As we step into Holy Week and prepare our hearts for Easter, I found myself thinking, this one I needed to hear again—and I hope it might touch your heart in the same way.

With that thought in mind, I'm re-airing the bonus Holy Week & Easter episode from last year of Open Our Bibles Together, where I had the joy of sitting down for a conversation with Tammy Munson from Christian Podcasting Secrets. In this one, we took a meaningful walk through the events of Holy Week as if we were actually there: the cheers of Palm Sunday, the solemn weight of the Last Supper, the heartbreak of the cross, and the shock and joy of the empty tomb.

Along the way, we connected these moments to Old Testament prophecies, key Scriptures, and even explored how visual portrayals—like The Chosen—bring the story of Easter to life in a fresh and powerful way.

And, of course… because it's Tammy and me, there was laughter too! We closed with a few lighthearted Easter questions, reminding us that even in the heaviness of Holy Week, there is hope, joy, and reason to celebrate.

As a side note: the show notes have also been updated with links for watching The Chosen Seasons 4 and 5, as well as all the previously included resources to help you dive deeper as you walk through Holy Week.

If you're looking for a way to slow down, reflect, and really prepare your heart for Easter, this re-air is an invitation to step into the story and let it come alive for you once again this year.

For the full episode show notes, please go to https://mfahring.com/re-air-what-if-you-saw-holy-week-up-close/

In today's episode of Open Our Bibles Together, we're opening up Deuteronomy chapters 26–28. These are chapters that often get labeled as "blessings and curses," and if you've ever felt a little uneasy with that language, please know that you're not alone (I'm definitely raising my hand over here along with you, my friends).

But as we slow down and read them carefully, we start to notice something else going on. Over and over, Moses is reminding the people to look back. To remember where they came from. To remember what God has already done for them.

And from that place of remembering, he talks about choices. Not to scare them. Not to control them. But to be honest about what life looks like when God is at the center of it—and what happens when He isn't.

This episode isn't about fear or rule-keeping. It's about God's heart. A God who loves His people enough to be clear, and who keeps inviting them toward life and blessing.

I can't wait for us to take our time with these chapters together and listen for God's heart behind the words! Be sure to listen in for all this and so much more!

For the full episode show notes, please go to https://mfahring.com/deuteronomy-26-28/

In today's episode of Open Our Bibles Together, we're digging into Deuteronomy chapters 23–25, and what might seem like a list of random rules at first actually comes together around one powerful theme: remembering the God who rescues.

Moses keeps reminding Israel—over and over again—to look back before they move forward. In Deuteronomy 24:18, he says, "Always remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God redeemed you from your slavery." God isn't just giving instructions—He's pointing His people back to their rescue story and saying, Let that shape how you live. Their compassion for the vulnerable, their care for one another, and their pursuit of holiness were all meant to flow out of remembering what God had already done for them.

We'll also talk through why these laws mattered so much—especially since God Himself was living in the midst of their camp—and how His commands were never about pushing people away, but about protecting His people and reflecting His heart. Along the way, we revisit key moments from Israel's past, including Balaam's failed attempt to curse God's people, and we trace the redemptive thread through Ruth and Boaz, discovering how even in laws and boundaries, God's grace and redemption are never far away.

As Moses speaks like a man running out of time—standing at the edge of the Promised Land—he urges the people to remember where they came from and who brought them out. And ultimately, we see how all of this points us forward to Jesus, our Rescuer, who redeems us and calls us to live differently because of His grace.

For the full episode show notes, please go to https://mfahring.com/deuteronomy-23-25/

In this episode, we dive into Deuteronomy 20–22, standing with the Israelites on the edge of the Promised Land, listening to Moses' reminders and instructions, and seeing God as their Commander-in-Chief who goes before them and never leaves their side. We explore the battles they will face, the nations they will encounter, and the instructions God gave to protect life, uphold justice, and prepare His people to live faithfully in the land He promised to Abraham all the way back in Genesis.

We also walk through the everyday instructions — caring for neighbors, protecting property, honoring creation, and respecting marriage — and uncover the bigger principle: living faithfully, reflecting God's order, and trusting Him in every part of life.

Along the way, we reflect on worship songs that capture these truths — "See a Victory", "Surrounded", and "Battle Belongs" — reminders that God fights for us in every battle — big, small, and everything in between. May these songs be the anthems of our hearts, reminding us of our God With Us who goes before us and never leaves our side. Gosh, that's so good. ❤

For the full episode show notes, please go to https://mfahring.com/deuteronomy-20-22/

From Moses to the Messiah and Beyond — from the warnings and guidance of Moses to the courageous witness of Stephen, today's episode shows us God's faithfulness across generations. ❤️

Together, we explore Deuteronomy 17–19, taking a closer look at God's guidance for leadership, justice, and faithful living. We see how Moses prepared his people not just for the Promised Land, but for the ultimate Prophet, Priest, and King — Jesus Christ. His words were full of care, warning, and hope, pointing forward to God's plan for redemption.

Then we follow a thread from the Old Testament to the New as we turn to Stephen in Acts 7, whose courageous speech boldly proclaims Jesus as the Prophet Moses promised. Stephen recounts God's faithfulness throughout Israel's history — even when the people stumbled — reminding us that God's promises are never delayed or forgotten… all before he is martyred for his faith in Jesus.

Along the way, we reflect on God's heart for justice and mercy, including the cities of refuge and the principle that punishment should fit the crime. These instructions weren't just ancient rules — they reveal God's care for life, fairness, and the well-being of His people, showing how justice and compassion go hand in hand.

