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We were traveling a good distance and it took a couple of days. We needed to get there at a certain time, so we had a lot of drive-through meals, and therefore a lot of fast food. That means our eating decisions were pretty simple. We didn't make them on the basis of flavor, or nutrition, or elegant surroundings. No, they were based on whoever was the fastest, the closest to the road and whatever we could eat the most quickly while traveling. Now, our sons have a really high tolerance for fast food. But even they have their limits. After a couple of days of fast food, when it was time to get dinner, even they said, "Please, let's stop at a restaurant and eat. We know we'll have to slow down a bit. We know we'll lose time. But we'd had enough fast food. It's time for real food."

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Prayer That Waits."

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Luke 18. "Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said, 'In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the pleas, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!'"

Now, even though the judge didn't care, she just kept coming and she just kept asking. This was Jesus' parable, and let's make it very clear that the judge is in no way a picture of our God. That's not the God we know, the one who cares deeply enough to have His Son die for us. He actually welcomes us coming to Him. See, this widow is sort of a picture of what we ought to be. Jesus wants us to keep coming, "Always pray and don't give up" He says.

Maybe you feel like giving up because it looks like nothing is happening. He says, "Don't give up." He doesn't want us to give up. That might be the word He knew you needed to hear this very day. See, it could be why you're listening right now. He's telling us to keep coming to Him, not based on how we feel, or what's happening with our circumstances, but on the strength of His unchanging Son.

Listen to 1 John 5:14-15. "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we have asked of Him." He hears, He responds as long as it's in the boundaries of His will. He's promised that. He wants us to ask Him; to keep coming to Him with our need. In fact we should ask more what He wants actually than what we want. And He wants us to keep at it.

God's not keeping an account on how many times you come. But He knows that our relationship is more important than we thought if we continue to develop that relationship by continually seeking His presence. He wants to give a closeness to us, and He often uses a waiting time to develop Christ like faith that we would never have if we had the answer right away.

Now, you and I don't want to take time for God to cook up a real answer. We'd rather pick it up at drive-through. But the quick answer is seldom the one that's the best answer. Keep bringing your requests to your Father, asking Him to change you while you're waiting for Him to change your circumstances. He's preparing you for His answer.

As my tired of fast food sons will tell you, the good stuff takes a little longer, but it's worth the wait.

Narcissism is ugly, dangerous, and abusive, and it is not gender specific. We will open the phones as we talk with Laurel Slade-Waggoner about narcissism. How can someone protect their mental, emotional, and spiritual health from a narcissist? Why do the words SPECIALME help us better understand narcissism? Get your dialing fingers ready as the lines light up with questions on narcissism.

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For the most part, everyone likes the Jesus of Christmas, who brings peace on earth and goodwill to men. And they usually like the Jesus of the Sermon on the Mount, who urges us to love one another and turn the other cheek. But uncontroversial people don’t get crucified. On this edition of Summit Life, we’re unpacking more of the Difficult Sayings of Jesus. 

Who do you think you are? Dr. Tony Evans says you can’t answer that until you recognize the spiritual authority God has given you—and how grace changes your perspective before it changes your circumstances.

You love Jesus—but marriage still feels complicated. Ministry pressure. In-law tension. Career moves you didn’t plan. What does a strong Christian marriage actually look like after 25 years? If you're wondering How can I make a relationship last? Stephanie Carter and her husband Bryan--author of Made to Last: 8 Principles to Build Long Lasting Relationships--get you started in the right direction. They chat about conflict, calling, compromise—and the quiet resilience that keeps love standing. If you’re tired of clichés and want faith that works at home, this one’s for you.

Show Notes and Resources

• Learn more about Bryan Carter's and his book Made to Last: Eight Principles to Build Long-Lasting Relationships at bryancarter.org.
• Attend a Weekend to Remember marriage getaway, our faith-based retreat with biblical teaching, practical tools, and focused time for couples: Register now at WeekendToRemember.com
• Sign up for the free Blended and Blessed livestream: a one-day event focused on building unity in blended families: Happening April 18, 2026 — register at blendedandblessed.com
• Set sail on the Love Like You Mean It Marriage Cruise! Now through 3/31/26, use promo code CruiseMadness27 and enjoy exclusive savings on your stateroom. 

• Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com.
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What if the most important question about your savings isn’t how much you have—but what it’s really for?

We often think of saving as a financial skill—and it is. But Scripture invites us to see it as something deeper: a purposeful act of stewardship. When we understand saving through that lens, it begins to shape not just our finances, but our hearts.

Let’s be honest—saving rarely feels automatic.

If it did, we wouldn’t need reminders, spreadsheets, apps, or the occasional sticky note on the fridge. Saving requires us to resist the pull of the present in favor of the future. And that kind of restraint has always been in short supply.

Our culture encourages consumption and immediacy. Spend now. Upgrade now. Enjoy now. But saving calls us to a different rhythm—one marked by patience and preparation.

For many households, the challenge is even more pressing. Without financial margin, it only takes one unexpected expense—a repair, a medical bill, a job transition—to create significant strain. In that sense, saving isn’t just about numbers—it’s about posture.

Saving teaches us to slow down, to hold back, and to make intentional decisions. It’s the discipline of saying “not now” so we can say “yes” when the time is right.

Scripture consistently affirms this kind of foresight.

The book of Proverbs praises diligence, prudence, and gathering in season (Proverbs 6:6–8). These aren’t presented as signs of fear or lack of faith—but as wisdom in action.

Saving doesn’t compete with God’s provision. It responds to it.

When we save, we acknowledge that God has entrusted resources to us—and that we have a responsibility to steward them wisely. Biblical wisdom is never passive. It’s thoughtful, intentional, and forward-looking.

At the same time, Scripture gives us a clear guardrail. Our security doesn’t come from what we accumulate—it comes from the Lord.

When saving becomes a substitute for trust, it quietly shifts our foundation. We begin to rely on what we’ve stored rather than on the One who provides.

Jesus addresses this in Luke 12:24, pointing to the ravens: “They neither sow nor reap… and yet God feeds them.” His message isn’t that planning is wrong—it’s that anxiety is misplaced.

God knows our needs. He is faithful. Saving, rightly understood, is not self-reliance. It’s stewardship under God’s care.

Purpose is what keeps our savings from drifting into fear or accumulation.

Without purpose, saving can feel like deprivation—a constant delay of gratification. It can become a way of managing fear or building a false sense of control.

But with purpose, saving becomes something entirely different.

Saving with purpose transforms restraint into readiness. It isn’t just personal—it’s communal.

Scripture reminds us that we are stewards, not owners. What we have has been entrusted to us for purposes that extend beyond our own lives.

A lack of margin often limits our ability to respond when needs arise. But when we’ve prepared wisely, we’re positioned to give, serve, and support others more freely.

Generosity often requires readiness. And readiness requires margin.

It’s important to remember: Scripture doesn’t prescribe a universal savings percentage or target balance.

Faithfulness isn’t measured by a number.

For some—especially those facing financial hardship—saving may feel out of reach. That struggle is real, especially in today’s economic climate.

For others,