Simply Stories Podcast

Listen, I hope y'all are ready because Andi Andrew is on today and she brings a WHOLE WORD about relationships, broken belief systems and living lives that pursue the way, truth and life in Jesus! Andi is passionate about God, His word and His people and doing the work of being a human in this broken world so you can connect more deeply with God and with people. She'll share in this conversation about what it was like for her family living and leading a church in NYC during the pandemic, and what was revealed to her about the hearts and relationships within the body of Christ locally and globally that ultimately deeply informed the book on her heart called: Friendship–It's Complicated Avoid the Drama, Create Authentic Connection, and Fulfill Your Purpose Together.

This book is more than just examining relationships, it cuts to the heart of the matter and calls us to look at the broken belief systems that inhibit our relationships from growing, and keep us from growing more into the image of Christ and who we were made to be. Andi asks big questions in her book and in this conversation such as: are we living the way and the truth and the life of Jesus or our own way? What's the difference between healthy boundaries and building walls of isolation? A deep, healing, and restorative work is needed in each and every one of us so that we can love who we are created to be, and love others as they are created to be as image bearers of God.

Be sure and check out Andi's free resources, her books, that are all linked in our show notes and blog! AND if you're interested we'll be reading her book for this month's Simply Stories Book Club! Head to the link in bio to connect with Andi, the book club, and to hear the episode. Wherever you are friends, just remember that this is not how the story ends. That you matter, your story matters. "He will complete the work He began in You until the day of completion" Thanks for hanging out with me and I'll see you next time.

Connecting with Andi:

BookFacebook

Instagram

Podcast

TwitterWebsite

YouTube

Today's episode sponsor: Tony Crabtree Homes with Exit Realty

Home buyer guide: http://bit.ly/buyersguidecrabtreehomes

Seller guide: http://bit.ly/sellerguidecrabtreehomes

Facebook

Instagram

Website

YouTube

References:

-Liberty Church in New York-Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life: Dr. Henry Cloud, Dr. John Townsend-codependency -Free downloadable pdf about rebuilding relationships-The enneagram

-Join the Simply Stories Podcast Book Club while we read Friendship– It's Complicated

Scripture References:-1 Corinthians 12:12-37-The body of Christ-John 15- Pruning and bearing fruit -Matthew 7:24-27-Are we standing on the rock or the sand?-Matthew 5-7-The sermon on the mount -John 14:6-The way, the truth and the life-The book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah 3- the list of names of those who rebuilt the wall-Psalm 16:5-6-The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places -Joshua 18-19, Numbers 18:21-32-When God gives out inheritances to the tribes around the Tabernacle -Romans 12:18-Inasmuch as it depends on you, live peaceably with everyone-Malachi 3:2-The Refiner's fire-Acts 6:1-7, Acts 15-The New Testament church struggles -Ecclesiastes 1:9-There's nothing new under the sunActs 8:26-40-The eunuch and PhillipActs 16:16-40 Acts 27:27-28:5--Fellowships on ships, in prisons-Hebrews 10:25-Do not neglect gathering-Ephesians 2:19-22, Mark 12:1-11, Psalm 118:22-23-The cornerstone of our faith-Matthew 18:15-The model of conflict in the Gospel-Mark 3-The Lord experienced conflict (just as one example!)-Unity in our diversity-Galatians 2:20-Walking crucified with Christ-Ephesians 4:11-16– the apostle, the teacher, the evangelist using their unique gifts bring maturity and unity to the body of Christ -Exodus 1:1-21-The midwives,Shifra and Puah, who delivered Moses (and other Hebrew babes)-Acts 13-Barnabas saw Saul, and brought forth Paul Acts 15:36-16:10-Barnabas and Paul experienced conflict, but they reconciled (and I misspoke, it was about Mark, not Timothy

Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories Podcast:Instagram (Em life // Podcast Life)FacebookTwitterBlog

*Intro and Outro music is from audionautix.com

Today I have the pleasure of sharing with you my conversation with Jenny Albers. Jenny is an author and a speaker who courageously shares her story of miscarriage and loss to encourage other women who are walking in a similar journey. Her book Courageously Expecting: 30 Days of Encouragement for Pregnancy After Loss is a beautiful offering of how to cling to hope and deal with all the trauma that comes with trying to grow your family after knowing loss. In this conversation she shares with me her story, where she is of learning how to cling to God after having so much heartbreak happen, and how she continued functioning in a marriage, as a parent, as a person while battling grief, guilt, confusion and fear

We also talk about the often undiscussed, and secretive parts of what women dealing with miscarriage or women who have had a baby, but don't have a baby at home, and how the hush hush nature of this conversation can really wrap women up in a narrative of shame that keeps them from being able to heal at all. And this is an issue that affects so many women, the statistics say something like 1 in 8 women will experience miscarriage. This conversation is for the women who have this as part of their story, the people that have never known it, but want to be there for someone they know who has, and for just anyone who needs to remember how to cling to God when truly heartbreaking loss happens in life. I also realize that this is a very tender place for so many, and I hope that this episode serves as a safe place for your heart and your story.

No matter where you are, friend, I just want to remind you: You matter, and your story matters. God is not finished with your story. He will carry it through to the day of completion. Thanks for hanging out with me and I'll see you next time.

Connecting with Jenny Albers:

Book: Courageously Expecting: 30 Days of Encouragement for Pregnancy After Loss

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Website

Today's episode sponsor: Tony Crabtree Homes with Exit Realty

Home buyer guide: http://bit.ly/buyersguidecrabtreehomes

Seller guide: http://bit.ly/sellerguidecrabtreehomes

Facebook

Instagram

Website

YouTube

References:

Ectopic pregnancy

Statistics of miscarriage among women

Jewish laws and women and blood

Lisa Bevere

Jesus experienced great emotion

Still Loved

SIDS

Scripture References:

Ephesians 2:19-22, and a list of other verses! (disclaimer: I don't know anything about that website, I just saw a great compilation list of scriptures!) – The cornerstone of Christ can't change

Genesis 3:16 -Eve in the Garden– from what I'm reading… only pain in childbirth and struggle for control with husband. Super fascinating

Luke 8:43-48-The woman with the issue of blood

Matthew 26:28, Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 9:22, a list of more verses -By blood we are saved

Leviticus 12:2-5, Leviticus 15-16, -Rules about women in the Bible and blood about CLEANLINESS

Genesis 9:4, Leviticus 17:11-14-God's law about "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life." and not eating it.

Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28 -God does have plans and purpose for us

Genesis 50:20, Psalm 30:11-12-He can turn awful things into good

Lamentations 3, Psalm 91 (just a couple of examples)-Lament in praise, prayer

1 Samuel 1:9-28-Hannah's prayer

Genesis 2-We were made for the garden of Eden and walking with God

2 Chronicles 7:14-(one of MANY examples)-God invites us to cry out to Him

Genesis 16:13-He is the God who sees

Psalm 121-He is the God who helps

Isaiah 41-God says "I will help"

Hebrews 4:15-God came and put on flesh and bone and became a High Priest who sympathizes

Psalm 34:18-God is close to the brokenhearted

Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories Podcast:Instagram (Em life // Podcast Life)FacebookTwitterBlog

*Intro and Outro music is from audionautix.com

Today I get to share my conversation with Bethany Beal of Girl Defined Ministries. Bethany and her sister Kristen Clark have written a timely book called Not Part of the Plan: Trusting God with the Twists and Turns of Your Story where they both share their stories of learning to trust God and deepen their faith in Him as they experienced seasons of longing and waiting. Bethany shares from her journey of singleness and longing for marriage, and Kristen shares her journey of infertility, multiple miscarriages and ultimately pursuing adoption. In this conversation Bethany and I talk about more of their story, what led them to create Girl Defined ministries, and growing hearts that are for women to have a place to truly find their identity in Christ so that they could cling to the hope of Christ no matter what happens in their lives.

We also talk about what it looks like in seasons where you do receive answers to prayer, but then those answers aren't what you thought they would be, how to steward those experiences, and just generally how do we live by faith and wrestle with God well, not perfectly, but with perseverance. The only thing constant this side of Heaven is Christ and as we begin this Lenten season, I felt so called to look at stories of people who have really grieved, and wrestled and continue to do so, as we wait and long for Christ's coming at Easter and Him coming again to make all things new, and I think Bethany's story and her infectious hope for the Gospel is a really beautiful place for us to start.

Additionally, they have a deep connection to what is going on in Ukraine and are walking out a deep season of grief and trusting God in a way they've never experienced before. On of their sisters and her husband live in Ukraine and are fleeing from the attacks happening there. They are sharing their story transparently on instagram in particular, specific ways to pray for their sister, her husband's family, their friends. Additionally, Kristen Clark's adopted children are Ukrainian, so there's this whole other level of grief for their homeland and people they love still in crisis there. The boys and their cousins are actually trying to help raise money for their orphanage in Ukraine, so if you would like to support their efforts, I have included Kristen's venmo and cashapp links over in the show notes, and in my stories as well. Be sure and follow them, check out ways you can support them, and then maybe check out the resources they present on their website, in their book, and other books they've written that are designed to help us stand firm in what God says is true when life is happening in a way you never saw coming. No matter what happens, next, friends. You matter, and your story matters. God is not finished with your story. He will carry it through to the day of completion.

Connecting with Bethany Beal and Girl Defined Ministries:

Books

Facebook

Instagram for Bethany

Instagram for Girl Defined

Website

YouTube

Today's episode sponsor: Tony Crabtree Homes with Exit Realty

Home buyer guide: http://bit.ly/buyersguidecrabtreehomes

Seller guide: http://bit.ly/sellerguidecrabtreehomes

Facebook

Instagram

Website

YouTube

References:

Not Part of the Plan: Trusting God with the Twists and Turns of Your Story

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Besser van der Kolk

Resources on their website

Their mentorship course

The Best Yes: Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands by Lysa TerKeurst

Ukraine Support:

Follow Kristen Clark- the other half of GD and her boys from Ukraine- on instagram

Follow their sister Ellissa Petrenko on instagram for updates

Kristen's Venmo: @KristenClark73

Kristen's Cash App: KristenClark123

Proceeds from their shop are going 100% to Ukrainian support

Scripture References:

Genesis 3- Part of Eve's curse from the garden

Proverbs 3:5-6- "Trust in the Lord with all your heart"

Proverbs 16:9- Man makes his plans, but the Lord determines His steps

Mark 10:35-45-Disciples arguing about who will sit next to you in Heaven?

Hebrews 11, 2 Corinthians 5:7-By faith, what can happen

John 10:10- Life abundant in Christ

Genesis 2:18, Romans 12:4–5, Colossians 3:13–14, Hebrews 12:1- We weren't made to live alone/Surround yourself with other believers

Deuteronomy 31:6- God will never leave you or forsake you

Psalm 27:12-14- God is good even when things don't feel good ( a picture of the psalmist- despairing, but my hope is with You)

2 Corinthians 5:17, Revelation 21:1-8- All things will be made new

Psalm 25:1-3 We have a hope that will not be put to shame

Psalm 73:26- My heart and my flesh may fail

Hebrews 10:23- Hold unswervingly to the hope we profess

1 Peter 5:7- God cares for you

Daniel 3:18- "And if He will not"

Jeremiah 29:11- I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord

Revelations 3:7-13, Revelation 21- Where we are now, is not all there is

Ephesians 3- God's given us insight into the mystery of the Gospel

Philippians 3:14-We press on toward the goal that calls us Heavenward

Philippians 1:6- He will complete the work He began in you

Micah 6:8, Ephesians 4:1-6- Who does God call us to be

Matthew 28:16-20, Acts 1:1-11, Acts 2- The Good News that the church is founded on

God came to be among us

John 15:1-17, 1 John 4:13- We allow Him to make His home in us

Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories Podcast:Instagram (Em life // Podcast Life)FacebookTwitterBlog

*Intro and Outro music is from audionautix.com

Today I get to share with you my conversation with Shannon K. Evans. Shannon is an author and a speaker who shares about spirituality, social justice and encouraging women as she navigates mothering 5 kiddos. During our conversation, Shannon shares her story of growing up with a model of Christian servitude, and living lives full of mercy, and love, but as she grew up that became misconstrued into a confusing narrative about her significance in her relationship with God and others being only about her what she gave or how she served.

Shannon and her husband lived as overseas missionaries for a while and this issue really came to a head there as they began to realize this in fact may not be what they were called to after all. She shares her personal journey of wrestling with her shadow side, the lack of vulnerability as a missionary, then coming home and becoming an adoptive Mom, and ultimately coming to terms with what God was exposing in her own heart. She asked herself and continues to ask those who have ears to hear: What is just the appearance of living a holy life, and what is a life of being conformed into the image of Christ?

