In Bonus Episode 02, where I continue in a conversation about story - God’s story - by sharing an overview of Scripture through the lens of one aspect of God’s character that has completely altered my perspective on what it means to know God for our actual lives. In one of my favorite quotes,  J.I. Packer says, “The world becomes a strange, mad, painful place, and life in it a disappointing and unpleasant business, for those who do not know about God. Disregard the study of God, and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life blindfold, as it were , with no sense of direction, and no understanding of what surrounds you. This way you can waste your life and lose your soul.”

My hope in this episode as I share one of the many threads God weaves through his story is that you find yourself stumbling less and with a sense of direction - because you know that he’s with you. So, tune in and uncover how your life has meaning and significance all because of the One who created it and continues to write your story.

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I’m excited to be back with you today for Bonus Episode 01. I wrapped up Season 1 a few months ago and I’m so proud and thankful for that first season. Story after story of the guests who joined me gave me more and more confidence and courage to walk with God in my actual life. Today, I want to jump back in here to share a little bit of my story from the past two months and how knowing God has mattered for me. I wonder where this episode finds you, and where God might meet you in it. He works all things together - and I love that I can rest in that truth. This bonus episode is an invitation to story - my story, and yours - as we see how God is at work weaving pieces together in order that we might grow with him and for him.  This bonus episode is a slightly different format than it’s been but I hope you’ll get a taste of grace as you listen in. Thanks for inviting me into your world today - I hope you enjoy what you hear.

By the way, if you're impacted at all by this episode or any from Season One, would you be willing to rate and review this podcast in Apple Podcasts? This will help women find the truth and grace of knowing God more for their actual lives in a way that is practical and tangible. I'm so grateful for you.

INSTAGRAM: @teachmeaboutgrace
WEBSITE: www.teachmeaboutgrace.com

I'm so glad you're here for episode 12 with Tabitha Morales. Tabitha is a proud NewYoRican living in Florida where she serves as the Oneness & Diversity Strategist and Research and Care Coordinator for Cru in the US. Actually, in our interview today we spend a good bit of time talking about what it means to know God and trust him in the areas of leadership and calling. Her insights on what it means to follow God in the unknown are so encouraging and meaningful to me in this season. Tabitha also shares more of her own and her family’s journey to knowing Christ and how understanding culture has shaped how she views the majesty and glory of God himself.

If this episode is meaningful to you, would you rate & review on this app, and would you also share this with a friend? As always, may you - and your friends - know God more for your actual life today.

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SENSITIVITY WARNING: Cynthia shares how God has transformed her life following a decision she made to have an abortion 40 years ago when she was 19. If you find yourself in a position where that might be challenging to hear or read any further about in the show notes, I encourage you to consider skipping this interview and returning next week. (She mentions this around 27:55-35:10 on the episode, if you'd like to skip around it.)

On Episode 11, I am pleased to introduce you to my friend Cynthia Thomeer. Cynthia and I talk about a wide range of topics, from foster care to living with terminal cancer for the last six years and everything in between.  Cynthia is passionate about speaking grace and truth into the shameful parts of our stories and lives so that we can live with freedom. Cynthia shares her powerful story of how God freed her from shame she carried following an abortion she had nearly 40 years ago, and while she doesn’t go into much detail, I did want to let you know that this topic comes up towards the middle of our conversation.  As always, the highlights of this episode are shared on the show notes if you’d like to get a preview or read more first. Cynthia speaks with power and trust in God, is hilarious and made me both laugh and cry this episode, and is just a joy to introduce to you. May you leave this episode knowing God more for your actual life today.

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On today’s episode I welcome one of my favorite people in the world onto the show  - my mother-in-law, Enid Walker Orr.  I always say that when I married John-Mark, I hit the jackpot with his family. His siblings have become some of my closest friends and Enid truly a second mom to me. As sweet as she is wise, Enid offers us in this episode a grounding and approachable truth to who God is. Enid serves on staff with Cru as part of the Significance Project Leadership team focusing on providing support to teams around the world using discipleship and evangelistic life coaching resources. She talks of the joy that it is to help women, specifically, uncover the truths of the gospel in everyday life.  We also spend some time talking about her journey through motherhood and then through loss and remarriage - all of which remind me that God is intimately aware of the details of our lives and meets in them all. Lastly, what I think you’ll enjoy the  most of this episode is hearing Enid talk of the joy it is to know God for herself personally and the way that she truly delights in him - she offers simple and un-intimidating words and I think you’ll naturally find yourself wanting to follow her as she knows God. As you listen, our biggest prayer is that you grow in your understanding that knowing God matters for your actual life, too.

