Vickie and Jasa are pushing pause on The Heart of the Author Podcast. Stayed tuned, we will be back.

Meanwhile, enjoy the blooper reel.

Many thanks to Kim McKenzie for her behind the scenes work.

Elisabeth Elliot knows suffering. Her first husband was killed in the jungle by savages. Then her second husband died of cancer. In later years, she suffered from terrible dementia. She couldn’t even speak, but her eyes still sparkled with the love of Christ. She had peace because she knew that Suffering Is Never for Nothing.

We all face trials in life. Sometimes our own choices get us into trouble, and sometimes life just blindsides us and derails us from the path we’re on. "The Comeback" is full of stories of hope and redemption, of God bringing people’s lives back from disappointment and disaster. Your comeback is in God’s plans right now.

In this Bible study on the Old Testament book of Esther, you’ll see the providence of God at work in the lives of His people. Even though God is mentioned nowhere in the story, His hand in it is unmistakable. Through a humble woman, God rescues His people from an ungodly king who sought to wipe them out of existence.

In his second book, New York Times bestselling author Bob Goff, shows us what it looks like to become love. Christians are often known more for what they are against than for their love. We point out the sin of nonbelievers and argue for our Christian principles instead of reaching out and loving the individual nonbeliever. “It’s easy to agree with what Jesus said. What’s hard is actually doing what Jesus did.”

Today we have a special guest on the podcast, Rachel C. Swanson, the author of Refine and Restore. Rachel is a dental hygienist turned best-selling author, national speaker, podcaster, and accredited Christian life coach. She and her husband, along with their “wannabe triplets” just moved from southern California to rural Idaho where they are rebuilding a broken-down ranch into a wedding and retreat center.

In The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi, Kathie Lee Gifford shares how experiencing Israel firsthand has deepened her faith. As she describes her own journey through the Holy Land, Messianic Rabbi Jason Sobel expounds on the language and culture to enhance our understanding of:

The Rock: Jesus Christ, the Messiah

The Road: Israel, the Promised Land

The Rabbi: The Bible, the Word of God

In her newest book, author Rosaria Butterfield challenges Christians to practice "radically ordinary" hospitality. Learn what it means to "use your home in a daily way that seeks to make strangers neighbors and neighbors family of God."

Last week in part one, we talked about the bad news and the good news of the gospel. The bad news is we can’t earn it, and the good news is we don’t have to. So why do we keep trying?

Do you know the gospel? This book is for you if:

You’ve never heard of the gospel

You’ve heard of it but don’t know what it means

You know what it means but don’t believe

You know what it means and do believe

Yes, it's for everyone!