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

Episode 81 -- Welcome to our new Gospel Spice season in the Book of Proverbs.

Stephanie hopes to provice a Christocentric approach to the Book of Proverbs as "wisdom from above the sun." If you are NEW to Gospel Spice, we invite you to discover us at gospelspice.com. Stephanie teaches about 2/3 of the time here, and then has amazing guests for the rest of our time! For example she recently welcomed Liz Curtis Higgs and Geof Morin to celebrate Easter. And now, we are back to our usual rhythm with our new Proverbs series. Expect amazing guests every third week! 

For this series, Stephanie will start each episode by introducing you to a fictional character... but they may hit close to home! They will embody a value or trait that will be the focus of the episode. We will meet eight characters, and they will teach much about wisdom... or the lack thereof!

Stephanie is offering a FREE listening guide to this episode. You will find it in the shownotes to print or follow along!

Today, we will seek to understand what is wisdom by first looking at what it is not. What does Proverbs tell us about the "simple"? The "foolish"? The "wicked"? Who are they, how are they the same and different, and what can we learn from them... to avoid becoming like them?

We will ponder "wisdom under the sun" as Solomon touts in Ecclesiastes; and then realize that, through Christ, we are given access to the wisdom that is from above the sun--the only one that will truly carry us through life.

We will look at the wisdom of the world, and contrast it with the wisdom of Christ. How does Jesus complete the wisdom of Proverbs?

We will ponder the lessons from the lives of the authors and compilers of the Book of Proverbs. What do they teach us? How did their walk match their talk? Who inspired them? 

How does our theology influence our experience of Proverbs... and vice-versa?

Stephanie challenges us to ponder these nuggets of wisdom in Christ:

Wisdom is genius. 

Humility is heroic.

Faith is daring.

Love is extravagant.

And, surrender to God is true boldness.

This season of the Gospel Spice Podcast is powered by Biblica! We are grateful for this partnership.

------ JOIN THE GOSPEL SPICE COMMUNITY! --------

DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES BEHIND THIS EPISODE

If you enjoyed this episode, we invite you to discover more about how God is at work at Gospel Spice Ministries, and even to join in His work! There are 3 easy ways to do that:

PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the show with friends and family: https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/38/link/

PAY IT FORWARD by supporting us financially: gospelspice.com/payitforward

PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with!

Go to gospelspice.com for more info about Gospel Spice Ministries, the umbrella ministry over the podcast. You will discover our partners and the various services we offer, such as in-depth Bible studies with interactive conversation groups, a couple of times a year. 

Go to gospel-spice.com (with a "dash"!) to join the Gospel Spice Podcast community and interact with us!

You can also support us financially through PayPal or directly by secure link. We are a registered non-profit 501c3 organization, and your donations are fully tax-deductible in the USA!

Contact us on the website or at [email protected] to send us your prayer requests (we pray for you as a team every week!) and let us know how we can come alongside you.

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

There are times when words just don't suffice to express excitement and wonder. Today is such a day! Get this: Stephanie welcomes Liz Curtis Higgs. Yes, THE Liz Curtis Higgs! Stephanie has grown in wisdom at her feet, and is delighted--utterly--to share her words of beauty and wisdom with you this Easter. Liz beckons you into an Easter experience like no other. Oh, beloved, come and enter into the beauty of Easter today.

Liz weaves the story of Mary of Bethany in that timeless moment when she worshipped Christ, on the Saturday just before Easter. Mary helped prepare Jesus for the suffering to come by pouring out her love for Him in a fragrant and tangible expression of worship. Smell the perfume Mary shed at His feet. See the scandal and the glory of pure worship. Behold the beauty of authentic praise. Learn from Mary, whose actions spoke louder than words.

Liz has got to be the funniest Bible teacher you have ever met--wait until you hear of the book she is considering writing one day, on all the but's in the Bible... 🙂

What is one thing we ought to remember Mary of Bethany by? Liz gives a profound answer. Take a listen today to be inspired!

