Draw Near

By Fred Shellabarger and Kara KardellReligion & Spirituality Christianity Spirituality

Draw Near episodes

March 16, 2022 Take Courage, I Have Overcome the World
Pope Benedict XVI said, “The world promises you comfort. But you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.” Yet Jesus tells us in John 16:33 that we can expect tribulation and suffering in this world if we seek to follow Him. How are they both right? What does this mean for us? How are we to live these truths? What role do “comforts” play in our lives? How might they hinder our walk with the Lord? What value is there in trials and tribulation? Jesus tells us in John 17:14 that we can expect trials. But he also says that we should not be afraid, for he has “overcome the world.” What does this mean for us? These are all questions we attempt to answer in this episode!
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53 min
March 02, 2022Doing Lent... Well?
If you think you are good at Lent… You are not. No one is good at Lent. But there is a good reason for this. Lent is often a challenge because it requires letting go of things that hinder us in following the Lord. It requires taking up the cross and denying ourselves for something much greater and more beautiful: a deeper encounter with the love and person of Jesus Christ. This helps us to begin to think more like Christ, to live more like Christ, to love more like Christ. But how do we do this?
In this episode we invite some of our friends to share some of their own thoughts and experiences of drawing near to the Lord during Lent.
Special Guests:
Sonja Corbitt
Taylor Schroll
Matthew Leonard
Link to our previous Lent episode, Why Give Up?
*Some of Kara and Fred’s tips: *
St John the Baptist: "he must increase, and I must decrease."
Pray to your guardian angel to "humiliate you interiorly"
Pray with this question: What is holding me back from growing in my relationship with Christ?
Hear more on this in our "Come Follow Me" episode.
From the segment with Sonja:
Sonja’s LOVE method for prayerful Scripture study
From the segment with Taylor:
If you are not doing the basic fundamentals of living your faith, start there!
Check out our "Made for Greatness" episode for more on this topic.
From the segment with Matthew:
Sign up for Matthew Leonard’s free Lenten study.
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Draw Near Theme © Fred Shellabarger & Kara Kardell
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1 hr 5 min
February 16, 2022Leading Children to Christ
The Church teaches that parents are the primary evangelists and teachers of their children and goes so far as to refer to the family in the home as “the domestic church.” But what does this mean? Practically, how do we live this out? The Church also places a great emphasis on the role adults play in helping children encounter the love of Christ. In many ways, the Christ children know, the love of God they experience, is that which we model for them.
In this episode we share some experiences from our own families on how we share the love of Christ in our homes and how we strive to be witnesses and hand on the faith.
Whether single or unmarried, parents, aunts, uncles, or just someone who works with children, we believe our discussion can benefit anyone who wants to help the little ones in their lives come to know the love of Christ.
*Some of the tips we discuss: *
Living as a witness: demonstrate the life of prayer and devotion and invite them into that experience.
Be authentic: sometimes the life of faith can be challenging. Its okay to talk about that.
Apologize and seek forgiveness when its needed. Demonstrate God’s mercy and the need to both extend and seek forgiveness.
Use every moment as a teaching moment.
Recognize the great faith children have. Allow God to teach you through them and draw near to the Lord.
Give the reading of Scripture a pride of place in your home. This is how we come to know the Lord most profoundly, in Sacred Scripture.
Help to form older children to become examples to, and in their own way, teachers of their younger sibling.
Embrace the liturgical calendar and incorporate significant dates into the rhythm of family life.
Create a sacred space in your home for prayer and devotion.
Teach you kids how to pray! We recommend the ACTS method for children:
a. (A)doration
b. (C)ontrition
c. (T)hanksgiving
d. (S)upplication
https://hallow.com/2020/06/20/how-to-pray-acts/
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
The Paradoxical Commandments by Kent M. Keith
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/6396-the-paradoxical-commandments-people-are-illogical-unreasonable-and-self-centered-lo
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Draw Near Theme © Fred Shellabarger & Kara Kardell
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49 min
February 02, 2022 Come, Holy Spirit
