Stepping into a new season of life can feel overwhelming, uncertain, and even intimidating—but Jeremiah 1:4-8 reminds us that God calls and equips us long before we feel ready. When you're entering a season of change, it’s easy to focus on your limitations, asking “Am I enough?” or “Do I have what it takes?” Yet God’s response is clear: don’t let your “I’m only…” define you—His calling is greater than your doubts.

Growth rarely comes with a clear roadmap. Instead of giving us all the answers upfront, God invites us to trust Him one step at a time. Whether you're graduating, starting something new, or simply navigating an unexpected transition, your role isn’t to have everything figured out—it’s to be available and obedient where you are. As you release control and surrender your plans, you’ll begin to see that God’s purpose unfolds in the process, not all at once.

Highlights

• Seasons of change often bring both excitement and fear
• Feeling unqualified is normal—but not a disqualifier
• God calls you before you feel ready or capable
• Your “I’m only…” mindset can limit what God wants to do through you
• You don’t need the full plan—just the next step of obedience
• God equips you with everything needed for your calling
• Trusting God’s timing leads to clarity and growth

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Full Transcript Below:

When You’re Entering a Season of Change

By Hannah Benson

Bible Reading:
“Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.’ Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.’ But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord’” (Jeremiah 1:4-8 ESV).

I remember when I graduated from high school.

I was homeschooled my entire life, so when it was time for me to graduate, we joined a bunch of other homeschooling families and their high school seniors so we could walk across the stage and receive our diplomas from our parents.

I don’t know how to describe that moment.

I was leaving my childhood behind. Stepping into adulthood.

And yet, on the other hand, almost nothing would change.

Instead of going to college

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There is nothing quite like the ache of a relationship that has grown distant — that quiet, unsettled feeling in your spirit that something isn't right between you and God. It can happen gradually, almost without noticing. An unconfessed sin, a bitterness we've held onto, a habit that has slowly taken the place where He used to be. And yet, for all the ways we can drift, the distance between us and God is never as far as it feels. He is always ready to hear from us. We are only ever a prayer away.

1 John 1:9 holds one of the most tender promises in all of Scripture: if we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Not some of it. All of it. Jesus is our Advocate — and every time we come before the Father with a repentant heart, He reminds Heaven that our debt has already been paid in full. We don't have to carry the weight of what we've done or what we've left undone. We don't have to remain in the condition we're in. Today is an invitation to come back — to lay it all down, to start fresh, and to trust in the mercy of a God who is not only willing to forgive, but eager to restore the fellowship you once shared with Him. Don't wait. Make things right with God today.

Today's Bible Verse

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." — 1 John 1:9

Ponder Today

1. Drifting from God rarely happens all at once — unforgiveness, bitterness, sin, and distraction can each quietly erode our fellowship with Him if left unaddressed.
2. Confession is not about earning our way back to God — it is about returning to a Father who has been waiting for us, ready to forgive and restore the moment we turn to Him.
3. Jesus is our Advocate before the Father — every time we confess and repent, He reminds Heaven that our debt has been paid in full through His sacrifice on the cross.
4. A heart that remains soft and pliable before God is one of the greatest gifts we can cultivate — never let it harden to the point where repentance feels unnecessary.
5. We don't know when we will take our last breath — living with an attitude of daily prayer and repentance keeps us in right standing with God and ready for eternity.

Today's Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Son Jesus, who died on the cross for my sins and stands as my Advocate before You. I am so grateful that I can come to You when I fall short and cast every burden at Your feet. Lord, there are things in my life that have been hindering my relationship with You. I ask You to forgive me of all my sins, faults, and habits — cleanse me and make me white as snow. I commit myself afresh to Your will for my life, and I receive Your forgiveness with a grateful heart. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Enjoy Today's Prayer?

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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.

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John can't find the remote until he finds his glasses and defends his love of McDonald's. Meanwhile, Jonnie feels old after a conversation with a young comedian and tells the story of the time Winnie the Pooh went on trial for assault in the 80’s.

Plus, a conversation about the late great author and theologian Brennan Manning and what it means to be a "Ragamuffin.” 

Today's episode is NOT sponsored by Black Licorice: "For people who love candy, but hate themselves.”

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This episode is part 3 in a study of the book of Exodus. Moses has some reasons why God should find someone else for this job, but when God won't listen to them, he returns to Egypt.

https://thebiblestudypodcast.com/exodus-4-signs-and-excuses/

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Episode Summary:

Homelessness is often viewed only through the lens of what we see on the surface—tents on sidewalks, individuals holding signs, or people who seem lost in the crowd. Yet behind every face is a story marked by trauma, loss, survival, and a longing for dignity. Today we are pulling back the curtain to look deeper into the emotional, psychological, and spiritual factors that contribute to homelessness, and more importantly, the pathways that lead toward healing, restoration, and lasting hope.

