Gospel Spice | Awaken Delight in God through faith in Jesus Christ

Stephanie welcomes a guest teacher as part of our God's Glory, our Delight series. Steve Laube is joining us as a theologian and Bible teacher. Among many other things, Steve is a Sunday Class teacher with deep passion for delight in the glory of God, and decades of study in theology. He brings to us today his passion for Scripture and his eye for detail as we join Peter, James and John on the mountain to witness the once-in-history Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ. Peter's inkling to build "three tabernacles" (or "booths" or "tents") when he witnessed the event and the presence of Moses and Elijah, might indicate that the transfiguration took place in the general season of the "fall festivals" of Jewish faith - the festival of succoth, or festival of booths, being preeminent among the Jewish fall festivals. Succoth starts in 2022 on October 9, so we are releasing this episode in conjunction with this beautiful celebration.

The transfiguration is the most paramount event in the earthly life of Jesus Christ to reveal His glory. Through the eyes of Peter, James and John we are invited to experience delight in the glory of the One and Only begotten Son of the Father, on whom His glory and delight dwell. So we ask,

Why does the transfiguration matter to our faith today?

Why does it matter that Moses and Elijah showed up on the mountain with Jesus?

Why could they (and we) not stay on the mountaintop? Why do we need to descend back into the valley?

What does the Jewish festival of Succoth have to do with the Transfiguration?

Steve opens the texts of Scripture to us today to beckon us into experience of delight in the glory of Jesus Christ.

You will find the notes Steve mentions, in the Gospel Spice Library available to all members! Join for free at gospelspice.com to access this, and much more!

MEET STEVE LAUBE

Steve is also an influential figure in the world of Christian publishing as a veteran of the bookselling industry with over 40 years of experience. In the 80s he was a bookstore manager; then spent over a decade with Bethany House Publishers; later, he became a literary agent, founding The Steve Laube Agency. He was also inducted into the Grand Canyon University Hall-of-Fame by their College of Theology. He is married with three grown children and two grandsons.

Steve is the President of The Christian Writers Institute and publishes the annual Christian Writers Market Guide. In addition, he is the Publisher for Enclave Publishing, a division of Oasis Family Media, one of the premier publishers of science fiction and fantasy written from a Christian worldview.

You will find more about Steve and his literary agency at https://stevelaube.com/

If you want to listen to Steve's teachings, check out inneraltar.com where you can listen from the device of your choice and also as a podcast format.

You will find the notes Steve mentions, in the Gospel Spice Library available to all members! Join for free at gospelspice.com to access this, and much more!

DISCOVER ENCLAVE PUBLISHING

Enclave is a leading publisher of Christian speculative fiction. Whether it’s Christian science fiction you love, or fantasy, time travel, steampunk, alternate history, spiritual warfare, superhero, or technothriller—if it’s speculative and it comes from the Christian worldview, Enclave is the place to go. We strive to get Christian speculative fiction into the hands of the fans who love and devour great stories.

An enclave is a group of like-minded people in a place where they are surrounded by those who are not like-minded. It is not a place to hide, instead, Enclave is a place where authors and fans of Christian Fantasy and Science Fiction can come together and then go out and make a difference through worlds of words. Our stories can seem strange but underneath they contain powerful expressions of Redemption, Truth, and Hope.

You will find more about Enclave Publishing at https://www.enclavepublishing.com/ 

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/enclavepublishing/) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/enclave.publishing)

GOD'S GLORY, OUR DELIGHT | THE GOSPEL SPICE SERIES

Delighting in the glory of God. Does this concept strike you as reserved for spiritual contemplatives? What if, instead, it proved the highly practical, deeply foundational perspective you need right now?

Why does God’s glory even matter in our day and age? How can we learn from Jesus to make His glory our true North and lifelong quest? What keeps us from fully stepping into this God-ordained purpose for our life? How do we kindle delight for God on a daily basis? And, once we have embraced God’s glory as our heart’s true delight, how can we then come alongside others?

Join us to cultivate a sincere delight for God’s glory, rooted in an honest, hard look at the depth of our need, and in the much deeper Reality of His grace. Trace the glory of God through Scripture and in your own life. Behold the exact radiance of God’s glory, revealed in Jesus. Learn to see yourself as Christ does—through the lens of the Father’s love at the cross. Jesus offers to overwhelm our deadly self-centeredness with His resurrection power. He carries us every step of the way, even as He calls us to true humility on the path to glory.

Who has time to cultivate the delight that comes from pondering the glory of God? And yet, nothing could be more urgent today. Marthas and Marys, Peters and Johns—we are all invited to dare to dream of a lifestyle of God-centered delight. Nothing could be more practical.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 

1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address [email protected]. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:

1-      signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup

2-      find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3-      rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4-      and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie welcomes Pastor Jim Cymbala from the Brooklyn Tabernacle for a powerful conversation about the essential power of the Holy Spirit in our lives as believers. There is no life in Christ apart from the Spirit, and this is deeply transformational. This episode releases on the official anniversary of the Gospel Spice podcast! So we are gifting you a very special bonus episode that Stephanie is particularly giddy about.

In his new book FAN THE FLAME, Pastor Jim calls us to a return to a holy experience and study of Scripture and a renewed dependence on the Holy Spirit. We need a heart that searches after Him – the heart of the truly “poor in spirit” from Jesus’ Beatitudes. How do we then keep up this spirit of “Lord, I need you today and every day”? It starts with listening to God as He speaks to us through His word. It’s daring to pray, “Lord, whatever you want me to do, I will do it.”

In the context of our Gospel Spice series GOD'S GLORY, OUR DELIGHT, Pastor Jim describes for us today the essential nature of humility and dependence on the Holy Spirit. Pastor Jim's first book, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, was one of those books that deeply influenced Stephanie and her theology and approach to the Holy Spirit in the days of her young faith. She still reads it every few years, so she is celebrating the release of this new book for a new generation of believers.

Pastor Jim says, “The Holy Spirit watches carefully how we treat the Book He Himself wrote.” Everything has to be judged by the Word of God. Amen! Pastor Jim shows us how the enemy of our soul works in the extremes – emphasizing either only Scripture or only the Spirit – and how balance is essential.

Pastor Jim clearly spells out the illnesses that plague the church today. He says, “God uses people, not programs, to bring about his kingdom on earth.” He addresses Pastors and people in roles of spiritual leadership to call for a return to our first love and passion for Christ under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. He calls away from burnout and discouragement, from greed and self-interest, and towards humility, love, and other-centeredness.

