No Higher Calling

The more I speak with other women, the more I realize that we all have a desire for personal connection. God created us for community, for friendships that strengthen and encourage us. We want to cultivate relationships, but we often don't know where to begin. How does one "find their tribe"?

In this episode, I share my personal struggle with this and how God used my search for mom friends to grow me. Brettnay from a decade ago wouldn't recognize the Brettnay today. God asked me to step out of my comfort zone, and He used that to radically change my life. The reward has been some of the most precious friendships.

Scriptures Referenced:

Psalm 37:4; 90:9

Proverbs 18:24; 27:17

Luke 22:32-34

Hebrews 10:24-25

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Because the Lord is our Shepherd, we can say with complete confidence, "I shall not want." 

Is Christ enough in your life? In Him, there is no lack or deficiency. He is sufficient, and He fills every void in our heart. The more we come to know the heart of our Shepherd, the more we find all we need in the person of Jesus Christ. 

We continue our study of Psalm 23 diving into the phrase "I shall not want." Four little words, yet packed with rich truth! 

Scriptures Referenced:

Psalm 23; 68:19; 121:4

Resources:

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W Phillip Keller: https://amzn.to/3CJZGid 

The Heart of the Shepherd by Stephen Chappell: https://amzn.to/3Sh6B8R

If you do not know Christ as your Shepherd, email me at [email protected]. I'd love nothing more than to share how Jesus Christ can be your Savior.

Follow my  journey by subscribing to this podcast. You can also follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and www.nohighercalling.org

"Don't trade any secret sin for the joy of walking in unbroken intimacy with Jesus Christ."

Simeon joins me in this episode to tackle a delicate topic- marriage purity. Purity is often equated with virginity; therefore, we think we can tic the box when we make it to our wedding day. Purity is much more than saving sex for marriage. It is a call to holiness and godliness in each area of our being- body, soul and spirit. We discuss several areas where Christian couples must stand guard against Satan's attacks and "purpose in their hearts" that we will not be defiled by the filth of this world. 

Pray fervently and stand strong to protect the purity of your relationship with Christ and your spouse!

Scriptures Referenced:

Psalm 51

Proverbs 4:23-27

Jeremiah 17:9; 33:3

Daniel 1:8

Matthew 5:27-28

Romans 13:13-14

I Corinthians 6:20; 10:12-13

Resources:

Point Man by Steve Farrar: https://amzn.to/3Z8BNt8

Follow my  journey by subscribing to this podcast. You can also follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and www.nohighercalling.org

Simeon joins me in this episode to discuss love languages. These are taken from the book The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. Chapman divides personalities into 5 main categories of how we express and receive love: words of affirmation, physical touch, quality time, acts of service, and giving/receiving gifts. 

We share what our love languages are and how knowing that has helped us better communicate our love and appreciation to each other. 

“Our most basic emotional need is not to fall in love but to be genuinely loved by another, to know a love that grows out of reason and choice, not instinct. I need to be loved by someone who chooses to love me, who sees in me something worth loving. That kind of love requires effort and discipline. It is the choice to expend energy in an effort to benefit the other person, knowing that if his or her life is enriched by your effort, you too will find a sense of satisfaction—the satisfaction of having genuinely”

Resources:

Love Language Quiz

The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman

Instagram: Fierce Marriage

Follow my  journey by subscribing to this podcast. You can also follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and www.nohighercalling.org

Simeon joins me in this episode to share some of our current favorite date night ideas. I also share ideas from others that we thought sounded fun. If you are in a rut with date nights or if you want to add a fresh spark to your relationship, these ideas might help you get off to a good start. 

We also share a few tips for being intentional in having a heart connection with your spouse. 

Resources:

The Flirtation Experiment by Lisa Jacobson & Phylicia Masonheimer

Parks Board Game

Learn to Play Parks YouTube Video

Lost Cities Card Game

The Crew Card Game

Finders Seekers Mystery Box

Follow my  journey by subscribing to this podcast. You can also follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and www.nohighercalling.org

Heidi James from the Children's Bible Society joins me to discuss how to teach children to pray. God has given Heidi a unique ministry. He is greatly using her as she seeks to reach children with the gospel and help parents and ministry workers know how to best reach the hearts of children.