As their family grew, she began to wrestle further with the belief of her worth as woman and what made her a good mom was minimizing her needs, and only being as great as her sacrifice. Service, and motherhood is beautiful, but if you are bitter, and angry and miserable, how does that actually help anyone, and what is that modeling to your children? These are questions Shannon asked herself and then ultimately poured out into her writing. Shannon's latest book Rewilding Motherhood is a motherhood book for those who struggle to find themselves in other motherhood books. While motherhood and parenthood books can be great tools for tackling issues, equipping for situations and more, Shannon wanted to focus more on the woman under all the motherhood, and discovering what it might look like to rewild it. What does it mean to rewild? She'll share that with us and more.

Connecting with Shannon:

Books

Facebook

Instagram

Substack

Website

Today's episode sponsor: Tony Crabtree Homes with Exit Realty

Home buyer guide: http://bit.ly/buyersguidecrabtreehomes

Seller guide: http://bit.ly/sellerguidecrabtreehomes

Facebook

Instagram

Website

YouTube

References:

-Indonesia

-Mission Friends

-GA's / RA's

-Acteens

-JL Gerhardt and our conversation on episode 113

-pastors in the public eye with exposed sexual sin (Ravi Z, Bill H. to name a few)

-missionaries in the SBC who have been found guilty of sexual abuse, but allowed to hold other positions

-Embracing Weakness

-My friends who are missionaries in Uganda-check out Angells in Africa (and feel free to support them!)

-House of Hospitality in TX

-Daniel Berrigan, if you want to follow Jesus you better look good on wood

-the word for helper is Ezer Kenegdo, also used in passages

-rewilding land- an ecological practice where you pull out all the human effects on it and try to take it back to its original form

-learned helplessness study

-statistics about the effects of covid on mothers (new mothers,this is a year old, and its only gotten worse)

-"Boundaries are you deciding what's OK and what's not OK"- Brene Brown

-Enneagram 4

-Shannon's guided journal - Luminous

Scripture References:

Micah 6:8-Christian servitude, healthy loving lives full of mercy

Romans 8:29-being conformed to the image of Christ

Matthew 22:36-40-the Greatest commandment- loving God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength then love your neighbor

Isa. 64: 6, Romans 3:19-23; 6:23; 10:2-4; Eph. 2:8-9- dirty rags if you don't have internal alignment with pursuing God's righteousness

Luke 22:37, Isaiah 53:12/ Isaiah 53-suffering servant in Jesus

Judges 4-Deborah

Genesis 2:18-20, Exodus 18:4, Psalm 20:2, Psalm 89:19, Psalm 115:9-10, Psalm 121:1-2, Hosea 13:9- examples where the word Ezer Kenegdo is used in scripture

John 14:26-the Holy Spirit is the helper

Psalm 107:2-"Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story"

Ephesians 2:19-22-Christ is the cornerstone

Ephesians 2:10--We are His masterpiece

Philippians 1:6-He will complete the work He began

Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories Podcast:Instagram (Em life // Podcast Life)FacebookTwitterBlog

*Intro and Outro music is from audionautix.com

Today I have the absolute pleasure of sharing with you my conversation with the one and the only Jasmine Holmes. Jasmine is an essayist, an educator and an excavator of jewels hidden in history. She shares her story of growing up in a predominately white environment and shares about the well-meaning people in her life who would say totally misguided and inappropriate things to her that she just felt like she had to accept as normal. As she began to learn about more about history and the Black experience within it, she began to realize how those patterns of behavior have been woven so deeply into the generations. When she became a wife and a Mother, she began to really unpack some of the layers of her community and experiences, which gave birth to her book Mother to Son: Letters to a Black Boy on Identity and Hope. In this beautiful book, she poured out her heart's desire to raise young men who understand what they've inherited, to live honestly and authentically, but also to be led by hope.

During her journey of unpacking some unsung ambassodors of the faith that she mentioned in Mother to Son, readers approached Jasmine about wanting to know more about these Black pillars of the faith they had not heard of before. That set Jasmine on a journey of discovering who else is out there. What emerged is her beautiful work Carved in Ebony: Lessons from the Black Women Who Shape Us. Jasmine calls this her love letter to the little girl that she was who had a quest for knowledge, but so often did not see people that looked like her. Y'all this book is SO good. The women in its pages are fascinating women of fierce faith, who fought for abolition, carried the Gospel with them where they went and more. I'm so inspired by them and by Jasmine.

The beauty and importance of intentionally unearthing people in history who have long been hidden within its yellowed pages is to give others a chance to have their voice an opportunity to be heard and highlight that their story and their life matters, and her book Carved in Ebony is an opportunity to do just that. In it you will find inspiring, faith fueling, and humbling stories of women that speak of the power of God in their lives, and the book serves as such a poignant picture of how much stories matter. These women lived lives that were full of struggle and triumph and they are ministering to us anew. That's what God does with the lives of people. They matter to Him. And you matter to Him, friend. You matter. Your story matters.

Connecting with Jasmine

-Books

-Pre-Order the young reader's edition of Carved in Ebony!

-Facebook

-Hear her on The Gospel Coalition's Podcast "Let's Talk"

-Instagram

-Podcast for "Carved in Ebony"

-Website

Episode Sponsor: Hopefuel

Facebook

Instagram

Link to shop

SIMPLY15 for 15% off your purchase

References:

-Dr. Jemar Tisby (and our conversation on episode 119!)

-Night- Elie Wiesel

-The made up science created to insight panic and sew racism and prejudice about indigineous people, Black people and Jewish people (additional really good article from Harvard about Scientific Racism)

-Jim Crow

-Civil Rights Movement

-Reconstruction: a success or failure?

-Tuskegee Syphilis Study

From Mother to Son- Jasmine Holmes

-The Fire Next Time- James Baldwin

-St. Anthony Neighborhood- Philando Castille's murder

-The death of Mike Brown

-co-dependency and the drama triangle

-Ida B. Wells

-Fannie Lou Hamer

-Mary McLeod Bethune

-Lucy Craft Laney (museum in Georgia)

-The Fortens in Philadelphia

-Harriet Tubman- Moses of the Underground Railroad, also a UNION SPY

-Sojourner Truth- feminist icon

-George Washington's teeth were NOT wooden, see info from the Mount Vernon's website

-Robert E. Lee "hated slavery," but he actually had enslaved people on his plantation, ripped apart families, etc.

