Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-control. Of course, you know this list—the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23. Much has been written about this list and how we can better find and embrace these traits in our lives, as evidence of being a Jesus follower. The marks of our godly character. But author Jessica Thompson asks: Has it ever occurred to you that the fruit of the Spirit are also the characteristics of God? Can it be that God loves us with the fruit of the Spirit? And only when we are secure in that love can we display it to others? Jessica’s new book, “How God Loves Us: 40 Days to Discovering his Character in the Fruit of the Spirit,” is 40 readings designed to take you deeper into the love God has for you.    She’s the author of several books, a frequent speaker, part of the podcast Front Porch with the Fitzes and is the director of church life at RISEN Church in San Diego, California. And Jessica is on the show today to share more about her book and the love God has for you. EPISODE SHOWNOTES:  Read more. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

111: How God loves us with the fruit of the Spirit with Jessica Thompson

If you care about making an impact for good then the Do Gooders Podcast from The Salvation Army’s Caring Magazine is the show for you. Hosted by Editor-in-Chief Christin Thieme, listen in for real-life inspiration, expert insight, evidence of transformation happening in communities across the U.S. through The Salvation Army, and ideas from change-makers so you can join in right where you are and be the reason somebody believes in goodness.

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Every disaster scenario creates its own unique circumstances and special needs. In each case, The Salvation Army is there with other agencies to offer relief in the form of food services, emergency communications, donations management, social services and more. Perhaps most uniquely, The Salvation Army deploys specially trained individuals to offer emotional and spiritual care to rescue workers and disaster survivors alike. That ministry of presence is all we do and say—a collective action of words, touch, listening and presence. Collectively, those actions work together to express the love and compassion of God. Major Tammy Ray, who currently serves as the corps officer in Redding, California, has a long history of responding to disasters as part of The Salvation Army's disaster relief team. And she helps prepare people to serve in this emotional and spiritual care role—to discern and offer what someone might need, even if they can't state for themselves—to create the "transforming place." As she says, It's more being than doing. It's a quiet servanthood, a calm presence. It's not about fixing but it is a gift of connection with another person at a critical time in their life. It might be exactly what St. Francis of Assisi meant when he said, "Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.” EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more. BE AFFIRMED. Get the Good Words email series. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

188 State of Disaster: Our ministry of presence with Major Tammy Ray

A good start to disaster preparedness is knowing the risks you should be prepared for based on where you live. That’s a big part of Jonathan Sury’s work. Jonathan is the Project Director for Communications and Field Operations at the National Center for Disaster Preparedness. He is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Population and Family Health at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.   Jonathan leads a project called the Natural Hazards Index, which maps local vulnerability to various disasters at the sub-county level. Everything including extreme heat, earthquakes, landslides, tornadoes, and floods. The project's interactive map allows users to zoom in and assess climate, weather and geological hazards in their vicinity. That way, people can learn to take proactive measures to safeguard themselves and their families.  Today we’re talking with Jonathan about the Natural Hazards Index, the importance of preparedness, how data can help individual households and communities alike, and what we should be paying attention to amid the changing disaster landscape. EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more. BE AFFIRMED. Get the Good Words email series. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

187 State of Disaster: Mapping the natural hazards of your neighborhood with Jonathan Sury

Where would you go if you could live anywhere you wanted? For a lot of Americans, the answer is Phoenix. In fact, Maricopa County, Arizona, which includes Phoenix, Mesa and Scottsdale, has held the title of "fastest growing county in the U.S. by numeric growth" for much of the past decade. But, Maricopa isn’t just one of the hottest places in terms of popularity. It’s also the literal hottest metropolitan area in the U.S. Summertime, in particular, is dangerously hot in Maricopa County, and getting hotter every passing year. Last year, in 2023, Maricopa County identified a total of 645 heat-related deaths—a 52 percent increase from the previous year and the most heat-related deaths ever recorded.  The Salvation Army runs a network of heat relief stations throughout Maricopa County to help residents stay safe and hydrated, and out of the record-breaking temperatures.  Lt. Colonel Ivan Wild, Divisional Commander of The Salvation Army Southwest Division, is on the show to talk about The Salvation Army's heat-related disaster response efforts and how the organization plans to better serve its communities amid more extreme weather events. EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more. BE AFFIRMED. Get the Good Words email series. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

186 State of Disaster: Preparing for a future with hotter summers with Lt. Colonel Ivan Wild

The U.S. experienced a record number of billion-dollar weather disasters in 2023, and it’s not a one-year fluke but the new trend. In the face of this changing disaster landscape, there's one organization consistently on the frontlines, bringing aid and hope to those in need: The Salvation Army, whose disaster relief operation never sleeps. Last year alone, The Salvation Army served nearly 600,000 people across a staggering 4,300 disaster events. Thanks to the generosity of donors and corporate partners, The Salvation Army was able to provide these survivors with a warm meal, a safe haven for the night, and in some cases, something just as essential: a listening ear and a moment of prayer. John Berglund, The Salvation Army's Emergency Disaster Services Director in the West, is helping us set the stage for our ongoing conversation about the current state of disaster relief.   He's sharing more on the dynamics of serving throughout another record-breaking disaster year, the importance of cleverly adapting to meet needs, and some of the common misconceptions around disaster relief. EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more. BE AFFIRMED. Get the Good Words email series. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

185 State of Disaster: How The Salvation Army is adapting to a changing disaster landscape with John Berglund

We see stats about addiction. We see substance abuse portrayed in film and in TV shows. We might even know someone who’s personally faced addiction to drugs or alcohol. But most of us don't really understand what causes addiction, and why our brains respond the way they do to drugs. Dr. Judy Grisel has made it her life’s work to unravel the mysteries of addiction, striving to uncover its root causes. A distinguished behavioral neuroscientist whose expertise spans the fields of pharmacology and genetics, Dr. Grisel's groundbreaking research draws from her insights into addiction. These insights aren’t just academic though; they're also deeply personal.  Dr. Grisel's journey has been shaped by her own experience with addiction, which has given her a unique vantage point on the subject.  Her passion for understanding the neuroscience behind addiction led her to deliver a powerful TED Talk titled “Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction,” which captivated audiences around the world. She wrote a book of the same name. With a career dedicated to advancing our understanding of addiction, Dr. Grisel is on the show to share her knowledge, insights and research findings, shedding light on this complex and often stigmatized topic. EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more. BE AFFIRMED. Get the Good Words email series. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

111: How God loves us with the fruit of the Spirit with Jessica Thompson

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