 If you've enjoyed this episode, you will LOVE our Gospel Spice series! Check out the first episode of each season:

Our Easter Series: https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/gospel-spice/series/a-gospel-spice-easter/  

The Gospel of Matthew: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/3281/link/

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/3281/link/

The Psalms: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/33755/link/

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/33755/link/

The Gospel of Luke: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/40838/link/

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/40838/link/

The Book of Proverbs: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/68112/link/

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/68112/link/

DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES BEHIND THIS EPISODE

If you enjoyed this episode, we invite you to discover more about how God is at work at Gospel Spice Ministries, and even to join in His work! 3 easy ways to do that:

PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the show with friends and family: https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/38/link/

PAY IT FORWARD by supporting us financially: gospelspice.com/payitforward

PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with!

For more info about Gospel Spice Ministries, check out gospelspice.com.

----- GOSPEL SPICE GIVEAWAY -----

Liz is giving away a copy of her book, The Women of Easter, to one Gospel Spice listener! Go to gospelspice.com/giveaway to enter for a chance to win!

The winner will be announced next week here.

----- MEET LIZ CURTIS HIGGS -----

Liz is the author of 37 books, with 4.6 million copies in print. Her latest release, 31 Proverbs to Light Your Path, shows how thirty-one nuggets of truth reveal God’s faithfulness: “I will instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths” (Proverbs 4:11). In another recent devotional, 31 Verses to Write on Your Heart, Liz explores 31 favorite verses chosen by more than a thousand women.

The Women of Easter shines a spotlight on three Marys who play vital roles in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The Women of Christmas offers a heartwarming Bible study wrapped inside a beautiful gift book with Verse by verse, Liz unwraps the biblical stories of Elizabeth, Mary, and Anna, who each welcome the Christ child into the world in a marvelous and miraculous way. 

In her best-selling Bad Girls of the Bible series, Liz breathes new life into ancient tales about the most infamous—and intriguing—women in history, from Jezebel to Mary Magdalene. Scripturally sound and cutting-edge fresh, these popular titles have helped more than one million women around the world experience God’s grace anew.

Women of Faith, Women of Joy, Extraordinary Women, Among Friends, Time Out for Women, Moody Women, Women of Virtue, Win-some Women, Women’s Journey of Faith, Women Who Worship, Christian Women Communicating International—if it’s a conference for and about women, Liz Curtis Higgs is honored to be there. She has spoken at more than 1,800 conferences in all 50 states of the U.S. and 15 foreign countries, including South Africa, Indonesia, Germany, Ecuador, and Japan.

Her messages are biblical, encouraging, down-to-earth, and profoundly funny, helping both sisters and seekers embrace the truth of God’s amazing, unchanging grace.

Liz’s dedication to platform ministry has not gone unnoticed. In 1995 the National Speakers Association honored Liz with their Council of Peers Award of Excellence. Her alma mater, Bellarmine University, presented her with a Distinguished Alumni Award in 2005. And she received an Honorary Doctorate from Georgetown College in 2010.

You will find Liz everywhere:

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/LizCurtisHiggs

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/LizCurtisHiggs

Pinterest: www.Pinterest.com/LizCurtisHiggs

YouTube: www.YouTube.com/LizCurtisHiggs

Vimeo: www.Vimeo.com/LizCurtisHiggs

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Episode 79 - Geof Morin, CEO of Biblica, comes to us today as a Bible teacher to marvel at Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Stephanie is delighted to bring you Geof's insights on Jesus' famous Triumphal Entry... on a little pony.

Geof challenges us to behold this event through an unusual lens, weaving your local DMV and Disney's Aladdin into a powerful question: do you know the power of what you are holding in your hand?

This question, so relevant on Palm Sunday about palm branches and the quest for freedom from oppression and hardship, is asked of us daily on this side of Covid. As the body of Christ, tasked by Him to love the world in His Name, do we know the power that we hold in our hands?

We transition to another powerful tool God has placed in our hands, alongside the responsibility of stewarding it well: His very own Word. As recipients of Scripture, we are tasked with spreading His life-giving message to the world, to every tribe and people and nation in their own language. Stephanie is French, and understands the importance of reading in her native tongue! Geof tells us about Biblica's God-inspired, awe-inspiring vision to place a Bible in every hand--in every language.

Geof shares his encounters with the Covid-stricken, and their questions: God, can You be good? God, can You be fair? God, how will You make sense of this for me?

While the Gospel Spice Podcast present in 70 countries on all continents, most of our  audience listens from a first-world perspective, where the challenges of Covid, real and deep as they may be, are not as radical as the extreme circumstances of most who do not have the buffer of first-world conveniences. How then shall we live? Geof challenges us in the famous words of Francis of Assisi to "preach the gospel, and occasionally use words." Christian organizations have moved towards relief and rescue this past year. Geof shares the transforming experience of beholding the power of a worn Bible in a refugee's life, and the lesson he learned from this humble believer.

