Living On Purpose In Christ | Bible Study, Biblical Encouragement, Feeling and Feelings, Aroma Freedom (AFT), Essential Oils, Devotions

Find the full episode here >>> PaulaBehrens.com/blog the companion printable resource here: PaulaBehrens.com/store

Before we get started, let me tell you about an upcoming event, Anointing Oils of Scripture, a live Zoom class where we walk through the actual plants and oils mentioned throughout the Bible, including the very ones we're about to talk about today, and how you can incorporate that same ancient practice into your own walk with God. Register here: PaulaBehrens.com/events

Have you ever watched an old pattern take over right after a moment of real closeness with God? You prayed, you meant every word, and then fear or the need for reassurance pulled you right back into what you thought you had left behind.

That’s the painfully familiar moment we meet in this episode. Israel has seen God’s rescue and promised to follow Him. Yet while Moses is on the mountain, they make a golden calf. If your own feelings can change that quickly—or prayer has felt dry since a choice you regret—this part of Exodus holds more hope than you might expect.

We’ll talk about what God’s instructions for the tabernacle reveal about His desire to dwell among His people, and why the holy anointing oil and incense were set apart for worship. We’ll also trace the meaning of anointing toward Jesus and consider what it means for ordinary believers to belong to Him. Along the way, we’ll explore how aroma, prayer, and simple devotional rhythms can help us pause and turn our attention back to God, without treating any of them as a shortcut to His presence.

Exodus ends with the glory of the Lord filling the tabernacle. Their failure was real, but it was not the end of the story. If you need that biblical encouragement today, come listen—and share this episode with a friend who does, too.

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YOUR NEXT STEP:

*Accept Jesus into your heart*

Also available: 

Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour: PaulaBehrens.com/coaching

The Story of Oils in Scripture | Class: PaulaBehrens.com/oils-in-scripture

Healing Oils of the Bible | Course: PaulaBehrens.com/healing-oils 

Weekly Biblical Encouragement Tips: PaulaBehrens.com/insider-list

Free Revelation (Part 1) printable study: PaulaBehrens.com/free-revelation-1

Bold Faith Bundle for new Christians | Printables: PaulaBehrens.com/bold-faith

In the Word — 24 free messages:  PaulaBehrens.com/in-the-word

Free 15-Minute Discovery Consult: PaulaBehrens.com/#discoverycall

Faith Membership Club | Through-the-Bible: PaulaBehrens.com/bible

The Store: PaulaBehrens.com/store

Find the full episode here >>> PaulaBehrens.com/blog the companion printable resource here: PaulaBehrens.com/store

Rules can feel like the opposite of freedom, especially when you’re tired, burned out, or quietly wondering why following Jesus sometimes feels heavy. In today’s Bible study companion episode, we head to Mount Sinai and slow down long enough to notice the detail many of us miss in Exodus: God doesn’t begin with a list. He begins with rescue, relationship, and biblical encouragement. He reminds Israel who they are before He tells them what to do.

We walk through Israel’s arrival at the mountain, the terrifying beauty of God’s holiness, and the purpose of the boundaries He sets. Then we trace the opening of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 and hear it the way Scripture intends: every command is anchored to an act of deliverance that already happened. That shift can reshape how you think about emotions, obedience, devotions, and the daily struggle between what you are feeling and what is true. God’s commands were never a ladder to reach Him. They are guardrails for a people He has already brought near.

We also explore the often-skipped Book of the Covenant and how God’s heart shows up in practical justice for ordinary life, from property disputes to caring for the vulnerable. Finally, we sit with Exodus 24 and the blood covenant that binds God and His people, then follow that covenant thread into the New Testament as it points to Jesus as our mediator and the new covenant in His blood.

If you enjoy faith-rooted conversations that connect Scripture to real life, emotions, and spiritual formation, this episode will meet you there. And if practices like aroma freedom, essential oils, or simple sensory rhythms have helped you slow down and listen in God’s presence, you’ll hear resonant themes here too, even as the focus stays anchored in the Word.

