What does it mean to wait with hope? Gemma Ryan explores the story of Simeon—a man who waited decades for the Messiah—and invites us into three transformative questions: What are you waiting for? Who are you becoming as you wait? And what is sustaining you in the waiting? She shows us how waiting isn't passive but active, and how our seasons of in-between can become the very places where God refines and transforms us.

Key Scripture Passages: Luke 2v1-7, 22-35; Psalm 130; Isaiah 40; Galatians 4v4

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Kathleen from Dallas, Texas; Shailaja from Cranbury, New Jersey; Edward from Pacific Palisades, California; Jeremy from Shoreview, Minnesota; and David from Hove, East Sussex. Thank you all so much!

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What do we do when community gets difficult? John Mark explores the inevitable challenges that arise in deep community and introduces a six-stage cycle that all healthy relationships go through. He shares why commitment is required to stay together long enough to actually grow into people of love.

Key Scripture Passages: 1 Corinthians 3v1-4; Matthew 6v15

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Connie from Newton, Kansas; Gayle from Woodstock, Georgia; Todd from Costa Mesa, California; Adam from Fircrest, Washington; and Richard from Laconia, New Hampshire. Thank you all very much!

If you'd like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.

Why is authentic community so hard to find? John Mark explores the modern challenges that keep us isolated—busyness, transience, digital distraction—but then goes deeper to reveal the ancient enemy underneath it all: shame. He shows us how shame disconnects us from God and each other, and how the often-overlooked practice of confession can heal our deepest wounds and reconnect us to the love we're desperate for.

Key Scripture Passages: Genesis 2v25; Romans 7v21-25, 8v1-3; Mark 2v17; James 5v16

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Heather from West Linn, Oregon; Andy from Austin, Texas; Kim from Lakeside, California; McKenna from Oviedo, Florida; and Veranda from Coppell, Texas. Thank you all so much!

If you'd like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.

How do we go deep in community? John Mark explores the practice of sharing our joys and sorrows in community—following Jesus' example of both celebrating around the table and bearing his deepest pain with trusted friends.

Key Scripture Passages: Mark 14v22-24, 32-34; Genesis 2v18; Galatians 6v2; Hebrews 10v24-25; John 15v11; Isaiah 53v3

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Trent from Madera, California; Simone from Arcadia, Oklahoma; Allison from Lynchburg, Virginia; Megan from South Jordan, Utah; and Breanna from Henderson, Nevada. Thank you all so much!

If you'd like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.

What does it mean to live as the family of God? John Mark explores how we're created for relationship and why spiritual formation can't happen in isolation. He unpacks the biblical vision of church as a "fictive kinship group" and shows us how transformation happens not just on Sunday mornings, but around the dining room table with people who become family.

Key Scripture Passages: Genesis 1v26-27; Mark 1v16-18; Mark 3v13-14, 32-35; Romans 8v15; Acts 2v42-47

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Adam from Austin, Arkansas; Brett from Huntersville, North Carolina; Grace from Jacksonville, Florida; Brandon from Waconia, Minnesota; and Jordan from Palmer, Alaska. Thank you all so much!

If you'd like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.

Can we rest our way to freedom? John Mark explores how Sabbath is far more than a wellness practice—it's an act of defiance against the relentless pace of modern life. He shows how God built a rhythm of work and rest into creation itself, and how the command to Sabbath is actually a way to resist cultural forces of busyness, consumerism, and endless accumulation.

Key Scripture Passages: Genesis 2v1-3; Exodus 20v8-11; Deuteronomy 5v12-15

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Joan from Coto De Caza, California; Rob from Marble Falls, Texas; Steve from Deptford, New Jersey; Dustin from Los Angeles, California; and Anna from Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Thank you all so much!

If you'd like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at https://practicingtheway.org/give.

What does Jesus really teach about money? John Mark unpacks Jesus' radical teaching from Matthew 6 on treasure, generosity, and trust. He challenges the "work more, buy more, repeat" cycle that dominates Western culture and invites us into an alternative way of life marked by simplicity, generosity, and a God-centered vision.

Key Scripture Passages: Matthew 6v19-34; 1 Timothy 6v6-19

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Christine from San Francisco, California; Chelsey from Cedar Park, Texas; Brad from Fort Worth, Texas; Ed from Fort Liberty, North Carolina; and Tara from Orleans, Ontario. Thank you all so much!

If you'd like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.

How do we live focused, purposeful lives in a world of endless opportunities and demands? John Mark explores the power of saying "no" as a spiritual discipline—showing us that Jesus' ability to fulfill His calling wasn't just about what He said yes to, but also about what He said no to. He challenges us to identify our God-given vocation and then ruthlessly eliminate distractions, even good ones, so we can say our deepest "yes" to what truly matters.

Key Scripture Passages: Mark 1v9-38; John 17v4; John 19v28-30

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: James from Wilmington, Delaware; Tommy from Carrollton, Georgia; Lewis from West Palm Beach, Florida; Stephen from Birmingham, Alabama; and Andrew from Bend, Oregon. Thank you all so much!

If you'd like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.

How do we work for the glory of God? John Mark unpacks Paul's vision in 1 Corinthians 10 to "do everything for the glory of God" and applies it to our everyday work, showing how we glorify God not only in what we do, but in how we do it.

Key Scripture Passages: 1 Corinthians 10v25-31; Romans 1; Proverbs 22v29; Daniel 1

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Caleb from Fort Mill, South Carolina; Michael from Peyton, Colorado; Aaron from Redding, California; Diane from Bend, Oregon; and Josh from Buford, Georgia. Thank you all so much!

If you'd like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.

What does it mean to be a culture-maker? John Mark explores the cultural mandate from Genesis and argues that God commands all human beings to make culture—both corporately by building civilization and individually by discovering our unique vocations. He walks through eight practical questions to help us discern our God-given identities and callings.

Key Scripture Passages: Genesis 1:26-28; Acts 9:1-16; Psalm 33:15

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Jeanne from Greenwood, South Carolina; Kelcey from Twinsburg, Ohio; Daniel from Charlotte, North Carolina; Travis from London, Kentucky; and Zachary from Salt Lake City, Utah. Thank you all so much!

If you'd like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.