SHOW NOTES: click here
The Significance Project

I’m so glad you’ve tuned in today to Episode 09 with Ashley Herrinton. Ashley and I go way back - John-Mark, Ashley, her husband, Tyler, and I all met the same summer of 2009. We have loved watching them grow and thrive in their roles as talented filmmakers, creatives, and business-owners.  You’ll quickly learn that one of Ashley’s best qualities is her ability to be real with people - and to get there naturally. Ashley shares with us today their journey in the creative small business world and in parenting and how trusting God for her looks like asking him, “God what do you have for me today?” Ashley and I spend about the second half of our conversation today talking openly about her life-changing experience in personal counseling where she shares the beautiful things she’s learned there, the reasons she thinks it’s so valuable for anyone to go, and we share some candid insight into both of our fears and experiences even after almost a decade of receiving counseling between us. Ashley is funny, wise, and so deep - you will fall in love with her and hear of God’s tenderness and intimacy all throughout this episode. I’m excited for you to meet her, but as always, my biggest excitement is for how you will come away from this episode uncovering more how knowing God matters for your actual life, today.

COUNSELING RESOURCES:
Psychology Today list of Christian Counselors
Global Counseling Network for virtual counseling appointments
Christian Counseling & Education Foundation

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Check out their business here

Today Shelby Forosan and I dive into the past year of her life as her plans were greatly thwarted due to COVID. Shelby serves as a missionary whose placement last year was in a country in East Asia and as you can imagine, the pandemic greatly disrupted her plans there. Her team learned how much the covid would affect their lives while at a conference and even though they only packed their bags for two weeks, they ended up being in a different country for two months before ultimately flying back to the US… without most of their belongings. Shelby shares with us today how she processed and lamented the losses of this past year and the way that God met her in her acknowledgment of her pain. She also shared how while she was in East Asia, she discovered a lot about her Filipino-American identity and how God was working in and through her, just as he created her to be; she opens up to us today about what it was like to begin to honor more of her own story through even the chaos of her time overseas. Listen in as we talk about trusting God through your pain and disrupted plans, of holding space for others’ stories, and the beauty that honesty with God can bring.

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Each week as women share their stories I’m honored and humbled to create space for them here and Soumya’s feels extra sacred to me to share. We’ve run in similar circles and I had heard her share briefly how coming to know Jesus changed everything for her, but hearing of her devout family traditions in Hinduism, her passion for the world, and how God used specific books of the Bible to draw her to himself gave more beauty and depth to her story than I had previously known. Soumya is currently serving overseas with her husband Daniel in Sweden living out their desire to share the greatest news of hope, rescue, and joy,, which she talks about a little in today’s episode! You’ll love Soumya’s calm demeanor, her hospitality, and her zeal for seeing God proclaimed.

If you like what you hear, go follow us on instagram at @teachmeaboutgrace & also, rate + review the show on your favorite podcast app! We'd love to help others uncover how knowing God matters for their actual lives as well.

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Brooke Frick is a mom, a wife, a writer… and most recently a traveler! Brooke and her family are exploring the US right now as they live primarily out of their RV and go on the adventure of a lifetime - all in the midst of the consistently changing pandemic.  I love Brooke’s perspective of following God and at the risk of spoiling all of this - she and her husband bought this RV just before everything shut down in March due to COVID. She talks of what it means to truly embrace God’s plan for your life, even when it doesn’t necessarily look like you were thinking and I love her transparency and honesty and bravery as she walks with him! Brooke recently published the book, Hands Full, a devotional for moms and we spend a bit of time talking about her experience raising five kids all born within 6.5 years. Brooke is such a joy and a delight to talk with and hearing her share about her life and what it’s meant to walk with God made me want to be more adventurous and trusting with him, too. She is down to earth and a sweet new friend and I can’t wait for you to hear her story.

Check the show notes by clicking here!

To CONNECT WITH BROOKE:
Instagram: @brookellenfrick
Read more on www.brookefrick.com
Purchase Hands Full, a devotional for moms, here.

Today's guest is Jennifer Smith who is a current senior at Virginia Commonwealth University. If you’ve ever wondered if God could use you where you are, or if he’s even at work in the lives of those around you… this episode will greatly encourage you. Jennifer shares her story of how she gave her life to Jesus a year ago and has jumped into what it means to follow him in every area of her life. As she navigates the Greek system, including leading her sorority as president and engages with other Greek students on her campus through Greek Cru, Jennifer has incredible insight into what it means to know God and live out her faith to those around her. She opened up with me about leadership, fighting stereotypes, and all that has transformed within her since Jesus changed her life last year. She also shares with us how losing her dad unexpectedly played a significant role in her surrender to the Lord and a grounding hope she’s found even in the midst of grief. I left my conversation with her feeling so encouraged, empowered, and excited and it’s a joy to introduce you to her today.  Whether you’re a current college student, or far past that, I know her story will encourage you.

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Instagram: @jenniferclairesmith + @asavcu
Jennifer’s story
Greek Cru: @vcugreekcru
Being a part of Greek Cru Communities