If this episode changes the way you think about the Ten Commandments, share it with a friend, subscribe for the rest of the series, and leave a review so more listeners can find this space for biblical encouragement.

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YOUR NEXT STEP:

*Accept Jesus into your heart*

Also available: 

Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour: PaulaBehrens.com/coaching

The Story of Oils in Scripture | Class: PaulaBehrens.com/oils-in-scripture

Healing Oils of the Bible | Course: PaulaBehrens.com/healing-oils 

Weekly Biblical Encouragement Tips: PaulaBehrens.com/insider-list

Free Revelation (Part 1) printable study: PaulaBehrens.com/free-revelation-1

Bold Faith Bundle for new Christians | Printables: PaulaBehrens.com/bold-faith

In the Word — 24 free messages:  PaulaBehrens.com/in-the-word

Free 15-Minute Discovery Consult: PaulaBehrens.com/#discoverycall

Faith Membership Club | Through-the-Bible: PaulaBehrens.com/bible

The Store: PaulaBehrens.com/store

Find the full episode here >>> PaulaBehrens.com/blog the companion printable resource here: PaulaBehrens.com/store

The Red Sea closes, the enemy is gone, and freedom finally feels real… until the next morning when you’re still hungry, still tired, and still unsure how you’re going to make it. That “after the miracle” moment is where a lot of us get confused, and it’s exactly where Exodus gets painfully practical. We pick up part two of our Exodus study to talk about the wilderness season that follows breakthrough and why it may be God’s classroom, not God’s punishment.

We walk through manna as daily provision, including God’s specific instruction to gather only what you need for today. We slow down over the sixth-day exception where the double portion doesn’t spoil, and we connect the dots between trusting God for daily bread and trusting Him enough to rest. We also dig into the meaning of manna and why the New Testament keeps that word as Jesus points back to it in John 6, calling Himself the true bread from heaven.

Then the crises keep coming: no water, a sudden battle, and a leader on the edge. We talk about water from the rock, Moses needing Aaron and Hur to hold up his arms, and Jethro’s wise counsel that delegation is not weakness but stewardship. If you’re spiritually dry, overwhelmed, or trying to hold everything together alone, this is a gentle invitation to trust God again today. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find biblical encouragement when they need it most.

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YOUR NEXT STEP:

*Accept Jesus into your heart*

Also available: 

Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour: PaulaBehrens.com/coaching

The Story of Oils in Scripture | Class: PaulaBehrens.com/oils-in-scripture

Healing Oils of the Bible | Course: PaulaBehrens.com/healing-oils 

Weekly Biblical Encouragement Tips: PaulaBehrens.com/insider-list

Free Revelation (Part 1) printable study: PaulaBehrens.com/free-revelation-1

Bold Faith Bundle for new Christians | Printables: PaulaBehrens.com/bold-faith

In the Word — 24 free messages:  PaulaBehrens.com/in-the-word

Free 15-Minute Discovery Consult: PaulaBehrens.com/#discoverycall

Faith Membership Club | Through-the-Bible: PaulaBehrens.com/bible

The Store: PaulaBehrens.com/store

Find the full episode here: LivingOnPurposeInChrist.com/blog and the companion printable resource here): PaulaBehrens.com/store

If you’ve been praying for change and nothing is moving, Exodus offers a steadier truth than quick fixes: God is working before you can see it. In part one of this four-part Bible study series through the book of Exodus, we begin where so many of us live: in the stuck place. When Israel groans under oppression, Scripture gives us four powerful reminders that reframe waiting: God heard, remembered, looked, and knew. Even when your circumstances feel frozen and your emotions feel heavy, heaven is not still.

We also follow Moses from anonymity to calling, and we talk honestly about the fears and feelings that surface when God asks you to step out. Moses questions his worth, his ability, and his words, and God answers by revealing His own name and presence. Along the way, this episode offers biblical encouragement for those moments when obedience feels costly and uncertain.