Pastor Jim reminds us of the essential nature of unity in the Spirit, and the bond of peace. We discuss the works of the enemy to cause slander and division, and the healing power of the Spirit in unity and against discord. “Once there is discord, then you know Satan is working. And God is the God of peace. We are not all going to agree on the secondary matters. But take the essential things, like discrimination and racial tensions. It is just shameful, we need to repent, so we see people the way God does.”

Pastor Jim reminds us that we are all influencers, which comes with privileges as children of God, but also with the responsibility to steward this influence well. How do we as Christians enter this stewardship? He says that we are to be full of His Spirit and of His love so that our very presence will lead people to seek Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Pastor Jim and his wife Carol began serving at the Brooklyn Tabernacle when just 20 people attended, and today thousands attend weekend services. The Cymbalas have seen seasons of discouragement become gateways to spiritual revival, and Jim longs to encourage weary and disheartened pastors to stay the course. Cymbala began working on his first new book in a decade, Fan the Flame: Let Jesus Renew Your Calling and Revive Your Church, while counseling pastors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The book’s message is crafted for both pastors and church members. “We Christians are all on the same team. If one hurts, we should all feel it; and if one is blessed, we should all rejoice,” writes Cymbala. “Fan the Flame is my heartfelt endeavor to bring encouragement to the body of Christ and especially to church leaders. It has no magic formula or personal vision I wish to communicate. It’s just a sincere attempt to review what we’re doing and why we’re doing it, in light of God’s Word.”

Pastor Cymbala focuses on Acts 20 as he guides pastors and church leaders toward renewal and revival, including:

• How to improve spiritual leadership

• How to develop a deep and authentic practice of prayer

• How to lead others into the presence of God

• What pastors should and shouldn’t be doing as leaders of a church

BONUS – EXTRA CONVERSATION WITH PASTOR JIM 

go to https://www.gospelspice.com/blog for the bonus content!

Watch this conversation on VIDEO and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for free here: 

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/3N2QaBaAbjU?feature=oembed

MEET PASTOR JIM

Pastor Jim Cymbala was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, where he enjoyed a successful career playing basketball in both high school and college. Upon graduation from the University of Rhode Island, he entered the business world and married his childhood sweetheart, Carol. Although unforeseen by them, it wasn’t long before God called them into ministry.

Arriving at the Brooklyn Tabernacle, Jim and Carol found a congregation of less than 20 people meeting in a rundown building located in an impoverished part of downtown Brooklyn. Over the years, God has shown his faithfulness to them and their congregation in many miraculous ways. Their present campus includes a large renovated theater in downtown Brooklyn, where thousands of people come each week to hear the good news of Jesus.

During his early years of ministry, the discouragements and challenges nearly led Pastor Cymbala to resign. He desperately sought the Lord for a breakthrough in the church and in his ministry that would reflect what could be seen in the early church of the book of Acts. God clearly spoke to his heart that prayer was the source of the power and breakthrough that were needed. As a result, the Tuesday Night Prayer Meeting became the most important service of the week for the church. Today, Pastor Cymbala’s ministry is still characterized by his emphasis on prayer in the church and a dependence on the Holy Spirit for his leading and power.

Pastor Cymbala has a strong burden for the local church and has been blessed with the opportunity to encourage thousands of pastors around the country and world with what God has taught him throughout his 50 years of ministry.

Pastor Cymbala is the author of several books, including Spirit Rising; Breakthrough Prayer; and Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, which earned a Christian Book of the Year Award from ECPA. He has also done a number of sermon series and other video series on prayer and other important topics for the Christian church.

His wife Carol directs the six-time Grammy Award-winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, whose music has blessed people around the world. Pastor Jim and Carol Cymbala continue to serve as senior pastors of the Brooklyn Tabernacle and have been blessed with three children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

find Pastor Jim: https://www.brooklyntabernacle.org/

find FAN THE FLAME with Zondervan or on Amazon.

EARLY PRAISE FOR FAN THE FLAME BY JIM CYMBALA

Pastor Jim Cymbala is known as a man who listens to God and faithfully teaches His Word, and in his book, Fan the Flame, he has a powerful message for all who struggle in their ministry. If you are a leader in the church and feel the depths of discouragement and defeat because of the challenges you face among God’s people, this book is for you. Throughout these pages, Pastor Cymbala speaks as a wise and godly mentor, confronting the pain of fruitlessness and rejection, teaching essential principles for successful ministry, and recounting his experiences of God’s faithfulness. I pray that those who are tempted to abandon their calling will read this book, embrace Pastor Cymbala’s wise counsel, and be strengthened to carry on in God’s plan for their lives.

—Dr. Charles Stanley, Founder, In Touch Ministries, Pastor Emeritus, First Baptist Atlanta

In Fan the Flame, my friend Jim Cymbala confronts head-on the crisis facing pastors and leaders across America. You will find it biblically sound and spiritually inspirational!

--Tony Evans, President, The Urban Alternative; Senior Pastor, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship

Jim Cymbala has the rare gift of being able to cut through all the clutter and get to our hearts as ministers and Christian workers. Fan the Flame is written to encourage and redirect those who are weary and confused amid the increasing pressures and expectations of our culture. You will be blessed to read these pages and then be sure to pass the book along to your pastor or anyone who wants to fan the flame flickering in their hearts.

--Erwin W. Lutzer, Pastor Emeritus, Moody Church, Chicago

We are reminded that God is Sovereign and in control of it all. You will find solace, practical advice, and strength to step out of the way so God can re-ignite your passion, so your God-given call to Kingdom Service will flourish once again. Follow Jim Cymbala and the Apostle Paul through the pages of this powerful book, as they follow Christ and show us the way to put the guard rails of the timeless truth of Jesus Christ back into the church today.

--Ron Brown, Executive Director/CEO of Teen Challenge of Southern California

GOD'S GLORY, OUR DELIGHT | THE GOSPEL SPICE SERIES

Delighting in the glory of God. Does this concept strike you as reserved for spiritual contemplatives? What if, instead, it proved the highly practical, deeply foundational perspective you need right now?

Why does God’s glory even matter in our day and age? How can we learn from Jesus to make His glory our true North and lifelong quest? What keeps us from fully stepping into this God-ordained purpose for our life? How do we kindle delight for God on a daily basis? And, once we have embraced God’s glory as our heart’s true delight, how can we then come alongside others?

