While sometimes depression hits without any known or perceivable cause, other times it stems from, or is exacerbated by overwhelming circumstances and situations involving those we love. But while we can't always control the things that impact our emotions, there are helpful things we can choose. In this episode, hosts Jennifer Slattery and Carol McCracken talk with therapist Stefanie Rowe about some of depressions roots and why it's important to seek help sooner rather than later. Bible passage discussed: 1 Kings 19  (Scroll down for discussion/reflective questions.)

Sermons referenced in this episode (presented by Stefanie):

How to Navigate Depression

Helped, Hugged, Heard

Link to the mug mentioned in this episode: https://thehappygivers.com/collections/its-ok-collection

Find Stefanie Rowe:

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Find Carol McCracken:

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Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. In what ways might your current circumstances feel overwhelming?
3. How might your level of emotional involvement in other people's problems impact your current mental state?
4. How does it feel to know that godly people like Mother Teresa and the Old Testament prophet Elijah experienced depression?
5. How does it feel to know that God moves close to you in your pain (even if you can't "feel" His presence)?
6. As depression thrives in isolation, and also tends to pull us to isolate ourselves further: what is one way you can connect with others this week?
7. Who is one person in whom you can find support when you feel depressed?
8. What is one action step God might be asking you to take having listened to this episode? 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Many people fear death and the process of dying. This can lead to enslaving behaviors like obsessively following health trends, avoiding airplanes, or losing the ability to think of much else when our loved ones travel. But God doesn't want us to live in fear and has provided numerous truths in Scripture to assure us of His presence in our every moment, including when we pass from this present earth, and of the joy that awaits us in paradise. In this episode, hosts Carol McCracken and Jennifer Slattery discuss some of the underlying causes for our fear of death and biblical truths that can help us view our eternal future with anticipation rather than fear. (Scroll down for discussion/reflective questions)

Bible passages referenced: Luke 8:40-45; Acts 7:40-55; Romans 8:31-29; 2 Samuel 12:15-23; Isaiah 7:16

Book referenced: In Light of Eternity: Perspectives on Heaven by Randy Alcorn

Find Carol McCracken:

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Find Jennifer Slattery:

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Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. What most frightens or unsettles you when you think of death?
3. Which of God's unchanging character traits can speak to those fears?
4. What might God be communicating to you through the passage about Stephen, the first Christ-follower killed for his faith?
5. What might God be communicating to you through His assurance of His love in Romans 8?
6. What might God be communicating to you through Jesus' statement to the repentant thief on the cross?
7. What is one action step He might want you to take having listened to this episode? 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

The late Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones once wrote, "The worst thing that can happen to a man is to succeed before he's ready." We've probably all heard of or read stories of fallen faith leaders to understand the truth in that statement. Considering this, what if our greatest setbacks and disappointments in pursuit of our God-given dreams are actually evidence of His love and grace? When doctors told Bay Turner that, due to his cut vocal cords, that he might never sing again, he felt into a dark and angry place. But God used that season of intense pain to bring about incredible beauty, as He's promised to do for all of us (Rom. 8:28). (Scroll down for discussion/reflective questions.)

Song referenced: "Brand New"

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Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. Who in your life most inspired, or inspires, you to live for Jesus?
3. When you feel angry or in pain, are you most apt to turn to Jesus or withdraw from Him, and what most impacts your tendencies?
4. When has God used a setback or painful season to deepen your faith and intimacy with Him?
5. Why is the strength of our character so important when it comes to maintaining the strength to carry God-given dreams?
6. What are some ways you intentionally connect with Christ?
7. What is one action step God might be asking you to take having listened to this episode?

 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Does the back-to-school year fill you with anxiety? Are you concerned about your child's safety, peer relationships, and relationships with their teachers? Releasing our kids into someone else's care and entrusting their education to someone you may not know much about other than their name can feel unsettling. But our discomfort can also provide an opportunity to develop greater faith as we rely more consistently on Christ and see Him care for our precious kids. (Scroll down for discussion/reflective questions.)

Resource referenced: Cultivating Deeper Connections in a Lonely World

Find Becky Harling:

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Find Carol McCracken:

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Discussion/reflective questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. What most concerns you when you think about the upcoming school year?
3. How have your concerns impacted your prayer life?
4. What verses most speak to your anxieties and fears?
5. What is one truth regarding God's character that comforts you in your anxiety and fear?
6. How strong is your support system?
7. If your support system (with other praying and faith-filled moms) isn't as strong as you'd like, what are some steps you can take to build a stronger support system?
8. What is one action step God might be asking you to take having listened to this episode? 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

God doesn't ask us to don a strong persona when our knees feel ready to give way. But He does invite us to reach for His perfect strength, to experience that strength, especially in the face of grief and fear. Join host Carol McCracken and author, speaker, and television host Lindsay Roberts. (Scroll down for discussion.reflective questions.)

Resource mentioned: Discover Your True Strength: Choosing to Thrive in the Midst of Life's Challenges

Find Lindsay Roberts:

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Find Carol McCracken:

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Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. What does it mean to cling to God?
3. What might it mean to cling to His strength?
4. Why is it important to recognize that He gives us the mind of Chriist?
5. What might it look like to choose truth when afraid?
6. Why is it important to recognize when our thoughts venture from truth?
7. What is one action step God might be asking you to take, having listened to this episode?