-Harry Potter

-Chris Jackson

-Leslie Odom Jr.

-"Smash"

-"Smash" reunion

-"Stand"- Leslie Odom Jr.

-Charlotte Forten (Grimke)

-Sara G. Stanley

-Frances Ellen Watkins Harper

-Aaron Burr and Theodosia

-Aaron Burr has an affair with an enslaved woman, and their kids were the cousins of Charlotte Forten's mother

-"Who lives who dies who tells your story"- "Hamilton"

-Chris Jackson in "Hamilton" documentary about playing someone (Washington) who owned people

-Washington murdered indigenous peoples and was a complicted slave holder

-hunted Ona Judge until he died

-Nanny Helen Burroughs

-George Washington Carver

-Candace Owens

-Malcom X, his autobiography, his quest for respectability and didn't realize until later how we he was treated like a mascot

-The African American Jeremiad

-MLK Jr's "I Have a Dream Speech"

-American Puritan Preaching Tradition

-David Walker's "Appeal"

-Maria Stewart

-Sarah Mapps Douglas

-Patrick Henry "give me liberty or give me death"

Scripture References:

2 Corinthians 5, Colossians 1:19-22-reconciliation with Jesus

Romans 3:23-we all have sin and fall short of the glory of God

Genesis 1:27-made in the image of God

-The book of Jeremiah // Bible Project Video

-The book of Isaiah // Bible Project Video

Isaiah 30:15, Matthew 3:8, Matthew 4:17, Luke 5:31-32, Luke 24:46-48, -repentance is a true turning

Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories Podcast:Instagram (Em life // Podcast Life)FacebookTwitterBlog

*Intro and Outro music is from audionautix.com

Dr. Jemar Tisby is an author, educator, historian and speaker on a mission to share truths from the Black experience, witnessed and known in his own life, particularly within the Christian sphere. He sums it up this way: "To me as a historian that's what I do is I tell stories. I tell stories of import and consequence and try to contextualize them to make them stand out for how they're still relevant for others today." He shares with us today his story of his experiences growing up, and later through becoming a Christian in high school through a predominately white evangelical church where he began the strange dance of growing in his faith and knowledge of Christ, while most commonly being one of the only people of color in the room.

Dr. Jemar's story, and his work in trying to call racism out into the light and then address it, especially within the church has been wildly transformative in my life. His book Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church's Complicity in Racism was so incredibly eye opening and galvanizing. His next book How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Towards Racial Justice takes that to the next level. There's an adult version, and now a youth edition. In our conversation today, Dr. Jemar shares some of the key racial justice ideologies of his books, and how to begin addressing some of the pressing issues we may not even be aware of in our own churches, families, and communities. We want to examine the foundations that have been laid historically and see how they are still impacting people and communities today so that if it's being repeated we do something about it or that we take great stewarding care to dare not repeat it again.

One key point Dr. Jemar makes is that much of the dialogue around racial justice in many Christian spaces is heavy on the diagnosis and light on the prescription. He faces that issue head on in his works, and in this conversation, saturated in scripture and full of a desire to see Christians grow in this area and in their faith as a whole. Dr. Jemar challenges us, equips. and encourages us with how we engage this work of racial justice well and not add to the hurt in our attempts to help.

There is so much that is challenging about this conversation, my friends, but this is hard and holy work. I hope this conversation galvanizes you today, and that wherever the Lord leads you in your response, you would grow in your knowledge of Him, His love for you, and His love for all of His creation. You matter to Him. Your neighbor matters to Him. Your stories matter.

Connecting with Dr. Jemar Tisby and his work:

Audiobooks

Books

Facebook

Founder of The Witness: a Black Christian Collective

Instagram

Podcast: Pass the Mic

Twitter

Website

Our episode's sponsor: Tony Crabtree Homes with Exit Realty

Episode Sponsor: Tony Crabtree of Crabtree Homes with Exit Realty

Home buyer guide: http://bit.ly/buyersguidecrabtreehomes

Seller guide: http://bit.ly/sellerguidecrabtreehomes

Facebook

Instagram

Website

YouTube

References:

Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan

Lebron James

"Space Jam: The New Legacy"

"Space Jam" the OG 0=)

University of Notre Dame

Dorena Williamson- our conversations on episodes 10, 11 and 110

Reformed theology (for the record, no one is saying they disagree with much of the statues of reformed theology. It's the exclusivity of people of color and the white centricity that's the issue)

Ku Klux Klan

Segregation

Jim Crow Laws

Adhesive bandages creating multiple skin tone options (AS OF JUNE 2020!!!!!!)

The Color of Compromise: The Truth of the American Church's Complicity in Racism

The Color of Compromise Bible Study

Mississippi Delta- cotton country

How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Toward Racial Justice

How to Fight Racism: Youth Edition

Withholding parts of the Bible from enslaved peoples so that they would not feel entitled to freedom

Enslaved peoples receiving a different ordinance of baptism so that they felt free in Christ, but still obedient to their masters

ARC of Racial Justice: Awareness, Relationships, Commitment

Laws being put in place for voter registration that are hurting not helping

Stacey Abrams' book Our Time is Now (and her work for voting rights)

"Flesh tone" variety in colors of dance tights

Misty Copeland

Colors of the World Crayons (launched in May 2020, y'all. May. 2020.)

Kodak developing their film to the standard of a caucasian books

Audio book for How to Fight Racism: Youth Edition

Nashville Public Library Civil Rights Room

Scripture References:

Romans 3:23- We all have sin and fall short of the glory of God

Psalm 19:14, Deuteronomy 6:5, Isaiah 43:7, Matthew 22:37-39, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, Colossians 3, Hebrews 12:14-15, 1 Peter 2- We are called to honor God

Ephesians 4- We are called to build up the church in all we say and do

Isaiah 29:13, Revelations 3:16-Lukewarm

1 Thessalonians 5:11- We're called to call each other up as brothers and sisters

Genesis 1:27- Human beings are made in the image of God

Galatians 6:1-6- Bear one another's burdens

Colossians 3:13, Ephesians 4:32,Hebrews 12:14- Reconciliation is relational (more here)

John 1:14- God sent another human being to establish relationships with other human beings in Jesus

Acts 2:2-28- The Holy Spirit came and enabled men and women to be able to speak and understand one another in different languages

Matthew 6:9-10- Build his kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven

Eternal redemption and the diversity of Kingdom in Heaven (nations, tribes and tongues)

