Light In Your Corner

Jesus is Coming Back Soon!

When you hear the words, “Jesus is coming back soon,” or “The King is coming,” what does that do to your heart? How do you feel? Anxious? Excited? Nervous? Relieved? Or is it a combination of emotions?

Or here’s an important question for you: does it make you feel anything at all?

That’s what we are talking about today as we spend some time unpacking a Blurry Creatures podcast episode where they interviewed John Bevere, the author of “The King is Coming; It’s Time to Prepare for the Return of Christ.”

We will discuss what it means to anticipate Jesus’ return and the role the Holy Spirit plays as we wait. We will also talk about nuance and helpful things to keep in mind so we don’t become distracted or sidetracked or discouraged.

Ultimately this topic regards what we all are waiting for: being with Jesus forever. And it’s a good thing to spend time thinking about it. Thanks so much for joining us today as we contemplate the second coming of Jesus!

ALSO:

–When is an ultimatum necessary?

–Maybe just keep your phone charged

–The Holy Spirit meets us in the mundane

–The blessing of distance in relationships 

—Why do I believe I am right?

References:

• Blurry Creatures Ep 410 The Return of the King with John Bevere
• Martin Luther: “A Simple Way to Pray” https://ms.fortresspress.com/downloads/R2R_ASimpleWaytoPray.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3qdGttgX-Y7gCOvqEEXAZqhbhoUuHrShLgb7JjRDbi4zheWPq4BLkP71I
• Revelation 2:1-7
• Matthew 25
• Matthew 24:36
• Matthew 10:26-31
• John 14-16; John 15:25-27
• Josiah Queen and Forrest Frank: “Jesus is Coming Back Soon”
• The Minimalists: Episode 532 “Love Life”
• Ben Stuart: “Single, Dating, Engaged, Married”
• Skit Guys: “True Love Waits”

Send Me: Loving the World Outside Your Door

Hi, friends! Today we are taking our conversation one ring wider–talking about the relationships believers have with the world outside their families and churches. We talk about how relationships inside the home impact interactions in the world, and how the church in general is called to look outward and notice where it can serve those who do not yet know the love of Jesus.

So where has God put you? What relationships has God given you? You have a vocation, a unique role and responsibility that loves and serves your neighbor because God wants to love and serve your neighbor through you. Sometimes that looks like mercy, cooking, a coffee date, a ride to the store, or even just a moment to sit and listen. Other times that means confronting a sin or walking through a heartbreaking trial.

In all circumstances, God has called us to join Him as He ministers to people through us. When it is easy, He is there. When it is hard, He is there. It can be overwhelming, but we who are in Christ never have to fear being left to our own devices. His invitation to participate in the world is an invitation to experience just a taste of the immense love He has for all mankind. It is His gift to us. 

ALSO:

–When and ways to pray

–Monica doesn’t let Bonhoeffer boss her around

–Treating people without flippancy

–What vocation really means

–The benefits of friction

–Keeping politics in its proper place

–Notice, Ask, Act

References:

–John 9:1-12

–Ephesians 6:10-13

–2 Corinthians 5:16-21

–“Life Together” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

–“A Simple Way to Pray” by Martin Luther

–Blurry Creatures podcast

–Live Free Podcast 

–“Tactics” by Greg Koukl

–Mere Christians podcast

–”The Weight of Glory” by C.S. Lewis

#HolySpirit #evangelism #vocation #prayer #Jesus #GodtheFather

An Exercise in Being the Church

(*Sorry everyone for the new puppy (Rosie) interruptions and chewing noises I couldn't edit out.*)

When you hear the word “church” what comes to mind? A building? A room? A person? A job? An activity? A childhood memory? A feeling?

When the Bible mentions church, it uses the image of a bride made holy, and wholly enjoyed by the bridegroom. Or a body where each member is cared for, loved, and free to serve its fellow members. 

It is a community where sorrows, frustrations and joys are shared. Where needs are met and forgiveness is extended. It is not solely committed to the comforts of its parishioners, but it is a training ground for our daily walks with God in a world that can wear us down. 

It’s a hospital, a war room, a kitchen table and so much more. 

Church is a blessing to the world and itself, and it even blesses God. We stand as ambassadors of Christ, pushing back darkness and carrying God’s light into dark places. 

So what does that look like in your corner of the world? And why do so many local churches settle for less?  So glad you asked. We will be talking about that today!