 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Most of us would rather avoid suffering entirely. Yet, we're also aware of the butterfly analogy which tells us that beauty often comes through intense struggle. How can turning towards, rather than from, our pain result in beauty, and how can we find Christ in our pain. Join Jennifer Slattery as she talks with Dr. Curt Thompson on suffering, the formation of hope, and experiencing Jesus through our connection with others. (Scroll down for discussion/reflective questions.)

Resource referenced: The Deepest Place: Suffering and the Formation of Hope

Find Dr. Thompson:

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Being Known Podcast

Find Jennifer Slattery:

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Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. How would you define shame?
3. In what ways might your parents difficulty in attending to their own story have created within you a sense of shame?
4. When have you felt valued and loved?
5. How might past experiences with shame have impacted how you interpret Scripture?
6. What might it mean not to allow shame to dictate the conversation?
7. What is one action step God might be asking you to take having listened to this episode?

 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

We've all experienced pain, and most if not all of us want it to end as quickly as possible. But what do we do when our pain lasts for an extended period of time? What happens when healing doesn't come, or doesn't come according to our time table? What might God be doing in those difficult seasons? Join host Carol McCracken as she talks with author and neuropsychologist Dr. Michelle Bengtson on finding God in our pain. (Scroll down for discussion/reflective questions.)

Resources mentioned: Hem of His Garment, Sacred Scars: Resting in God's Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted

Find Michelle Bentson: 

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Find Carol McCracken:

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Discussion/reflective questions:

1. What most resonated with you in this episode?
2. Think of a time when it felt as if your pain would never end. What made that season most difficult?
3. What did God show you during that time?
4. What might God be saying to you in your current season?
5. Which of God's character traits do you most find comforting when you're in pain?
6. What is your experience with lamenting?
7. In what ways has God healed you, or how might He currently be healing you?
8. What is one action step God might be asking you to take having listened to this episode? 

 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

When our world feels out of control and uncertain, we need to know there is One who remains unchanging, faithful, and always in control. When we recognize who God is and what that means for our lives, we recognize that we're never alone, never abandoned, and never over-powered, no matter how frightening our circumstances. Join host Jennifer Slattery as she talks with author and speaker Grace Fox on Living Unafraid. (Scroll down for discussion/reflective questions.)

Reference mentioned: Names of God: Living Unafraid: Devotional Study with Video Access (Names of God Devotional Studies Book 1)

Find Grace Fox:

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Find Jennifer Slattery:

Find Jennifer Slattery:

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Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. Which of God's character traits do you find most comforting when you feel anxious or afraid?
3. What comes to mind when you consider God as Yahweh, the relational, self-sufficient, present Lord?
4. What comes to mind when you think of God as your shepherd?
5. What feels like a giant in your life currently?
6. When might you most need to remember that God is the God of heaven's armies?
7. Compare God's power and strength to that of the giant you currently feel. How does doing so help dial down the intensity of your fears?
8. What is one action step God might be asking you to take having listened to this episode?

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

We've probably all watched a movie or read a novel that had a profound impact on us and helped us see ourselves, our circumstances, and our struggles in a fresh way. God uses numerous ways to speak to our souls, and stories can reach places within us we might otherwise keep walled off. In this episode, host Jennifer Slattery talks with novelist Felicia Ferguson on some of the themes presented in her latest release When Secrets Come Calling, the various losses her characters grieve, how God meets them in their pain, and how He longs to heal us as well. (Scroll down for discussion/reflective questions.)

Books mentioned: When Secrets Come Calling, The Paths We Walk: Trails, The Paths We Walk: Bridges. 

Find Felicia Ferguson:

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Find Jennifer Slattery:

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Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. What movies or novels have impacted you most and why?
3. What is it about stories that they have such a capacity to so deeply touch us?
4. Why is it important to allow ourselves to grieve our losses?
5. What are some things that might cause "ongoing" grief, and how can we grieve those well?
6. How might remembering God's steadfast love help us in our grief?
7. What is one action step God might be asking you to take having listened to this episode?

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Life's struggles can leave us feeling exhausted and discouraged, drawing our focus to all our doubts and anxieties. We might try harder or do our best to run faster, thinking we can somehow keep everything from crashing down around us. But as Carol McCracken discusses with guest Julie Sunne, we aren't meant to carry the full weight of our lives. That's God's job. (Scroll down for discussion/reflective questions.)

Resource mentioned: Sometimes I Forget: 60 Reminders of Hope for Your Hard Days

Find Julie Sunne:

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Find Carol McCracken:

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1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. What attribute of God do you find most encouraging in your present season and why?
3. When do you most tend to become self-reliant?
4. How does it feel to know that God doesn't need but rather invites you to partner with Him?
5. When you find yourself feeling impatient, what anxieties and fears most fuel that impatience?
6. How can focusing on what God wants to do in us help us endure uncomfortable seasons well?
7. What is one action step God might be asking you to take having listened to this episode?

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.