Who is the Holy Spirit? Why is a relationship with Him so important? In Scripture, Christ promises the gift of the Holy Spirit, the love of God poured out into our hearts (Rom 5:5). He is Comforter, Teacher, Counselor and Guide. In Acts 15, when the Church is faced with a difficult decision, they seek Him in prayer, trusting in Christ’s promise that the Holy Spirit will lead and guide in all truth. There we hear the phrase, “It seemed good to us and the Holy Spirit.” How can we come to a place where we also can say this about our decisions and our daily lives? How can we learn to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit? How can we experience his promptings in our daily lives? What does this have to do with the love of God? And how has God gifted you in the power and grace of the Holy Spirit to renew the face of the earth? We will discuss all these things in this episode!
We mention the “Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit” in this episode. These are commonly emphasized in preparation for Confirmation. We love how the Baltimore Catechism describes these gifts:
"The gifts of the Holy Spirit enable us to catch the breath of the Holy Spirit, moving the ship of our soul much faster and farther than we could ever sail it by using the virtues ourselves. For example, we can use the virtue of faith by making an act of faith. But to use this virtue constantly, being aware of God's presence in us and about us at all times, is more than we can do ourselves unless the Holy Spirit does it in us. Likewise, we can make an act of love. But to love our enemies for God's sake and to be willing to die for them, we need the help of the Holy Spirit. THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHICH OUR SHIP CATCHES BY UNFOLDING THE SAILS OF THE GIFTS, ENABLES US TO DO EVEN THINGS THAT ARE HUMANLY IMPOSSIBLE. IT IS THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE SOULS OF THE SAINTS THAT EXPLAIN THE SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE THINGS IN THEIR LIVES" (our emphasis added).
These seven gifts are largely aimed at our own growth in holiness:
• Wisdom helps us to see the world through the lens of God’s truth.
• Understanding is the ability to grasp the truths of our faith.
• Knowledge helps you to understand the meaning and purpose God has for you and to actually live up this meaning.
• Counsel is also known as “right judgement.” It is the ability to follow God’s plan in our choices and decisions.
• Fortitude is also known as “courage.” It is the gift to stand up for what is true and right.
• Piety helps us worship God with true devotion and love.
• Fear of the Lord aids someone to have wonder and awe at God.
You can read more about the New Testament (charismatic) gifts in:
• Romans 12
• 1 Corinthians 12
• Ephesians 4
*Want to learn more or dive deeper? We highly recommend the series, The Wild Goose by Fr Dave Pivonka, TOR. You can find it here: https://thewildgooseisloose.com/wild-goose-main-page *
Learn about Lizzie Tecklenburg here: https://www.focus.org/missionaries/lizzie-tecklenburg
Prayers to the Holy Spirit written by Fred and Kara:
Come, Holy Spirit and move upon the waters of my heart. Create in me a new heart - a clean heart! Renew in me a steadfast spirit that I may never be cast from your presence. God who is love, fill me so full of that love that it may overflow into the hearts of all those around me. Lord, God Almighty, help me to love better, to love stronger, to love deeper, to love more fully like yourself. Holy Spirit, God who is love, help me to love well. Amen.
Come, Holy Spirit. Inspire our thoughts. Guide our words and direct our actions. May all of these serve to build your kingdom in our hearts, in our homes, in our relationships, and in the world around us. Lord, Jesus Christ, as you call us out upon the water, may the Holy Spirit fill us anew, baptize us with fresh fire, and give us the courage to keep our eyes on you in the midst of every storm. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Click to Donate to become a supporter! Join the community by following the Draw Near Facebook page.
Like our podcast? Hit that “subscribe” button AND the notification button/bell to know when new episodes are posted! Give us a rating! Leave a review! Tell your friends! Even more, pray for us!
Draw Near Theme © Fred Shellabarger & Kara Kardell
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53 min
January 19, 2022 COVER SONG: "Amazing Grace"
Our work and our lives with our familes has kept our plates full in the new year. We also have continued to battle with germs and sickness. Pray for us as we pray for you! We needed some extra time for rest this month. That said, we still want to make sure we get something out for listeners to enjoy.
So, instead, please enjoy this bonus content, a cover of Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) we recorded a while ago. Our arrangement is a bit different as we have added in all of the original verses of Amazing Grace. New full length episodes, coming soon!
