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In this Best of 2025 interview, the late Dr. Gregory Jantz addresses the increasing anxiety being experienced in modern culture. 1 in 5 adults struggle with anxiety and 1 in 4 teens. With his whole-person approach, Jantz unpacks the myriads of reasons for this trend and shares practical solutions for healthy living. He will help you to attack the three-headed monster of worry, anxiety, and stress by asking you to take personal inventory, choose healthy habits and diet, and address your spiritual needs through God’s Word, prayer, and Christian community.

No day is accidental or incidental. No acts are random or wasted. Look at Jesus’ birth at Bethlehem. A king ordered a census. Joseph was forced to travel. Mary, round as a ladybug, bounced on a donkey’s back. The hotel was full, the hour was late. The event was one big hassle. Yet out of the hassle, hope was born. It still is.

I don’t like hassles. But I love Christmas because it reminds us of the heart-shaping promises of Christmas. Long after the guests have left, and the carolers have gone home, and the lights have come down, these promises endure: God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God. Perhaps you could use some Christmas this Christmas?

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For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

Do you know why you want to lead? What drives your interactions with people? These are critical questions every leader must ask themselves for the good of those they lead — and in today's episode, John Maxwell is walking you through how to examine your motives as a leader!

After John's lesson, Mark Cole unpacks John's teaching points so you can apply them directly to your life and leadership.

Key takeaways:

• Motivation is about mutual advantage and empowering people, while manipulation is about personal gain and controlling people.

• Most aspiring leaders want to lead and be loved, but sometimes, they are mutually exclusive.

• To keep your leadership motives in check, regularly serve others without a title or position.

Our BONUS resource for this episode is the Your Motives Matter Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting MaxwellPodcast.com/MotivesMatter and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."

Peace with God is never the result of our works—only of His abundant grace through Jesus Christ.

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What is one important truth you've learned lately that you might share? How has it impacted your life? After Christ returns, what is life like? Do we spend our time in heaven or on the new Earth? What can we expect?

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What if the first person filled with God’s Spirit wasn’t a priest or a prophet—but an artist? We open Scripture and discover a remarkable blueprint in Bezalel’s story, then connect it to the quiet, unmistakable ways the Holy Spirit awakens creative calling today. If you’ve felt a steady tug to make, a rush of ideas, or a deep peace when you create, this conversation gives language and courage for that journey.

We explore five clear signs of a Spirit-led art calling. First, being called by name—identity awakening before confidence. Second, being filled with the Spirit not just for ministry roles but for wisdom, understanding, and craftsmanship. Third, the heart-stirring that invites you to show up in the studio without pressure. Fourth, the power of community confirmation, where mentors, friends, and audiences echo what God is doing and even resource the work. Finally, assignment: how creativity becomes a place where heaven meets earth, just as Bezalel’s work formed the tabernacle for his generation.

Throughout, we share how internal guidance replaces the need for audible signs, why joy in the process is diagnostic of the Spirit’s activity, and how to discern feedback as confirmation rather than coincidence. You’ll hear practical encouragement to start with your current skills, grow in excellence without perfectionism, and let your yes open doors you couldn’t script. If your art has ever carried peace into a room or sparked hope in a weary heart, you’re already tasting your assignment.

If this resonates, subscribe to the Thriving Christian Artist channel, share this episode with a creative friend, and leave a review with the sign that spoke to you most. Your story might be the confirmation someone else needs today.

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