Honey for Your Heart with Bryson Kessler

Today is the finale in our Men of May series and we are ending with another fantastic episode! I have really enjoyed this mini series and I pray you have too! I hope you have found it encouraging, uplifting and a nice way to change things up a bit on Honey For Your Heart!   If you are a regular listener, you most likely heard Melody Hemphill’s beautiful story of brokenness and redemption a few months ago on the show. If you haven’t heard it, I highly recommend you listen to her powerful testimony. Today, I am joined by her husband Randy Hemphill who shares the other side of their story. Randy is the founder of Life Ministries. He is an author, speaker, counselor and he and Melody are some of our dearest friends!   Each week, I pray that the Lord would speak directly to the ears that are listening in ways that only He can. This week, He had a word specifically for me through Randy’s story and to be honest, it caught me a little by surprise! You will hear more about that as you listen but it was a sweet reminder that the Lord does truly meet us right where we are as we listen to others share their stories. He is faithful to allow us to find ourselves in the narrative while reminding us in those moments that He is a God who sees and knows the deepest parts of our souls and meets us there with unchanging love, mercy and compassion. I know that as you listen today, you will find that to, once again, be true.   Psalm 42:1 says, As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” As Randy eloquently states in this episode, we pray that these words are refreshing streams of water for your thirsty soul.   For more information about Life Ministries and Randy, visit http://www.lifeministriesnow.com/

We are continuing our special mini series titled Men of May: Stories of Women’s Impact and Inspiration where we are hearing the incredible stories of men God is using in powerful ways for the kingdom, but also looking through their eyes at the women He has surrounded them with who serve alongside them in ministry.   Today, I am joined by Micah McElveen. Micah’s story is extraordinary.   A surfing accident left Micah dead. But God wasn't done. Through that brush with death, Micah’s dreams were shattered but a new path for his life emerged as God gave vision for a world-impacting ministry.

In 2005, Micah founded Vapor Ministries. Today, they operate ministry centers in multiple countries, serving hundreds of thousands on a weekly basis and employing hundreds of indigenous people. Micah is married to Audrey, who was also a guest on this season of Honey For Your Heart sharing her extraordinary story that undeniably showcases God’s grace and mercy. Today, you will have the privilege of hearing not only Micah’s inspiring story but also peeking in to the other side of his love story with Audrey and the clear calling the Lord placed on their lives as a team to literally change the world for His glory.   Micah says, “at the end of the day, life is a Vapor. The question is, will we waste it, or invest it?”. As you listen today, our prayer is that the Lord will meet you at the intersection of that question and you will find encouragement and inspiration to follow Him wherever He may lead.   https://www.micahmcelveen.com/ https://www.vaporministries.org/

We are in the middle of our Men of May Series where we are highlighting and honoring the inspirational influence of some extraordinary women as we look at their lives through the lens of the men they have impacted.   Today, I am joined by my friend Josh Orr. Josh is an entrepreneur and a podcast host. He is the founder of Capital Commerce and is also one of the hosts of the annual Manifest Conference. I had the privilege of meeting Josh last fall at the Manifest Conference and began working with him shortly after. Josh’s story is nothing short of amazing and as you hear him share about the incredible sacrifices his mom, who was a single mom, made that got him to where he is today, you too will be both encouraged and inspired. If you feel like you are not enough or you aren’t making a difference, this is the episode for you. We dive into those topics and much more as we look at Josh’s journey and the tribute he pays to both his mom and his beautiful wife, Kristen. So grab a good cup of coffee and maybe some tissues as you listen in to this incredible story.   To learn more about Josh, visit https://madebycapital.com/

Today, we are kicking off a very special mini series called Men of May: Stories of Women’s Impact and Inspiration.   The month of May holds particular significance as we celebrate the profound influence of mothers and women everywhere. While we typically feature the unique and powerful stories of women, in this exciting mini-series, we turn the spotlight onto men who the Lord is using in mighty ways. Each week in May we will hear their stories, while paying tribute to the remarkable women God has strategically placed in their lives. We will highlight and honor the invaluable role these women play in uplifting, encouraging, and inspiring our men on their journeys.   We kick off our series with my great friend Jeff Simmons. Along with being an author and speaker, Jeff is the Founding and Senior Pastor of Rolling Hills Community Church in Nashville, TN and serves as the President of Justice and Mercy International.   I had the privilege of working with Jeff and Lisa many years ago. He has had a profound impact on my life and I have been able to see firsthand how the Lord called Him to great Kingdom work and surrounded Him with amazingly gifted, wise and strong women who walk alongside him in ministry.   If you wonder what your purpose is or ever feel like your job, giftings or role is mundane or even trivial - this episode is for you. Today, we take a deep dive into how the Lord has a calling and a purpose on each life, exactly where you are. And He is using right where you are today with whatever talents you have today in whatever circumstances you are in today to accomplish His work in a bigger story. Our job is to simply lean in and let Him work. In the hands of the One who can do “immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine”, the ordinary becomes extraordinary. So grab a cup of coffee and join me as we hear Jeff’s story.   For more information Jeff, visit https://www.jeffsimmons.org

Angela Correll is a best selling author and successful entrepreneur. Today we talk about Angela’s latest book, Restored in Tuscany: A True Story of Facing Loss, Finding Beauty, And Living Forward with Hope. The book is fascinating story of Angela and her husband Jess’s time in Italy which ultimately led to buying and restoring a home there while paralleling how the Lord was also restoring Angela’s during that process.   For those that feel exhausted in life, or maybe overwhelmed by the season you are in - this story is for you! I know that, like me, you will find yourself in the details of Angela’s story and you will also find a God who is calling you into quiet rest with Him where He is waiting to restore places deep in your soul that only He can. I pray that you feel the mercy and grace of the Lord wash over you today as you listen.   For more information on Angela and her books, visit https://angelacorrell.com/

