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If you enjoy the show and want to buy John a coffee, please click here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnstange

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The "Desire Jesus One Year Devotional" can be found here:  https://amzn.to/41v1DKh

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To email John Stange directly, please send your message to [email protected].

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Please visit https://www.biblestudyheadquarters.com/ for more tools and resources to help you grow in faith.  You can also become a regular supporter of this podcast on the website.

.

If you enjoy the show and want to buy John a coffee, please click here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnstange

.

The "Desire Jesus One Year Devotional" can be found here:  https://amzn.to/41v1DKh

.

To email John Stange directly, please send your message to [email protected].

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

As we step into a new year, this episode invites you to pause and simply thank God—not just for the good things, but for everything. Even the struggles that shape you, strengthen your faith, and draw you closer to Christ. Every day is a new opportunity to see God’s love and faithfulness in your life. Based on 1 Thessalonians 5:18, we’re reminded that gratitude isn’t a feeling—it’s God’s will for us in every circumstance.

Key Takeaways:

• Every day is a fresh opportunity to experience God’s love and faithfulness.

• Gratitude transforms how we see both blessings and challenges.

• God uses struggles to build our faith, character, and compassion.

• Giving thanks in all circumstances aligns us with God’s perfect plan.

• True peace comes when we trust that even the closed doors have purpose.

Scripture Reference:
1 Thessalonians 5:18 – “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Don’t forget: You can also download our free devotional, “Mind, Body & Soul,” designed to help strengthen your walk with God through Scripture, prayer, and practical habits.

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Today’s Bible Verse – Psalm 109:26

 "Help me, Lord my God; save me according to your unfailing love."

In moments of desperation or discouragement, Psalm 109:26 offers a simple yet powerful prayer: “Help me, Lord.” This verse is a raw and honest cry for rescue—not based on our merit, but on God’s unfailing love.

Whether you’re walking through hardship or just feeling overwhelmed, this passage reminds us that God hears, responds, and saves out of His never-ending compassion. He is faithful in every season, and His love never runs out.

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Meet Today’s Host: Joy A. Williams

Listen to more episodes with Joy at Your Daily Bible Verse on LifeAudio

Joy A. Williams is a writer, speaker, and licensed minister who believes her name reflects her calling—to live and share the joy found in Christ. Whether life brings confusion or celebration, she loves helping others discover how every moment can draw them closer to God.

Joy is a contributing writer for the First 5 team at Proverbs 31 Ministries and teaches in both the Women’s Bible Study and Married Couples Ministry at her local church. A devoted wife and mom, she also writes weekly encouragement on her blog, Joy to the Soul.

Subscribe to her latest posts and updates at joyawilliams.com
Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest

Explore Joy’s 7-day Bible reading plans on YouVersion:

• Live Your Joy Story

• When Easy Doesn’t Live Here: Living by Faith When Life Is Hard

Let Scripture shape your heart today—begin with the Bible Verse of the Day on Biblestudytools.com

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Want to memorize more Scripture with your kids this year than ever before? You don’t need a seminary degree, a flawless routine, or a photographic memory—just a melody, a little intention, and a willingness to make God’s Word a part of your family’s everyday life.

In this inspiring “Best Of” New Year’s episode of Christian Parent/Crazy World, Catherine welcomes special guest Zac Fitzsimmons, a gifted singer-songwriter and worship leader whose heart for God’s Word and knack for turning Scripture into unforgettable songs have helped countless families hide God’s Word in their hearts.

What You’ll Discover in This Episode:

• A Simple, Powerful Way to Memorize Scripture: Catherine reveals her family’s surprisingly simple—yet incredibly effective—method for learning Scripture together: setting Bible verses to music. No perfection or superhuman recall required; just sing along as you fold laundry, do dishes, or carpool.
• Meet Zac Fitzsimmons: Psalm Songwriter, Worship Leader, Dad: Guest Zac Fitzsimmons, whose musical talents began at age 15 and blossomed into a life of leading worship and setting entire psalms to melody, shares his journey and explains why full, word-for-word renditions of Scripture make such a powerful educational tool.
• Zac performs live acoustic versions of Psalm 1 and Psalm 8: This incredible artist offers a moving example of how entire chapters can be memorized, meditated upon, and made meaningful through melody.
• The Science & Soul Behind Singing the Bible: Learn why music is a “supersonic power” for memory—moving truths from short-term to long-term storage in the brain. Whether you’re a parent who’s forgotten where you put your phone (again!) or a child learning a new psalm, a good melody makes all the difference.

Tips for Busy, Imperfect Parents

• Take small “bites”—learn Scripture in short, daily repetitions.
• Use sign language or hand motions alongside melody to anchor memorization.
• Leverage idle moments—while driving, during chores, or winding down at bedtime.
• Reframe your expectations: even one verse a month adds up!

Notable Moments & Quotes:

• “If you can remember the theme song to The Beverly Hillbillies, you can remember God’s Word.”
• “Scripture flows deeper through a melody—first into our heads, then into our hearts.”
• The memorable “Jello” method: how repetition turns memory from liquid to solid.

Parents, what’s your first Scripture verse or passage you want to memorize together this year? Share your story and join the movement—because Christian parenting may be crazy, but you don’t have to do it alone.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

You can email Catherine to offer feedback and tell her about your Bible memory plan for the new year at [email protected].

Zac Fitzsimmons Bio: Zac is a Christian singer/songwriter from Minnesota, USA. He has led congregations in musical worship for over twenty years and is most known for his ongoing endeavor of writing music and melodies to the Psalms word for word from the English Standard Version of the Bible. These songs are being discovered by people worldwide as valuable tools for soaking in the scriptures in a new way and aiding in scripture memorization. You can find links to the audio, lyric videos and chord charts at www.psalmsongswordforword.com

You can also find Zac on YouTube and Instagram.

