One Single Story

Welcome to today's edition of One Single Story! Join Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark and Pastor Alyssa Bream as they open up Psalm 61 — an intimate, exhausted prayer of David that speaks directly to anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed, isolated, or spiritually drained. Together they explore what it means to run to "the rock that is higher than I" and how to build daily rhythms that anchor us before crisis hits.

Scripture Focus: Psalm 61:1-8 - A personal psalm of David, written from a place of exhaustion and distance ("from the end of the earth I call to you"), where David cries out for refuge, reflects on God's faithfulness across generations, and commits to praising God's name daily.

In This Episode:

• Recognizing the warning signs of spiritual and emotional exhaustion — irritability, isolation, and unresolved fatigue
• How David's prayer for "the king" points forward to a promise he never could have imagined fulfilled in Jesus
• What it practically means to take refuge in Christ when our own strength and wisdom run out
• Moving from treating God like an "emergency clinic" to making Him a daily dwelling place
• Building healthy rhythms — prayer, community, and mentorship — that sustain us through both good times and hard times
• The role of encouragement and mentorship (through ministries like Meals That Matter) in helping people take healthy steps before reaching a breaking point

Key Quote: "The habits you make in good times becomes the ones that you continue in the hard times. So whatever we can do to encourage people in the good times, we'll help them through that hard time."

One Single Story is a daily conversation around God's Word, following the One Year Bible reading plan. Each weekday, the hosts unpack a short passage from that day's reading, offering practical, honest reflection on how Scripture speaks into everyday life, faith, and community.

Open Door Church | Edenton, North Carolina visitopendoor.com | onesinglestory.com

Subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a daily devotional conversation through the Bible. New episodes release every weekday!

Coming This Week: Join us as we continue walking through the Psalms in the One Year Bible reading plan, digging deeper into David's prayers of dependence, praise, and trust in God as our refuge and strength.

#OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Psalms #PsalmOfDavid #SpiritualRest #ChristianCommunity #Prayer

Welcome back to One Single Story! Today Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark, and Pastor Alyssa Bream have heart-level conversation from Psalm 60, exploring what it means to be honest with God, to rally around the right banner, and to stop placing our ultimate trust in human help.

Scripture Focus: Psalm 60:1-12 - Written during a historical crisis in David's northern military campaigns when Edom launched a surprise attack, this psalm is a raw, honest lament. David acknowledges God's discipline, prays for restoration, and declares his hope in God alone rather than in human strength.

In This Episode:

• Why unaddressed cracks in our lives - like neglected potholes - only grow bigger over time
• How David's honest lament models a healthier, more transparent prayer life
• Why pretending everything is "fine" damages intimacy with God and with the people we love
• What it means to rally around God's banner (Jehovah Nissi) as our true identity
• How the church can engage the world without ignoring it or vilifying it
• Guarding against building our identity on secondary issues instead of the truth of Scripture
• Why "human help is worthless" and how we model trust in God for our kids and families
• Unpacking the phrase "when push comes to shove" and what it means for moments of decision

Key Quote: "There's a difference between the human help and the godly help... human help cannot solve heart problems. It can only solve symptoms."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday podcast offering short, thoughtful lessons from the day's reading in the One Year Bible. Hosted by the pastoral team at Open Door Church, each episode is designed to help you engage Scripture, grow in your faith, and see the one single story of God's redemptive plan woven throughout the entire Bible.

Connect with us and learn more at Open Door Church, Edenton, North Carolina: visitopendoor.com | onesinglestory.com

Subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a daily episode, and join us as we walk through Scripture together, one story at a time.

Coming This Week: Join us as we continue our journey through the Book of Psalms, digging into more honest conversations about faith, identity, and what it truly means to put our hope in God rather than in the world around us.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Psalms #Psalm60 #TrustInGod #Prayer #JehovahNissi #BookOfPsalms

Welcome to today's edition of One Single Story. Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark and Pastor Alyssa Bream dig into Psalm 59, a prayer of David written while Saul's soldiers surrounded his house waiting to kill him. Today's conversation wrestles with anxiousness, righteous anger, and how the weapons and reach we hold today — a phone, a platform, a microphone — carry a very different weight than a sword or a slingshot ever did.