Join us to cultivate a sincere delight for God’s glory, rooted in an honest, hard look at the depth of our need, and in the much deeper Reality of His grace. Trace the glory of God through Scripture and in your own life. Behold the exact radiance of God’s glory, revealed in Jesus. Learn to see yourself as Christ does—through the lens of the Father’s love at the cross. Jesus offers to overwhelm our deadly self-centeredness with His resurrection power. He carries us every step of the way, even as He calls us to true humility on the path to glory.

Who has time to cultivate the delight that comes from pondering the glory of God? And yet, nothing could be more urgent today. Marthas and Marys, Peters and Johns—we are all invited to dare to dream of a lifestyle of God-centered delight. Nothing could be more practical.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 

1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address [email protected]. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:

1-      signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup

2-      find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3-      rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4-      and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie welcomes Jo Saxton to discuss issues of leadership, and the general feeling from many leaders today of being overwhelmed, overburdened, and maybe even on the deep end of burnout. What happens when you don’t show up for your calling, because you are too busy or burned out to step into the fullness of it? And what does it look like to be faithful with what we have been given – for the long run? We discuss the perfect storm we have traversed and where we are today. Jo brings wisdom, encouragement, truth and brutal sincerity. She shares her own survival tips and how to thrive in the desperate times we have traversed. She is humble and honest - and Stephanie deeply appreciates that!

What about the idea that we should haved our act together inthis day and age and should know exactly what to do these days as if we were perfect? As leaders, most of us have more responsibilities than ever — often in BOTH our personal lives and our professional lives. And, yet, many of us might feel like imposters even as the growing responsibilities continue. Many of us might be ignoring, downplaying, or shelving our God-given abilities, influence, gifts, and dreams. Many of us would not consider ourselves to be influential — even though we are impacting so many others for the good. Many of us don’t live beyond our own narratives of what we believe to be true about ourselves. Many of us would feel uncomfortable with the word “leader” — even as we guide our families and teams.

Desperation for God is grounds for hope. Jo shares her own passion to delight in God and how it has been her anchor and survival technique.

 You can also watch the live video of the conversation on our YouTube channel, and make sure to subscribe: 

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/B9yecAGWUZI?feature=oembed

MORE ABOUT JO SAXTON

Jo Saxton is a speaker, podcaster,  author, guest TV host and leadership coach. She hosts a digital coaching community and is the founder of the Ezer Collective,two initiatives dedicated to investing in women leaders around the world, equipping them to own their voice, and boldly step into their calling.

Born to Nigerian parents and raised in London,England,Jo now lives in Minneapolis with  her husband and two daughters. She loves the everyday stuff like good music, good food, and good friends.And Target. She really, really loves Target.

https://www.josaxton.com/

Twitter/Insta/Linked In - @josaxton

Facebook: josaxton1

CONNECT WITH THE EZER COLLECTIVE

https://www.josaxton.com/ezer-collective

JO SAXTON HAS SOMETHING TO TELL YOU… LET’S TALK MORE ABOUT THE CHALLENGE — OR CHALLENGES — YOU MIGHT BE EXPERIENCING

Many women know they were created and commissioned to lead, but they are often left feeling stuck, overlooked, and limited. After working directly with thousands of women and evaluating my own experiences, here are a few reasons why women in leadership struggle (even in a supportive, encouraging organizational culture):

·         Leadership simply wasn't the primary path for women in previous generations, so we don't always have accessible role models to illuminate our path forward.

·         With the realities of family life — marriage and/or children — a woman's career path is rarely linear. Statistically, it's more likely that a woman will have to take an extended leave from work. This is a unique challenge for women to navigate as they often return to greet a new environment at work with more responsibilities at home. Even if you have a supportive male leader, he can't and won't understand how to navigate the challenges and realities of leadership as a woman.

·         What's expected from women in society, what women are allowed to do in your organization or industry, and what's required of women outside of work, requires different tools, different practices, and a different process for women to develop their leadership.

WHY WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP NEED COACHING

No leader thrives alone. We all need some help along the way!

Studies show that even as women rise to leadership in the workplace and the community, they still carry most of the responsibilities in the rest of their lives — from parenting to household management to supporting relational connections among family members. This produces a mental load so heavy that it can lead to fractured relationships, disillusionment, and burnout. 

If you want to thrive as a leader, you need your support crew.

In fact, the highest performers in most industries, sports, or life have a coach or mentor. Finding a coach who can mentor you and share their experiences is an excellent investment in your life and your leadership. 

I understand because I've been there.

I know what it’s like to feel and to be told I can’t lead, to be told to wait your turn, to not know what’s next, to hope for an opportunity to contribute in a way that leverages your passion and maximizes your potential. However, I also know how great it feels to have someone believe in me, give of themselves to mentor me, and put their reputation on the line to open up doors for me.

I want to help you rise.

Jo Saxton Leadership Coaching is an online, group leadership coaching program and community designed to help amazing women own and accelerate their development as leaders at work and at home.

My goal is to give you and the women in your organization wings to soar to new places and cheer you on every step of the way.

As a member of the coaching program, you'll get access to a live, video session every Tuesday featuring:

·         Two-hour live coaching session, hosted by me!

·         Mentor interviews from diverse, leading voices 

·         Tactical workshops with expert guests 

·         Virtual community meetups

·         And more!

You’ll also be able to view or listen to every session on your own schedule within our private, online community — exclusively for members of the coaching program.

NEW TO GOSPEL SPICE? YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!

Check out our free resources, and more, at https://www.gospelspice.com/start

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Here are a few suggestions:

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/

Malachi: Messenger to Messiah

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/

Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/324347/link/

Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebrated

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/309956/link/

GOD'S GLORY, OUR DELIGHT | THE GOSPEL SPICE SERIES

Delighting in the glory of God. Does this concept strike you as reserved for spiritual contemplatives? What if, instead, it proved the highly practical, deeply foundational perspective you need right now?

Why does God’s glory even matter in our day and age? How can we learn from Jesus to make His glory our true North and lifelong quest? What keeps us from fully stepping into this God-ordained purpose for our life? How do we kindle delight for God on a daily basis? And, once we have embraced God’s glory as our heart’s true delight, how can we then come alongside others?

Join us to cultivate a sincere delight for God’s glory, rooted in an honest, hard look at the depth of our need, and in the much deeper Reality of His grace. Trace the glory of God through Scripture and in your own life. Behold the exact radiance of God’s glory, revealed in Jesus. Learn to see yourself as Christ does—through the lens of the Father’s love at the cross. Jesus offers to overwhelm our deadly self-centeredness with His resurrection power. He carries us every step of the way, even as He calls us to true humility on the path to glory.