Ephesians 3 and 4

Ephesians 4:15-16- Speak the truth, but don't be a jerk

James 3- Being aware of our speech

Matthew 18:2-4- Come with faith like a child

Hosea 10:12-14, Matthew 13, Luke 8- Sowing seeds

Isaiah 30:18, 2 Peter 3:9, Philippians 1:6- The Lord isn't finished with any of us

Lamentations 3:19-24- I remember my bitterness, my wondering and the gall, because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed

2 Corinthians 3:17-In the spirit of the Lord there is freedom

Amos 5:24, Zechariah 8:3-12, 16-17- God addressing justice, reconciliation, in scripture (article outlining more)

Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories Podcast:Instagram (Em life // Podcast Life)FacebookTwitterBlog

*Intro and Outro music is from audionautix.com

Today we're jumping back into my conversation with Dr. Christian Widener. So in part 1 of our conversation, Dr. Widener shared about the history of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem throughout the old and new testament scripture coupled with historic accounts and what he has learned in his research with renowned scholars, historians and archeologists. In this part two, he'll walk us through the history of what happened to the Temple Mount after its destruction in 70 A.D. and why what remains in the remnants that we can see support his research from some historical, archeological, engineering perspectives, and why any of this matters to us today and for the future.

Ultimately, Dr. Widener has a heart for God's people to turn their hearts to Him. He wants to lay a foundation of hope that what we can see about the Temple Mount is a sign that God is still keeping His promises in regards to restoring Israel and that Jesus is coming back to make all things right for all of creation. Prophecy and eschatology are complicated, but when we see in history and in the present that God keeps His promises it fuels our faith. It helps us to live in expectation of His activity in our own lives and in the big story of His kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven, and we are reminded and hopeful that He will never stop being faithful now and forevermore. It also calls us to evaluate what we do with our time and how we serve others and the Lord in this season of waiting with hope. What are we investing in? Whose kingdom are we building? There is always more to learn, and deeper places to discover in our walk with God. We have to be courageous enough to do the work.

The preservation of God's people is just unbelievable. The fact that God continues to show human beings mercy, and has incredible patience so that no one may be lost to Him is astonishing. That goes for His set apart people through Abraham, and for those He has grafted in through His Son Jesus Christ. The Jewish people have always been special to God. They are His chosen nation.There is so much to learn from their history, their present, and their hope. I am actually learning a lot about this very thing currently and we may be unpacking it in other episodes, but that's just a teaser note.

This story isn't over, friends. And you're a part of it. You matter, and your story matters.

Connecting with Dr. Widener:

Book

Facebook

His youtube video The Temple Revealed (which in many ways just summarizes his book)

Twitter

Website

Episode Sponsor: Tony Crabtree of Crabtree Homes with Exit Realty

Home buyer guide: http://bit.ly/buyersguidecrabtreehomes

Seller guide: http://bit.ly/sellerguidecrabtreehomes

Facebook

Instagram

Website

YouTube

References:

Hear part one of this conversation AND access all the detailed show notes here.

Super fascinating article from Chabad.org about the Jewish history of the Temple

-The Temple Mount

-FULL LAYOUT OF THE SECOND/HEROD'S TEMPLE: // a verbal description of the path walked through the Temple // from the outside in:: court of gentiles, court of women, court of Israel, court of priests and the small temple itself (Dr. Widener's focus)

-The arches that exist on the southern side of the Temple Mount

-Ancient threshing floor

-First thing built there after temple's destruction is a temple to Jupiter

--Super interesting articles about the current tension of the situation even in archeological pursuits from Smithsonian, and NBC that share the history and current conversation

-Early Christians made the temple mount a trash heap

-Pre-Tribulation, Post- Tribulation, etc (what do these things mean?!)

-The Siege of Jerusalem 636-637 AD by the Muslims (this is a super fascinating read as it is from an Islamic history site. )

-The dome of the spirits

-The East Gate (or the Golden Gate/Mercy Gate)— all walled up in stone (picture of it currently)

-Muslims believe that Jesus will return (this article is suuuuper interesting) and they want to keep him out

Graveyard near the western wall, Mamila Cemetery (a super interesting Palestinian perspective about this site)

Jewish graves on the mount of olives so that they're there for the resurrection of the last day

The Sabbath practice of looking for ElijahEmperor Heraclius went through the gate (I can't really find about a "shortly there after" article to verify that part BUT it is interesting that the story says an angel walled up the gate) (an art piece depicting it)

The Road to Emmaus painting by Robert Zund

Foxes on the Wailing Wall in 2019 (and the scripture that goes with it/Lamentations 5:18)

Finding Solomon: Rediscovering the Works of Israel's Greatest Builder (scroll all the way to the bottom of page!)

Scripture References:

Acts 15 – how much do we continue to honor Judaism and grow Christianity

2 Samuel 24:18-25-David made a sacrifice on the threshing floor

2 Chronicles 3:1-The Temple being built on the threshing floor

Genesis 22 -Issac was not sacrificed, but offered as one and then a goat was provided by God

Matthew 27:51-The area opened because the curtain ripped in two

Deuteronomy 11-12- this is the place where He will place the souls of His feet

Ezekiel 43

1 Kings 12-17 -Building the false temple in Israel after the Kingdom is divided in two, built in Bethel (and also Dan) so that they could have their own place of worship instead of where God declared where it should be

Judges 19-21 -Towards the end of the book of Judges with a false temple set up by a Levite for a family (ugh this story is gross. People are crazy)

Daniel 9 -The abomination that causes desolation

Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 19:11-16; 20:1-6-Revelation where Jesus comes back on the Mount of Olives

Zechariah 8-I'm going to bring them back into their own land

John 11:24, -Resurrection of the last day (more scriptures!)

Ezekiel 47, Revelation 3:7-13, Revelation 22:1-5- There will be a spring of living water, a mighty river that will turn the dead sea into fresh water

Hebrews 13:14-this is not our home

John 19:28-Jesus says "I thirst" on the cross, but the context of it in the Psalm 22:15

Daniel 5- the hand writing on the wall

Acts 1:11- -Men of Galilee why do you stand and look at the sky?

Lamentations 3:22-25, Joshua 23:14 -He is faithful and He will keep His promises

Jeremiah 30,Isaiah 61:7 -He will restore His people (a big list of scriptures on this!)

Acts 12- Herod Agrippa's funky claims about his voicing being one with God's and his death

Luke 24:13-35-The road to Emmaus

Isaiah 43:19-The Lord is doing a new thing, now it springs up do you not perceive it?