Our guest, Baron King, serves on the front lines, offering trauma-informed care, emotional support, and compassionate advocacy to individuals fighting their way out of crisis. You’ll hear what truly makes a difference, how healing begins, and how we can each play a role in restoring hope to those who feel forgotten. Whether you’ve experienced instability yourself or want to better understand how to support those who do, this conversation will open your heart and strengthen your faith in the God who sees, knows, and redeems every story.

Quotables from the episode:

• Too often, homelessness is reduced to statistics, stereotypes, or oversimplified assumptions about personal choices. But for many individuals, homelessness is the culmination of unhealed trauma, mental health challenges, broken systems, and overwhelming life circumstances.
• Yet, every face is a story, sometimes marked by trauma, loss, survival, even a longing for dignity.
• To every complex problem, there's a simple answer and it's always wrong.
• It's rare that somebody presents themselves to our agency and the only reason that they are unsheltered or homeless is because of lack of housing.
• Perhaps they have physical or psychological disabilities or challenges.  Perhaps they're a caregiver of somebody that's dependent and they lack some of these social safety nets that other people have and they don't have.  So, it's usually very multifactorial.
• But I would propose that if any of us were unsheltered for 6, 8, 12 months, that we would be demonstrating signs and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and despondency.
• What I've realized is they can't sleep at night, and they come into our facility because they won't get assaulted and they can get sleep.
• I think one of the things that people really struggle with, and I think that most people probably wouldn't realize this, is a loss of identity.
• You know, dignity is the first thing people lose when they become homeless.
• No one, no one chooses to be unsheltered.  No one chooses to be homeless. 

Scripture References:

• Isaiah 58:10 “If you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.”
• Proverbs 19:17 “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.”

Recommended Resources:

• Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson
• The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson
• Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises from God to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson
• Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson
• Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide
• Free

Is mental health just "all in your head," or is there something deeper happening within our physical design? In the premiere of this series, Dr. James Spencer sits down with Dr. Ben Mathew, Professor of Counselor Education, to introduce a revolutionary way of looking at well-being: The Three-Legged Stool of Mental Health.

We’re moving past the "quick-fix" culture to explore how our bodies, our stories, and our faith are inextricably linked. If you've ever felt like your spiritual life and your physical struggles were at odds, this episode provides the roadmap to wholeness you’ve been looking for.

In this episode, we tackle:

• The Three-Legged Stool : An introduction to the Embodied, Social, and Existential legs that support human flourishing.

• The "Embodied" Leg : Why we cannot ignore the biological reality of our brains and bodies when discussing faith and psyche.

• A "High View" of Scripture & Science : How to honor the authority of the Bible while embracing the insights of neurobiology and psychology.

• The Problem with "Just Pray More" : Why reducing mental health to a purely spiritual "check-list" can actually hinder true healing.

• Created for Flourishing ✨: Understanding mental health not just as the absence of illness, but as moving toward the "abundant life" God intended.

   

   

Stop viewing your mental health through a single lens. Start understanding how God designed the whole person to function, heal, and thrive.

Listen now to start building a sturdier foundation for your mental well-being!

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To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com.

Stay Connected & Keep Growing!

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In today's episode, we discuss:

• Why we can't lose our salvation after trusting in Jesus
• God swore an oath to us on His own name, and God cannot lie
• Why non-Jewish Christians also share in the promise of Abraham
• Assurance of salvation is an "anchor" for our souls

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Today’s Bible Verse: “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” — Luke 12:7

Luke 12:7 offers a deeply personal reminder of how much God cares. Jesus points to something as small as sparrows—creatures God watches over—and then makes it clear: you are far more valuable. God’s care is not distant or general; it is detailed and intentional, down to the very number of hairs on your head.

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Meet Today’s Host: Reverend Jessica Van Roekel

️ Listen to more daily devotionals with Jessica at Your Daily Bible Verse on LifeAudio

Rev. Jessica Van Roekel is a passionate Christian speaker, author, and worship pastor who shares how God brings beauty from brokenness. Her message centers on God’s power to rescue, restore, and renew, even after seasons of rejection or loss.

She is the author of Reframing Rejection: How Looking Through a Different Lens Changes Everything, a guide to seeing God’s purpose in life’s disappointments.

Jessica and her husband are raising a vibrant family, with two adult daughters, a college-aged son, and a high school daughter. You can explore her teachings, devotionals, and resources at WelcomeGrace.com.

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