Who has time to cultivate the delight that comes from pondering the glory of God? And yet, nothing could be more urgent today. Marthas and Marys, Peters and Johns—we are all invited to dare to dream of a lifestyle of God-centered delight. Nothing could be more practical.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

This month we are celebrating the anniversary of Gospel Spice! We launched our first episode in 2019, when we faithfully and haltingly followed God's pretty clear directions!

Would you please take a moment to celebrate with us? There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 

1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice 

3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address [email protected]. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do 1 or more of the following suggestions:

1-      signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup 

2-      find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3-      rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4-      and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Welcome back to our Gospel Spice fall 2022 series, God's glory our delight! We took a break from this theme over the summer with our "summer inspirations" but this is officially our "back to school" episode as we dive back into our favorite series to date. 

"God's glory, our delight" is Stephanie's personal motto. Today we are pondering 6 steps as practical stepping stones to grow in our delight of God. This is not a guaranteed recipe - it is between you and God! Here are the 6 steps that Stephanie invites you to step into, with much expectation, humility and deep gratitude:

First, Ponder the life of delight in the glory of God.

1-          Believe it’s possible and real.

2-        Embrace the promise for yourself personally.

Then, look at yourself.

1-          Admit we’re still in the wilderness.

2-        Realize we can’t do this on our own strength.

Finally, enter the promised land.

1-          Cross the Jordan.

2-       Expect God to show up.

Jews believed that the Temple was the place where heaven met earth—literally. They didn’t think of heaven as a galaxy far far away on the other side of the wardrobe. They understood heaven as being closer to us than our own breath. Heaven and earth overlap in intertwining circles, and meet in the Temple. We are the Temple of God because of Christ in us, the hope of all glorious things to come (Colossians 1:27). We are jars of clay, but we hold the surpassing treasure that is the uncontainable God Himself.

Let's be practical...

- Reminder – there are listening guides for each episode. They allow you to follow with pen and paper, or with your phone to take notes from the app. These listening guides are part of the workbook you can download for free as a member.

- Today and each GGOD episode has a listening guide as well as questions for either group discussions or your own personal time, inviting you to ponder what you heard in the days to come.

- Today we are introducing a new feature which is a listener suggestion: about halfway through the episode, there will be a 30-second musical interlude to allow you to pause and reflect on the lesson. You are also invited to use the second music break at the end of the episode, it is newly expanded, if you feel the need to chew on the lesson some more.

- Also use our membership page to muse, ask questions, ponder, reflect, connect with us!

- Please do remember that you can go back and listen again. We aim to give you the best quality content we can teach so it is intense and deep – that is because we highly respect you and your time, and we want to honor you as you seek to deepen your faith. There are all sorts of people listening alongside you, from overseas missionaries to seminary students to brand new believers, people listening as they drive or jog or run errands or do the dishes. So you are welcome, at whatever stage of your spiritual journey you find yourself in. If it means listening twice or taking notes using the listening guide, that’s awesome! Take it slow. These epsidoes are more akin to a slow cooked French meal than a McDonalds drive-thru!

- Finally, there will be a Gospel Spice online Bible Study starting in a few weeks – go to gospelspice.com for more. It is free, live, weekly for 6 weeks, and on a private Facebook group. Small scale. In depth. More details to come. Sign-up now.

- Also Sign-up for our newsletter so you know about those things before everyone else! This will also give you access to all our content for free, including a video version of this teaching. All in one easy place: https://www.gospelspice.com/sign-up-to-be-a-member

This week’s key verses are:

2Corinthians 4:7 - We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

John 5:44 - How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

NEW TO GOSPEL SPICE? YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!

Check out our free resources, and more, at https://www.gospelspice.com/start

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Here are a few suggestions:

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/

Malachi: Messenger to Messiah

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/

Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/324347/link/

Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebrated

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/309956/link/

THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY!

First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact.

Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast. 

And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us!

NEW!

Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example,

- a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours.

- a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours.

MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY:

Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status.

Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support.

We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum.

Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170.

We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

GOD'S GLORY, OUR DELIGHT | THE GOSPEL SPICE SERIES

Delighting in the glory of God. Does this concept strike you as reserved for spiritual contemplatives? What if, instead, it proved the highly practical, deeply foundational perspective you need right now?

Why does God’s glory even matter in our day and age? How can we learn from Jesus to make His glory our true North and lifelong quest? What keeps us from fully stepping into this God-ordained purpose for our life? How do we kindle delight for God on a daily basis? And, once we have embraced God’s glory as our heart’s true delight, how can we then come alongside others?

Join us to cultivate a sincere delight for God’s glory, rooted in an honest, hard look at the depth of our need, and in the much deeper Reality of His grace. Trace the glory of God through Scripture and in your own life. Behold the exact radiance of God’s glory, revealed in Jesus. Learn to see yourself as Christ does—through the lens of the Father’s love at the cross. Jesus offers to overwhelm our deadly self-centeredness with His resurrection power. He carries us every step of the way, even as He calls us to true humility on the path to glory.

Who has time to cultivate the delight that comes from pondering the glory of God? And yet, nothing could be more urgent today. Marthas and Marys, Peters and Johns—we are all invited to dare to dream of a lifestyle of God-centered delight. Nothing could be more practical.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

This month we are celebrating the anniversary of Gospel Spice! We launched our first episode in 2019, when we faithfully and haltingly followed God's pretty clear directions!

Would you please take a moment to celebrate with us? There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 

1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice 

3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address [email protected]. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do 1 or more of the following suggestions:

1-      signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup 

2-      find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3-      rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4-      and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 

1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address [email protected]. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:

1-      signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup

2-      find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3-      rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4-      and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie welcomes apologist and author Alisa Childers for a lively conversation about the absolute truth of the gospel in the context of the current views that emerge from progressive Christianity and deconstruction movements.

You have heard these. In our culture, we hear so much self-help and self-praise: “you are all you need”; “put yourself first;” “you are the hero of your own story”; “it’s all about you”; “you only live once”;  “you can be your own best self”; “live your own truth”; “you do you;” “you are perfect just as you are.” And so much more… These meme-like, social-media friendly statements seem so nice and innocuous, but what if they were the beginning of a slippery slope towards unbiblical Christianity? Alisa is a powerful apologist who unwittingly embraced this faulty theology for a while, until she grounded herself in Christ again through thorough study and reflection. She tells us how she acquired what she calls her “guided, self-taught knowledge” and how she keeps up with what is happening in our rapidly changing world. She invites us in her journey and helps us identify red flags, and shares with us how she deepens her intimacy with God on a daily basis.