Then we zoom out to the plagues as more than ancient drama: a direct confrontation between the one true God and the false gods people trust when they’re afraid. And yes, we name the part nobody wants to admit: sometimes the promise shows up and life gets harder before it gets better.

From Passover to the Red Sea, we trace the rescue thread that points to Jesus. We linger on hyssop, the small plant used to apply the blood in Exodus, echoed in Psalm 51’s prayer for cleansing and appearing again at the cross. We also unpack the meaning of salvation as being pulled from a tight place into wide open space, and why “stand still” can be one of the bravest acts of faith.

If you love Bible study, devotions, and Spirit-led conversations about faith, emotions, and aroma freedom, this episode will meet you with truth and hope. And if you are someone who also appreciates gentle tools like essential oils as part of creating sacred space with God, you’ll find this conversation especially meaningful.

If you want to go deeper, grab the printable companion Bible study. And if this message meets you right where you are, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find hope.

Send us Fan Mail

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YOUR NEXT STEP:

*Accept Jesus into your heart*

Also available: 

Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour: PaulaBehrens.com/coaching

The Story of Oils in Scripture | Class: PaulaBehrens.com/oils-in-scripture

Healing Oils of the Bible | Course: PaulaBehrens.com/healing-oils 

Weekly Biblical Encouragement Tips: PaulaBehrens.com/insider-list

Free Revelation (Part 1) printable study: PaulaBehrens.com/free-revelation-1

Bold Faith Bundle for new Christians | Printables: PaulaBehrens.com/bold-faith

In the Word — 24 free messages:  PaulaBehrens.com/in-the-word

Free 15-Minute Discovery Consult: PaulaBehrens.com/#discoverycall

Faith Membership Club | Through-the-Bible: PaulaBehrens.com/bible

The Store: PaulaBehrens.com/store

Find the full episode here: LivingOnPurposeInChrist.com/blog and the companion printable resource here): PaulaBehrens.com/store

Have you ever looked at your life and thought, I did everything right and it still fell apart? If you’ve been betrayed by someone you trusted, stuck in a season of waiting, or quietly wondering whether God still sees you, Joseph’s story in Genesis hits close to home and it brings real hope without pretending the pain is small.

We wrap up our Genesis series by tracing Joseph’s path from the pit to slavery, from false accusation to prison, and finally to a sudden, shocking turnaround in Pharaoh’s court. Along the way, we talk about what it means when “the Lord was with Joseph” even when nothing looks fair, and why the long middle stretch matters. If you’re trying to hear God’s voice, make wise choices, and find peace in a confusing season, Joseph gives language for the waiting room between promise and fulfillment.

We also slow down in Genesis 50:20, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good,” and dig into the meaning behind the word “meant” as something planned and woven with intention. That thread ties Joseph back to Abraham and the covenant story of God’s providence and the preservation of His people. If you’re carrying a family wound, a delayed promise, or a setback that feels personal, this conversation will help you reframe your story with faith, clarity, and courage.

If you want to go deeper, grab the printable companion Bible study for Genesis (Part 4) at PaulaBehrens.com/store. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

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YOUR NEXT STEP:

*Accept Jesus into your heart*

Also available: 

Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour: PaulaBehrens.com/coaching

The Story of Oils in Scripture | Class: PaulaBehrens.com/oils-in-scripture

Healing Oils of the Bible | Course: PaulaBehrens.com/healing-oils 

Weekly Biblical Encouragement Tips: PaulaBehrens.com/insider-list

Free Revelation (Part 1) printable study: PaulaBehrens.com/free-revelation-1

Bold Faith Bundle for new Christians | Printables: PaulaBehrens.com/bold-faith

In the Word — 24 free messages:  PaulaBehrens.com/in-the-word

Free 15-Minute Discovery Consult: PaulaBehrens.com/#discoverycall

Faith Membership Club | Through-the-Bible: PaulaBehrens.com/bible

The Store: PaulaBehrens.com/store

Find the full episode here: LivingOnPurposeInChrist.com/blog and the companion printable resource here): PaulaBehrens.com/store

Family stories can be painful, confusing, and honestly a little embarrassing to say out loud sometimes. But, when we open Genesis we find that God is not scared off by any of it. From Isaac’s quiet life in Genesis 26 to the emotional chaos between Jacob and Esau, we trace a single steady thread: God keeps His covenant promise even when the people carrying that promise are a mess. If you’ve ever felt like the overlooked one, or you’ve wondered whether God can still use you after poor choices, this conversation will meet you right where you are.