So, what can we do? Geof challenges us to discover where God is calling us to pray, intervene, invest, become involved, and inform others. It's both highly spiritual, and deeply practical.

Geof unveils for us the stunning work of IllumiNations, aiming to translate the Bible in EVERY language--all 7,000+ of them-- by the year 2033. This work is going on right now, and we can all be part of it! Ten of the largest Bible-translating organizations, such as Biblica, are pooling resources to combat Bible poverty. This is a deep injustice to the world, that every language should not yet have its own Bible translation. It is happening,  a tapestry of God's weaving words into His Word--for every tribe and tongue and nation. Go to illuminations.bible to find out more today! God is making His magic happen. You do NOT want to miss it.

Geof shares about Biblica's vision of radical generosity in our generation so we can serve the next generation! It is radical, it is generous--it is straight from the heart of God, flowing from the Throne Room into our world today. Will you join the Kingdom movement in our world today?

Be informed. Be interceding. Be involved. Be influencing. Become the person that God created you to be through serving this world, the world He has loved to the end of Himself on the Cross.

 If you've enjoyed this episode, you will LOVE our Gospel Spice series! Check out the first episode of each season:

Our Easter Series: https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/gospel-spice/series/a-gospel-spice-easter/

The Gospel of Matthew: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/3281/link/

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/3281/link/

The Psalms: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/33755/link/

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/33755/link/

The Gospel of Luke: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/40838/link/

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/40838/link/

The Book of Proverbs: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/68112/link/

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/68112/link/

DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES BEHIND THIS EPISODE

If you enjoyed this episode, we invite you to discover more about how God is at work at Gospel Spice Ministries, and even to join in His work! There are 3 easy ways to do that:

PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the show with friends and family: https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/38/link/

PAY IT FORWARD by supporting us financially: gospelspice.com/payitforward

PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with!

Go to gospelspice.com for more info about Gospel Spice Ministries, the umbrella ministry over the podcast. You will discover our partners and the various services we offer, such as in-depth Bible studies with interactive conversation groups, a couple of times a year. 

Go to gospel-spice.com (with a "dash"!) to join the Gospel Spice Podcast community and interact with us!

Contact us on the website or at [email protected] to send us your prayer requests (we pray for you as a team every week!) and let us know how we can come alongside you.

Find out more:

biblica.com

illuminations.bible

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Biblica

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

Watch Geof Morin on The Truth Worth Sharing

---- NEXT WEEK: OUR EASTER EPISODE WITH A GOSPEL SPICE GIVEAWAY --------

For our Easter 2021 Episode, we welcome Liz Curtis Higgs. She will tell us about Easter from a very unique perspective... through the eyes of Mary of Bethany, who anointed Jesus with perfume on the eve of Palm Sunday! He probably still carried the aroma of her worship on His feet and head even as He rode into Jerusalem on that little pony Geof just told us about.

Liz is giving away a copy of her book, The Women of Easter. Go to gospelspice.com/giveaway to enter for a chance to win!

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Episode 78 - Stephanie is welcoming a guest today. Make sure you have also listened to our previous two episodes, episodes 76 and 77, on the Cross and the Resurrection. Stephanie was teaching us about unique glimpses into the truth of Easter! They are part of our Easter celebration! Over the next two weeks, we will have two very special guests for Palm Sunday and Easter. Then, on April 5, we will start a brand new series taught by Stephanie on the Book of Proverbs! So, make sure to FOLLOW the podcast to get a reminder when a new episode drops!

Onto today's interview...

Have you ever suffered from comparison? Have you ever found yourself sizing yourself up against someone else... and feel superior... or inferior? As Christians, we know better... with our heads. But we fall in the trap of comparison so easily! We've probably heard that we should avoid this trap. Easier said than done! What if there was an alternative?

Today Stephanie welcomes Amber Cullum, podcaster, inspirational speaker, wife and mom. They dive deep into the topic of comparison: is it really a trap to avoid at all costs? What if we could instead redefine and recycle comparison to draw us closer to God?

In this very real and off-the-cuff conversation, Stephanie and Amber hold each other accountable and remember what truly matters--to find our delight in the glory of God!

