In His Grip

Melanoma, the word strikes fear into the hearer, especially when it is a diagnosis for a loved one. Al Groves, a beloved professor at Westminster Seminary and his wife, Libbie, heard these words and knew life would never be the same. In this  conversation with Sharon Betters, Libbie shares the journey that her family experienced in the year after her husband Al’s diagnosis of terminal cancer. She offers her family’s story as a means of coming alongside of others who are struggling with cancer, God and grief, answering such questions as: * How did you tell your children? * Did you ever hit a wall where you felt you just couldn’t handle all the daily responsibilities of raising your children and caring for your husband? * Al was a gifted author, beloved professor at Westminster Seminary. Did you ever question why such a gifted man who had so much more to offer had to die? * What about lament? * How important was and is your faith? How did it make a difference in the way you viewed this diagnosis? * How did people help you?

David The Shepherd WarriorThis series focuses on the life of David. Why should we study the life of this man? David’s story is a picture of Messianic typology. We see in David the struggle against the flesh that is so typical in all of us. And we will see what a man after God’s own heart looks like. We start in 1 Samuel 16 where the Israelites cry for a king. It is a period of hopeless humanism, void of leadership. The people choose a man based on outward appearance, electability and sound bites. They chose Saul, tall, dark and handsome. Saul was a good looking man, but he lacked character. He was prone to hot tempered outbursts, bouts of intense depression and capable of incredible evil, jealousy, control, obsession with fame and even murder. God gives them Saul. But waiting in the wings is a shepherd boy, David.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome - Can Suffering Bring Gifts?Darci and Mark Steiner’s lives turned inside out and upside down when Darci nearly lost her life after a debilitating fall down the stairs in her home. She was later diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and spent six years bedridden with such horrific pain she could not tolerate even a sheet to touch her body. Her husband, Mark, immediately took on the role of caregiver for Darci and all the extra responsibilities of raising their two little girls.In this conversation with Sharon Better, Darci and Mark freely answer questions about their struggle to find a “new normal” when Darci was incapable of caring for their girls or their home. Mark brings the unique perspective of a full-time caregiver and how Mark sometimes struggles with meeting all the needs of their children and his wife. They both share the spiritual challenges of understanding the sovereignty of God over what seem like set backs and unfair loss and how the Lord has met them in their most broken moments. They share their story in Darci’s book, Beauty Beyond the Thorns: Discovering Gifts in Suffering. Darci and Mark have both served in ministry, Darci as a teen and women’s ministry leader, as well as assisting with church plants in Denver and Los Angeles. Mark has served in full-time ministry in San Francisco and Thailand. In the late 80's Mark helped Cambodian refugees from the Khmer Rouge “killing fields" and the fighting between Cambodian guerillas and the Vietnamese army on the border of Cambodia and Thailand. He is an entrepreneur, along with caring for Darci.Connect with Darci - https://www.darcijsteiner.com/

David The Shepherd WarriorThis series focuses on the life of David. Why should we study the life of this man? David’s story is a picture of Messianic typology. We see in David the struggle against the flesh that is so typical in all of us. And we will see what a man after God’s own heart looks like. We start in 1 Samuel 16 where the Israelites cry for a king. It is a period of hopeless humanism, void of leadership. The people choose a man based on outward appearance, electability and sound bites. They chose Saul, tall, dark and handsome. Saul was a good looking man, but he lacked character. He was prone to hot tempered outbursts, bouts of intense depression and capable of incredible evil, jealousy, control, obsession with fame and even murder. God gives them Saul. But waiting in the wings is a shepherd boy, David.

Instead of enjoying the freedom that comes with young adulthood, there is a whole population that struggles to reconcile their physical limitations with every day life. Three young adults share their own stories of dealing with delayed life plans, limited social lives, and the search for friends who “get” their physical disabilities. Tim, Stephanie, and Stephen give us a glimpse into their ongoing battles to find purpose and joy as they live each day with chronic illnesses. Their stories will encourage other young adults likewise struggling, and equip their friends and family to better understand their daily struggles.

David The Shepherd WarriorThis series focuses on the life of David. Why should we study the life of this man? David’s story is a picture of Messianic typology. We see in David the struggle against the flesh that is so typical in all of us. And we will see what a man after God’s own heart looks like. We start in 1 Samuel 16 where the Israelites cry for a king. It is a period of hopeless humanism, void of leadership. The people choose a man based on outward appearance, electability and sound bites. They chose Saul, tall, dark and handsome. Saul was a good looking man, but he lacked character. He was prone to hot tempered outbursts, bouts of intense depression and capable of incredible evil, jealousy, control, obsession with fame and even murder. God gives them Saul. But waiting in the wings is a shepherd boy, David.

How are you feeling today? Stressed, overwhelmed, drowning in too much to do, anxiety, the rubble of broken relationships – just life? Are these feelings seasonable or do you struggle with persistent gnawing anxiety? Sometimes, something happens that feels like the straw that breaks the camel’s back and we cry out, “I didn’t sign up for this!” Ann Swindell, author of The Path to Peace, Comfort When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed gets it!. After repeated disappointments and hurts, one day Ann declared, “I didn’t sign up for this!” But that moment of hitting bottom was the beginning of seeking unshakable peace. In this conversation with Sharon Betters, Ann will be sharing some of what she learned about genuine peace, not only through her own journey but the lives of men and women in scripture. You will be mentored and encouraged in your own search for the pathway to peace.

There will always be a struggle between good and evil in our lives. The godly kings of Israel allowed compromise in their lives which resulted in a downward spiral through generations. The consequence of their sin is seen in their children and grandchildren. Are you willing to confess, renounce, and turn away from little areas of compromise in your life? The lives of your children and grandchildren may be at stake.

A little boy, abandoned by his mother, shifted from one abuse-filled foster home to another; bullied not only by kids but by some of his foster parents, beaten and sexually assaulted by numerous people tasked with being his protectors. How does this little boy find a way to grow into a man who trusts God and offers help and hope to others through his story?In this interview, Bob Petterson opens up about the terrifying loneliness of abandonment, the pain of abuse, and the memories of hateful abuse at the hands of foster parents. Is there any hope for such a child? Bob says there is, and lives out that hope every day.This story is for anyone who has experienced childhood abandonment, abuse, hatred, and separation from siblings. Yet it is also for anyone who longs to know that in this messy, broken world, there really is hope of redemption and purpose for those shattered by the abuse of others.

There will always be a struggle between good and evil in our lives. The godly kings of Israel allowed compromise in their lives which resulted in a downward spiral through generations. The consequence of their sin is seen in their children and grandchildren. Are you willing to confess, renounce, and turn away from little areas of compromise in your life? The lives of your children and grandchildren may be at stake.