We talk about Isaac inheriting a promise rather than receiving a brand-new one, and why that matters for anyone living inside generational prayer, legacy, or calling. Then we face the family dysfunction head-on: favoritism, a birthright traded for a bowl of stew, and a blessing taken through deception. The stakes are real, the consequences are real, and the Bible refuses to tidy the story up for our comfort.

From there, hope breaks in. God meets Jacob at Bethel when he is alone and running, and later Jacob wrestles through the night and refuses to let go without a blessing. We dig into the meaning behind the word “blessing,” including the Hebrew bāraḵ (בָּרַךְ) and the connection to “eulogy,” as future-shaping words spoken over a life. The result is a bigger view of spiritual blessing through Christ, and a reminder that sometimes the wrestling is what shapes us into who God is calling us to be.

If you want to go deeper, we also point you to a printable Genesis Bible study companion with word study, reflection questions, journaling prompts, and a step-by-step leader’s guide: PaulaBehens.com/store. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs hope for their family, and leave a review so more listeners can find Living on Purpose in Christ.

Send us Fan Mail

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YOUR NEXT STEP:

*Accept Jesus into your heart*

Also available: 

Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour: PaulaBehrens.com/coaching

The Story of Oils in Scripture | Class: PaulaBehrens.com/oils-in-scripture

Healing Oils of the Bible | Course: PaulaBehrens.com/healing-oils 

Weekly Biblical Encouragement Tips: PaulaBehrens.com/insider-list

Free Revelation (Part 1) printable study: PaulaBehrens.com/free-revelation-1

Bold Faith Bundle for new Christians | Printables: PaulaBehrens.com/bold-faith

In the Word — 24 free messages:  PaulaBehrens.com/in-the-word

Free 15-Minute Discovery Consult: PaulaBehrens.com/#discoverycall

Faith Membership Club | Through-the-Bible: PaulaBehrens.com/bible

The Store: PaulaBehrens.com/store

Find the full episode here: LivingOnPurposeInChrist.com/blog and the companion printable resource here): PaulaBehrens.com/store

Have you ever prayed for something so long that you started to wonder if God quietly moved on? We sit in that ache and then walk straight into one of the most hope-giving stretches of Scripture: Genesis 12 through 25, where God makes a covenant with Abraham and asks him to move before he gets the full plan. I share why this “go without the address” moment is not just a Bible story but a practical picture of what faith looks like when you want certainty and God gives you the next step. 

We trace the long road between promise and fulfillment, including the messy parts Scripture refuses to edit out: fear, missteps, and the temptation to manufacture outcomes when waiting feels unbearable. Abraham and Sarah’s decades of delay raise real-life questions about God’s timing, unanswered prayer, and what it means to trust God’s character when circumstances do not cooperate. Then we watch the promise arrive with Isaac, and we revisit the altar moment where Abraham learns in his bones that the Lord will provide. 

A key turning point is a deeper look at the Hebrew word hesed, often translated “kindness,” but carrying the force of loyal love, covenant faithfulness, and steadfast mercy. That one word reshapes how we read Abraham’s story and how we interpret our own seasons of waiting, healing, and spiritual growth. If you need steady ground under your feet, this is a Genesis Bible study conversation that brings both theology and next-step encouragement. 

If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a friend who’s tired of waiting, and leave a review so more people can find biblical encouragement for real life.