They start off with the importance of remembering God's faithfulness, especially in our times of unfaithfulness, and move on to the worldviews behind comparison to replace them with a more Godward encounter with comparison. Amber gives us practical advice to overcome an attitude of comparison. What happens when we place someone on a pedestal? How do we tackle the current Christian celebrity culture? What alternatives is Christ offering us? From arrogance to idolatry, our human nature veers away from the freedom of our God-given boundaries to embrace what we think is best for us--much to our detriment.

Amber Cullum is the podcast host behind Grace Enough. She is wife to Sam, a mom of 3, and a Physical Therapist turned stay at home mom. She love connecting women with God, people, and resources to spur them on in their walks with Jesus and remind them that God's grace is enough.

DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES

The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries.

In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God.

In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus.

PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family.

PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with!

PAY IT FORWARD!! Would you consider supporting this show today to help others enjoy it for free? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce, and we want to keep putting it in the ears of people!

Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. All donations above our minimal operating costs go to Christian organizations fighting human trafficking.

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

(*ListenNotes ranking, 2023)

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/

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Episode 75 - Have you ever wondered if there was more to prayer than you've experienced?

Stephanie welcomes Janet McHenry today for a refreshing look at the importance of prayerwalking. You've maybe heard the term. Do you know what it means, and how simple it actually is?
Few practices yield as many results and exciting growth as prayerwalking. Janet McHenry discovered the organic connection between praying and walking out of necessity--for health reasons. But she discovered far more than that--she discovered a lifestyle, the lifestyle of praying all day long as easily as breathing.

Janet tells us,

"Prayer is more about access, than about answers."

"God wants to pray big. He wants us to pray boldly." 

"The world can become your prayer-closet."

Janet is giving a copy of her bestselling book, Prayerwalking, to one Gospel Spice Podcast listener! Go to gospelspice.com/giveaway to enter for a chance to win. Winner announced in our next episode!

Janet McHenry is a prayerwalker. A national speaker and author of 24 books, she has written six on the topic of prayer, including the bestselling PrayerWalk and her newest, The Complete Guide to the Prayers of Jesus. Janet and her husband Craig have lived in the Sierra Valley in northern California, where they raised their four children and where he is a rancher. The leader of a Facebook group called Bible Girls, she coordinates the prayer ministries at The Bridge Church in Reno. The best spice to her Bible study, she says, was her and Craig’s trip to Israel, where she spoke at several places where Jesus walked and prayed.

 If you've enjoyed this episode, you will LOVE our Gospel Spice series! Check out the first episode of each season (it will launch in the same app you are using to listen to this episode):

 The Gospel of Matthew: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/3281/link/

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/3281/link/

The Psalms: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/33755/link/

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/33755/link/

The Gospel of Luke: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/40838/link/

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/40838/link/

The Book of Proverbs: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/68112/link/

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/68112/link/

GOSPELSPICE GIVEAWAY WITH JANET MCHENRY!

Janet is generously giving away a copy of her bestselling book, PrayerWalk. Go to gospelspice.com/giveaway to enter for a chance to win! We will announce the winners next week on the website.

The winners to Carol Kent's giveaway of Staying Power, as advertised last week, are in the process of being drawn at random from the submissions we received. We will announce the winners shortly on the website! Stay tuned!

STAY IN TOUCH WITH JANET:

Looking Up! website and blog: https://www.janetmchenry.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janet.mchenry.9

https://www.facebook.com/JanetMcHenryAuthor/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/janetmchenry/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LookingUpFirst

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janetmchenry/  @janetmchenry

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janet-mchenry-18793b24/

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DID YOU KNOW?

The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools brought to you by Gospel Spice Ministries. 

Would you consider supporting this show today? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce. For the price of a cup of coffee or two, your monthly support of $5 or $10 would make a huge difference! Donate HERE today.

The Gospel Spice Ministries exist to inspire Christ-followers in our generation to delight in the glory of God by knowing and experiencing Jesus more intimately. We provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus.

Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support.

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Episode 74 - Stephanie is thrilled to welcome bestselling author and international speaker Carol Kent. We tackle many topics around the theme of external circumstances bringing strain on marriages, and the great crises of life.

Carol shares with openess and vulnerability about the unfathomable struggle of her only son's lifetime incarceration for first degree murder. In this context, she is co-author of her latest book, Staying Power.