Alisa Childers says of herself, “As a lifelong church-goer, follower of Jesus, and former CCM recording artist with the Dove award-winning group ZOEgirl, I experienced a period of profound doubt about my faith in my mid-thirties. I felt as though I had been tossed in a stormy ocean of uncertainty with no life jacket or  lifeboat in sight. I didn't know where to find answers to my questions, or if answers existed at all. Did I have to accept it all on some kind of blind faith?  I began to investigate my faith intellectually—I took seminary classes and read everything I could get my hands on. This began my  journey from  unreasoned doubt into a vibrant, rational, and informed faith.”

 You can also watch the live video of the conversation on our YouTube channel, and make sure to subscribe: 

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/_d9yg3WDsjU?feature=oembed

MEET ALISA 

https://www.alisachilders.com/
https://www.facebook.com/alisachilders

https://www.instagram.com/alisachilders/

ABOUT “LIVE YOUR TRUTH AND OTHER LIES”

buy here

Are you tired of feeling like you have to check social media to find out what you’re supposed to think? Are you weary of the latest self-help books that promise to set you free but only imprison you with laundry lists of studies to consider, positive affirmations to recite, and Facebook groups to join?

We’ve all seen the memes that populate the internet: live your truth, follow your heart, you only have one life to live. They sound nice and positive. But what if these slogans are actually lies that unhinge us from reality and leave us anxious and exhausted? Another Gospel? author Alisa Childers invites you to examine modern lies that are disguised as truths in today’s culture. Everyday messages of peace, fulfillment, and empowerment swirl around social media. On the surface, they seem like sentiments of freedom and hope, but in reality they are deeply deceptive.

In Live Your Truth (and Other Lies), Alisa will help you to:
 

·        uncover the common lies repeated within progressive circles

·        hold on to the soul-restoring truths that God’s Word offers

·        be empowered to live the way your Creator designed you

Being the captain of your own destiny and striving to make your dreams a reality is a huge burden that you were never meant to bear. Discover true freedom instead.

ABOUT “ANOTHER GOSPEL?”

buy here

A movement seeks to redefine Christianity. Some think that it is a much-needed progressive reformation. Others believe that it is an attack on historic Christianity.

Alisa Childers never thought she would question her Christian faith. She was raised in a Christian home, where she had seen her mom and dad feed the hungry, clothe the homeless, and love the outcast. She had witnessed God at work and then had dedicated her own life to leading worship as part of the popular Christian band ZOEgirl. All that was deeply challenged when she met a progressive pastor who called himself a hopeful agnostic.

Another Gospel? describes the intellectual journey Alisa took over several years as she wrestled with a series of questions that struck at the core of the Christian faith. After everything she had ever believed about God, Jesus, and the Bible had been picked apart, she found herself at the brink of despair...until God rescued her, helping her to rebuild her faith, one solid brick at a time.

In a culture of endless questions, you need solid answers. If you or someone you love has encountered the ideas of progressive Christianity and aren’t sure how to respond, Alisa’s journey will show you how to determine - and rest in - what’s unmistakably true.

ABOUT THE PARTICIPANT GUIDE TO “ANOTHER GOSPEL?”

Another Gospel? Participant’s Guide is a six-session workbook designed for use with the companion DVD experience (sold separately). Based on the book Another Gospel? by popular author, blogger, speaker, and worship leader Alisa Childers, this is a great resource for anyone wanting to explore the nuanced topic of progressive Christianity. Designed to be used with groups or individually, Another Gospel? Participant’s Guide will

·        Help you challenge the persuasive message of progressive Christianity by examining popular messages found in progressive books, blogs, social media platforms, and scholarship

·        Teach you how to use discernment, think logically, and make biblically based observations

·        Lead you to discover how deep, thrilling, and humbling the true gospel is

In a culture of endless questions, you need solid answers. If you or someone you love has encountered the ideas of progressive Christianity and isn’t sure how to respond, Alisa will show you how to determine―and rest in―what’s unmistakably true.

NEW TO GOSPEL SPICE? YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!

Check out our free resources, and more, at https://www.gospelspice.com/start

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Here are a few suggestions:

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/

Malachi: Messenger to Messiah

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/

Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/324347/link/

Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebrated

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/309956/link/

GOD'S GLORY, OUR DELIGHT | THE GOSPEL SPICE SERIES

Delighting in the glory of God. Does this concept strike you as reserved for spiritual contemplatives? What if, instead, it proved the highly practical, deeply foundational perspective you need right now?

Why does God’s glory even matter in our day and age? How can we learn from Jesus to make His glory our true North and lifelong quest? What keeps us from fully stepping into this God-ordained purpose for our life? How do we kindle delight for God on a daily basis? And, once we have embraced God’s glory as our heart’s true delight, how can we then come alongside others?

Join us to cultivate a sincere delight for God’s glory, rooted in an honest, hard look at the depth of our need, and in the much deeper Reality of His grace. Trace the glory of God through Scripture and in your own life. Behold the exact radiance of God’s glory, revealed in Jesus. Learn to see yourself as Christ does—through the lens of the Father’s love at the cross. Jesus offers to overwhelm our deadly self-centeredness with His resurrection power. He carries us every step of the way, even as He calls us to true humility on the path to glory.

Who has time to cultivate the delight that comes from pondering the glory of God? And yet, nothing could be more urgent today. Marthas and Marys, Peters and Johns—we are all invited to dare to dream of a lifestyle of God-centered delight. Nothing could be more practical.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Welcome back to our Gospel Spice fall 2022 series, God's glory our delight! We took a break from this theme over the summer with our "summer inspirations" but this is officially our "back to school" episode as we dive back into our favorite series to date. 

"God's glory, our delight" is Stephanie's personal motto. In the spring, with episodes 146 through to 155, we entered into the deep waters of defining the glory of God and the quest of our hearts. Now with the second half of the series, we are going to the more practical side of delight. Stephanie invites us to ponder two illustrations to help us wrap our minds around the scope of our ambition to make the glory of God the delight of our heart. She quotes one of her favorite authors and theologians, Andrew Murray: “Humility is simply the disposition which prepares the soul for living on trust.”

