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A Prayer to Release Expectations

Discipling our kids rarely goes as planned, right? In today's episode, Nicolet Bell reminds us that parenting is a roller coaster, but God calls us to keep His Word central in family life and trust Him to work in the hearts of our children.Deuteronomy 6 reminds us that the Word of God should be woven into the everyday rhythms of our homes, even as our kids squirm, giggle, or pout. What matters most is that we are faithfully pointing them to Scripture.

Reference: Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Prayer: Father, remind us of the importance of impressing your word on our children. Help us to remember and talk about your word as a part of our daily rythmns and routines. Help us to be intentional in pointing our children to you. Help us to release our expectations of what this time will look like, putting our attention and focus on you alone. Give our children a hunger for your word. In Jesus' name, Amen.

LINKS:

How to Pray God's Word For Your Children Guide

Connect with Nicolet Bell 

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.

Step Five of the 12 Steps invites us to admit to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

This may be one of the hardest invitations of the journey. It’s tempting to think: Can’t I just admit my sins to God? Isn’t that enough? But Scripture reminds us that healing happens in community.

James 5:16 says: “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

And Proverbs 28:13 tells us: “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”

Confession isn’t about punishment — it’s about grace. And there is something deeply healing that happens when we bring our hidden struggles into the light with the witness of another person who can remind us of God’s mercy.

In today’s meditation, we’ll step into the story of the prodigal son from Luke 15:17–24. We’ll imagine what it feels like to come home after making a wreck of our lives, and to be embraced by a Father who runs toward us with compassion and joy.

This meditation is an invitation to pause with God and ask:

• What am I keeping hidden?
• What holds me back from confession?
• Who might be a trustworthy person I can talk with?

Most of all, it’s a reminder that God already knows the whole story — and He is eager to meet us with mercy. When we finally come home, we discover grace waiting for us.

Take a deep breath, settle in, and let’s step into this meditation together.

Helpful Links:
Download your FREE Rooted and Grounded: Scripture Meditations for Every Step of the Journey companion journal here.
This journal includes:
• All the Scriptures for this series
• Weekly reflection prompts
• Space to record what God is revealing to you

Here are some additional helpful links:

You can find out more about me, Jodie, at http://www.jodieniznik.com/

Follow me on Instagram @jodieniznik

Follow me on Facebook @JodieGNiznik

Learn more about Scripture meditation and download a FREE Guided Scripture Meditation Journal here.

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Meditation Scripture: Luke 15:17–24 (NLT)

17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’

20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’

22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was

For many of us, faith has been shaped by pressure to perform and produce. But in John 15, Jesus gives us another way: abiding in the True Vine. In this episode, Gem Fadling sits down with artist and author Bette Dickinson to explore how God as the loving Vinedresser leads us not toward exhaustion, but toward flourishing.

If you’ve felt weighed down by striving or longed for a slower, more organic spirituality, this conversation will help you rediscover a rooted, fruitful faith.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why God’s primary concern isn’t productivity but flourishing

• The difference between an industrial approach to faith and an organic one

• How natural seasons reflect Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection

• The meaning of abiding as our place of belonging and identity in Christ

• How to trust fruit will emerge over time without forced busyness

Resources & References Mentioned:

• The Art of Vinemaking: Flourishing in a Productivity-Driven Culture

• Making Room in Advent by Bette Dickinson

• John 15: The Vine and the Branches

About Today’s Guest – Bette Dickinson
Bette Dickinson is a prophetic artist, author, and contemplative guide. Through her writing, artwork, and teaching, she invites others to encounter God’s presence in embodied and imaginative ways. She is the author of The Art of Vinemaking and  Making Room in Advent: 25 Devotions for a Season of Wonder.

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Connect with Gem on Instagram and learn more on the Unhurried Living website and her new book, Hold That Thought: Sorting Through the Voices in Our Heads

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If you’ve ever wondered why certain patterns keep repeating, or how to stop passing pain down the line, this conversation is for you.

This week we’re joined by Gina Birkemeier, LPC—licensed professional counselor, international speaker, and award-winning author of Generations Deep: Unmasking Inherited Dysfunction and Trauma to Rewrite Our Stories Through Faith and Therapy. 

Gina specializes in generational trauma and the intersection of faith and psychology, bringing nearly two decades of clinical work (and her own story) to help people rewrite their narratives through the lens of faith, science, and hope.

What you’ll learn in this episode

• Invisible scripts & attachment: How early patterns (spoken and unspoken) shape identity, coping, and relationships—and how to name them.
• Curiosity over combat: Why shouting Bible verses at intrusive thoughts often backfires, and how to pull weeds (roots) before planting truth.
• After year one AF: Why sobriety can get harder once the behavior changes—because now you’re facing the drivers beneath the drinking.
• Epigenetics ≠ destiny: Family history creates predisposition, not a prison. What rewiring looks like physiologically and spiritually.
• Repair with kids: How to apologize well, reopen connection, and invite ongoing feedback without sliding into shame.
• Inner-child work with Jesus: Meeting unmet needs with compassion when parents couldn’t—or can’t—do the repair.
• Faith + therapy together: How Scripture and nervous-system wisdom align (“be transformed by the renewing of your mind”).