(writer credit: John Newton, Chris Tomlin, Louie Giglio )
Cover Vocals: Kara Kardell
Cover Guitar: Fred Shellabarger
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7 min
January 05, 2022 No Longer Slaves
In the most wonderfully busy Christmas Holiday season full of sick kids and lost voices, we were not able to record a full episode for all of you this week!
So, instead, please enjoy this bonus content of a cover of "No Longer Slaves" by Bethel Music we recorded a while ago.
(writer credit: Brian Johnson, Joel Case, Jonathan David Helser)
Cover Vocals: Kara Kardell
Cover Guitar: Fred Shellabarger
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4 min
January 04, 2022 Dad Joke Challenge
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24 min
December 24, 2021 Christmas Bonus: Yes, Virginia There is a Santa Clause by Francis Church
Following up on our Christmas Spectacular episode, we invite you (and your family) to enjoy a timeless story that Fred reads to his children every year! This is a purely "sit back and relax," "story time" sort of "shorty" episode. We hope this reading will be a blessing to you this Christmas season. Thank you for listening and allowing us to be a part of your lives this year! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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7 min
December 22, 2021Draw Near Christmas Spectacular!
In this episode, we take a step back, relax, get a little bit silly, and invite you into our own lives and friendship. We discuss some of our favorite Advent traditions as well as some of our favorite Christmas memories and share how we celebrate this most beautiful time of year with our families. We also discuss New Year’s resolutions, what ours are, and offer some suggestions on how to approach the New Year.
This episode was a lot of fun to record. We jokingly called it “Chit Chat and Banter: Christmas Edition,” but maybe “Christmas Spectacular” is better… a little? We invite you to sit down with a cup of hot chocolate… or eggnog if you prefer (see below for a great recipe) and enjoy our discussion!
May the Lord bless you and keep you this holiday season and may his face shine upon you in the new year!
Mentioned in this episode:
Want to learn more about the Jesse Tree? (Isaiah 11:1):
Jesse Trees- What Is It And How To Get Started
The Jesse Tree: Explanation for Catholic Families
Holy Heroes Advent Adventure Jesse Tree Ornaments
Ornaments for the Jesse Tree
The Religion Teacher’s Jesse Tree Kit
The book Fred reads to his kids from every Christmas:
Saturday Evening Post Christmas Book
The Gift of the Magi
Yes, Virginia There is a Santa Clause
Awesome Eggnog Recipe
Need some help on making a good New Year’s Eve resolution, check these out!
10 Simple Spiritual Resolutions for the New Year
Holy Habits: 20 New Year’s Resolutions
8 (Spiritual) New Year's Resolutions for Catholics
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Scripture Passages:
Isaiah 11:1 "There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots."
1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 "Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends."
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Like our podcast? Hit that “subscribe” button! Give us a rating! Leave a review! Tell your friends! Even more, pray for us! Draw Near Theme © Fred Shellabarger & Kara Kardell
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49 min
December 08, 2021Full of Grace
For such a long time, I (Kara) thought the Immaculate Conception was all about Jesus. After all… he was miraculously conceived! BUT this Feast, which we celebrate today on December 8th, is All. About. MARY!
Mary was immaculately conceived in the womb of her mother. She was created without the stain of Original Sin. She was always “Full of Grace.”
In this “shorty” Kara dives into a Scriptural study of key texts to point to Mary’s Immaculate Conception with hopes that each listener would be drawn deeper into the celebration of this feast and Holy Day of obligation.
Questions answered:
How do we know Mary was special or set apart?
What is the Immaculate Conception?
What is Original Sin? Where is that in Scripture?
Where is Mary’s Immaculate Conception found in Scripture?
*Words Referenced: *
Kecharitōmenē: Greek word for “full of grace” in Luke 1:28
Charis: Greek word meaning grace
Click to Donate to become a supporter! Join the community by following the Draw Near Facebook page.
Like our podcast? Hit that “subscribe” button AND the notification button/bell to know when new episodes are posted! Give us a rating! Leave a review! Tell your friends! Even more, pray for us!
Draw Near Theme © Fred Shellabarger & Kara Kardell
Support Draw Near
30 min

About Draw Near

From the publisher's feed

At Draw Near, we explore the beautiful truth that God, out of His deep and personal love for each of us, takes the first step to draw near. But this divine movement calls for a response—a response…