As she navigated an emotionally unstable childhood, Laura Smith decided she needed to earn love through perfection. Today an author and speaker, Laura shares how receiving a different kind of love in adulthood, along with immersing herself in the Psalms, taught her how to trust God and experience a love not determined by achievement, but by being exactly who we are.

Quotes

“I love Psalm 16 so much. This is someone who is terrified of something and they're saying, ‘I know you're going to give me joy. I know that you will give me what I need. I know you'll keep me secure, even though right now I am terrified.’ We don't have to be in the best of places, thank goodness, because God is.” - Laura Smith

“I can be loved for myself. Just because my father didn't love me in the way that I needed to be loved doesn't mean that other people can't or that God doesn't.” - Laura Smith

“We don't have to have it all together because God does.” - Laura Smith 

“I just think it's such a beautiful reminder to be content with where we are and what we have, and content with His love and His protection. Because when we sit in that, when we actually hang out with our good shepherds, then our souls truly can be restored.” - Laura Smith

Laura Smith’s Links

Laura Smith’s website

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Laura Smith’s Twitter

Laura Smith’s Instagram

Resources Mentioned in This Episode Psalm 16 NIVPsalm 23 NIV

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*Episode produced by Four Eyes Media*

Pastor and author Dr. Dharius Daniels believes we’ll find fulfillment when we find our purpose. Dr. Daniels shares how God places purpose in each chapter of our lives, so that can we can live with contentment in every role we play.

Quotes

“I try to help as many people as possible transform their life so that they can make some transformations in the world.” - Dr. Dharius Daniels

“I believe God has wrapped our fulfillment in purpose so that we will not find it in any other place but the place and space that He's called and created for us to occupy.” - Dr. Dharius Daniels

“Ultimately, your purpose is the compilation of the contributions you've made in the roles God’s called you to play in different seasons of your life.” - Dr. Dharius Daniels

“At different times, in different ways, God's reassures me that He is with me, and that He is committed to guiding and leading me to the place He wants to take me.” - Dr. Dharius Daniels

Guest’s LinksDr. Daniels’ website

Dr. Daniels’ Facebook

Dr. Daniels’ Twitter

Dr. Daniels’ Instagram

Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeChange Church

Connect with Sally Lloyd-JonesJesus Storybook Bible Facebook

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Sally’s website

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*Episode produced by Four Eyes Media*

Kyle Petty comes from one of NASCAR’s most legendary families, as one of four generations who have raced in the sport. But perhaps the more lasting legacy comes from Kyle’s grandmother, who showed him that even amid horrible loss, we have a choice: do we choose to stay mired in our pain, or do we try to move forward with new purpose?

Quotes

“On that day, [I had] two choices. I could choose to be bitter or I could choose to be blessed. And on that day, I chose to be blessed. I chose to be blessed to have a son for nineteen years.” - Kyle Petty

“Racing gave us a platform to raise our hand and say, ‘We're going to build a camp to help people and help kids.’ And that's what keeps camps going, the love of all these fans, the memory of Adam, and people just willing to help other people.” - Kyle Petty

Guest’s LinksKyle Petty’s website

Kyle Petty’s Facebook

Kyle Petty’s Twitter

Kyle Petty’s Instagram

Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeNBC

David Pearson  

Bobby Allison

Donnie Allison

Cale Yarborough

Buddy Baker

Bobby Isaac

Dale Earnhardt

Terry Labonte

Jimmie Johnson

Jeff Gordon 

Tony Stewart 

Kyle Busch

Paul Newman 

Michael Waltrip

Charity Ride Across America

Connect with Sally Lloyd-JonesJesus Storybook Bible Facebook

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*Episode produced by Four Eyes Media*

After years of stress and burnout, award-winning physician Dr. Sasha Shillcutt shares how a dedication to saying “no” revolutionized her life and put more joy in her days.

Quotes

“Many women struggle to set boundaries because they feel guilty, and they feel like they're going to be letting someone down. They would rather overextend themselves and live in constant burnout, which is unhealthy, so that they never have the feeling of guilt.” - Dr. Sasha Shillcutt

“I prayed and I asked God to help me. I said, ‘I don't know how I've gotten to this place where I feel so alone, and it's such a dark place. I am not living at all the life that I thought I was going to be living.’ And that very moment was a pretty pivotal moment.” - Dr. Sasha Shillcutt 

“I think I was so afraid of disappointing my family and work colleagues by saying no to things. But the truth of the matter is that I was actually able to show up more fully for the things that I said yes to when I started saying no routinely to more things.” - Dr. Sasha Shillcutt

“Jesus walked the earth as a human, and He set boundaries. So I need to do that too.” - Dr. Sasha Shillcutt

Guest’s LinksDr. Shillcutt’s website

Dr. Shillcutt’s Facebook

Dr. Shillcutt’s Instagram

Dr. Shillcutt’s Twitter

Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeBrave Boundaries by Dr. Sasha Shillcutt

Connect with Sally Lloyd-JonesJesus Storybook Bible Facebook

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*Episode produced by Four Eyes Media*

Time and again, songwriter Fernando Ortega has seen that art has the power to carry our strongest emotions—love, joy, grief—and connect us to others who may be feeling the same. Fernando shares how he discovered a love for writing contemporary hymns, how his craft helped him heal after suffering huge losses, and the joy of watching his words give meaning to the moments of others.

