We live in a world addicted to instant gratification. We all want instant change, instant productivity, and instant transformation. But Christian growth rarely works that way. It’s slower, quieter, and far more ordinary, and found in establishing God-honouring habits through acts of faithfulness in everyday life.

Jonathan and Laurie reflect on the difference between dramatic decisions and quiet consistency, sharing stories from conferences, ministry life, reading, housework, Bible memory, and spiritual disciplines. They explore why Christians often crave the big moment, how to set big goals without despising small steps, and why the Bible’s pattern for growth is usually slow, steady formation rather than sudden changes. If you're trying to grow in your faith walk, hopefully you find encouragement in following Jesus one paragraph, one prayer, or even one dishwasher load at a time.

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review on wherever you listen!  Also remember to share with friends and family; both of those actions will help us spread the word about the show.

For seasonal outreach resources and ideas, please visit either our US or UK based sites.

Foster care is often framed as rescue, and adoption as the “happy ending.” But the gospel gives a bigger vision, one that honors God’s design for family, names sin’s real destruction, and seeks restoration where healing is possible.

Laurie is joined by Jamie Finn, author of God Loves Kids and founder of the Foster the Family ministry, to talk about building sustainable community for foster and adoptive families, why reunification matters, and what gospel-centered foster care actually means. Jamie shares the heart behind her new children’s book, why it’s written for kids in every seat of the story (welcoming, waiting, adopted, or displaced), and how the local church can tangibly show up with both help and hope.

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review on wherever you listen!  Also remember to share with friends and family; both of those actions will help us spread the word about the show.

For more information about Jamie's new book God Loves Kids, please click here!

The Christmas story is familiar, but its mission-shaped urgency is often forgotten. Jesus came to save sinners from every nation, and that global burden sits at the heart of Christian discipleship, yet many believers feel stuck between desire and inaction, unsure how to begin in the busy holiday season.

Jonathan is joined by David Platt to explore cultivating compassion for neighbors, embracing the nations God has brought near, and seeing Christmas as one of the most strategic evangelistic moments of the year. David shares from decades of pastoral leadership, global missions experience, and his new Christmas book on why Jesus came, offering clarity, courage, and simple next steps for everyday Christians who want their lives to count for the gospel all year round.

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review on wherever you listen!  Also remember to share with friends and family; both of those actions will help us spread the word about the show.

For more information about David's new book All You Want For Christmas, please click here!

The gospel is beautifully simple, yet we often complicate it. We add conditions, look for worthiness, or assume the doorway to grace must be harder to enter. But at the heart of Scripture is a Savior who knows us, meets us, and invites us to come with nothing in our hands.

Jonathan is joined by Alistair Begg to explore the stories behind The Man on the Middle Cross, why the thief’s final plea captures the essence of salvation, and how Jesus’ encounters with the woman at the well and the paralyzed man reveal both our deepest need and His deepest compassion. Alistair reflects on preaching, evangelism, and the surprising ways God uses ordinary faithfulness to draw people to Himself.

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review on wherever you listen!  Also remember to share with friends and family; both of those actions will help us spread the word about the show.

For more information about Alistair's book The Man on the Middle Cross, please click here!

To be known is vulnerable, to be loved is stabilizing. In Christ, we get both. But many believers overcorrect by emphasizing God’s wrath while forgetting His delight, or chasing His love while downplaying His holiness.

Laurie is joined by Glenna Marshall to walk through Psalm 139, the danger of confusing unworthiness with worthlessness, and how to hold God’s love and holiness together without minimizing either. Glenna shares from her real life experiences about learning to receive God’s delight, resisting the pride behind both perfectionism and self-loathing, and finding comfort when diagnoses are delayed and ministry is hard.

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review on wherever you listen!  Also remember to share with friends and family; both of those actions will help us spread the word about the show.

For more information about Glenna's new book Known and Loved, please click here!

It’s easy to talk about gratitude in November, but how should Christians give thanks differently from the world around us? The Bible tells us over 150 times to give thanks, but why can it still be so hard to do?

In this episode, Laurie and Jonathan unpack the difference between general thankfulness and gospel-rooted gratitude. They discuss why we often struggle to be thankful, how entitlement and busyness choke joy, and why all true gratitude should trace back to the life Jesus has called us to.

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review on wherever you listen!  Also remember to share with friends and family; both of those actions will help us spread the word about the show.

For seasonal outreach resources and ideas, please visit either our US or UK based sites.

Every believer encounters moments when their faith journey feels stagnant, their prayer life feels empty, time in scripture feels dissatisfying, and the joy of salvation feels like a memory. But what if feeling stuck isn’t failure, but an opportunity for God’s mercy to meet us where we are at once again?

Jonathan and Laurie sit down with Nate Akin to talk about how Christians can persevere through such seasons of spiritual stillness. Nate reflects on the importance of community with the church body, what it means to go back to the basics in times of going through the motions, and how simple obedience can rekindle love for Christ.

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review on wherever you listen!  Also remember to share with friends and family; both of those actions will help us spread the word about the show.

For more information about Nate's new book Stuck, please visit either our US, UK or CA based sites.

The Christian life is serious, after all there is eternal weight to our every day life and public witness. But does that mean there’s no place for laughter and fun? How do we know when humour helps us connect with others, and when it distracts from the mission?

In this episode, Jonathan and Laurie dive into this tension by sharing their own experiences with humor in ministry and ever day moments. Along the way they explore why joy should overflow into our words, why humour often builds bridges, how we should use jokes and humour appropriately in alignment with our call to holiness, and how believers can embrace “serious fun” without slipping into escapism.

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review on wherever you listen!  Also remember to share with friends and family; both of those actions will help us spread the word about the show.

For seasonal outreach resources and ideas, please visit either our US or UK based sites.

The Christian life is meant to be lived in fellowship with God, with His people, and with those who have yet to know Him. But busyness often intrudes. How do we guard joy and remain faithful to our calling when our calendars overflow?

In the first episode of this new season after a busy summer, Jonathan and Laurie wrestle with the difference between fruitful labor and draining distraction, offering encouragement to keep Christ at the center of our pace, our relationships, and our personal and/or professional ministry.

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review on wherever you listen!  Also remember to share with friends and family; both of those actions will help us spread the word about the show.

For seasonal outreach resources and ideas, please visit either our US or UK based sites.

Spiritual disciplines as a concept can often feel intimidating. Are they legalism in disguise? Or are they essential to a vibrant walk with God? In this episode, Jonathan and Laurie are joined by professor and author Donald Whitney to discuss his book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life and what it means to “discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.”

Together, they explore the heart behind spiritual discipline, and why prayer and Scripture intake are foundational for every believer. Don offers practical encouragement for those who feel stuck in dry devotional routines, and reminds us that even five minutes with God can bear fruit for eternity.

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review on wherever you listen!  Also remember to share with friends and family; both of those actions will help us spread the word about the show.

To learn more about Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, click here.