In His Grip

In this four-part mini-series, we meet Gideon, an unlikely man that could not hide from God. Minding his own business, surrendering to the culture of fear, Gideon receives a private call from God that would convert his fear into faith. In this series of messages we learn that living in the conscious presence of God means you will have some indelible scorch marks where God invades your life. These scorch marks serve as memorials to His faithfulness.
Throughout Gideon’s story we see a man terrified of the opinion of others forced to take risks, to willingly strip down his already small army to a company of warriors that could never win any battle unless God intervened. We watch as God provides miracle after miracle and we are challenged to look inward and recognize that our own weakness can be transformed into strength when we surrender to God’s purposes and call on our lives.

In this wide-ranging interview between two mothers who have experienced the grief of the deaths of their children, Nancy Guthrie transparently answers questions asked by Sharon Betters. From how to push the question “why” through the grid of God’s love and sovereignty to practical counsel for protecting marriages assaulted by grief, Nancy doesn’t flinch. Nancy’s loss of two children uniquely qualifies her to offer help and hope in sorrow’s darkest night. No matter how shattered the heart, there is hope in the midst of grief.

In this four-part mini-series, we meet Gideon, an unlikely man that could not hide from God. Minding his own business, surrendering to the culture of fear, Gideon receives a private call from God that would convert his fear into faith. In this series of messages we learn that living in the conscious presence of God means you will have some indelible scorch marks where God invades your life. These scorch marks serve as memorials to His faithfulness.

Throughout Gideon’s story we see a man terrified of the opinion of others forced to take risks, to willingly strip down his already small army to a company of warriors that could never win any battle unless God intervened. We watch as God provides miracle after miracle and we are challenged to look inward and recognize that our own weakness can be transformed into strength when we surrender to God’s purposes and call on our lives.

In this four-part mini-series, we meet Gideon, an unlikely man that could not hide from God. Minding his own business, surrendering to the culture of fear, Gideon receives a private call from God that would convert his fear into faith. In this series of messages we learn that living in the conscious presence of God means you will have some indelible scorch marks where God invades your life. These scorch marks serve as memorials to His faithfulness.
Throughout Gideon’s story we see a man terrified of the opinion of others forced to take risks, to willingly strip down his already small army to a company of warriors that could never win any battle unless God intervened. We watch as God provides miracle after miracle and we are challenged to look inward and recognize that our own weakness can be transformed into strength when we surrender to God’s purposes and call on our lives.

Deborah’s song shows us what a biblical encourager looks like. Her song summarizes the battle against God’s enemies, how the Lord turned weakness into strength, and how community returned to a broken people. She does not back away from reprimanding those who did not show up for the battle, and she heaps praise on those who did. But mainly, this song is about God’s grace, wisdom, presence and promises kept.

Nearly aborted, graciously adopted and later abandoned, Lori Sealy has traveled the road of atheism and lived a life of autism. Lori was diagnosed with Autism as an adult and not long after that diagnosis learned her son had autism as well. Lori is a classical pianist and songwriter whose music gives a transparent view into the intimate struggles of faith and life that Lori experiences.

In this interview, parents of a young man who has autism ask the questions burning in the hearts of other parents with high functioning children that struggle every day with the "thorn of autism."

This is a powerful and rich conversation that will help parents better understand their children and how to help them find their way in a sometimes confusing and scary world.

Travel with Lori on our life journey through her blog, where you can also learn more about her music and contact information for booking Lori for an event.

Some of the questions Lori answers:

1.  As a child, did you believe that there was something different about yourself?  Did you intuitively know?

2. Does having autism help or hinder your ability to parent children?  A neuro-typical child and a child with autism?

3. What are your thoughts on the neurodiversity/neurodivergent movement?

4. Do you talk openly to your son about his autism?  Do you use the label “autism” or “Asperger’s” regularly or do you try to avoid the use of labels as a way to identify him?  In other words, do you believe that the differences that come along with autism are something to be celebrated and embraced or something to be changed and improved upon?  Where do you draw that line and find a balance?

5. Now that you are an adult, what is something you wish your parents knew about you (and perhaps even appreciated and celebrated) when you were a child?  What would’ve helped you be more comfortable in your own skin during childhood and adolescence?

6. How does autism affect – positively or negatively – your belief in God?  How does it shape your view of the supernatural?  How does it impact your ability to believe in something you can’t “see”?

7. What recommendations would you give to people in the church to help them build relationships with adults on the spectrum?  What kinds of things make friendships or relationships difficult for you?  What should people NOT do?

8. If a child or adult is experiencing a meltdown or overwhelm, what’s the best thing a bystander or friend can do to help?

9. From a sensory perspective, what calms the “noise”?  What is something that “down-regulates” you when you are feeling overstimulated?

10.  Our son frequently says that he thinks “God created him wrong”.  Is this something you ever struggle with?  Essentially, many of the things that make you wonderfully unique are, by human standards, worthy of a place in the DSM-V.  How does this make you feel?

11.  What is the very best thing I can do as a parent of a child with high functioning autism to help him reach his potential and become the person God created him to be?

Jim and Karen Weaver’s international adoption journey led them to welcoming not one, but two boys into their family, making them parents of four daughters and two sons. In this transparent interview, Jim and Karen share the highs and the lows of their journey, from how they began their adoption adventure, to the realization that life would never go back to the normalcy of raising four daughters, to how the extreme emotional meltdowns created chaos in their home but also taught them about their own hearts. Through their story, listeners will get a glimpse into the reality of the hard places in adoption and also learn how they can come alongside of adoptive families. Listeners will recognize how adoption has transformed Jim and Karen and drew them into a deeper awareness of their need for Jesus, the power of prayer and how to look inward when hard times come.

In Part 2 of this message we meet Deborah, the Judge. “Village life ceased until, I, Deborah, arose, arose, a mother in Israel.” Deborah’s story is unique because she is a female judge in a patriarchal culture. She leads Israel from a place of despair to a place of healing and peace. In this message, Dr. Betters shares the principles of Deborah’s leadership as well as the characteristics of people who make a difference in the lives of others: Consistency, Authenticity, Unselfishness, and Tirelessness.
Who impacts lives? Who is it God uses to collide with us so as to dent our frames and jolt our direction? The consistent, authentic, unselfish, tireless individuals who hate those words “let’s just get by,” and “it’s too hard, let’s just quit.”

In this message we meet Deborah, the Judge. “Village life ceased until, I, Deborah, arose, arose, a mother in Israel.” Deborah’s story is unique because she is a female judge in a patriarchal culture. She leads Israel from a place of despair to a place of healing and peace. In this message, Dr. Betters shares the principles of Deborah’s leadership as well as the characteristics of people who make a difference in the lives of others: Consistency, Authenticity, Unselfishness, and Tirelessness.
Who impacts lives? Who is it God uses to collide with us so as to dent our frames and jolt our direction? The consistent, authentic, unselfish, tireless individuals who hate those words “let’s just get by,” and “it’s too hard, let’s just quit.”

Have you ever heard of Eglon and Ehud? After this sermon, you’ll never forget them! Eglon is a picture of human depravity, Ehud is a type of Christ. The assassination is a type of the cross. The massacre of the ten thousand is a type of our salvation.
Intrigued? The applications of this message will remind you once more of the endless grace of God in His dealings with us.