When was the last time you were disappointed? In our world, it's easy to put our hope in things that fail us. In contrast to the disillusionment of the world, John Mark talks about the Advent hope of Jesus's birth and second coming, showing us how putting our hope in that reality is the only hope that will never disappoint.

Key Scripture Passages: Luke 1v16-38; Luke 24v13-27

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Pat from Modesto, California; John from Minneapolis, Minnesota; Scott from Waco, Texas; Nick from Laguna Niguel, California; and Tahisha from Arlington, Virginia. Thank you all so much!

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Are you happy? Many of us aren't. Yet Martin Luther once said "a Christian should be happy." And Rick Howe argued that "the pursuit of joy is a moral obligation." In a world filled with sorrow and grief, John Mark shows us how the coming of Jesus gives us a path to pursue joy and how we can hold it in tandem with the pain of our lives.

Key Scripture Passages: Luke 2v1-20

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Autumn from Austin, Texas; Joshua from Shreveport, Louisiana; Hollie from Meridian, Idaho; Derrick from Portland, Oregon; and Cadyn from Sachse, Texas. Thank you all so much!

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How do we pray when we run out of words? John Mark talks about the practice of contemplative prayer and it's importance in our spiritual formation. He concludes with three primary obstacles to this form of prayer, offering ideas on how to move past these and embrace the depth of this path to life with God.

Key Scripture Passages: 2 Corinthians 3v7-18

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Shirley from Carnegie, Pennsylvania; Trish from Houston, Texas; Keith from Flowood, Mississippi; Chris from St. Louis Park, Minnesota; and Trevor from Damascus, Oregon. Thank you all so much!

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"Learning to hear God's voice is the single most important task of a disciple of Jesus."

John Mark talks about listening to God, exploring both they why and the how behind it. He challenges us to posture ourselves in surrender and obedience as we lean into a relationship with our creator.

Key Scripture Passages: John 10v1-10; Deuteronomy 6v4-5; Matthew 28v19-20

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Jo-Dee from Cookeville, Tennessee; Dustin from Portland, Oregon; Beth from Lake Zurich, Illinois; Thomas from Soldotna, Arkansas; and Kevin from Lexington, Kentucky. Thank you all so much!

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There comes a moment in our prayer lives when we want to pray our own words to God. John Mark shows us how the ancient practices of gratitude, lament, petition, and intercession help us find words to place our lives before God in love.

Key Scripture Passage: Luke 11v1-13

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Emily from Bakersfield, California; Evan from Woodland Park, Colorado; Callie Jane from Colorado Springs, Colorado; Lana from Kernersville, North Carolina; and A.J. from Newburgh, Indiana. 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 pray in a world full of smartphones? John Mark dives into Luke 11 and how Jesus taught his disciples to pray, showing how this prayer orients us to the character of God and how other pre-written prayers can help us grow in our walk with God.

Key Scripture Passage: Luke 11v1-4

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 Avondale, Arizona; Timothy from Toronto, Ontario; Tyler from Grayson, Kentucky; Jacob from Fig Tree Pocket, Queensland; and Maddie from Indianapolis, Indiana. Thank you all so much!

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Do you ever feel stuck? John Mark speaks to the difference between our role and God's role in our formation journey, inviting us to embrace God's leading by letting go of attachments. He argues that surrender to God's work is a way to go beyond the surface level of our spiritual journey.

Key Scripture Passage: John 21v18-19

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Tiffani from Oak Park, Illinois; Alex from Springfield, Missouri; City Life Church in Lansing, Michigan; Kay from Glendale, California; and Simon from Zürich, Switzerland.Thank you all so much!

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What do you do when everything falls apart? John Mark talks about overcoming fear in our lives, laying out a three-part journey of growing in faith, where we find deep peace and trust that transcends our circumstances.

Key Scripture Passage: Mark 9v14-29

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Kevin from New Richmond, Wisconsin; Nathan from Social Circle, Georgia; Mike from Nashville, Tennessee; Barb from Richardson, Texas; and Clay from Marietta, Georgia. Thank you all so much!

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What gives you hope for the future? John Mark contrasts the negative news cycle of our age with the good news of Jesus: that he's overcome death and is returning that we might walk in his resurrection.

Key Scripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 15v1-28

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Eric from Lake Zurich, Illinois; Matt from Conway, Arkansas; Zodwa from Spring, Texas; Annie from McKinney, Texas; and Steven from New York, New York. Thank you all so much!

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How would you work differently if you believed your work was essential to your apprenticeship to Jesus? John Mark argues that a subtle religion emerging in our culture is 'work-ism,' where work becomes the primary system of meaning and identity in our lives. In contrast, he proposes the practice of vocation - 're-weaving glory' by doing everything unto the Lord.

Key Scripture Passages: Genesis 1v26-29, 2v8-15

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Paytron from Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Chantelle from Lincoln, Nebraska; Alex from Bloomington, Minnesota; Lovina from Sarasota, Florida; and Marcus from Nashville, Tennessee. 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.