Scripture Focus: Psalm 59:1-17 - David's cry for deliverance while under siege in his own home, and his declaration of trust in God's power and unfailing love despite being surrounded by enemies.

In This Episode:

• Why David distinguishes between punishing hostile nations and showing no mercy to "wicked traitors"
• How David's prayer for his enemies to be a lasting lesson, rather than simply destroyed, reveals his focus beyond himself
• Whether the questions we ask of Scripture have changed with culture, even as the truth of Scripture stays the same
• The ethical weight of modern power - how a phone or a platform can do more damage today than an army could in David's time
• What spiritual leadership looks like when you feel surrounded by opposition or overwhelmed by anxiety
• Why emotions are useful gauges but poor navigators for decision-making
• The importance of a daily, not just weekly, commitment to worship and trusting God as our refuge

Key Quote: "Emotions are great gauges but terrible navigators. They should give us some idea of the temperature of the situation, but they can't be the decision maker."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday podcast where hosts read through the One Year Bible together and have honest, unscripted conversations about how Scripture applies to modern life. Each episode offers a brief, thoughtful lesson designed to help listeners connect ancient truth to the questions and challenges of today.

Join us at Open Door Church in Edenton, North Carolina, and explore more at visitopendoor.com and onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a daily conversation around the Word of God. New episodes release every weekday to walk alongside you in your One Year Bible reading plan.

Coming This Week: Join us as we continue moving through the One Year Bible, exploring more Psalms and the daily disciplines of trusting God through anxiety, conflict, and the pressures of modern life. Grab your Bible, a pen, and paper, and follow along with us each weekday.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Psalm59 #Anxiety #SpiritualLeadership #TrustInGod #DavidAndSaul #ChristianLeadership

Join Pastor Stephen Mizell, along with Pastor Jay Rivenbark and Pastor Alyssa Bream, for today's edition of One Single Story as they dig into Psalm 58 and wrestle with what it means to trust God's justice in a world that often feels corrupt and unfair.

Scripture Focus: Psalm 58:1-11 - David's imprecatory psalm confronting corrupt rulers and unjust judges, calling on God to bring judgment on wickedness while affirming that there truly is a reward for the righteous and a God who judges the earth.

In This Episode:

• Understanding the difference between human rulers and "silent gods" in Psalm 58
• How believers should biblically respond to corrupt cultural and political systems
• Wrestling with the appropriateness of praying imprecatory prayers for justice
• Keeping personal integrity while directing righteous anger at the right target
• Practical wisdom for pastoring people trapped with stubborn, unrepentant individuals
• The role of healthy boundaries and separation when dealing with harmful relationships
• Why remembering God's final judgment shapes a worldview of hope instead of fear

Key Quote: "When we realize that in the end, he's going to make all things right, we can rest because we don't have to fix it now."

One Single Story is a weekday devotional podcast where pastors from Open Door Church walk through the One Year Bible reading plan together, offering honest, conversational insight into Scripture one passage at a time. Each episode is designed to help you engage the Bible more deeply, ask better questions of the text, and apply God's Word to everyday life.

Open Door Church is located in Edenton, North Carolina. Learn more at visitopendoor.com and onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe so you never miss a weekday devotional, and share this episode with someone who needs encouragement to trust God's justice today.

Coming This Week: The team continues walking through the Book of Psalms in the One Year Bible reading plan, exploring more of David's honest conversations with God about injustice, trust, and hope.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Psalms #Psalm58 #ImprecatoryPrayer #GodsJustice #BiblicalWisdom

Welcome to today's edition of One Single Story! Join Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark and Pastor Wendy Korbusieski as they dig into the September 11th reading from the One Year Bible, exploring Paul's thorn in the flesh, unanswered prayer, and how God's power is made perfect in our weakness.