She shares practical things she's learned through leading children's prayer meetings. These truths and ideas will be so helpful as we seek to encourage the children we influence to speak to God through prayer!

Prayer questions are also addressed, such as-

-At what age should we begin teaching children to pray?

-Why do we bow our heads, fold our hands, close our eyes, etc?

-What should they pray for?

-Should we invite children to pray for mature topics? (war, death, illness)

-What is required of us if we desire to teach children to pray?

Resources:

Children's Bible Society: https://childrensbiblesociety.com/

Children's Bible Society Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/childrensbiblesociety/

Follow my  journey by subscribing to this podcast. You can also follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and www.nohighercalling.org

"Raising teenagers has the protential to be one of the best seasons of our lives... If we go into it with a valiant "we are going to trust God" attitude, it's going to be good. It's not easy but it's good."

Ruth Sturgill, pastor's wife and mother of 2 teenage boys, shares her heart on the teenage years. It is often difficult to see our babies grow up and become less dependent on us, to see them spread their wings and begin to fly. Ruth gives advice on how to navigate these years with grace and how to find true joy in a season that so many dread. 

She addresses:

-Not parenting in fear

-Transitioning your children to adulthood independence 

-Being your child's greatest advocate

-Teaching your children to live in the awareness of the presence of the Lord

-Navigating puberty, hormones, relationship struggles, and more

Scripture Referenced:

Deuteronomy 32:11-13

Resources:

The Sturgill Family CD: www.https://sturgillfamily.com/  

Follow my  journey by subscribing to this podcast. You can also follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and www.nohighercalling.org

This time of year has everyone making resolutions and setting goals for a new year, a fresh start. One of the biggest areas that we seek to make changes in is in our health. Diet plans and gym memberships soar in January! But what does healthy really look like? Is it working out hours a day and eating nothing but salad?

Rebecca Grant, CNC + IP HTMA, joins me to tackle this question. Her information is geared specifically towards women, women who are in many different stages of life- college, preconception, pregnancy, postpartum, breastfeeding, menopause, etc. She shares helpful advice on how we can focus on things that will enable us to best steward the bodies God has given us.

Resources:

Rebecca Grant's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebecca.m.grant/

Clean Living Momma: https://www.cleanlivingmomma.com/ 

HTMA Testing (use code NHC10 to receive 10% off htma testing!): https://www.cleanlivingmomma.com/treatments 

Follow my  journey by subscribing to this podcast. You can also follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and www.nohighercalling.org

Throughout 2023, we will be giving one episode each month to studying through Psalm 23. Join me as we mine out the truths God has for us in this chapter and catch a deeper glimpse into the heart of our Shepherd.

This episode lays a foundation discussing the human penman of this Psalm, the position of this Psalm in God's Word, and what this Psalm reveals about Christ. The more you come to know the heart of the Shepherd, the more you will fall in love with Him. His tender care and His diligence to guide His sheep through every season of life is a precious revelation. If you cannot say with full confidence "the LORD is MY Shepherd" I share how you can settle your salvation because of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. 

Scripture Referenced:

Psalm 23

Hebrews 4:14

Resources:

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W Phillip Keller: https://amzn.to/3CJZGid 

Follow my  journey by subscribing to this podcast. You can also follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and www.nohighercalling.org

Romans 12:13 says to be, "given to hospitality." I believe that the area of hospitality is one of the greatest means we, as Christians, have to be a light for Christ. Whether it is ministering to fellow believers or witnessing to the lost, inviting people into your home to share a meal and fellowship will bless your heart. 

In this episode, I share small steps to showing hospitality. Maybe inviting someone into your home for a meal feels very daunting. Maybe you don't know where to start- what do you cook? what do you talk about? how do you teach your children to use their manners? We start with the basics- showing hospitality to your family and using everyday dinners to teach your family how to prefer others. (Rm 12:10 "in honour preferring one another;”) From there, we discuss other simple ways to incorporate hospitality into your family life. 

Resources:

Jessica Curtis with Blessed Purposeful Living: https://www.instagram.com/blessedpurposefulliving/

NHC Hospitality Guide Digital Download: https://www.nohighercalling.org/shop/p/hospitality-guide

Follow my  journey by subscribing to this podcast. You can also follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and www.nohighercalling.org