ALSO:

—Decent reads for road trips

—Praying in your favorite place (even if it’s only in your mind)

—Personal Trainers v. Physical Therapists

—What to look for in a church

—How football games look a lot like churches

—When the answer to your prayer is “Soon”

References:

—Ephesians 4 and 5

—“The Correspondent” by Virginia Evans 

—“The Inheritance Games” by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

—“My Husband’s Wife” by Alice Feeney

—The Ramsey Show 

—John Mark Comer Teachings podcast

—Blurry Creatures podcast 

—“The Vision of Ephesians” by N.T. Wright

—Lesson 28: Growing into a Mature Church (Ephesians 4:11-13) | Bible.org

No Place Like Home: Crafting and Cultivating a Space Centered on Jesus

What makes a house a home? What makes a home “Christian”? What are its markers? Is it the Bible verses on the walls? The mom in the kitchen? The dad in the garage? The kids playing outside? Is it their choice of education? Or policy on screen time? Or household budget, diet, or weekly schedule? Or is it more?

The world wants us to label ourselves and others, to define our Christian home by some arbitrary, man-made criteria instead of the posture of the hearts within its walls. But we don’t want a world-driven home. We want a Christ-centered home. 

So what is a Christian home? Well that’s what we are discussing today. 

ALSO:

—Being a woman in the 1500’s

—When to submit and when to step in

—Homes that look like heaven

—How does Jesus want me to treat this person?

—Three specific ways to nurture and protect your family 

References:

—“I Like Me” documentary about John Candy

—“Last One Laughing” TV show

—Ephesians 5:22-31

—Matthew 19:10-12

—“Crowded Table” by The Highwomen

—“Home Alone”

—“I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist” podcast by @drfrankturek

—Kirk Cameron podcast @kirkcameronshow on “Dangerous Questions”

It All Starts Here

Hi, friends! We are in our second week of looking at relationships in the Bible as well as our everyday lives, mining for truths in order to make some sense of how this is all supposed to work. 

Last week we found the starting line—the Garden of Eden. And when the starting gun went off, there was a trip and a fall, and the whole world toppled into sin. 

But God gave us a new starting line. While we were sick with sin, enemies hostile to God, He made a way for us to be right with Him again. He gave us Jesus. And now we stand in a waterfall of grace. 

That’s our new starting line. In every relationship we are standing in grace, drenched in grace, and breathing grace in and out. So today we are going to sit in that truth a bit and let it wash over us, and we are so glad you decided to join us!

ALSO:

—Why we rejoice in suffering

—All the little gardens where heaven and earth collide

—Jesus alone makes us good with God

—Honoring God’s boundaries

—Lauren and Monica reveal their points of pride

—Going to the Word because lies sneak in

References:

—Romans 5-6:2

—Ephesians 4:26-27; 5:22

—“Life Together” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer 

—“Beloved” by Francis Chan

—“Come Home” by Caroline Saunders

—Blurry Creatures podcast episode 389: Where Heaven Meets Earth with N. T. Wright

—“The Vision of Ephesians” by N. T. Wright

Not Your Average Separation Anxiety 

Why do relationships take so much work? We are tempted to believe that relationship work is a result of sin, but what if God always intended for us to work on relationships just like He always intended for us to work in the Garden?

What if the real question isn’t “why do relationships take work,” but “Why is relationship work so hard and painful?” Why can’t I manage to treat people the way I want to be treated, and vice versa? Why is loving God with my whole heart and loving my neighbor as myself a complete impossibility on my own, no matter how much I want it?

Well, the quick answer is “sin,” but we are diving deeper into what that means in our discussion today. We are walking through Genesis 1-3 and marveling at the miracle of life. Then we will witness the moment when all confidence in God disintegrated with a single bite. 

We were made for relationship—with God, with each other, and with the world around us. But for now, let’s stick with the relationship that literally started it all. Thanks for joining us. 

ALSO: 

• Reading Martin Luther
• Talking about being naked
• Going to bed angry
• Sanctification in community
• Hard people remind us we are hard people
• Blaming God and running away

References: 

• Martin Luther’s commentary on Genesis Volume 1
• Genesis 1-3
• Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org
• Ted Dekker Circle Series
• Malcolm in the Middle

He’s Here!!! 

 Our everyday choices may seem simple and logical. “Of course I would say that.” “Of course I would go there.” “Of course I would help them.”

But the truth is, most of these choices are highly dependent on what we believe in our hearts: what we believe about God, what we believe about ourselves, and what we believe about how God feels about us. 

So when we meet the Samaritan woman in John, chapter 4 and she is going to the well in the middle of the day and acting defensively toward Jesus, we know there is more going on below the surface. 

And Jesus goes there. He jumps into the deep end, confronting the lies and pain that have led to choices that have separated her from others. He calls out the shame that has been her companion, and He offers Himself instead. He reveals that He is the Messiah that everyone has been waiting for—that she has been waiting for. 