Matthew 25- The Ten Bridesmaids

Matthew 6:10-His will be done on earth as it is in heaven

Psalm 130:6-More than watchmen wait for the morning do we long for the Lord

John 11-weeping at Lazarus' tomb

Isaiah 22:13; Proverbs 23:35; Luke 12:19; 1 Corinthians 15:32-Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die

Hebrews 10:23-We hold unswervingly for He who promised is faithful

Revelation 21:4-He will wipe every tear from our eyes

2 Corinthians 4:17-This is a light and momentary trouble and there is coming an eternal glory

1 Kings 4:30-Solomon was the wisest person in the world

1 Kings 10- When the Queen of Sheba came and was blown away by what she saw

2 Corinthians 12:9-His grace is sufficient

Zechariah 8:3-22- the passage I read at the end about God's restoration

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Dr. Christian Widener grew up from a curious kid who always needed to know 'why' and work it all the way through to an answer to become an investigator and researcher to the core. Through his in-depth research he has written a book called The Temple Revealed where he makes a case for the location of The Temple in Jerusalem. He worked in cooperation with numerous renowned archeologists, historians and theologians, and it's an incredibly detailed and fascinating look at what the future might hold, but ultimately a significant reminder of who holds the future.

This episode felt like sitting in on a seminary course. We're digging into deep theological and eschatological topics, which just simply means the study of God, His word and the end times, through things like history, archeology, geography, and even engineering. It's fascinating but it is A LOT of information, so I've actually divided this conversation into two parts in an attempt to help us digest this more intentionally. In this first part, we'll get a fly over of Dr. Widener's work, and then we'll back up and work through Israel's history with the Temple through the Old and New Testament to try and give us a bit of ground work for some of the confusing (and often forgotten) parts of its past to set us up for understanding a bit of its present state and potential role in the future.

We cover so much ground in this episode, so I made sure and tried to include links to visual aids, maps in addition to the links to references he's made, and the scriptures they connect to. I hope that's helpful for you as you process this on your own journey!

Just a reminder: There are so many schools of thought here in regards to the Temple and eschatology, and this is just one. The beauty of all of it is founded on this main promise: Jesus is coming back. Praise God that where we are now isn't all there is! Just like the temple mount itself that's a literal picture of cycles of destruction, redemption, spiritual warfare, consequences of sin, and rebuilding again, God's promises and faithful hand are constantly making His presence known because it is marked by His name, so are His people. Our hope is in the Messiah who cannot be shaken. And His story isn't over, and neither is yours. You matter, friend. Your story matters.

*PS: So many of the visual resources I was able to find were provided by the work of the Megalim Institute/City of David Ancient Jerusalem

Follow them on Facebook, Instagram and check out their YouTube page. It is FASCINATING.

Connecting with Dr. Widener:

Book

Facebook

His youtube video The Temple Revealed (which in many ways just summarizes his book)

Twitter

Website

Episode Sponsor: Tony Crabtree of Crabtree Homes with Exit Realty

Home buyer guide: http://bit.ly/buyersguidecrabtreehomes

Seller guide: http://bit.ly/sellerguidecrabtreehomes

Facebook

Instagram

Website

YouTube

—-

References:

-Aluminum lithium alloy and space shuttles

-The Temple Mount

-The Gates of the Temple Mount

-What is the Dome of the Rock?

-The East Gate (or the Golden Gate/Mercy Gate)— all walled up in stone (picture of it currently)

-The Mount of Olives (pictures)-- photo of the East Gate from Garden of Gethsemane on MofO)

-Suleyman (from the Jewish perspective) // Suleyman-the-Magnificent (general history)

-Josephus (they destroyed all the gates except two, and burned with fire– this site breaks down much of his observations of the process of its destruction)

-A Model of the Tabernacle

-A sermon by Charles Spurgeon about David's experience with God of establishing where Solomon's Temple should be built

-The first temple - Solomon's

-finding the City of David recently (as in 2020) // FASCINATING video from the City of David Foundation

-city of David is not the same place of Bethlehem // more about the archeological journey and the history // City of David uncovered (see inside!)

-Destruction of the first Temple by Nebecudnezzer (a reenactment by the City of David Institute) // Great article on context and history and what lead exactly to the Siege of Jerusalem

-Charles Warren and Captain Wilson took bedrock measurements of the Temple Mount (This article is FASCINATING as it details the archeological process of unearthing the Temple Mount)

-Herod the Great comes along (Jewish by nationality, not a practicing Jew) a pagan King with a Jewish connection // A recreation of this process, and the construction of Herod's Temple from the City of David Institute— the Jews make a deal with him to increase and beautify the Temple —> The video linked as a recreation shows the porticos were the only spot where people that were not men of Israel or priests could go (and where Jesus and the disciples would teach)

-Renderings of Herod's Temple

-FULL LAYOUT OF THE SECOND/HEROD'S TEMPLE: // a verbal description of the path walked through the Temple // from the outside in:: court of gentiles, court of women, court of Israel, court of priests and the small temple itself (Dr. Widener's focus)

-Pool of Siloam (or The Pool of Shiloah) (a tour of it today!)

-The Pilgrim's walkway

-What happened to the ark of the covenant? (weeellll THIS was a fascinating today-years-old-moment. Apparently a group of Christians in Ethiopia claim to have the ark in a chapel there. I mean. WOW)

-"Raiders of the Lost Ark"

70 AD: Is when Herod's Temple is destroyed, Jerusalem is ransacked (-From the City of David institute, here is a reenactment of the destruction of the second temple in 70AD)

-The double gate- an underground passageway and had a ramp to the other (here's a 360 virtual reality look!)

-Robinson's Arch

-Western Wall (also known as the Wailing Wall) is still there

Scripture References:

Genesis 6:9-9:17- Noah's Ark

Book of Revelation (Bible Project Video part 1 and 2)

Matthew 24:42- "Watch therefore"

Ezekiel 44

Zechariah 9:9, Matthew 21:10-11, John 12-13- Jesus on Palm Sunday

Ezekiel 43:3-5--the glory of the Lord entered the by the East Gate of the Temple

Nehemiah 3 lists the rebuilding of the gates and he never mentions rebuilding the East Gate

Nehemiah 3:29- the keeper of the East Gate

Exodus 20-31, 35-40, Leviticus 1-10, Numbers 6-10- the Ten Commandments, establishing the sacrificial system and sacrifice it only in the Tabernacle by the established Levitical Priesthood

1 Chronicles 17, 2 Samuel 7- establishing the Davidic covenant / I will be your house and I will allow your family to build mine (summary)

1 Chronicles 21:18-30, 1 Chronicles 22- God shows David where the Temple should be built on the threshing floor of Araunah on Mount Moriah

Genesis 22-Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah (and the Lord provided another way!)