Stephanie says, "The Christian life is about growing in our experience of what we know to be true." She adds, "The glory IS there, and it IS real, and it IS delightful." She brings us back to Andrew Murray: “Faith is the organ or sense for the perception and apprehension of the heavenly world and its blessings.” Finally, she invites us to wonder: "how can we live a life that is the practical application of this objective reality?"

Let's be practical...

- Reminder – there are listening guides for each episode. They allow you to follow with pen and paper, or with your phone to take notes from the app. These listening guides are part of the workbook you can download for free as a member.

- Today and each GGOD episode has a listening guide as well as questions for either group discussions or your own personal time, inviting you to ponder what you heard in the days to come.

- Today we are introducing a new feature which is a listener suggestion: about halfway through the episode, there will be a 30-second musical interlude to allow you to pause and reflect on the lesson. You are also invited to use the second music break at the end of the episode, it is newly expanded, if you feel the need to chew on the lesson some more.

- Also use our membership page to muse, ask questions, ponder, reflect, connect with us!

- Please do remember that you can go back and listen again. We aim to give you the best quality content we can teach so it is intense and deep – that is because we highly respect you and your time, and we want to honor you as you seek to deepen your faith. There are all sorts of people listening alongside you, from overseas missionaries to seminary students to brand new believers, people listening as they drive or jog or run errands or do the dishes. So you are welcome, at whatever stage of your spiritual journey you find yourself in. If it means listening twice or taking notes using the listening guide, that’s awesome! Take it slow. These epsidoes are more akin to a slow cooked French meal than a McDonalds drive-thru!

- Finally, there will be a Gospel Spice online Bible Study starting in a few weeks – go to gospelspice.com for more. It is free, live, weekly for 6 weeks, and on a private Facebook group. Small scale. In depth. More details to come. Sign-up now.

- Also Sign-up for our newsletter so you know about those things before everyone else! This will also give you access to all our content for free, including a video version of this teaching. All in one easy place: https://www.gospelspice.com/sign-up-to-be-a-member

This week’s key verses are:

2Corinthians 4:7 - We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

John 5:44 - How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

NEW TO GOSPEL SPICE? YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!

Check out our free resources, and more, at https://www.gospelspice.com/start

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Here are a few suggestions:

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/

Malachi: Messenger to Messiah

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/

Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/324347/link/

Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebrated

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/309956/link/

GOD'S GLORY, OUR DELIGHT | THE GOSPEL SPICE SERIES

Delighting in the glory of God. Does this concept strike you as reserved for spiritual contemplatives? What if, instead, it proved the highly practical, deeply foundational perspective you need right now?

Why does God’s glory even matter in our day and age? How can we learn from Jesus to make His glory our true North and lifelong quest? What keeps us from fully stepping into this God-ordained purpose for our life? How do we kindle delight for God on a daily basis? And, once we have embraced God’s glory as our heart’s true delight, how can we then come alongside others?

Join us to cultivate a sincere delight for God’s glory, rooted in an honest, hard look at the depth of our need, and in the much deeper Reality of His grace. Trace the glory of God through Scripture and in your own life. Behold the exact radiance of God’s glory, revealed in Jesus. Learn to see yourself as Christ does—through the lens of the Father’s love at the cross. Jesus offers to overwhelm our deadly self-centeredness with His resurrection power. He carries us every step of the way, even as He calls us to true humility on the path to glory.

Who has time to cultivate the delight that comes from pondering the glory of God? And yet, nothing could be more urgent today. Marthas and Marys, Peters and Johns—we are all invited to dare to dream of a lifestyle of God-centered delight. Nothing could be more practical.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

This month we are celebrating the anniversary of Gospel Spice! We launched our first episode in 2019, when we faithfully and haltingly followed God's pretty clear directions!

Would you please take a moment to celebrate with us? There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 

1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice 

3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address [email protected]. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do 1 or more of the following suggestions:

1-      signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup 

2-      find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3-      rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4-      and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 

1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address [email protected]. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:

1-      signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup

2-      find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3-      rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4-      and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie welcomes like-minded soul sister Nicole Jacobsmeyer for a raw, deep conversation about pain, suffering, God’s role in it, and ours. Though they just met over this conversation, they clicked in deep ways. Throughout a decade of trials—from assault and depression to miscarriage and cancer— Nicole Jacobsmeyer really began to wonder: Is God giving me more than I can handle?

Nicole's books is indirectly a powerful answer to the problem of evil and suffering in the world. While it is not a book for Christian apologetics, stephanie highly recommends it for anyone who seeks to answer these questions for themselves or for a loved one.

In Take Back Your Joy, Nicole shares her story of questioning God - but falling more in love with Him than ever. Without sugarcoating her own struggles or yours, she equips you in your darkest moments to:

·      Embrace a clear sense of purpose.

·      Stay grounded in God’s Word.

·      Serve others with gratitude.

·      Choose forgiveness—again and again.

·      Discover the freedom of giving up control…and more!

Nicole says, “We are not defined by the trials we face, and you are not alone in your suffering, doubts, and questions. I’ve been there. Take Back Your Joy invites you to see your life through a fresh lens as you glimpse the big picture of God’s work. Because I honestly believe that sometimes one of the greatest gifts is to have more than we can handle—so we can find a deeper joy in Christ who can handle it all.”

Nicole wrote this book for you if...

You’re wondering where is God in your pain

You’re struggling to find hope and joy

You’re questioning your faith

You’ve experienced deep pain and suffering that doesn’t make sense with what you read in the Bible

You’ve lost your sense of purpose in life

So join Stephanie and Nicole today for a hard but powerful conversation about God’s sovereignty in our trials.

MEET NICOLE JACOBSMEYER

Hi! I’m Nicole and I am so happy you found my little space on the internet. Make sure you find me on Instagram or drop a comment here so I can get to know you!

A little bit about me…

Besides my relationship with Christ, the most important people in my life are: my husband Andrew, my three sons Wesley, Reid and Nate, and our newest bundle of love, Maddie! I love people, comfy clothes, chocolate chips cookies, babies in diapers, watching my kids play sports, writing, and a good glass of red wine.

Since becoming a mom almost 8 years ago, my life mantra has been: Embrace the Chaos! With a husband in the medical field, four kids under 8, and lots of moves in between, I needed an outlet to write. The Embracing Chaos blog was started in 2016. Four years later, I launched nicolejacobsmeyer.com as my author hub.