This episode invites us to see God's promises fulfilled and to recognize that the same faithfulness that guided the Israelites is still active in our lives today. ❤️

For the full episode show notes, please go to https://mfahring.com/deuteronomy-17-19/

🎉 Happy New Year, friends! Open Our Bibles Together with MFahring is officially back from a holiday break with another episode release! 🎉 It's been a little while — since the end of November, actually — that we've been walking through Deuteronomy together, so we start today with a quick refresher on where we've been before diving into chapters 14–16.

In this episode, we explore how God calls His people to live as His treasured possession. We unpack the dietary laws, tithing, and also the three pilgrim festivals to see how each one was designed to remind Israel of God's faithfulness and His presence among them.

Just as we saw in our recent Advent God With Us series, God's presence is at the center of the story — in the wilderness, in the Promised Land, and ultimately fulfilled in Jesus, Emmanuel. These chapters show that God's presence shapes identity, community, and daily life — and that truth is still true for us today.

Join us as we kick off the new year with this new episode, reflecting on God's tender care in His instructions, celebrating His faithfulness, and remembering that He is always with us. ✨

Gosh, I can't wait for you to listen in to this one! ❤

For the full episode show notes, please go to https://mfahring.com/deuteronomy-14-16/

Merry Merry Merriest of Christmases to each of you, my OOBTers! 🎄✨

Today's episode is the final episode in the God With Us Advent re-air series: The Awe + Wonder of Our Savior's Birth. What a perfect way to pause on Christmas Eve and prepare our hearts and minds for celebrating tomorrow—Christmas Day! We'll lean in to the real lives of those who were part of the very first Christmas—Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, the shepherds in the fields, and even the Wise Men.

Even if you've heard the story hundreds of times, my prayer is that God will give us fresh eyes and renewed awe at the gift of that baby boy in the manger: Emmanuel, God With Us.

As we reflect on this story and the joy of Christ's arrival, may our hearts be filled with wonder, excitement, and deep gratitude that He came to us, for us, and is always with us. After all the waiting, Advent brings us to this amazing truth: Christ our Savior is born! Amazing. Just AMAZING. ❤

For the full episode show notes, please go to https://mfahring.com/god-with-us-advent-2025-the-awe-wonder-of-christ-our-saviors-birth/

Welcome to Week 3 of the God With Us Advent re-air series on OOBT! Today's episode, God With Us While We Wait, invites us to pause in the midst of the busy holiday season and reflect on the deeper meaning of Advent: He has come… and He is coming.

In this episode, we explore how Jesus, our Emmanuel, is present with us in every part of life—the hard and the good, the joy and the pain, in the weariness and in the waiting. We dive into what it means to trust God in the "in-between" moments, to let Advent slow our hearts and minds, and to recognize that the waited time is not wasted time with Him.

You'll hear encouragement to take this season as an opportunity to lean into God's presence, to find hope, and to discover ways your weary soul can truly rejoice… even while we wait.

As I've mentioned repeatedly in this God With Us Advent series, I'm listening right alongside you, my OOBTers, letting the truths of this Advent message stir my heart just as they did when I first spoke them into the mic all those seasons ago. So good.

Don't forget to check the show notes—they're packed with bonus content, links, and reflection prompts to help you engage with Advent in fresh, meaningful ways.

Next week, we'll close out the series with The Awe + Wonder of Our Savior's Birth, releasing on Christmas Eve—a perfect way to prepare your heart and mind for our Savior's birth.

For the full episode show notes, please go to https://mfahring.com/god-with-us-advent-2025-god-with-us-while-we-wait

Merriest almost Christmas, OOBTers! This is Week 2 of the God With Us Advent series. In today's episode, we trace the threads of God's rescue plan through some often-overlooked parts of the Christmas story—beginning with the dedication of the firstborn, Simeon and Anna's encounter with Jesus in the Temple, the Wise Men's visit, the flight to Egypt, and God's call to return to Nazareth.

Through it all, we see God as our faithful Promise Keeper—working in both the light and the darkness, weaving joy and sorrow into His beautiful plan of redemption.

And just like you, I'm re-listening to these Advent messages right along with you. My heart is being stirred again by the very words I first spoke into the mic so many Advent seasons ago. God With Us then, God With Us now, God With Us forever.

Be sure to listen in for all this and more, my OOBTers—and don't forget, this Advent we're releasing a new re-air each week leading up to Christmas Eve.

For the full episode show notes, please go to https://mfahring.com/god-with-us-advent-2025-out-of-egypt-i-called-my-son

Advent is here! Today kicks off a brand-new series on OOBT: God With Us. For the next four weeks, leading right up to Christmas Eve, I'll be re-airing past Advent episodes—and I'll be listening right alongside you, my OOBTers!

In this episode, we trace Old Testament promises and prophecies of the Rescuer who came down to the Israelites in Egypt, just as our Rescuer came down to us in the form of a baby in a manger.

The gift of that baby in the manger is incredible, but even more amazing is the mystery of our Savior's presence forever with us through the Holy Spirit. God With Us isn't just a moment in history—it's the reality of Emmanuel now and forevermore.

As I listened back to this one myself, my heart was reminded just how much I needed the very words I spoke into the mic so many Advent seasons ago. I pray it does the same for you as we begin this journey together.

Please be sure to check out the show notes—they're filled with special Advent bonus content and helpful links!

So wherever this season takes you, I so hope you'll listen in and be reminded: our Emmanuel came down, and He is still God With Us. Always. ❤

For the full episode show notes, please go to https://mfahring.com/god-with-us-advent-2025-rescue-came-down-his-name-is-emmanuel/