1 Kings 5-8 -Solomon builds the first Temple

Matthew 2-the wise men came to Jerusalem and met with Herod, and then they went to Jesus in Bethlehem

1 Kings 3-God came to Solomon and gave him wealth

1 Kings 9 -God came to Solomon again with a warning, and if you do, I will destroy this house you've built

2 Samuel 11, 2 Samuel 12:24-Solomon was the son of Bathsheba and David

2 Kings 24-25-Destruction of the first Temple by Nebecudnezzer, Israel goes into exile

Book of Ezra AND Nehemiah and story of rebuilding

Ezra rebuilt the Temple

Nehemiah 1-7- Nehemiah goes to help rebuild the wall (Zerubbabel helped)

Daniel 9

Daniel 12 - the abomination of the desolation (12:11-12)

Matthew 24- Jesus prophecies the destruction of the temple and the abomination of desolation – more commentary for deeper study here

Ezra 3:12- -the people at the consecration of the second temple who had seen the first temple wept because it wasn't the same

Mark 13-The disciples are leaving the temple, look at all these buildings (within the confines of the Temple) and Jesus says "I tell you the truth not one stone will be built on another"

Matthew 21:12-13,Mark 11:15-18-Court of Gentiles and outside and around the Temple Mount where Jesus would turn over the tables of moneychangers treating the pilgrims of faith unfairly

Exodus 16:33-34, Numbers 17, Deuteronomy 31:26, Hebrews 9:4 -the 10 commandment stones, Aaron's staff that budded, manna all inside the ark

1 Chronicles 13-16-the ark represented the presence of God (it goes on lots of trips over time- awesome list from ESV!)

Matthew 27:51-54-When the curtain was torn in two when Jesus was crucified

Ezekiel 43:7- this is the place where I will place my throne and I will dwell among Israel forever

2 Kings 20:20, John 7:37-39, John 9 -Pool of Siloam (or The Pool of Shiloah)

2 Thessalonians 2:4-9- it says its God's temple that is desecrated

Jeremiah 3:16-there is a verse that says there will be a day where the ark isn't even in the minds

Matthew 27:27-56,Mark 15:21-38,Luke 23:26-49,John 19:16-37-Jesus' death and resurrection

1 Peter 1:3-6, 1 John 5:13-14, Ephesians 2:8-10, Hebrews 10:23- We have hope in Jesus

Acts 3:21, Revelations 21:4- Jesus is coming back to restore all things

Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories Podcast:Instagram (Em life // Podcast Life)FacebookTwitterBlog

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Today we get to go to class with Dr. Bryan Litfin, and take a deep dive into the history of the Ancient church, and what life looked like after the New Testament ended and generation upon generation began to carry the story of Christ with them everywhere they went and grew the Church around the world. Dr. Bryan has been on the podcast before, where he shared about some of the things we'll discuss today, but today we look intentionally into what life looked like for Christians in the ancient church and just how powerful the Gospel of Christ was to them in society. They lived lives ruled by polytheistic beliefs, and that meant there was a rule of demonic powers in the world as they knew it. The freedom they found in Christ's victory over darkness was earth-shattering. Their faith and choice to be part of the church was not a cultural next step, it was a counter cultural, life altering allegiance.

Dr. Litfin also schools us on so many assumptions that are made or just what isn't widely known about the formation of some of the pillars of the Christian faith and how they unfolded historically. Things such as establishing The Apostle's Creed, the canon, or the 66 books of the Bible as we know it today, and how it all developed, the establishing of theology because the spiritual power had to be established in the culture of the time. It's all incredibly fascinating and there's so much here that I think can infuse our faith with fresh fire, and encourage us as we are still fighting spiritual battles today.

I thought it was a fascinating unpacking of how the ancient church was so used to spiritual encounters, there had to be a differentiation about who we are bowing the knee to. We have bowed our knee to so many things for so long that are not the God who loves us, and yet He continues to lavish us with His love, His mercy and His patience so that not one sheep of His flock would be lost.

Dr. Litfin's books breathe life into the power of the Gospel when Jesus originally placed His feet on the earth and what it looked like when those who had ears to hear took His last command to heart when He said to go and make disciples. YOU are one of those disciples! And this is your call as well my friend. To learn about the God that loves you. Who He is and who He has always been. And then tell everyone. Like the first person, a woman no less, who heard from Jesus' own lips that He was indeed the Messiah who ran back to her village and proclaimed "come and meet this man, He knew my story!" This is our call too. He knows our story. It matters to Him. You matter. "Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story."

Connecting with Dr. Bryan Litfin:

Books (Fiction, Nonfiction)

Facebook

Website

Episode Sponsor: Tony Crabtree of Crabtree Homes with Exit Realty

Home buyer guide: http://bit.ly/buyersguidecrabtreehomes

Seller guide: http://bit.ly/sellerguidecrabtreehomes

Facebook

Instagram

Website

YouTube

References:

-First conversation with Dr. Bryan last year

-Martin Luther and The Reformation

-Christian persecution in Rome

-The conversion of Christianity by Constantine and it changing the landscape of Rome

-"The heart is an idol factory"- John Calvin -So Shines the Night - Tracy L. Higley (the incredible novel I read about set in Ephesus with Timothy, Paul and the early church

-Jackie Hill Perry - the patience of God

-Thor (not Chris Hemsorth)

-Hercules

-The Apostle's Creed

-Gnosticism

-The Council of Nicaea

-The Holocaust Museum train car

-Gnostic Gospels

-The Book of Enoch

-Dr. Michael Heiser, our episode

-Francis Chan Forgotten God

-The Davinci Code

-The Confessions of Saint Augustine

-On the Incarnation- Saint Athanasius

-Christian martyrs (a witness)- revered women

-"The Chosen"

-Saint Peter's Basilica

-The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel

-Wisdom from the Ancients

Scripture References:

-Book of Acts (you know I love Bible Project videos! Acts gets a part 1 and part 2)

-Philippians (video)

-Galatians (video)

-Philemon (BP video)

Revelation 1:9-John was sent to Patmos (the book of Revelation)