Too often, when a life crisis hits, a marriage suffers--even a healthy one--and all the personality profiles and couples' therapy in the world won't keep your marriage from experiencing the tough stuff. So how do you and your spouse face the stresses put on your marriage and not only stay together but come out on the other side even more loving and committed?

“This book addresses the choices, practices, and principles that can make a marriage stronger when faced with the types of crises that come from outside the marriage through no choice of the husband or wife — life crises that we all are hit with at some point,” write the authors.

 If you've enjoyed this episode, you will LOVE our Gospel Spice series! Check out the first episode of each season (it will launch in the same app you are using to listen to this episode):

 The Gospel of Matthew: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/3281/link/

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/3281/link/

The Psalms: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/33755/link/

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/33755/link/

The Gospel of Luke: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/40838/link/

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/40838/link/

The Book of Proverbs: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/68112/link/

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/68112/link/

GOSPELSPICE GIVEAWAY WITH CAROL KENT

Carol is giving two copies of her bestselling book, Staying Power, to two Gospel Spice Podcast listeners! Go to gospelspice.com/giveaway to enter for a chance to win. Winner announced in our next episode!

GET TO KNOW CAROL KENT

“What makes my heart sing?” asks Carol. “Speaking to groups looking for messages that include humor and hope that speak to today’s challenges by pointing to God’s Word.” She says, “I think women need to laugh because life is challenging, but I also think they want to go deeply into God’s Word and find out how to live in the middle of relationship struggles, difficult choices, and hidden fears. Women are longing for authenticity and practical strategies for living out their faith. I’ve spoken at large arena events for Women of Faith, Extraordinary Women, and Women of Joy.

You will find Carol at carolkent.org - Go check out the amazing wealth of resources that are available there, on so many topics! Make sure to purchase Staying Power everywhere books are sold.

Go to speakupforhope.org to find out more about this amazing prison ministry.

-----------

DID YOU KNOW?

The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools brought to you by Gospel Spice Ministries. 

Would you consider supporting this show today? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce. For the price of a cup of coffee or two, your monthly support of $5 or $10 would make a huge difference! Donate HERE today.

The Gospel Spice Ministries exist to inspire Christ-followers in our generation to delight in the glory of God by knowing and experiencing Jesus more intimately. We provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus.

Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support.

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Episode 71 - Stephanie welcomes Darren Carlson, executive producer of the famous award-winning movie, Jesus in Athens. John Piper called it "moving and convicting." 

Training Leaders International president Darren Carlson came to Athens with the intention of teaching the Bible to migrant leaders. That was the start of a seven-year journey, as he began to uncover the story God was telling. Based on hundreds of hours of research, this is the story of some of the most marginalized people in the world, God’s chosen outcasts, as they come out of darkness and into light. Viewers are brought face to face with the miraculous and the ordinary, as Christians show hospitality to Muslim refugees, while being transformed from fear to love.

Darren Carlson says on the Gospel Spice Podcast, "Our expectation of God is limited to our experience. And consequently, our prayer life is limited to what we expect Him to do." So, are you ready to watch Him blow open your expectations as you watch Him at work through Jesus in Athens?

Jesus in Athens is the compelling story of the ways Christians are serving migrants, and how Muslims are encountering the love of God and Christians, believing the gospel, and forming churches.

In 2015, over a million migrants entered Europe, most of them through Greece. But on their journey, something quite unexpected has occurred. Religious conversions and revival broke out, especially amongst Muslims fleeing their war-torn countries. So, join us as we meet the people who feed and clothe some of the most marginalized people in the world. Gather with the chosen outcasts, as they come out of darkness and into light. Witness the miraculous. See the love of Christians toward people who were told Christians would hate them. Watch churches spring into action – entertaining strangers, showing hospitality, learning to reject hatred and fear. This is the story of God, gathering people and nations to himself, in a crisis.

“It will make your heart burst to watch the hands and feet of Christ serving the outcasts in Athens!” — DAVE & GLORIA FURMAN / AUTHORS

“Opens your eyes to the stories of Christians who are showing the love of Christ to desperate, vulnerable people.” — MATTHEW SOERENS / WORLD RELIEF

“Tales of rescue, boldness, and hope show how God is drawing many refugees into his kingdom.” — BOB PECKHAM / FRONTIERS

“Superbly depicts how God is moving powerfully among people who are on the move.” — SAM GEORGE / LAUSANNE

Darren Carlson is the executive producer and writer of Jesus in Athens. He is the founder of Training Leaders International, and now serves with a staff of over 50 people around the world, providing theological training to underserved and undertrained areas. Jesus in Athens is a result of his PhD research on the migrant church communities in Athens.