Most of us would probably say we want to make a difference in this world but we are often not really sure how to do that.   My guest today had that same thought and prayed that the Lord would show her how and He did just that.   Jovana Mullins is the creator of Alivia Clothing. God gave her a creative mind with a love for fashion. Growing up with a mother who taught special education and after volunteering at an organization serving those with special needs, the Lord opened the door to combine her passion for fashion with her love for those with disabilities and Alivia clothing was created.   Understanding that each and every person is created beautifully and wonderfully by the Lord, Alivia uses fashion as a platform to connect conscious consumers with the talents of people with disabilities. I know you will be just as fascinated and inspired as I was when you hear Jovana’s incredible story of how a gorgeous piece of clothing starts with the creative mind of beautiful individual with disabilities.   For more information, please visit: https://www.shopalivia.com/

Have you ever had a moment where the Lord undeniably and unexpectedly brings someone in your life that you know will change it forever? That happened to me a little over a year ago with my sweet friend, Elizabeth Evans.   Elizabeth is the reason Honey For Your Heart exists. She is our producer and has been with us from the start, paving the way to what you are enjoying today. As the producer, Elizabeth normally stays behind the scenes, but today I am SO thrilled to have her join me on the other side of the mic.   Elizabeth is one of those people who you feel instantly connected with. Her love for the Lord is written all over every interaction you have with her and He is using her in BIG ways to make a difference for His kingdom.   Her story is one of difficult seasons, miraculous interventions, bold life changes and often scary decisions requiring radical faith and obedience. But through it all, there is a common thread: God is trustworthy, faithful and is constantly redeeming and restoring, not wasting a single second of our stories.   As you hear Elizabeth share her amazing journey today, I know that, like me, you will encounter a good Father who is personal and intentional with His children, never leaving them alone and always working for their good.   Perhaps you know this but need a sweet reminder today. Elizabeth’s story will be like honey for your soul as you remember God’s faithfulness in your own life as she shares about His faithfulness in hers. Or maybe you doubt if God is good and can be trusted. Maybe He seems distant and anything but good. If that is you today, our prayer is that through Elizabeth’s story, you will meet a God who knows you perfectly, loves you intimately and can be trusted to tenderly hold every doubt, every fear, every decision, every emotion, every question, every bit of shame you may feel and cover them with his unending mercy and grace as you surrender in obedience to Him. So grab a cup of coffee and allow the Lord to meet you right where you are as you listen to Elizabeth’s story.   Follow Elizabeth here: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethevans.co/ Learn more here: www.elizabethevans.co

Today, I am joined by a fellow podcaster, Lauren Cunningham. Lauren has an amazing journey that is full of twists and turns and literally leaves you with your jaw open in amazement at some points. But through it all, the Lord was writing a very beautiful story that only He could write, teaching her about His love along the way and leading her to a passion and calling that is impacting countless lives today.   So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for a story that will remind you that if life seems completely confusing, hard and very unexpected, the Lord has not left you and He is truly working all things together for your good.   Find more about Lauren and the So Can I Podcast here: https://laurencunningham.co/about

You are in for a special treat today with our guest Ashley McMakin. Ashley owns Ashley Mac’s Kitchen: a thriving catering business along with 5 restaurants that are mouth wateringly good!   To give you a little history, Ashley crafted meals that became like edible greeting cards for the community. In moments when words were not enough, they gave poppyseed chicken and yeast rolls. On no-cook days, moms relied on Ashley to put a warm meal on the table. And for celebrations, they served her mouthwatering strawberry cake.   She has achieved enormous success in her businesses and we dive into how it all started - which is fascinating. But her story hasn’t always been easy. Ashley walked through years of infertility and we talk through how the Lord carried her through those years and ultimately gave her a big beautiful family both through biological birth and adoption. You will love hearing Ashley’s wisdom as a business owner and her heart as a mom.   The tagline of her business is: Serving hand-crafted southern food to the community - feeding the moments that matter. And this is truly Ashley’s purpose for Ashley Macs.   So cozy up for an encouraging and inspiring story of a business born out of passion and a mom born out of God’s grace - both trusting the Lord and His good plan and His perfect timing.   To find out more about Ashley Mac's Kitchen, visit https://www.ashleymacs.com/

I remember, at a young age, seeing in scripture that Abraham was called a “friend of God.” Those words jumped off the page to me and I remember thinking - wow! I wonder how you get to actually be “friends” with God - so much that it’s even recorded in scripture.  

Well, my guest today has a passion for that very thing and has devoted her life to ministry and teaching others about the friendship of the Lord. I am so excited for you to hear from Faith Eury Cho today.  

She has been in ministry since she was 19 years old and in her words, met Jesus at a young age and hasn’t stopped talking about Him since. She is a speaker, author, CEO and founder of The Honor Summit, church planter, and much more. She has a new book out called Experiencing Friendship with God that looks at what that means and the path to getting there (spoiler alert: the wilderness is involved).  

I know that, like me, you will find Faith’s words to be both encouraging and challenging but definitely life giving as we dive into what it means to have a personal friendship with God and how we get there.  

If you are deep in a wilderness season and feeling angry, confused, frustrated, even wondering if God is there and why it all even matters or if you are in calmer days but still feel like you don’t really KNOW God or want to know Him more personally, this message is for you!  So grab a cup of coffee and your journal or notebook (you will want to take notes - I promise) and meet a God who is bigger than any wilderness you will ever face but desires you to know Him intimately. 

To learn more about Faith and her ministry, visit https://www.faitheurycho.com/