LifeAudio

A Prayer to Extend Kindness

Have you ever thought of the difference between being nice and living out true kindness rooted in Christ. Niceness leaves a good impression, but kindness leaves a lasting impact.In today's episode with Doris Swift, we are reminded that while our prayers may be imperfect, God uses them to shape us first and to display His mercy and kindness through us.

Reference: Ephesians 2:7

Prayer: Father, thank you for your loving kindness toward us. Open our eyes to the needs of those around us so that we might extend kindness, show love, and share the message of hope in Christ with the world. In Jesus' name, amen.

LINKS:

How to Pray God's Word For Your Children Guide

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Romanos 8 nos recuerda: «Nada podrá separarnos del amor de Dios que es en Cristo Jesús». Ni la guerra, ni las dudas ni siquiera nuestros propios errores. Hoy, Él también te está buscando, incluso si ya no crees o no sabes orar, ni creer. Y si te animas a volver, descubrirás que el amor de Dios no se rinde y que nunca se fue.

Escrito por Mercy Cosme

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Have you ever looked back and felt the sting of a missed opportunity? In Missed Opportunities and Growth, Vivian Bricker reflects on Ephesians 5:15-17 and reminds us that while fear can cause us to step back from God-given opportunities, His grace still leads us to growth. Even when we stumble, God redeems our regrets and uses them to strengthen our walk with Him.

Highlights

• Ephesians 5:15-17 calls us to live wisely and make the most of every opportunity.

• Fear often blocks us from stepping into new seasons of growth.

• Missed opportunities can lead to regret—but also reflection and transformation.

• God provides continual chances to grow in wisdom, courage, and faith.

• Learning from setbacks prepares us for future opportunities aligned with His will.

Join the Conversation

Have you missed an opportunity God placed in your path? How did He use that moment to help you grow? Share your story and encourage others to walk in wisdom and courage. Tag @LifeAudioNetwork and use #FaithAndOpportunities #GodRedeemsRegret #WalkInWisdom to join the conversation.

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Check out other Crosswalk Podcasts: Crosswalk Talk: Celebrity Christian Interviews

Full Transcript Below:

Missed Opportunities and Growth

By Vivian Bricker

Bible Reading:

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is” (Ephesians 5:15-17). 

Typically, we only think of growth and change during the year's beginning or end. However, there can be opportunities for growth throughout the year. Most of these opportunities are given to us by the Lord. He is always giving us opportunities to try new things, meet new people, and grow in our walk with Him. As Christ followers, we need to make sure we are taking advantage of these opportunities and not wasting them.

Most of us turn away from opportunities due to fear. Fear blocks our path and causes us to steer away from something new. I have seen this in my life, and you might have seen it in yours as well. Maybe God placed an opportunity for a new job, a new friend, or a new connection group at church. However, you walked away due to fear in your heart.

Rather than using these opportunities to grow, we run away. This is entirely normal, but we must fight against it as much as possible. I have wasted many opportunities for growth in the Lord because I was afraid. Fear of rejection or not being good enough polluted my mind, so I turned these opportunities down. I feel a lot of regret over missing out on these opportunities, and one in particular sticks with me still. I was supposed to go on my second mission internship during my master’s degree, yet my opportunity was

*This episode contains content that may be triggering for some listeners.

This week, we’ll hear from Jenny Marrs, an author, designer, and passionate advocate for community transformation, family preservation, and orphan care worldwide, who hosts the HGTV show Fixer to Fabulous with her husband, Dave. Jenny shares the path that led her to the business she is in today, and the challenges of leaving all that you know to embrace the unknown.

Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Struggle Jennings, an independent music artist, father of seven, and prison ministry leader. Struggle shares how growing up in a famous musical family didn’t shield him from tragedy and poor choices, but how God used even the hardest seasons, including prison, to rebuild his life. 

Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:

Jesus Calling Podcast

Jesus Calling

Jesus Always

Jesus Listens

Past interview: Patricia Heaton

Upcoming interview: Dan and Sam Mathews

Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season 

Jenny Marrs

Fixer to Fabulous 

University of Central Florida

www.jennymarrs.com

Trust God, Love People: Stories of My Openhanded Faith

Struggle Jennings

Send Musicians to Prison

Waylon Jennings 

Jessi Colter

www.strugglejennings.com

Interview Quotes:

“We’re not meant to do life alone. In [a difficult] season, [my husband and I] needed to lean on each other and on God and get through it, and we realized we actually needed to let people in.” - Jenny Marrs

"[God] works through us; He works through our inadequacies, and often when we don't want to do it, He can—even if we think there's no way." - Jenny Marrs

"Identifying and spotting God's hand in all of it–the mundane, the hard, the beautiful, the mountain tops—all of those different experiences—we can spot His hand in that." - Jenny Marrs

"I want my kids to be able to look back at the faithfulness of God in their lives that they didn't even know about before they were born and have that moving forward." - Jenny Marrs

“I was introduced at an early age to both sides of the tracks—seeing Waylon with the security guards and the Cadillac and the Jaguar and the big house and [being a] successful country music icon. And then going back to my dad’s side of the family that lived in West Nashville who worked nine to fives and lived right at that poverty line.” - Struggle Jennings

“I was caught up in

Please visit https://www.biblestudyheadquarters.com/ for more tools and resources to help you grow in faith.

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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].

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Nighttime can stir up unease. As our daily prayer and devotional remind us, when the world quiets down, our minds can fill with fears and worries that daylight had kept at bay. In Psalm 91, the writer paints a vivid picture of God’s protective care—His wings stretched wide, sheltering His children in a place of warmth and safety. It’s a comforting image for anyone who lies awake, anxious about what might come.

Amanda Idleman reminds us that we can rest securely beneath those wings. God’s faithfulness is not fragile or fleeting; it’s our shield and rampart, our steady defense when darkness falls. His promise is clear—He sends His angels to guard us, He hears our cries for help, and He delivers us from fear and danger.

Amanda shares from her own story of witnessing God’s protection and redemption in her family’s life. Through foster care and adoption, she has seen how God covers His children—restoring what was broken, protecting the vulnerable, and bringing light into the darkest places. That same care and covering are available to all who call on His name.

When the night feels heavy, and fears start to whisper, remember that God’s light is greater than any darkness. He never leaves, never sleeps, and never abandons His people. You are safe beneath His wings.

Today's Bible Reading: 

"He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." – Psalm 91:4

Key Takeaways

• God’s protection is constant—He covers us with His wings and surrounds us with His angels (Psalm 91).

• His faithfulness is our shield and peace in the darkest hours.

• When we feel fear rise at night, we can declare His promises and rest in His presence.

• The same God who redeems broken stories guards your heart and home.

Let’s Pray Together

God, thank You for being my protector and refuge. When night falls and my thoughts turn anxious, remind me that I am safe under Your wings. Calm my heart and fill my home with Your peace. Let Your faithfulness be my shield, and Your angels stand guard around me and my loved ones. Thank You that darkness never has the final word—You are my light and salvation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Related Resources

• How to Pray Psalm 91 Over Your Family – Crosswalk.com

• What Does It Mean That God Covers Us with His Wings? – BibleStudyTools.com

• Listen to Your Daily Prayer for daily encouragement and peace through Scripture.

Please visit https://www.biblestudyheadquarters.com/ for more tools and resources to help you grow in faith.

.

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.

Unmet expectations can cut deep—sometimes deeper than we realize. As our nightly prayer and devotional remind us, maybe it was something small, like being forgotten on your birthday, or something life-altering, like a loved one who abandoned you or a dream that never came to pass. When what we hoped for doesn’t happen, the disappointment can quietly turn into bitterness, anger, or regret.

Isaiah 43:18 reminds us that God calls us not to dwell on the past. He isn’t asking us to pretend that our pain doesn’t exist—He’s inviting us to release our grip on it so He can redeem it. Holding tightly to the past only keeps us trapped there. God’s plan is to free us from the weight of unmet expectations so that we can step into the future He’s preparing.

When we dwell on what didn’t happen, we rob ourselves of the joy of what can happen. The enemy wants us stuck in a loop of replaying hurts and what-ifs, but God offers restoration and hope. He promises to redeem even the hardest stories, turning them into testimonies of His goodness.

