Guided by Faith: Daily Christian Devotions and Advice for Teens and Young Adults

In this episode of Guided by Faith, Jay begins a powerful new week-long study in Romans 8:16–25, one of the most hope-filled passages in all of Scripture. Jay reminds listeners that suffering is not a sign that God has abandoned them. Instead, the Apostle Paul shows us that suffering is part of life in a broken world—and part of the Christian journey—but it is never the end of the story. 

This episode explores how our present suffering cannot compare to the future glory God has promised. Jay unpacks what it means to be children and heirs of God, how all of creation is groaning for redemption, and why hope in Christ allows us to endure pain with patience. If you’re struggling personally, weighed down by the suffering you see in the world, or simply wondering how God uses hardship for good, this episode will point you to the unshakable hope found in Jesus and the transformation still to come.

Listen and Subscribe:

[Apple Podcasts] | [Spotify]

Connect with Us:

• Website: www.guidedbyfaith.net

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GuidedbyFaithPodcast

• Instagram: @guidedbyfaith_podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on your favorite podcast platform and share it with friends who might benefit from this message.

***Pick up a copy of Jay’s new Journal: Renewed: The 365-Day Christian Gratitude Journal https://amzn.to/3MLWavl

Guided By Faith is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network.

For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

How do we actually live out our faith when life gets hard? In this concluding episode of the Romans 8:12–17 series, Ryan Woods brings everything together by reminding teens and young adults that real transformation happens by the power of the Holy Spirit—not our own effort. This episode recaps our identity as sons and children of God, co-heirs with Christ, and explains why suffering is a normal part of the Christian life. Drawing from Romans 8 and 1 Peter 4, Ryan challenges listeners to stop relying on self-effort and instead daily set their minds on the Spirit. When we walk in our new identity and depend on God’s strength, we experience life, peace, and the ability to resist our old way of living—no matter the circumstances.

Listen and Subscribe:

[Apple Podcasts] | [Spotify]

Connect with Us:

• Website: www.guidedbyfaith.net

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GuidedbyFaithPodcast

• Instagram: @guidedbyfaith_podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on your favorite podcast platform and share it with friends who might benefit from this message.

***Pick up a copy of Jay’s new Journal: Renewed: The 365-Day Christian Gratitude Journal https://amzn.to/3MLWavl

Guided By Faith is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network.

For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

What does it mean to be a child of God—and why does that matter for how we live today? In this episode, Ryan Woods continues unpacking Romans 8:12–17, focusing on verse 16 and the powerful truth that believers are not only sons of God, but also children and heirs of God. Ryan explains the difference between sonship (our relational closeness to the Father) and being children of God (our future inheritance and hope). Through Scripture and creative illustrations, this episode highlights how our identity as heirs—fellow heirs with Christ—gives us a hopeful expectation of what’s to come and reshapes how we see ourselves now. Instead of being defined by our past, we’re invited to live with confidence, joy, and anticipation as members of God’s family.

Listen and Subscribe:

[Apple Podcasts] | [Spotify]

Connect with Us:

• Website: www.guidedbyfaith.net

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GuidedbyFaithPodcast

• Instagram: @guidedbyfaith_podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on your favorite podcast platform and share it with friends who might benefit from this message.

***Pick up a copy of Jay’s new Journal: Renewed: The 365-Day Christian Gratitude Journal https://amzn.to/3MLWavl

Guided By Faith is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network.

For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

What does it really mean to be called a son of God? In this episode, Ryan Woods continues walking through Romans 8:12–17, focusing on verse 14 and the powerful truth that believers are sons of God through the Spirit. Ryan explains how “sonship” is not about gender, but about an intimate relational status—one that allows us to cry out “Abba, Father” with confidence and security. Using personal stories and biblical insight, this episode explores how God invites us into a close, loving relationship where He guides, trains, protects, and cares for us like a perfect Father. Whether you had a great dad, a difficult relationship with your father, or no father at all, this conversation points to the healing and hope found in our identity as sons adopted into God’s family.

Listen and Subscribe:

[Apple Podcasts] | [Spotify]

Connect with Us:

• Website: www.guidedbyfaith.net

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GuidedbyFaithPodcast

• Instagram: @guidedbyfaith_podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on your favorite podcast platform and share it with friends who might benefit from this message.

***Pick up a copy of Jay’s new Journal: Renewed: The 365-Day Christian Gratitude Journal https://amzn.to/3MLWavl

Guided By Faith is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network.

For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

What does it actually mean when the Bible says the Holy Spirit lives in you? In this episode, Ryan Woods continues through Romans 8:12–17 and helps teens and young adults understand what it means to live with the Spirit dwelling within them. Building on the idea of a new identity in Christ, Ryan explains how the Holy Spirit—God Himself—comes to live in believers as a guide, comforter, and interpreter of truth. Drawing from both Romans 8 and Galatians 4, this episode clarifies how salvation through Jesus leads to adoption as sons and daughters of God, freeing us from fear, slavery, and striving for approval. Rather than focusing on trying harder to avoid sin, listeners are invited to set their minds on the Spirit, discovering true life, peace, and transformation.

Listen and Subscribe:

Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Connect with Us:

• Website: www.guidedbyfaith.net

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GuidedbyFaithPodcast

• Instagram: @guidedbyfaith_podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on your favorite podcast platform and share it with friends who might benefit from this message.

***Pick up a copy of Jay’s new Journal: Renewed: The 365-Day Christian Gratitude Journal https://amzn.to/3MLWavl

Guided By Faith is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network.