Scripture Focus: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 - Paul recounts a heavenly vision he received fourteen years earlier and the thorn in the flesh God gave him to keep him humble. Despite asking three times for it to be removed, Paul receives a different answer: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

In This Episode:

• Why Paul's thorn may be directly connected to the extraordinary revelation he received years before
• How unanswered prayer isn't always a "no" - sometimes it's God saying "what you need is my presence"
• Grieving pain honestly while still trusting God's greater purpose in it
• What the "thorn" or "stake" likely meant historically and why its ambiguity in Scripture matters
• How God values our spiritual maturity more than our comfort
• The difference between godly endurance and unhealthy attachment to suffering
• What it practically looks like for a leader to delight in weakness rather than deny or celebrate the pain itself
• Why true Christian leadership often looks like the opposite of worldly success

Key Quote: "It's okay for a leader to say this is hard, but God is still faithful. That's how you delight in it. I don't have enough strength for this, but God does."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a daily weekday podcast that offers a brief, thoughtful conversation around each day's reading in the One Year Bible. Hosted by the pastoral team at Open Door Church in Edenton, North Carolina, the show helps listeners connect Scripture to everyday life through honest, Spirit-led discussion.

Open Door Church is located in Edenton, North Carolina. Learn more at visitopendoor.com or onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a daily reading and conversation around God's Word. New episodes release every weekday to help you stay grounded in Scripture.

Coming This Week: Keep following along with One Single Story as the team continues through the One Year Bible reading plan, unpacking Scripture verse by verse and offering fresh encouragement for your daily walk with Christ.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #2Corinthians #ThornInTheFlesh #GodsGrace #StrengthInWeakness #ChristianLeadership #UnansweredPrayer

Join Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark, and Pastor Wendy Korbusieski for today's edition of One Single Story as they dig into 2 Corinthians 11:16-33 and unpack what it really means to build a "kingdom resume" instead of a cultural one. The hosts discuss Paul's unusual boasting, the daily pressure of caring for others, and the surprising story of Paul's escape in a basket—all pointing to a bigger truth about humility, endurance, and trusting God with the burdens we carry.

Scripture Focus: 2 Corinthians 11:16-33 - In this passage, Paul reluctantly defends his apostleship by listing his sufferings rather than his accomplishments: beatings, imprisonments, shipwrecks, and constant danger, followed by his "daily pressure" of concern for the churches. The chapter closes with the vivid image of Paul being lowered from the city wall in a basket to escape arrest.

In This Episode:

• Comparing Paul's list of sufferings to a modern-day cultural or ministry resume
• Why kingdom leadership is marked by sacrifice and authenticity rather than comfort and status
• The danger of pastors and leaders adopting a "savior mentality" instead of trusting Jesus as the true Savior
• Practical ways to guard against burnout: Sabbath rest, trusted relationships, delegation, and boundaries
• Learning to carry burdens for a season without internalizing them permanently
• What the basket-and-wall story reveals about humility, transparency, and the real cost of following Christ
• The difference between building a "resume" and building a "family photo album" of ministry

Key Quote: "Boast in your weaknesses and let the endurance of Christ be your true credential."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a daily podcast where hosts walk through a portion of that day's reading in the One Year Bible, offering brief, practical lessons to help listeners connect with God's Word every day of the week.

Open Door Church, Edenton, North Carolina visitopendoor.com | onesinglestory.com

Subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a daily lesson from God's Word. New episodes release each weekday to help you stay grounded in Scripture.

Coming This Week: Join us as we continue moving through the One Year Bible reading plan, exploring new passages and practical lessons each weekday on One Single Story.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #2Corinthians #PaulTheApostle #KingdomLeadership #PastoralBurnout #ChristianLeadership

Join Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark, and Pastor Wendy Korbusieski as they dig into 2 Corinthians 11 and explore how believers can be led astray from sincere devotion to Christ, how deception rarely announces itself, and how to spot spiritual counterfeits before they take root.