Find it all at jesusinathens.com and stream for free on Amazon Prime. Go to the shownotes for the trailer.

Go to gospelspice.com for more resources.

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Episode 68 - Stephanie is totally giddy to welcome one of her dream guests, Margaret Feinberg, to celebrate the beginning of a new year, unique among all others.

When they first met, Stephanie was drawn to the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in Margaret; this triggered a curiosity that is led to today's episode! They talk about Margaret's latest book, More Power to You, and they invite you to start 2021 with this 52-devotions powerhouse of a book to embrace God's full purpose for you in 2021.

Margaret says, “I devoted two minutes to reading through the list [of declarations]—often out loud,” Feinberg says. “One by one, I rejected the lies I’d accepted as truth and made bold Daily Declarations rooted in Scripture about God’s goodness, the fierce love of Christ, and my worth. Seventy-two hours later, [her husband] Leif said, ‘Something’s radically different about you—you’re lighter and freer than I’ve seen in months.’”

Margaret is giving three Gospel Spice Podcast listeners a copy of her book, More Power to You! All you need to do is go to gospelspice.com/giveaway to enter for a chance to win one of the three copies. Winners will be announced next week.

Margaret Feinberg, one of America's most beloved Bible teachers, speaks at churches and leading conferences including Catalyst, Thrive, and Women of Joy. Her books, including Wonderstruck, Fight Back With Joy, and Scouting the Divine and their corresponding Bible studies, have sold more than one million copies and received critical acclaim and national media coverage from CNN, Associated Press, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and more. She was named one of fifty women most shaping culture and the church today by Christianity Today. Margaret savors life with her husband, Leif, a pastor in Park City, Utah, and their superpup, Hershey.

Did you enjoy this episode? Then you will LOVE our Gospel Spice series! Click to listen to the first episode of each season:

 The Gospel of Matthew: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/3281/link/

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/3281/link/

The Psalms: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/33755/link/

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/33755/link/

The Gospel of Luke: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/40838/link/

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/40838/link/

The Book of Proverbs: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/68112/link/

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/68112/link/

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DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES BEHIND THIS EPISODE

If you enjoyed this episode, we invite you to discover more about how God is at work at Gospel Spice Ministries, and even to join in His work! There are 3 easy ways to do that:

PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the show with friends and family: https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/38/link/

PAY IT FORWARD by supporting us financially: gospelspice.com/payitforward

PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with!

Go to gospelspice.com for more info about Gospel Spice Ministries, the umbrella ministry over the podcast. You will discover our partners and the various services we offer, such as in-depth Bible studies with interactive conversation groups, a couple of times a year. 

Go to gospel-spice.com (with a "dash"!) to join the Gospel Spice Podcast community and interact with us!

Contact us on the website or at [email protected] to send us your prayer requests (we pray for you as a team every week!) and let us know how we can come alongside you.

The Gospel Spice Ministries exist to inspire Christ-followers in our generation to delight in the glory of God by knowing and experiencing Jesus more intimately. We provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus.

Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support.

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Episode 67 - Stephanie Welcomes Connie Albers to look back at 2020 to place it in its proper place even as it comes to an end. How did God use 2020 to grow you? How has 2020 allowed you to remodel areas of your life that needed attention?

Connie and her family have been through 2020 bearing much loss and grief. We can all relate, and like many of us, her experience has been particularly extreme. So, she comes today to share the lessons she learned, and the insights she gleaned. 

What will you remember about 2020? How will you look back on 2020, and reflect on how God worked in your soul and in your relationships? How can we look at grief as a way to detox from self to grow deeper into God? How can we get ready for difficult times ahead, process bad times behind, and alltogether cling to God in all our ways?

Take a moment to reflect back, in order to look ahead today. What are YOUR dreams for 2021??

Connie Albers gave away two copies of her book, Parenting beyond the Rules, as part of our New Year 2021 giveaway. The winners were @amplifybiblestudy (instagram account) and Kristene H. This particular giveaway is now closed, but we have several new ones scheduled! Go to gospelspice.com/giveaway to enter for a chance to win!