For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

What if Christianity was never meant to be just a list of rules to follow? In this episode, Ryan Woods continues through Romans 8:12–17 and challenges us to rethink the true purpose of the Christian life. Instead of focusing on simply “not sinning,” Ryan unpacks how the gospel invites us into a new identity as children of God—led by the Spirit, adopted into God’s family, and free from fear. Using practical illustrations and Scripture, this episode explores how real spiritual growth happens when we set our minds on the Spirit and live out who God says we are. If you’ve ever felt stuck, discouraged, or confused about what Christianity is really about, this conversation will help refocus your faith on relationship, identity, and life in the Spirit.

Listen and Subscribe:

[Apple Podcasts] | [Spotify]

Connect with Us:

• Website: www.guidedbyfaith.net

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GuidedbyFaithPodcast

• Instagram: @guidedbyfaith_podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on your favorite podcast platform and share it with friends who might benefit from this message.

***Pick up a copy of Jay’s new Journal: Renewed: The 365-Day Christian Gratitude Journal https://amzn.to/3MLWavl

Guided By Faith is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network.

For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

***Pick up a copy of Jay’s new Journal: Renewed: The 365-Day Christian Gratitude Journal https://amzn.to/3MLWavl

In this episode of Guided by Faith, Jay wraps up a powerful week studying Romans 8 by exploring how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work together in our salvation. While Jesus frees us from the penalty of sin and the Holy Spirit gives us power to resist sin, the Father promises the ultimate victory: freedom from the presence of sin altogether. Jay encourages teens and young adults who struggle with temptation, guilt, or the ongoing effects of sin, reminding them that one day, through Christ, all believers will be fully transformed and sin will no longer have any hold over them. This episode offers hope and motivation to keep walking in the Spirit today, knowing that the glory to come will far outweigh present struggles, and God will complete the work He started in each of us.

Listen and Subscribe:

[Apple Podcasts] | [Spotify]

Connect with Us:

• Website: www.guidedbyfaith.net

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GuidedbyFaithPodcast

• Instagram: @guidedbyfaith_podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on your favorite podcast platform and share it with friends who might benefit from this message.

Guided By Faith is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network.

For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

***Pick up a copy of Jay’s new Journal: Renewed: The 365-Day Christian Gratitude Journal https://amzn.to/3MLWavl

In this episode of Guided by Faith, we continue unpacking Romans 8 by asking a simple but deeply challenging question: How do you please God? Jay explains that Scripture gives a clear answer—love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself—but living this out can feel impossible on our own. This episode clarifies that pleasing God isn’t about willpower or religious effort; it’s about relying on the Holy Spirit. Drawing from Romans 8:11, Jay reminds listeners that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in every believer, enabling us to forgive, resist temptation, and love others genuinely. When we stop relying on ourselves and begin walking in the Spirit, we discover that pleasing God is not only possible—it’s the way we experience true spiritual life and growth.

Listen and Subscribe:

[Apple Podcasts] | [Spotify]

Connect with Us:

• Website: www.guidedbyfaith.net

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GuidedbyFaithPodcast

• Instagram: @guidedbyfaith_podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on your favorite podcast platform and share it with friends who might benefit from this message.

Guided By Faith is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network.

For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

***Pick up a copy of Jay’s new Journal: Renewed: The 365-Day Christian Gratitude Journal https://amzn.to/3MLWavl

In this episode of Guided by Faith, we continue exploring Romans 8 and what it truly means to be freed from the power of sin. Jay breaks down Paul’s teaching that “to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace,” and makes it practical for everyday life. This episode challenges listeners to consider how what they watch, listen to, and dwell on shapes their desires, thoughts, and spiritual direction. Using the powerful idea that our eyes and ears are windows to the soul, Jay encourages believers to take inventory of their media, conversations, and habits—and to intentionally set their minds on the Spirit. As you learn to be more aware of God’s presence and invite the Holy Spirit into daily moments, you’ll discover how choosing life-giving influences leads to spiritual growth, freedom, and peace.

Listen and Subscribe:

[Apple Podcasts] | [Spotify]

Connect with Us:

• Website: www.guidedbyfaith.net

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GuidedbyFaithPodcast

• Instagram: @guidedbyfaith_podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on your favorite podcast platform and share it with friends who might benefit from this message.

Guided By Faith is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network.

For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

***Pick up a copy of Jay’s new Journal: Renewed: The 365-Day Christian Gratitude Journal https://amzn.to/3MLWavl

In this episode of Guided by Faith, we continue our walk through Romans chapter 8, moving from freedom from sin’s penalty to freedom from sin’s power. Building on Romans 7’s picture of the exhausting inner struggle with sin, Jay explains why Romans 8 is one of the most victorious chapters in the Bible—because it shifts the focus from “I” to the Holy Spirit. While living in our own strength leads to frustration and failure, God has given believers His Spirit to live within them as a true power source. This episode highlights a life-changing truth: the Holy Spirit enables us to follow Jesus, love others, and live in freedom, no longer enslaved to sin. As you learn to rely on the Spirit daily, you can experience real victory, peace, and spiritual growth.

Listen and Subscribe:

Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Connect with Us:

• Website: www.guidedbyfaith.net

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GuidedbyFaithPodcast

• Instagram: @guidedbyfaith_podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on your favorite podcast platform and share it with friends who might benefit from this message.

Guided By Faith is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network.

For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org