Scripture Focus: 2 Corinthians 11:1 - 15 - Paul expresses his godly jealousy for the church at Corinth, warning them not to be deceived by false apostles who disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, just as Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Paul also explains why he preached the gospel to them free of charge, refusing payment even as his critics used that refusal against him.

In This Episode:

• Why deception never announces itself as deception, but disguises itself as something attractive or even spiritual
• How undivided devotion to Jesus protects against spiritual corruption, and how good things can become idols when they crowd out that devotion
• Practical discernment filters for evaluating leaders: fruit and character, response to correction, consistency, humility, and accountability
• How the shift away from Christ is usually subtle, not sudden, like the slow drift Andy Stanley describes in relationships and leadership
• Why watching how a leader treats people who can't benefit them (waitstaff, assistants) reveals true character
• The contextual reasons Paul refused a salary in Corinth, and why ministry leaders should ask "what do I need to do to serve these people" rather than "what am I entitled to"
• A story about John D. Rockefeller's dinner-table leadership test and what it reveals about hiring for humility

Key Quote: "When you guard your heart against spiritual counterfeits, your single-minded devotion to Jesus becomes an imprint you'll see shield."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday devotional podcast walking through the One Year Bible reading plan, offering brief, practical lessons rooted in Scripture. Each episode features honest conversation between the hosts as they wrestle with the text and apply it to everyday life and leadership.

Church Info: One Single Story is a ministry of Open Door Church in Edenton, North Carolina. Learn more at visitopendoor.com or explore more episodes at onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a daily devotional. New episodes release every weekday to help you stay grounded in God's Word.

Coming This Week: Continue following along in 2 Corinthians as the hosts keep unpacking Paul's letter to the Corinthian church, exploring themes of humility, suffering, and what it means to boast only in the Lord.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #2Corinthians #SpiritualDiscernment #ChristianLeadership

Welcome back to One Single Story! Today Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Wendy Korbusieski for a conversation about spiritual warfare, strongholds, and the battle for our thoughts. Together they unpack the difference between fleshly weapons and divine weapons, and what it really means to take every thought captive to Christ.

Scripture Focus: 2 Corinthians 10:1-18 - Paul defends his ministry against accusations that he is bold in his letters but weak in person. He explains that believers don't fight with worldly weapons but with divine power that demolishes strongholds, takes every thought captive to obey Christ, and warns against measuring ourselves by comparing ourselves with others.

In This Episode:

• The difference between fleshly weapons (manipulation, intimidation, gossip, blame-shifting, passive aggression) and divine weapons (truth, prayer, integrity, forgiveness, trusting God to defend us)
• Why Paul says believers fight against ideas and arguments, not people
• How social media and "keyboard warrior" behavior can become a modern fleshly weapon
• Practical steps for taking toxic and anxious thoughts captive, including filter questions like "Is this real? Is it consistent with Scripture?"
• Why daily disciplines like Scripture reading, prayer, community, and accountability act as filters against destructive thinking
• Why preventative spiritual habits matter more than trying to fix a stronghold after it forms
• The danger of horizontal comparison and why measuring yourself against others distorts your identity and calling
• How comparison leads to either pride or discouragement, and why neither reflects a healthy sense of worth

Key Quote: "Fleeting thoughts left alone become strongholds."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday devotional podcast that walks through the One Year Bible reading plan, offering short, practical lessons rooted in Scripture. Each episode features honest conversation between the hosts as they explore how God's Word applies to everyday life and faith.

Open Door Church is located in Edenton, North Carolina. Learn more at visitopendoor.com or explore more episodes at onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a daily devotional, and share this episode with someone who needs encouragement to take their thoughts captive today.