Connie Albers is an author, podcaster, and speaker who is strengthening parents through her speaking, podcasting, and various leadership roles. More recently, Connie entered the publishing world with her new #1 ranked Amazon Hot New Release book Parenting beyond the Rules, which outlines positive approaches to parenting today’s teenagers. She is featured on the Focus on the Family broadcast, “Best of 2020 for Parenting” on Focus on the Family, The Busy Mom podcast, 100 Huntley Street, and a columnist for Home Homeschooling Today magazine and contributor for Focus on the Family.

She is a respected leader, social media enthusiast, and trusted mom who understands the challenges of balancing the demands of work, motherhood, marriage, and homeschool. Connie and her husband, Tom, have been married 36 years and have five adult children. She loves equipping women in their walk with the Lord and helping them navigate the season of life. Join the community at www.ConnieAlbers.com or listen to the Equipped To Be podcast for relevant tips with humor.

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DID YOU KNOW?

The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools brought to you by Gospel Spice Ministries. 

Would you consider supporting this show today? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce. For the price of a cup of coffee or two, your monthly support of $5 or $10 would make a huge difference! Donate HERE today.

The Gospel Spice Ministries exist to inspire Christ-followers in our generation to delight in the glory of God by knowing and experiencing Jesus more intimately. We provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus.

Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support.

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Episode 65 - In this special Christmas episode, Stephanie welcomes Cynthia Ruchti to discuss the role of light in our lives. Using her latest novel, Afraid of the Light, we tackle the root issues of any form of hoarding--whether as a mental illness, or a struggle, or a spiritual tendency reflecting a sin of the heart. 

To celebrate Christmas, Cynthia gave away two copies of her latest book, Afraid of the Light, to two Gospel Spice listeners! The winners were Marci R. and Sammy B. This particular giveaway is now closed, but we have several new ones scheduled! Go to gospelspice.com/giveaway to enter for a chance to win!

Also, please consider making a tax-deductible donation this year to support our ministry! We provide you with free high-quality content each week, and we hope that you will consider helping us spread the good news of Christ ever further! For details, go to gospelspice.com/donate. Thank you!

What is Afraid of the Light all about? This special Christmas episode invites you to delve into the little-known ramifications of hoarding. Whether you know a hoarder or not, you will find that Afraid of the Light beckons you into the depths of your own heart.

Cynthia Ruchti tells stories of hope through novels, nonfiction, devotionals, and speaking events. She serves as the professional relations liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers and is a frequent speaker at writers conferences across the country. She married her grade school sweetheart, and the two live in the heart of Wisconsin, not far from their three children and five grandchildren.

Quotes from the book:

"Light had a way of piercing all kinds of darkness."

"The emotional darkness that enshrouds a person with a compulsive hoarding disorder keeps them from seeing. Normal to them is darkness. . . . . Your loved one isn't resisting the light. He or she may be afraid of it."
"She wasn't their saving grace. But if she could point them--Point them to it. Pull back the curtain and let in the light."

You will find Cynthia at cynthiaruchti.com and hemmedinhope.com

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SPECIAL CHRISTMAS GIFT TO YOU!! 

"A Gospel Spice Christmas" is a brand new five-day devotional and reading plan available exclusively on YouVersion / the Bible App. 

Do you long for fresh spices to flavor your spiritual experience of the Incarnation of Christ? Are you tired of stale clichés that taste like microwaved Christmas dinner leftovers? Are you hungry for an explosion of fresh flavors in your Christmas devotions? Experience a Gospel Spice Christmas alongside the shepherds, and discover how to make your life a daily nativity scene where Christ can be born in ever-deepening ways.

Click here or go to your YouVersion Bible App on your phone, and search "Gospel Spice." It is our gift to you! Enjoy!

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DID YOU KNOW?

The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries. 

Would you consider supporting this show today? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce. For the price of a cup of coffee, your monthly support of $5 or $10 would make a huge difference! Contact us to donate by Credit Card, or donate via PayPal.

The Gospel Spice Ministries exist to inspire Christ-followers in our generation to delight in the glory of God by knowing and experiencing Jesus more intimately. We provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus.

Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Contact us to donate by Credit Card, or donate via PayPal.

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!