Send us Fan Mail

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YOUR NEXT STEP:

*Accept Jesus into your heart*

Also available: 

Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour: PaulaBehrens.com/coaching

The Story of Oils in Scripture | Class: PaulaBehrens.com/oils-in-scripture

Healing Oils of the Bible | Course: PaulaBehrens.com/healing-oils 

Weekly Biblical Encouragement Tips: PaulaBehrens.com/insider-list

Free Revelation (Part 1) printable study: PaulaBehrens.com/free-revelation-1

Bold Faith Bundle for new Christians | Printables: PaulaBehrens.com/bold-faith

In the Word — 24 free messages:  PaulaBehrens.com/in-the-word

Free 15-Minute Discovery Consult: PaulaBehrens.com/#discoverycall

Faith Membership Club | Through-the-Bible: PaulaBehrens.com/bible

The Store: PaulaBehrens.com/store

Find the full episode here: LivingOnPurposeInChrist.com/blog and the companion printable resource here): PaulaBehrens.com/store

We open Genesis 1–11 and trace the wide-angle story of creation, fracture, judgment, and mercy that explains both the beauty of the world and the ache we feel inside it. We leave with one steady thread to hold onto: we may wander, but God keeps pursuing, restoring His image in us, and moving His redemptive plan forward.

• Kicking off a four-part Genesis series and why the story shifts at chapter 12
• Creation as intentional design and humanity as God’s “very good” crown
• Your worth as settled before sin and before any mistake
• The fall as shame, hiding, and God’s pursuit with “Where are you?”
• Sin spreading through humanity and grace showing up in the middle of judgment
• The flood as judgment paired with mercy and the rainbow promise
• Babel as self-made glory and God scattering nations for His purposes
• The Selem (צֶלֶם) and Eikon (εἰκών) word study and how Jesus restores the fractured image
• A printable companion Bible study with prompts, applications, and a leader’s guide

If this podcast has been a blessing to you or helped you grow in your walk with Christ, would you take a moment to leave a review? It only takes a minute, and your words help more listeners discover this space and be encouraged in their faith as well.

You can find this printable Genesis study along with the rest of my resources at PaulaBehrens.com/store inside the "Printable Resources" section. 

Send us Fan Mail

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YOUR NEXT STEP:

*Accept Jesus into your heart*

Also available: 

Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour: PaulaBehrens.com/coaching

The Story of Oils in Scripture | Class: PaulaBehrens.com/oils-in-scripture

Healing Oils of the Bible | Course: PaulaBehrens.com/healing-oils 

Weekly Biblical Encouragement Tips: PaulaBehrens.com/insider-list

Free Revelation (Part 1) printable study: PaulaBehrens.com/free-revelation-1

Bold Faith Bundle for new Christians | Printables: PaulaBehrens.com/bold-faith

In the Word — 24 free messages:  PaulaBehrens.com/in-the-word

Free 15-Minute Discovery Consult: PaulaBehrens.com/#discoverycall

Faith Membership Club | Through-the-Bible: PaulaBehrens.com/bible

The Store: PaulaBehrens.com/store

Find the full episode here: LivingOnPurposeInChrist.com/blog and The Covenant Money Blueprint (Bootcamp) here: PaulaBehrens.com/finances

Your stomach tightens the second money comes up, and then you feel guilty for feeling that way. We get it and we go straight to the root: for many Christians, finances aren’t just practical, they’re spiritually confusing. Scripture says “don’t worry,” yet the hum of financial anxiety still sits under the surface, especially when bills, budgeting, and giving collide with real life.

We talk through the hidden “money blueprint” that gets built long before your first paycheck, shaped by what you heard at home, what you watched in culture, and even what you may have absorbed in church. That blueprint shows up as fast, embodied reactions like tensing at a price tag, avoiding hard conversations, or feeling undeserving when help arrives. Once we name it, we can actually disciple it. Money becomes a place where renewing the mind is not theoretical, it’s personal and practical.