Ephesians 6:12-The powers and principalities

Acts 19-Paul casting out demons in Ephesus

Romans 6:1-11, 2 Timothy 2:26, Psalm 124:7 -He broke the power of the evil one and freed me from his snare

-Romans 10:9- declare Jesus is Lord

Exodus 34:6-7, Lamentations 3:21-23, Psalm 86:15, Ephesians 2:4-5- God's mercy and faithfulness (among many, many others)

Judges 4-Deborah

-Scripture talks about elders

-Examples of Women with important roles in the church: (and various scriptures!) Priscila, women that ministered and funded Jesus' ministry- Mark 15:37-41, Mary Magdalene and the others with her announcing Jesus' resurrection (John 20:11-18), Lydia (Acts 16)

-John 15:9-27, (esp 15:13) Matthew 25:40-45 -This is how you love one another and this is how you treat one another

-Isaiah 55:11, Philippians 1:15-18, 1 Peter 1:3-5 -The gospel is still real

-Matthew 28:16-20-The great commission is still the call for ever believer

-Matthew 16:18-Peter is the rock the church would be built on

-John 4- story of the woman at the well

-Psalm 107:2- "Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story"

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*Intro and Outro music is from audionautix.com

Today we are continuing to talk about living lives of Kingdom influence, discipleship and working out what it looks like to live out our faith with two incredible women, Amy Davison and Hillary Morgan Ferrer of Mama Bear Apologetics.

Hillary is the founder of Mama Bear Apologetics. What is apologetics exactly? Hillary will talk about that with us in this conversation, but essentially it is making a case for why we believe our faith is true. Does the Bible stand up to scrutiny? How does what we believe coincide with how we live? We'll break that down, define what it means to have a worldview, how that plays out in our postmodern culture, and more. Hillary's hope is that Mom is the apologist for every home, and she feels called to equip women to bring conversations that develop a worldview and help their kids process their questions, safely process their doubts, and learn how to look for answers. Amy was on the path of pursuing masters in theology and apologetics and encountered Hillary's work with MBA and reached out because she wanted to be a part of the work, and wa-lah! Their amazing ministry partnership and friendship was born :)

These women are passionate about equipping families to know how to engage their world through the lens of their faith. We'll tackle especially what our kids are encountering in the world they live in. Amy says, "Every facet of media is communicating a worldview." We want to be able to equip ourselves and our kids with how to filter and process what they are seeing. They also want to press into places where the Bible and God's call to live a certain way has been weaponized, and bring into the Light what is true and what has just been perceived to be true. The heart of MBA isn't to do more shouting though, but to equip us to work through our own beliefs, and then follow God's call to love our neighbors where they are.

We are not called to disparage or as Hillary says "be the playground morality police," but we're called to live counter culturally in a postmodern, post-Christian society and love our neighbor as ourselves. This is hard and holy work, friends, but it is soooo good and I can't wait to dive into it with you! Whether you're a Mama or not, this episode and the work of MBA is incredible, and I know you're going to learn and be stretched here.

The Lord can take our questions. He can stand up to our scrutiny. We see Him all throughout scripture invite questions and He meets people right where they are, because their relationship with Him matters to Him. And you matter, friend. Your story matters.

Connecting with Hillary, Amy and Mama Bear Apologetics:

Hillary Morgan-Ferrer

Amy Davison

Books (the most recent one is Mama Bear Apologetics: Guide to Sexuality)

Facebook

Instagram

Podcast

Twitter

Episode Sponsor: Hopefuel

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Resources:

Apologetics for Women (several interesting articles and resources here, here and here)

Woman Hillary mentioned who shares her testimony on the MBA podcast (Part 1 and Part 2)

First Mamabear book: Mamabear Apologetics: Empowering Your Kids to Challenge Cultural Lies

Southwestern Theological Seminary's Stand Firm Conference

Lindsey Medenwaldt, (Love her talking about what turned her on to apologetics here)

My episode with John Basie where we talk about living in a post Christian society

"Ji-Young" An Asian-American puppet premiered on Sesame Street (TOTAL SIDEBAR, but this is the sweetest quote from this article! "What's in a name? Well, for Ji-Young, the newest muppet resident of "Sesame Street," her name is a sign she was meant to live there. 'So, in Korean traditionally the two syllables they each mean something different and Ji means, like, smart or wise. And Young means, like, brave or courageous and strong," Ji-Young explained during a recent interview. "But we were looking it up and guess what? Ji also means sesame.'" Cue me crying.)

The scientific revolution

Abolition of Man- CS Lewis

The Women's March (in modern history, and 2017)

A modern retelling of Little Women (the OG by Louisa May Alcott) the one my daughter was reading

Deep Roots Bible curriculum

Ontological value

The Chronicles of Narnia- CS Lewis

Elizabeth Urbanowicz worldview program

Pew Research

The Power to Decide campaign parents, do you think your kids are listening

"Henry Danger"

"You Can't Do That on Television"

"Sponge Bob"

"The Simpsons"

"Everybody Loves Raymond"

Tabula Rasa

MBA conversation with Monica Cline who used to work for Planned Parenthood

Dorena Williamson- her books, our 3 episodes with her (Episode 10, 11, and 110)

Our series on dealing with doubt with Patrick Prill, Tyler Staton, and Mark Clark

Scripture References:

Exodus 4:14-31- Aaron and Moses being brought together by God

Psalm 127:4- We're called to be warriors

Genesis 1:27- We're made in God's image

Psalm 139:14- We're made perfectly and wonderfully

Romans 2:12-16- For God has written the Law on our hearts

Mark 2:13-17- Calling of Levi and "eating with sinners", John 4- Samaritan Woman, Mark 5-sitting with Legion after he was healed, healing a girl and the bleeding woman-just to name a few) -Jesus was with people as they were

John 14:6- Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life

1 Corinthians 5- Paul talking about its not his business to judge those outside (This is a very specific and intense situation of sexual immorality within the church at Corinth and Paul's like, "hey guys… let's not focus on what the Corinithains are doing. Live like you belong to Jesus and let's talk about THAT. Particularly vs 9-13 focus on this. Also, verses 9-10 makes me giggle.)

Romans 3:23- Everyone is born in sin

Colossians 1:4-17, 1 Peter 1:13, Hebrews 10:23- The hope we have in Christ

Philippians 4:13- We can do all things through Christ

Isaiah 30:21- He is the voice behind us and says this is the way walk in it

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*Intro and Outro music is from audionautix.com