline.

If you’re trapped in a state of limbo, you’re in good company.

In Scripture, we read about Joseph. He was a young guy, full of promise, blessed with skills, and intellect, and integrity. But he finds himself thrown into prison for no fault of his own.

For more than a decade, Joseph, who had been deftly climbing the leadership ladder, was held prisoner for a crime he didn’t commit. More than ten years of not knowing when his time would come to be released from prison into all God had in store for him.

But God had a unique plan and purpose for Joseph's life which He unfolded according to His timetable.

At the perfect time, the pieces fell into place. Joseph left prison to become Pharaoh’s right-hand man.

Today, as you face dead-end circumstances, know that God has not forgotten you. Maybe you don’t have the blueprint—but God does. He will fulfill His plan for your life.

Your pit, your prison, your seemingly dead-end circumstances can become the training ground that readies you for what’s ahead.

Let’s pray:

Father God, Whether I’m in the pit or in the prison, I’m not alone. You are with me. In those valley situations, Your rod and Your staff comfort me. Father, my way is not hidden from you. You are El Roi—the God who sees. So, Lord, even though I don’t know when You’ll lead me out of this valley, I trust that You have the perfect timetable and that Your plan cannot be thwarted. Father, even when things feel like they are in limbo and answers feel up in the air, would you enable me to live with purpose and integrity, glorifying You exactly where You’ve placed me for now. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

When we think of Bible heroes and heroines who faced uncertain situations, one person who may immediately spring to mind is Ruth.

Ruth, a Moabitess, had lost her husband and had decided to leave her hometown and follow her mother-in-law Naomi to Bethlehem. As a young widow, Ruth’s situation was incredibly difficult, especially given the cultural and historical context where women, particularly widows, were looked down on. Her safer bet would have been to bid her mother-in-law goodbye and head back to the familiar setting of her hometown. But Ruth decisively chooses to stay with Naomi, saying: Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. (Ruth 1: 16)

Sometimes, we grow so accustomed to Bible stories that we forget that there were real people behind them with real feelings. I wonder what Ruth was going through as she made her way to Bethlehem. Was her mind riddled with questions? Questions and concerns like: Will we have enough to eat? Will they accept a foreigner like me? What if they ridicule and reject me there? What if I’m unable to support Naomi? Will I ever get to be a mother?

Taking a brave decision didn’t automatically shield Ruth from wondering. Uncertainty still loomed up ahead. But Ruth didn’t stay stuck in self-pity or in fear. She put one foot in front of the other. She walked in the light she'd been given.

The Bible says that God’s Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths. When you face a mountain of questions and don’t know what lies ahead, pray for His Word to illuminate the path so you can take one step at a time.

We don’t know the next chapter, or even the next page, in our lives. But we do know the Author who is crafting incredible storylines that our minds cannot grasp.

Ruth went on to live a blessed life, marrying Boaz and later giving birth to a son who would be an ancestor to David. Ruth was included in the family line of Jesus—something she never would have foreseen or even understood when she decided to go along with Naomi, pledging her allegiance to the one true God.

Just like for Ruth, all the days ordained for us are written in His book. We are called to trust and obey, to put our hands in His, and walk on the paths that He has planned for us.

Let’s pray:

Father God, You are sovereign and You are good and You are wise and You are all-knowing. I trust You to write every chapter and every page and every word of my life. Those who look to You will never be put to shame. You will work all things out for the good of those who love You, who have been called according to Your purpose. So, Father, would You teach me to put my hand in Yours and trust You to write an incredible story through my life for Your glory and Your honor. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The homeschool revolution is booming and I am very excited about the way this vision of our new homeschool is coming together. I am also very glad for the homeschool dads that are stepping up in a big way and volunteering to teach at our new homeschool coop. Alot of good things are happening all around.

Texoma Christian Homeschool Coop is comprised of several former M.A.R.K. Homeschool families that got together with a vision and followed through after the former director retired and the school was shutdown. Many of us felt there was alot of good to be built on from our experience in M.A.R.K. so we took on the challenge and formed a board of directors in June of 2022.

Terri Hayter and Andi Hale were up to the task of being co-coordinators and for me it was a dream come true to be given the opportunity to be the Administrator / Principal for TCH. We are also every blessed to also have Catherine Honkomp, Jennifer Carpenter and Vicki Schweiss serving on the board as well. The former serves as our Treasurer while the latter is our new Assistant Principal! We are excited to have such capable and experienced homeschool parents serving with us.

Speaking of homeschool dads, I am hoping we are starting a new revolution at TCH with the involvement of several homeschool dads. Not only are they trusting me to lead the school, but we are extremely fortunate to have Mr. Honkomp and Mr. Hayter in the classroom this year!

Another huge blessing to our homeschool coop is the upgrade in our new facility this year. The facility is setup nicely for us to use 9 separate classrooms, large gym, kitchenette, cafeteria, and a full nursery. There will be no need to bring in fans and space heaters in our new location at Tenth and Broad Church of Christ. We sincerely appreciate their hospitality, not only with our new homeschool, but also with Trail Life USA and American Heritage Girls, whom they also host. Pastor Ken and the folks at Tenth and Broad are as committed to our youth as we are, and for that we are grateful.

Let’s Recap;

What : Texoma Christian Homeschool Coop

When : Tuesdays, Sep 13 – Dec 6 10am-2pm

Where : 1319 Tenth Street (Tenth and Broad)

More Info : https://www.texomachristian.com

Contact : Andrea Hale 940-224-6211

Join Andi and Brian Hale with special guest and co-host, Brandon Payne as they discuss several ways to help with heavy metal poisoning.

It's our second week of Friday Night Open Mic Live!

This week, our special guest and co-host, Brandon Payne is hitting on all cylinders with his wide ranging knowledge and dry humor that reminds one of Monty Python in a way.... Join us on this edition of Open Mic Live! https://diggingdeeper.us