When it comes to ministry outside of the home, I have a passion for helping women walk in victory, joy, and faith in the face of trials, sorrow, and suffering. I want to help women understand that God is good no matter what life brings and that it’s possible to find lasting joy in Him.

In other HUGE news, my first book is coming out October 4th, 2022, and I’d LOVE to have you be a part of the launch team. Stay tuned!

https://www.nicolejacobsmeyer.com/

https://www.instagram.com/nicole.jacobsmeyer/

https://www.facebook.com/nicole.jacobsmeyer1

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

This conversation is part of 3-episode Gospel Spice Summer Inspirations with partner David C Cook. Go to https://davidccook.org/ and https://davidccook.org/esther-press/ for more

NEW TO GOSPEL SPICE? YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!

Check out our free resources, and more, at https://www.gospelspice.com/start

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Here are a few suggestions:

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/

Malachi: Messenger to Messiah

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/

Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/324347/link/

Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebrated

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/309956/link/

We invite you to enjoy a Christ-centered summer by experiencing Jesus through the lens of the body of Christ. We bring you a diversity of viewpoints on several issues, and invite you to discover Jesus through their own journey with Him.

Our Summer series invite you to ponder important topics for daily living. Stephanie and her occasional guests tell us about the importance of our definition of success, the key elements of leadership roles, the traps of comparison, the importance of theology, and much more! These stand-along episodes are meant to encourage you and challenge you to experience deeper fruitfulness in your various roles and ministries, in all the relationships and areas of your life. The topics we discuss are eternal and apply to both genders, across time and space and culture and age. So, join us for deep conversations with inspiring Christ-followers, conversations that will flavor your summer with the Gospel.

Conversations about culture, leadership, success, dating, gender, and struggles with comparison, pride, and more: that is your Gospel Spice summer!

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

As part of the Summer inspiration Series with publisher David C Cook and Esther Press, Stephanie welcomes Amanda Pittman to Gospel Spice today to discuss our identity in Christ and how to stand in confidence through the trials of life. We discuss standing strong in God, in humility and truth. Amanda says, "the moment we think we are self-strong, we are in danger." How true!

Women are bombarded with narratives about how they should look, behave and live. Relentless and opposing expectations pour 24/7 from social media feeds, entertainment, and peer groups. No woman could possibly meet all these shifting expectations, yet many pour endless energy into the pursuit. And eventually insecurity sets in as she questions everything about herself, including her own worth.

Amanda Pittman, author of Stand in Confidence: From Sinking in Insecurity to Rising in Your God-Given Identity (September 6, 2022), has spent her adult life confronting our culture’s epidemic of insecurity and self-doubt. In this new book, Amanda unpacks her own journey toward self-confidence rooted in Christ. She offers readers concrete tools for moving forward into wholeness, confidence and God-given purpose.

“Society has conditioned us to believe false narratives about who we’re supposed to be,” Amanda Pittman explains. “But the rules are always changing, and insecurity drives us to people-please, downplay, settle, and perform. Rather than standing confidently in our identity as daughters of God and co-heirs with Christ, we sink in insecurity. Isn’t it time to live in freedom instead?”

Stand in Confidence challenges false narratives and offers the tools needed to write a new story. Drawing on her own story of leaving insecurity behind, Amanda Pittman helps readers apply the Four Components of Confidence to their lives:

• Clarity – Embrace their identity and define their design

• Connection – Connect with God and connect with others

• Competency – Develop their ability and expand their capacity

• Conviction – Know their responsibility and use their authority

Amanda openly recounts how insecurity kept her in relationships she never should have entertained and kept her away from opportunities she should have explored. She describes how difficult it was to exit a highly dysfunctional relationship with her high school boyfriend – and how the unhealth of that longtime relationship convinced her that love was transactional. It took time to restore Amanda’s view of herself, reconstruct her view of God, and renew her view of love. But even as she was still recovering and growing, Amanda found an honest, loving relationship with Michael Pittman (now her husband).

MORE ABOUT AMANDA PITTMAN

Amanda and Michael began sharing their faith and relationship journey via YouTube and social media, and thousands of followers responded enthusiastically to their honest posts. Amanda founded Confident Woman Co. to help women establish their confidence in Christ. Today the ministry offers faith-based content, products, curriculum, retreats, conferences, podcasts, and courses – all designed to empower women to live boldly and confidently for Christ.

“Being confident in Christ doesn’t mean that you’ll never feel moments of insecurity,” Amanda explains in her new book. “Your confidence will be demonstrated not in whether those negative feelings arise, but in how you respond when they do.”

Stand in Confidence will be the first title published under the Esther Press imprint (David C Cook), which equips women to walk courageously in the light of God’s truth. Marketing plans for this title include national publicity and advertising campaigns.

Amanda Pittman is a wife and mother, author, speaker, and entrepreneur. She is the founder of Confident Woman Co., a ministry that equips women to stand confidently upon the finished work of Jesus. Through Confident Woman Co., Amanda hosts retreats, conferences, online events, podcasts, videos and more. She is the author of four books including Stand in Confidence (Sept. 2022). Amanda and Michael Pittman live in Dallas with their children Elijah and Lily.

IG: amandapittman

YouTube: AmandaPittman

Podcast: Confident Woman

MORE ABOUT DAVID C COOK AND ESTHER PRESS

Esther Press, an imprint of David C Cook, publishes biblical resources by and for courageous women. With a focus on transformation, Esther Press encourages and equips women to walk courageously in the light of God’s truth for such a time as this. Esther Press partners with ministries around the world to equip, encourage, and disciple women. Learn more at www.estherpress.com.

David C Cook is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to equipping the global church with leadership, discipleship, and worship resources to help Christians grow in faith and pass it along to the next generation. Read more about David C Cook and its global ministry outreach at www.davidccook.org.

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Or, of course, you can start at the beginning with episode 1. 

Season 1: the gospel of Matthew like you've never experienced it

Season 2: Experience Jesus through the Psalms

Season 3: the gospel of Luke, faith in action

Season 4: Proverbs spiced with wisdom

Season 5: Identity in the battle | Ephesians

Season 6: Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience

Season 7: Shades of Red | Against human oppression

Season 8: God's glory, our delight | 

We invite you to enjoy a Christ-centered summer by experiencing Jesus through the lens of the body of Christ. We bring you a diversity of viewpoints on several issues, and invite you to discover Jesus through their own journey with Him.