Resources & Links:

Gina’s Book: Generations Deep: Unmasking Inherited Dysfunction and Trauma to Rewrite Our Stories Through Faith and Therapy. 

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Instagram: @butjesusdrankwine We’re on YouTube too—come hang out!The creators, hosts, and producers of the But Jesus Drank Wine podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, psychological or professional advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any communication on behalf of BJDW or otherwise to be a substitute for such. Additionally, the views and opinions expressed in any mention of and/or linked resources are those of the authors/owners of those resources and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the But Jesus Drank Wine podcast team or guests of the show.

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Tragedies can be sudden, shocking, and heartbreaking—but they also remind us of life’s eternal reality. In Why Tragedies Lead Us to Eternity, Lynette Kittle reflects on 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 and explores how witnessing or experiencing loss can point us to the hope we have in Christ. Listeners will be encouraged to consider their eternal destination, understand the gift of salvation, and trust that Jesus has conquered death, offering everlasting life to all who believe. This episode is essential for anyone seeking clarity, comfort, and assurance in the face of life’s fragility.

✨ Highlights

• 2 Corinthians 2:15-16: Christians are the aroma of Christ to the saved and unsaved

• 1 Thessalonians 4:13: Comfort for those grieving with hope in Christ

• Hebrews 2:9: Jesus’ death and resurrection bring eternal life to believers

• Eternal choices: Daniel 12:2 and Matthew 25:46 explain the reality of judgment

• The futility of trying to cheat death vs. the promise of resurrection through Jesus

• John 5:24, John 8:51, John 11:25-26: Belief in Christ ensures victory over death

• Reflection: Do you know where you will spend eternity?

Join the Conversation

Have you considered how sudden tragedies point to the hope we have in Jesus? How does trusting Him change the way you live today? Share your reflections with the LifeAudio community! Tag @LifeAudioNetwork and use #EternalLife #TrustInJesus #ChristianHope #SalvationInChrist to encourage others to embrace the gift of eternal life.

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Full Transcript Below:

Why Tragedies Lead Us to Eternity 

By Lynette Kittle

 “For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?”--2 Corinthians 2:15-16 

Our nation has witnessed some horrific tragedies including fiery plane crashes, destructive fires, devastating floods, explosive tornadoes, and more.

In all of these, we’ve witnessed individuals’ lives end in an instant, with no prior warning, leaving this world in a moment’s notice and headed for eternity.

Christians whose loved ones pass away have the hope of seeing them again, in eternity. But to those who don’t believe and haven’t accepted Christ as their

«Les he dado tu Palabra, y el mundo los odia, porque ellos no pertenecen al mundo, así como yo tampoco pertenezco al mundo. No te pido que los quites del mundo, sino que los protejas del maligno». Juan 17: 14-15

Escrito por Luciano Goicochea

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The book of Revelation can feel intimidating, filled with vivid images, heavenly visions, and prophetic words. Yet at its heart, it is a letter from Jesus to His church. Revelation 2:12–29 records two of His messages, one to the church in Pergamum and one to the church in Thyatira. Both communities of believers faced tremendous pressure to compromise their faith. Some were tempted by false teaching, others seduced by cultural practices, and many felt the daily weariness of living faithfully in a hostile world.

But in verse 25, Jesus gives a simple and powerful exhortation:

“Only hold fast what you have until I come.”

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

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Work doesn’t always look or feel the way we imagined. Sometimes, the job we prayed for ends up feeling draining, and we struggle to find joy in our daily tasks. Yet, as our daily prayer and devotional on Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us, our work is not about our comfort—it’s about trusting God with the assignment He’s given us.

When we shift our focus from ourselves to God’s purpose, even the most ordinary or frustrating responsibilities can become opportunities to glorify Him. Our workplace becomes a mission field, where conversations, attitudes, and actions can shine Christ’s light into the lives of coworkers and clients.

The key is to acknowledge God in all our ways—to invite Him into our tasks, our meetings, and even our frustrations. As we lean on Him instead of our own understanding, He gives us peace, perspective, and joy to serve faithfully each day.

Today's Bible Reading:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." – Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

Key Takeaways

• God places us in our workplaces for a greater purpose.

• Our jobs become a mission field when we focus on serving Him first.

• Choosing joy and gratitude can transform frustration into fruitful ministry.

• Trusting God with our workday aligns us with His greater plan.

Let’s Pray Together

Lord, thank You for my job and the opportunities it provides. Help me see my workplace as a mission field and my tasks as ways to glorify You. Guard me from complaining or discouragement, and instead fill me with Your peace, focus, and joy. Use me today to shine Your light to those around me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Related Resources & Articles

• 5 Ways to Keep God at the Center of Your Workday – Crosswalk.com

• How to Find Joy in Everyday Work – Christianity.com

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.

.

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.

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.