Coming This Week: Join us as we continue our journey through 2 Corinthians, uncovering more truths about strength in weakness, godly leadership, and living a life surrendered to Christ.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #2Corinthians #StrongholdsBroken #TakeThoughtsCaptive #SpiritualWarfare #ComparisonTrap

Join Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark and Pastor Wendy Korbusieski for today's edition of One Single Story. As part of their week in Second Corinthians, the team digs into what it really means to give with a cheerful heart, how to avoid manipulation in giving, and why God's provision is meant to flow through us to bless others.

Scripture Focus: 2 Corinthians 9:1-15 - Paul writes to the church in Corinth about the collection being gathered for believers in Jerusalem, encouraging generous, voluntary giving that flows from a willing heart rather than obligation or pressure, and highlighting how such generosity produces a harvest of thanksgiving to God.

In This Episode:

• Why Paul never mentions the amount given, but instead focuses on the heart behind the gift
• How one act of generosity creates a ripple effect that leads others to worship
• The difference between planned, intentional generosity and empty "spur of the moment" promises
• What it means to be a "cheerful" giver, rooted in the Greek word hilaros
• How church leaders can cast vision for giving without guilt, pressure, or manipulation
• Shifting from a mindset of accumulation to becoming a "conduit" of God's blessing
• Wrestling with hard questions about surplus, lifestyle, and when enough is enough
• How gratitude, like generosity, multiplies and spreads to others
• A real-life story of a restaurant "chain of generosity" ten people deep

Key Quote: "It's not to create abundance in my life, accumulation. It becomes a tool that God gets to use. He's just placed it in my hands."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday podcast from Open Door Church that offers a brief, honest conversation around each day's reading in the One Year Bible. Pastor Stephen Mizell and rotating co-hosts break down Scripture in a practical, relatable way, helping listeners connect the Bible's one continuous story to everyday life and faith.

Open Door Church is located in Edenton, North Carolina. Learn more at visitopendoor.com or onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a daily episode, and join the conversation as we walk through Scripture together, one story at a time.

Coming This Week: This week the One Single Story team continues their study in Second Corinthians, exploring Paul's teaching on generosity, stewardship, and what it looks like to live with an open hand toward God and others.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #2Corinthians #CheerfulGiver #ChristianGenerosity #Stewardship #BibleTeaching

Welcome back to One Single Story! Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Sheryl Daughety for a candid conversation about adversity, wisdom, and the sobering reality of death. Today's discussion digs into why Solomon says facing hardship can be more valuable than chasing comfort, and how a true understanding of our mortality can free us to live with urgency and joy.

Scripture Focus: Ecclesiastes 7:1 – 9:18 - Solomon's reflections on wisdom versus wealth, the danger of romanticizing "the good old days," why a house of mourning teaches us more than a house of feasting, and his call to enjoy life fully while embracing the certainty of death.

In This Episode:

• Why wisdom paired with resources outlasts resources alone
• How swift justice (or the lack of it) shapes a culture's behavior, tying into Ecclesiastes 9:11
• Why adversity brings clarity that comfort and abundance often can't
• The danger of nostalgia and romanticizing the past as "the good old days"
• Why people cling to familiar struggles (even slavery or bad habits) over the uncertainty of change
• Living with urgency and freedom once you accept that physical death is certain
• Finishing well: what it means to complete the assignment God has given you

Key Quote: "When you accept the sobering reality of your mortality, you stop wasting time on petty offenses and start living each day with urgent, holy joy."

One Single Story is a weekday podcast from Open Door Church where hosts walk through a portion of the One Year Bible reading plan, offering brief, honest conversation around Scripture to help you grow in your daily walk with God.

Open Door Church | Edenton, North Carolina visitopendoor.com | onesinglestory.com

Subscribe so you never miss a daily edition of One Single Story, and join us each weekday as we open God's Word together.

Coming This Week: Join us as we continue through the One Year Bible reading plan, moving from Ecclesiastes into new sections of Scripture with fresh conversations on wisdom, faith, and everyday application for your walk with Christ.

#OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Ecclesiastes #Wisdom #Mortality #LivingWithPurpose