Then we make a major shift that changes everything: covenant versus contract thinking. If you’ve been relating to God’s provision like a contract (perform well, then you’ll be okay), it makes sense that you feel pressure and fear. Covenant thinking rests in God’s settled commitment, secured before you could ever “get it right.” We also share how a guided, session-by-session process can help truth move from head knowledge into the gut-level places where anxiety lives, including reflection practices, devotions, biblical encouragement, and aromatherapy with essential oils to help you slow down and tune in to your feelings. It's called The Covenant Money Blueprint (Bootcamp): Partnering With God To Reset Your Finances

If you’re ready for a faith-based reset, you can find the self-guided video course at PaulaBehrens.com/finances 

Subscribe to the show now and share with a friend who may feel stuck. Then leave a review so more listeners can find real peace around personal finance while receiveing biblical encouragement in the matter.

Send us Fan Mail

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YOUR NEXT STEP:

*Accept Jesus into your heart*

Also available: 

Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour: PaulaBehrens.com/coaching

The Story of Oils in Scripture | Class: PaulaBehrens.com/oils-in-scripture

Healing Oils of the Bible | Course: PaulaBehrens.com/healing-oils 

Weekly Biblical Encouragement Tips: PaulaBehrens.com/insider-list

Free Revelation (Part 1) printable study: PaulaBehrens.com/free-revelation-1

Bold Faith Bundle for new Christians | Printables: PaulaBehrens.com/bold-faith

In the Word — 24 free messages:  PaulaBehrens.com/in-the-word

Free 15-Minute Discovery Consult: PaulaBehrens.com/#discoverycall

Faith Membership Club | Through-the-Bible: PaulaBehrens.com/bible

The Store: PaulaBehrens.com/store

Find the full episode here: LivingOnPurposeInChrist.com/blog and the companion printable resource here): PaulaBehrens.com/store

Have you ever done all the “right” faith things and still felt like the world is coming apart around you? That tension is exactly why Revelation ends the way it does. We open up Revelation 15 through 22 and follow the story from the final wave of judgment to the most comforting promise in Scripture: the Lamb wins, death dies, and God makes all things new.

Along the way, we talk through the seven bowls, not as shock value, but as a window into God’s holiness and God’s patience. We slow down at Babylon’s fall in Revelation 17 and 18 and name what it represents, both historically (Rome) and spiritually (every seductive system that offers false comfort and borrowed security). If you’ve felt pulled by what looks powerful, beautiful, or “safe” apart from Christ, these chapters bring clarity without despair.

Then the atmosphere flips. Revelation 19 gives us the wedding feast of the Lamb and the Rider on the white horse, victorious with a robe already dipped in blood, pointing back to Calvary. Revelation 20 brings the great white throne and the book of life, and Revelation 21 and 22 bring the heart of our hope: a new heaven and new earth, the New Jerusalem, the river of life, and the tree of life with healing for the nations. We even unpack the Greek word kainos, “new” in quality, not just new in time, because that changes how we carry hope into an ordinary Tuesday.

If you want to go deeper, I’ve created guided Bible studies and step-by-step leaders’ guides to walk through Revelation verse by verse. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs steady hope, and leave a review so more women can find this space.

Send us Fan Mail

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YOUR NEXT STEP:

*Accept Jesus into your heart*

Also available: 

Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour: PaulaBehrens.com/coaching

The Story of Oils in Scripture | Class: PaulaBehrens.com/oils-in-scripture

Healing Oils of the Bible | Course: PaulaBehrens.com/healing-oils 

Weekly Biblical Encouragement Tips: PaulaBehrens.com/insider-list

Free Revelation (Part 1) printable study: PaulaBehrens.com/free-revelation-1

Bold Faith Bundle for new Christians | Printables: PaulaBehrens.com/bold-faith

In the Word — 24 free messages:  PaulaBehrens.com/in-the-word

Free 15-Minute Discovery Consult: PaulaBehrens.com/#discoverycall

Faith Membership Club | Through-the-Bible: PaulaBehrens.com/bible

The Store: PaulaBehrens.com/store