Our Summer series invite you to ponder important topics for daily living. Stephanie and her occasional guests tell us about the importance of our definition of success, the key elements of leadership roles, the traps of comparison, the importance of theology, and much more! These stand-along episodes are meant to encourage you and challenge you to experience deeper fruitfulness in your various roles and ministries, in all the relationships and areas of your life. The topics we discuss are eternal and apply to both genders, across time and space and culture and age. So, join us for deep conversations with inspiring Christ-followers, conversations that will flavor your summer with the Gospel.

Conversations about culture, leadership, success, dating, gender, and struggles with comparison, pride, and more: that is your Gospel Spice summer!

Support us!

Stephanie welcomes Ainsley Britain to discuss teen and college dating. This conversation also welcomes anyone who plays an active role in the life of a teen or college girl--parents, mentors, friends, youth group leaders! In this Gospel Spice episode of our "Summer Inspirations with publisher David C Cook”, Ainsley explains that many young women enter or stay in relationships out of fear of being alone, shame, or insecurity which may cause them to lower their standards or expectations. What they find are men they normally would never have tolerated. Men they would have told their friends to avoid. What they find are BooBoo Dudes. While the term BooBoo Dude might be light-hearted, the concept behind them and the damage they cause women is serious. This term describes a man who portrays narcissistic and abusive behavior, which leads to confusion, shame, and eventual isolation.

In her book, Ainsley describes red flags and also green flags - what to identify as harmful behavior, and what to look for in a healthy dating relationship. She explains to her teen and college-aged readers that they are worth fighting for--she connects them to Jesus in authentic, deep ways and challenges them to work through their pain towards wholesome healing. She and Stephanie also discuss the lies that these dear girls believe, and how being deeply rooted in our identity in Christ is the key to fulfilled living. Finally, Ainsley invites her audience to lend a hand and help someone else through their pain. She paints a stunning picture of grace and the purpose and power of a Christ-sized vision for her girls. She describes what dating can be, and gives advice to mentors of all ages!

Before Ainsley ends the conversation by praying a beautiful blessing over you as you listen, she ends with practical tips to mentor teens and young adults:

- establish the rules: trust is key!

- ask the question WHY

- be open to flexible conversations!

- know the resources available to you

- sometimes, go to the professionals!

- warn them that you will disappoint them, and remind them that anything good is not from you as the leader, but from the Lord!

Related through Ainsley’s humorous and vulnerable personal experiences, in the book you’ll learn about:

- the often-unbelievable behaviors of BooBoo Dudes

- how to exit a futureless relationship with higher standards

- keeping or restoring your identity through Jesus

- and reaching others trapped with BooBoo Dudes

With wisdom rooted in the gospel, Ainsley tenderly brings the reader along her own journey toward confidence found only in Jesus. She embraced her identity and left BooBoo Dudes behind. Every woman can do the same.

CONNECT WITH AINSLEY BRITAIN:

Ainsley Britain has helped thousands of young adults embrace their confidence, date healthy, and discover their identity in Christ through her written words, podcast, and speaking engagements. Through extensive training from Belmont University, She Speaks Studio, Youth Speaker University, Compel Training, and more, she has advanced her God-given mission to help young adults all over the country. She is an Enneagram Coach through YourEnneagramCoach.com and is as real as one can get when it comes to talking about hard topics and fighting for oneself. Ainsley and her husband travel often and currently live in her home state of Louisiana.

buy the book: "Don't Date a Booboo Dude" on Amazon

website: http://www.ainsleybritain.com/

Facebook: Media and Parents Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MediaAndParents

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ainsleyb/

We invite you to enjoy a Christ-centered summer by experiencing Jesus through the lens of the body of Christ. We bring you a diversity of viewpoints on several issues, and invite you to discover Jesus through their own journey with Him.

Our Summer series invite you to ponder important topics for daily living. Stephanie and her occasional guests tell us about the importance of our definition of success, the key elements of leadership roles, the traps of comparison, the importance of theology, and much more! These stand-along episodes are meant to encourage you and challenge you to experience deeper fruitfulness in your various roles and ministries, in all the relationships and areas of your life. The topics we discuss are eternal and apply to both genders, across time and space and culture and age. So, join us for deep conversations with inspiring Christ-followers, conversations that will flavor your summer with the Gospel.

Conversations about culture, leadership, success, dating, gender, and struggles with comparison, pride, and more: that is your Gospel Spice summer!

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Get ready for an out-of-the-ordinary conversation today! Stephanie is joined by dear friend and fellow Gospel Spice team member Roslyn Evans to discuss all things Jesus and Gospel Spice. This conversation is like a family reunion, and you are invited! They start off with a fun digression into the world of summer living, apologetics and personal passions, and then also raising kids, laundry lists and more. Then Stephanie gets pretty vulnerable and transparent as Ros asks her all the questions on her mind. A smattering:

What are the concerns you see in the coming year for our world?

How are you getting ready? And what is your advice for us?

How are you doing personally? Give us an update on you and your family.

For those of our listeners who are relatively new to Gospel Spice, can you give us your backstory from atheism to faith? And how did you end up in the US anyway?

What is your heart for Gospel Spice this year?

Stephanie and Ros end with an invitation to YOU our beloved audience, to connect with us because, as Stephanie says, it makes her day!

THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY!

First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact.

Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast. 

And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us!

NEW!

Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example,

- a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours.

- a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours.

MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY:

Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status.

Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support.

We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum.

Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170.

We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

We invite you to enjoy a Christ-centered summer by experiencing Jesus through the lens of the body of Christ. We bring you a diversity of viewpoints on several issues, and invite you to discover Jesus through their own journey with Him.

Our Summer series invite you to ponder important topics for daily living. Stephanie and her occasional guests tell us about the importance of our definition of success, the key elements of leadership roles, the traps of comparison, the importance of theology, and much more! These stand-along episodes are meant to encourage you and challenge you to experience deeper fruitfulness in your various roles and ministries, in all the relationships and areas of your life. The topics we discuss are eternal and apply to both genders, across time and space and culture and age. So, join us for deep conversations with inspiring Christ-followers, conversations that will flavor your summer with the Gospel.

Conversations about culture, leadership, success, dating, gender, and struggles with comparison, pride, and more: that is your Gospel Spice summer!

This month we are celebrating the anniversary of Gospel Spice! We launched our first episode in 2019, when we faithfully and haltingly followed God's pretty clear directions!

Would you please take a moment to celebrate with us? There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 

1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice 

3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address [email protected]. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do 1 or more of the following suggestions:

1-      signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup 

2-      find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3-      rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4-      and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!