To receive downloads of Zac & Catherine’s live perform of Psalm 8, Zac’s performance of Psalm 1, and all of Ca

Are you carrying worries you’ve learned to shoulder quietly — caring for others while neglecting your own heart?

In this episode, Bonnie shares a formative childhood story about responsibility, invisibility, and the moment God revealed that worries can fade, even as we step into the unknown.

Rooted in Scripture and soul care wisdom, this episode invites you to release anxiety through gentle breath prayer, reconnect with God’s promises, and learn how to calm your body and emotions.

If your heart feels weary or in need of reassurance, this episode offers a peaceful way to breathe in God's love and breathe out your worries this new year.

Key Takeaways

• Why so many women carry hidden worry and emotional overload
• How God’s love becomes light when the path feels uncertain
• Why breath prayer helps calm anxiety and restore emotional balance
• A simple soul care practice to help you release worries and receive peace

Breath Prayer

Inhale: Your word is a lamp to my feet

Exhale: A light on my path

Scripture: “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105 

  → Take the FREE Soul Care Quiz at soulcarequiz.comGet your personal wellness assessment and learn which area of soul care you need most.
 →  Eucalyptus Shower Steamers for instant calm at Bonnie's Soul Care Store

Connect with Bonnie:

Join the Soul Care Newsletter: https://thebonniegray.com/subscribe

Watch Weekly YouTube Devotionals: https://youtube.com/thebonniegray

Bestselling Books by Bonnie: https://amzn.to/3NpVYQd

 Follow Bonnie on Instagram & Facebook: @thebonniegray

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As a new year begins, it can feel like we’re celebrating less because we’re excited—and more because we’re relieved to leave the old year behind. Time isn’t always kind, and life doesn’t always feel fair. But the turning of the calendar doesn’t remove hardship.

What it can do is remind us of something deeper: God’s grace is enough for this year too. We don’t have to enter the new year strong, confident, or fully healed. We only have to enter it willing—willing to surrender, willing to be honest about our weakness, and willing to let God meet us there.

Paul’s life teaches us that God’s grace doesn’t depend on our emotional stability, our perfect attitude, or our ability to handle things well. His grace is rooted in His character, not ours. And the wilderness seasons—like Israel’s—aren’t wasted. God often uses them to strip away false strength so we can learn what real strength is: dependence on Him.

If this new year feels heavy, you don’t have to fight your way into it. You can rest your way into it—resting in the promise that His power is made perfect in weakness.

TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER 

Father,
In this new year, grant me Your grace—not just to survive hardship, but to become someone whose faith is strengthened through it. Your love casts out my fear of both a heavy past and an unknown future.

Help me remain steadfast in Scripture. Shape my heart to pursue Your character. Give me humility to accept accountability from other believers as I stay the course. Thank You for loving me without hesitation, even when I feel fragile, exhausted, or unsure. Thank You for sustaining me no matter what unfolds.

I don’t need to be strong to begin again—I need to be surrendered. Teach me to rest in Your grace instead of striving for control. Let Your sufficiency carry me through every moment of this year.

Amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

1. God doesn’t require strength—He invites surrender.
   True strength begins when I stop striving and let His grace meet me in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:10).

2. The wilderness isn’t wasted.
   Hard seasons can deepen my dependence on God and prepare my heart to recognize His goodness more clearly.

3. Grace is a gift, and weakness isn’t failure.
   God’s favor doesn’t belong only to the flawless—it flows freely to the humble, even when my life feels messy and unfinished.

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Connect with God — on Abide, a Christian meditation app that provides a biblically grounded place to experience peace and progress in your relationship with Christ. Use this biblical meditation, narrated by Tyler Boss, to center yourself on the truth in God's word. Start the New Year right by meditating on Psalm 51:10. Allow the music & nature sounds, deep breathing, prayer, and scripture help you connect with God in a new way. 

For a 30 day free trial of our premium ad-free content, your trusted friend for meditation is right here: https://abide.com/peace

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Sleep better and Stress Less— with Abide, a Christian meditation app that provides a biblically grounded place to experience peace and progress in your relationship with Christ. We hope this biblical sleep meditation, narrated by Tyler Boss, helps your body relax and your mind rest on the truth found in scripture. Take a scenic journey to ancient Israel, explore tranquil streams, and marvel at the wonder and beauty of God’s creation. Journey through the Psalms, rest in the everlasting promises of God’s word, and drink deeply from His well.

For a 30 day free trial of our premium ad-free content, your trusted friend for better sleep is right here: https://abide.com/peace

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A Prayer for When You Feel Alone by Emily Wierienga

What if communion with God doesn’t begin in quiet sanctuaries—but in flour-dusted kitchens and half-finished conversations? In this episode, we’re invited into the sacred ordinary, where God’s deep desire is not productivity or perfection, but presence. From the first words of creation—“Let there be light”—to Jesus’ longing to share a meal with His disciples, Scripture reveals a God who eagerly draws near.

Reference: Luke 10:38–42

Prayer: O Lord, that You would want to eat with me—that You would want to commune with me. That this is the one thing that matters to You, the God of the universe. Make it the one thing that matters to me, Lord. I want to want to commune with You. Forever.

LINKS:

5 Habits of a Praying Mom 

Connect with Emily Wierienga 

Follow Everyday Prayers @MillionPrayingMoms

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Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.