What does it look like to follow God… when you don’t know how the story ends? 

In this powerful first part of a two-part conversation, we sit down with one of Richard’s dearest friends, Elliott, and his wife, Emily, as they share their journey into the world of fostering and adoption - a path filled with uncertainty, surrender, and deep trust in God. 

This isn’t just a conversation about outcomes. It’s about obedience. It’s about choosing to keep the gospel at the center, even when the road ahead feels unclear. And it’s about treating people with the kind of selfless love that Jesus calls us to - regardless of how the story unfolds.

Elliott has been a mega-supporter of Sermons on the Side from the early days (firmly on the Mount Rushmore of fans), and this conversation is one you won’t want to miss!

Part 2 drops next week - make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss the rest of this incredible story.

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What if the way you describe your life… isn’t actually yours to define? 

This week on Sermons on the Side, Richard shares a simple but profound moment with a friend named Jamal. When asked how his day was going, Jamal responded, “It’s not for me to call.”  That phrase sparks a deeper conversation about who truly has the authority to name our circumstances - and ultimately, our identity. 

We journey back to Genesis, where tragedy and truth collide. As Rachel gives birth to her son in her final moments, she names him Ben-Oni - “son of my sorrow.” But in the very next breath of Scripture, Jacob steps in and renames him Benjamin - “son of my right hand.” In that culture, the father held the right to name the child.

So what does that mean for us? 

If God is our Father, then He alone has the authority to name who we are - not our pain, not our past, not our circumstances. We don’t get the final word… He does.

And why does He have that right?

Because He paid for it. 

Just like Truist Park bears its name because of a financial transaction, our lives carry God’s name because of a far greater price. Scripture reminds us: we were bought with a price. Our identity isn’t self-assigned - it’s divinely given.

This episode is an invitation to release the labels you’ve been carrying… and receive the name your Father speaks over you!

Song Credit: This episode includes a brief acoustic portion of "Before the Throne of God Above" performed by Shane & Shane. Used here for devotional and illustrative purposes. 

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What happens when a simple trip to the store turns into a moment you never forget? 

In this episode, Brad shares the now-legendary Bed, Bath & Beyond story - from a wedding with hundreds of people, to stacks of gift cards, to a checkout moment that didn’t make sense on paper… but made perfect sense in real life. 

What started as a routine shopping trip with a plan quickly became something much deeper and picture of something much greater: the beauty of community and the overwhelming nature of grace. When people show up - really show up - it changes things. It lifts burdens. It fills gaps. It reminds us that we were never meant to do life alone. 

This conversation leans into the truth that biblical community has the amazing opportunity to show the very grace of God to people - and when we do, it has a way of leaving us speechless. 

If you’ve ever experienced a moment where provision, generosity, or your very own five-loaves-and-two-fish experience… this one’s for you!

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Thank you for being part of the journey with us!

What do you hold onto when the weight feels unbearable? 

In this episode, Richard takes us back to the early days of his recovery journey - when everything felt raw, heavy, and uncertain. During that time, he was encouraged to come up with a mantra… but something about that language never quite fit. 

Instead, through a perfectly timed Sunday morning and a single, powerful verse, he discovered something deeper. 

A watchword.

An old English term, a watchword isn’t just a phrase you repeat - it’s a truth you anchor yourself to. Historically used as a password, rallying cry, or guiding principle, a watchword was something spoken with conviction… something that carried weight, identity, and direction. Not just words - but the word you return to when everything else feels shaky. 

This episode is about finding that kind of truth.
The kind that cuts through shame.
The kind that steadies you.
The kind that reminds you who you are - and whose you are.

So we’ll ask the question:
What is your watchword?

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As Holy Week comes to a close, we arrive at Good Friday. 

There’s no new concept here. No fresh perspective to uncover. Just the reality at the center of our faith - 

A perfect Savior stepped into an imperfect world.
The only sinless One took on the sin of all.
Jesus willingly became the sacrifice.

In this episode, we don’t rush past the cross. We sit in it. We reflect on the weight, the cost, and the depth of love displayed through His suffering.

This is the day where everything changes.
Where grace is written in blood.
Where mercy is extended to all.

And as we transition into the quiet of Silent Saturday, our prayer is that we would allow the sorrow, the sacrifice, and the solitude to center our hearts and focus our minds.

Because while today is Friday…
Sunday is coming!

There may be pain in the night - 
but joy comes in the morning.

Thank you for walking through Holy Week with us! We pray a special blessing over you, your family, and your local church this weekend. 

Song Credit:
This episode includes a brief acoustic portion of “Jesus Messiah”  written by Chris Tomlin, Daniel Carson, Ed Cash, and Jesse Reeves. Used here for devotional and illustrative purposes.

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As Holy Week continues, we arrive at Maundy Thursday - the night of the Last Supper. 

The word Maundy comes from the Latin mandatum, meaning “mandate.” And in this sacred moment around the table, Jesus gives exactly that - new commands for His followers. From loving one another, to remembering Him through the breaking of bread and the sharing of the cup. 

What begins as a meal becomes something so much more. 

In this episode, we slow down and sit at the table with Jesus and His disciples - taking in the weight of His words, the depth of His love, and the reality of what was about to unfold. This is the moment where the tone of Holy Week begins to shift…where celebration gives way to sacrifice.