Jesus still does this. He dives in and meets us in our shame. He finds us in the places where we search for sustenance. He shifts our perspective and reveals the truth about how God feels about us. For God so loved YOU that He gave His one and only Son. 

As we approach Christmas and the New Year and the aftermath of it all, let us drink deeply from the living water Jesus offers and remember that the True Light in our corner is here. 

ALSO: 

-Jesus is the point

-Don’t be married to the results

-Freedom in confession

-Steak for Christmas 

-The purpose of stars

-Being a well for the living water

References:

John 4

Ephesians 4

Genesis 1:14-15

“Garden in Manhattan” by Josiah Queen

Downton Abbey

“Life Together” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Prattville’s Artesian Well: https://fromthealdergrove.com/2023/07/16/artesian-well-potd/

#lightinyourcorner #livingwater #Jesus #HolySpirit #freedom #Gospel 

Everything We Need 

Every self-help guru, every modern-day motivational speaker will tell you something similar, even if the packaging looks a little different. All of them will say this: “I have figured it out. Want a better job? Better position? Better relationships? Better finances? Let me share what I have learned and all you have to do is follow the way.”

It’s not a new message. There are a lot of Christian leaders out there who say the same thing and there is nothing inherently bad about it. 

The trouble comes when we start to strip Jesus down into simply another key point that will make our life here better. We might not be expecting him to show up at our cookout and miraculously feed us and 5,000 of our closest friends, but we can be easily tempted to love Jesus for what He gives instead of who He is. 

Thankfully, He refuses to accept that. So instead of “this is the way,” He says “I am the way.” Instead of “Eat this, not that,” He says, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

Today we are going to dive into some hard but life-giving words from Jesus, who loves us so much that He refuses to be anything less than our Savior. He really is all we need, every day. 

ALSO:

-Who’s on your zombie apocalypse team?

-Little Worship Factories

-God can make it make sense

-When your community reminds you that you’re not enough, but Jesus is

-Your genealogy can’t do it for you

-Simon Peter coming in clutch with his confession

References:

-John 6:22-71

-Blurry Creatures

-John Mark Comer Podcast: “Stay Together to Grow/Community Ep. 4”

-“Life Together” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer 

In the Pasture with Jesus

Hi, everyone! As we approach Thanksgiving Day, we first of all want to say THANK YOU for being so awesome. We are incredibly thankful that we get to spend time recording together, but even more than that, we are thankful that you spend your time listening to and encouraging us. We truly thank God for you all. 

This episode we are looking at Jesus’s words in John 10 when He calls Himself “the gate” and then “The Good Shepherd”. Like most things Jesus said, this can look very simple on the outside, but there are more layers to it. 

Maybe you are super familiar with Jesus as the Good Shepherd and have heard it preached on a hundred times. Or maybe you are less familiar with it and haven’t given it much thought. 

Either way, it does us good to spend time contemplating our position as sheep cared for by the ultimate good shepherd.  So rest with us a while as we talk about life in the pasture with Jesus. 

ALSO: 

—Maybe someone told me that?

—Faithful regurgitation of ideas

—Jesus lived with (and smelled like) His sheep

—Shepherds v. Hired Hands

—Where is this pasture?

—Everyone isn’t for everyone

—We live in a pasture, but also Egypt

References:

—Podcast: John Mark Comer Teachings: Sabbath as Resistance | Garden City E6, Oct 30, 2025

—John 10

—Ezekiel 34

—Unknown Number: The High School Catfish Documentary

More Vine, Less Whine

 Today we are fortifying ourselves to face a world saturated with discontent, impatience and fear. 

So how do we fight against the current that threatens to drag us down into anxiety and despair and apathy? Where do we find the nourishment that will give us life and help us bear fruit?

Jesus’s disciples faced the same basic threats and here is the answer He gave them: Abide in me. 

Jesus chose them, and He chose us, to abide in His love and bear the fruit of His love in our lives. 

Today we will talk about that—about our TRUE vine, Jesus, and about what it looks like to be pruned as we abide in His love and bear fruit. 

John 15 is a really great place to spend some time and we are so happy you are spending your time with us today! If you want to spend even more time with us at Light In Your Corner, you can find us on Instagram at LightInYourCorner or you can email us at [email protected] and we can even add you to our gratitude circle on @GratitudePlus! 

ALSO:

• Rebellion against the streak
• Cells, DNA, Light and Mass
• The pruning never ends
• Look for the fruit and name it
• Whether it’s 1200 or 2, fruit is fruit

References:

• Gratitude Plus app
• Ezekiel 15 & 17
• Daniel 4
• John 15

#gratitude #thankful #bearingfruit #trinity #truevine #Jesus #HolySpirit #GodtheFather #VineandBranches