If your heart still aches from what didn’t happen—the relationship that failed, the job that fell through, the dream that didn’t materialize—hand it over to Him tonight. Trust that He hasn’t wasted a single moment of your story. What’s behind you doesn’t define you; what God is doing ahead of you does.

Tonight’s Scripture: Isaiah 43:18

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.”
Read more on BibleStudyTools.com

Your Nightly Prayer

Heavenly Father,
I bring You my disappointment and pain. You know the things that didn’t happen—the dreams that died, the expectations that went unmet, the people who let me down. I confess that I’ve held onto them, sometimes out of fear and sometimes out of hurt. Tonight, I release them into Your hands. Help me stop dwelling on the past and look forward to Your promises for the future. Restore what has been broken. Redeem what feels lost. Heal the places where bitterness has taken root, and replace it with peace, hope, and faith in Your perfect plan.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Three Things to Meditate Upon

1. What is one event in your life that didn’t happen the way you hoped—and how might God be using it for your good today?

2. How can you view unmet expectations through the lens of God’s forgiveness and redemption?

3. What has God promised for your future that you can cling to instead of focusing on past disappointments?

Calls to Action

• Share this devotion with someone struggling to move on from disappointment.

• Take a moment to write down one thing you’re releasing to God tonight—and thank Him for redeeming it in advance.

“Once I started drinking, I didn’t want to stop until something made me.”

That’s how Stephanie Ziebell describes the grip alcohol had on her life. Stephanie got sober in Wisconsin—the capital of drinking culture. The place where not having alcohol at your wedding is like not having a bride. But as she shares, even in the middle of a state built on beer, Jesus met her in the mess and gave her freedom she couldn’t find through willpower alone.

In this episode, Stephanie opens up about her journey from college party girl to high-powered attorney, from “just wine” to 3 a.m. panic attacks and text messages to her boss that said, “I’m an alcoholic and I need help.” She talks about trying to hold everything together—career, marriage, motherhood—while secretly unraveling, and how God used a boss’s compassion, a pastor’s prayer, and Celebrate Recovery to bring her home.

This is a story for anyone who’s tried to dress up sin as "self care," negotiate with themselves over their drinking, or white-knuckle their way through life. And especially those who hit rock bottom, only to find it kept going deeper. 

We explore:

—Why Wisconsin’s drinking culture is unlike anywhere else
—How “sophisticated wine drinking” became the new disguise for addiction
—What it’s like to hit multiple rock bottoms before real change
—Why 3 a.m. panic attacks can become divine wake-up calls
—The difference between knowing and admitting you have a problem
—How shame keeps us stuck and grace sets us free
—What it looks like when a boss and a pastor respond with compassion, not condemnation
—How Celebrate Recovery and Scripture changed Stephanie’s mindset
—Why grace—not guilt—is the most powerful motivator for healing
—What life looks like now on the other side of surrender

Follow Stephanie: @radiantinbattle

Get Stephanie's sobriety guides here.

Follow Jon: @jonseidl

Order the new book, Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic: www.christianalcoholic.com.

Watch this episode and get daily motivation: www.theveritasdaily.com

Support the Show: https://www.jonseidl.com/

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Today’s Bible Verse:
"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ." — Ephesians 4:15

Ephesians 4:15 reminds us that truth and love are never meant to be separated. Truth without love can wound, and love without truth can mislead. But when we speak truth in love, we reflect Christ and grow into spiritual maturity as His body.

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Meet Today’s Host: Carol Ogle McCracken

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

Carol Ogle McCracken is a dynamic Christian speaker, author, and Bible teacher known for her warmth, humor, and transparency. She brings biblical truths to life through real-world stories and relatable experiences—whether navigating alcohol recovery, parenting a child with special needs, or walking through divorce.

Today, she serves as Minister of Discipleship at her local church and shares God’s Word through women's retreats, conferences, and online devotionals. Her book, Wisdom: Where to Find It if You’ve Lost, Forgotten, or Never Had It, was released in 2020 and continues to encourage readers in their pursuit of godly wisdom.

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