Because the bread would soon be His body - broken.
And the cup would soon be His blood - poured out. 

We reflect on the significance of communion, the beauty of Jesus’ command to love, and the sobering truth that the cross was no longer distant - it was imminent. 

As we continue this journey, may we not rush past this table - but truly sit, remember, and receive.

Let’s keep walking.

Song Credit:
This episode includes a brief acoustic portion of “Love Ran Red”  written and performed by Chris Tomlin. Used here for devotional and illustrative purposes.

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Thank you for being part of the journey with us!

As Holy Week continues, we step into one of the heaviest and most sobering moments in the story - Judas’ betrayal of Jesus. 

For thirty pieces of silver, Judas trades relationship for control. Disappointed that Jesus didn’t meet his expectations of what the Messiah should be, he turns away - choosing his own path over trust. 

It’s easy to judge. Easy to distance ourselves from the story. But if we’re honest…there’s a little bit of Judas in all of us. 

Moments where God doesn’t move how we want.
Moments where we grow frustrated, disconnected, or discontent.
Moments where we start reaching for control - one small compromise at a time…our own “pieces of silver.” 

In this episode, we take a hard but honest look inward. Not to sit in shame - but to recognize the subtle ways our hearts can drift. 

And yet - even here - grace is still present. Because even after the betrayal is set in motion, Jesus still invites Judas to the table.

The same invitation stands for us today. No matter how far we’ve wandered, we are not beyond the reach of the Father's love for the prodigal. 

As we continue this Holy Week journey, may this moment lead us not to despair - but to surrender. 

Keep walking towards the cross.

Song Credit:
This episode includes a brief acoustic portion of the hymn “I Surrender All.”  Used here for devotional and illustrative purposes.

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As Holy Week continues, we step into one of the most intimate and powerful acts of worship found in the Gospels - Mary anointing the feet of Jesus. 

With a jar of perfume worth nearly a year’s wages, Mary pours out everything she has in a moment of deep gratitude, humility, and love. It’s extravagant. It’s costly. And to some, it doesn’t make sense. 

But when we remember what Jesus had just done - raising her brother Lazarus from the dead - we begin to understand. When we truly see Jesus for who He is and reflect on what He has done for us, worship becomes less about obligation and more about overflow. 

In this episode, we reflect on what it looks like to respond to Jesus with that same kind of unfiltered, unconditional praise! A posture that may not always be understood by others - but is always seen and received by Him. 

As we continue walking through Holy Week, our prayer is that this moment would challenge and invite you to pour out your own offering of gratitude - whatever that may look like.

Let’s keep journeying together!

Song Credit:
This episode includes a brief acoustic portion of “Gratitude”  written and performed by Brandon Lake. Used here for devotional and illustrative purposes.

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Sermons on the Side Bible Readings

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Love the show? If you’re enjoying the stories, laughs, and conversations we share here, we’d be so grateful if you’d consider “buying us a cup of coffee” to help keep things brewing. It’s a simple way to show your support and keep the podcast going strong!

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Thank you for being part of the journey with us!

As Holy Week begins, we step into one of the most powerful and paradoxical moments in all of Scripture - the Triumphant Entry. 

Jesus rides into Jerusalem not on a warhorse, but on a humble donkey. The crowds gather, laying down cloaks and palm branches, shouting “Hosanna!” - praise, celebration, expectation. It feels like a coronation… but it’s leading to a cross. 

In this episode, we slow down and enter into that moment. We reflect on the beauty of praise, the tension of expectation, and what it looks like for us to prepare our hearts for the week ahead. Though Palm Sunday has passed, we intentionally begin here - fixing our eyes on Jesus and joining the crowd in worship as we journey toward the cross and the empty tomb. 

Our hope is that this episode helps posture your heart - whether you’re driving to work, sitting in stillness, or preparing to gather with your local church later this week. 

Let’s begin Holy Week together!

Song Credit:
This episode includes a brief acoustic portion of “Hosanna”  written by Brooke Ligertwood and published by Hillsong Music Publishing. Used here for devotional and illustrative purposes.

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Sermons on the Side Bible Readings

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Love the show? If you’re enjoying the stories, laughs, and conversations we share here, we’d be so grateful if you’d consider “buying us a cup of coffee” to help keep things brewing. It’s a simple way to show your support and keep the podcast going strong!

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Thank you for being part of the journey with us!

What does it really mean to surrender? 

In this episode of Sermons on the Side, a simple but powerful moment sets the stage - Richard wakes up from a dream singing the timeless hymn “Have Thine Own Way.”  From that moment, a deeper conversation unfolds around surrender, trust, and what it looks like to truly place our lives in God’s hands. 

We also share a story from our recent conversation with missionary Jacques Van Bommel - one that didn’t make last week’s episode but felt too meaningful not to revisit. It’s a powerful reminder that surrender isn’t just a portion of our life... it's ALL of our life. 

If you’ve ever wrestled with control, uncertainty, or letting go of your own plans, this episode will meet you right where you are.

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Sermons on the Side Bible Readings

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Love the show? If you’re enjoying the stories, laughs, and conversations we share here, we’d be so grateful if you’d consider “buying us a cup of coffee” to help keep things brewing. It’s a simple way to show your support and keep the podcast going strong!

Here’s the link: buymeacoffee.com/sermonsontheside

Thank you for being part of the journey with us!