Quotes

“The process of writing, the challenge is always to take something that's your experience and then letting somebody take their own meaning from it, making it universal.” - Fernando Ortega

“The idea that there's a song that has been sung through all eternity is something that has become more and more real to me.” - Fernando Ortega 

“The Jesus Storybook Bible came into my life, and I read that thing to Ruby every night when she was a little girl for years. The theology in it is so beautiful. As an adult, it just broke into some of the coldest parts of my heart. I would read it from cover to cover, and then we would just start again, and we did that for years.” - Fernando Ortega

Guest’s LinksFernando Ortega’s website

Fernando Ortega’s Facebook

Fernando Ortega’s Instagram

Fernando Ortega’s Twitter

Resources Mentioned in This Episode“Give Me Jesus” by Fernando Ortega

“Mi Abuelito” by Fernando Ortega

Connect with Sally Lloyd-JonesJesus Storybook Bible Facebook

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Sally’s website

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*Episode produced by Four Eyes Media*

As she navigated a season of loss in her twenties, author and podcaster Anne Snyder discovered the foundations that hold up our lives—our families, our workplaces, our churches and neighborhoods—can also hold us when we suffer and help us find meaning when we’re ready to move forward.

Quotes

“The crucial questions in life are not what questions: ‘What do I do?’ They’re who questions: ‘Who do I follow? Who do I serve? Who do I love?’” - Anne Snyder

“[Growing up] my family dinner table often revolved around this observation that all people are products of their culture. It felt like from as early as I can remember, it was a way of expressing curiosity and attunement to questions of how one's environmental conditions shape your way of seeing the world, shape your habits and your character. And I think that, no doubt, had a deep impact on the way in which I approach people today.” - Anne Snyder 

“I was interested in the pathways that form the will and the mind and the heart and soul of an individual, such that he or she will be equipped to navigate life in all of its complexity and sort of ups and downs with courage and hope.” - Anne Snyder 

“I have this deep hope I can't quite explain, that somehow God is always working in our suffering, that as reality seems to fracture and relationships break and countries shudder, and the earth on which we live is begging us to take better care of it—in all of this, somehow Christ is still present and still healing and walking with us and walking into the fray.” - Anne Snyder

Guest’s LinksAnne Snyder’s website

Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeComment Magazine

Connect with Sally Lloyd-JonesJesus Storybook Bible Facebook

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*Episode produced by Four Eyes Media*

Just when we’re getting comfortable, God shows up (in his impeccable timing!) to ask us to step toward something new and scary. That’s certainly been the case for Jodi Benson, the original voice of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Jodi shares how her career soared to unexpected heights, and how she strives to be salt and light wherever she goes, even if it’s in the pages of a book she never expected to write.

Quotes

“God doesn't call us to be comfortable." - Jodi Benson 

I'm like, ‘God, this is just this is not me.’ And He's like, ‘You know what? I can do extraordinary things through ordinary people who obey me. And if you can walk in obedience in something that's terribly uncomfortable, then let me take it from there.’” - Jodi Benson 

“It's been incredible, the fact that I have total freedom to be able to just be myself, that I can love other people well, and be light and salt, and use every opportunity that God gives me and every platform opportunity that He gives me to the best of my ability.” - Jodi Benson

“The tough things we go through, we can use to comfort others with the same comfort that he gave us. That's when beauty comes from the ashes.” - Jodi Benson

“God called me to do something out of my comfort zone, and it's very frightening and very scary. But there is a sense of indescribable peace, knowing that I did what he asked me to do, even though I didn't want to. Then I get to step back and let God do what he's going to do.” - Jodi Benson

Guest’s Links

Jodi Benson’s Facebook

Jodi Benson’s Instagram

Jodi Benson’s Twitter

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Part of My World by Jodi Benson

The Little Mermaid

The Walt Disney Company

Snow White

Sleeping Beauty

Cinderella

Thumbelina

Toy Story II

Toy Story III

Connect with Sally Lloyd-JonesJesus Storybook Bible Facebook

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*Episode produced by Four Eyes Media*

What do you do when God calls you from one story into another? For author and speaker Christy Wright, that meant walking into the workplace she’d poured herself into for 12 years and resigning to begin a new chapter. A chapter that, to Christy, looked like a terrifying blank page. But as she put one timid foot in front of the other, Christy began to see the path God was laying for her all along—one she never could’ve dreamed of on her own.

Quotes

“I felt God telling me that He was asking me to trust Him, that He was calling me into the unknown, similar to Abraham. And so He just kept taking me back to Scripture and showing me He's done this before.” - Christy Wright 

“We tend to think as Christians is that if you're scared, you don't trust God. But one of the things that I have learned is you can be trusting God with your actions and still feel fear in your emotions.” - Christy Wright

“We're all adult children. We're all walking around looking for something. And so much of how we can find intimacy with the Lord is through this story of His Bible.” - Christy Wright

“He is with us in the valleys, in the tunnels, when we're walking away from everything we've ever known, when we're overwhelmed with our kids, when we're just having to make a hard decision, He's with us. And while the decision is probably still hard and you might still feel that fear when you're doing that scary thing, the knowledge that God is with you can give you an inner peace and comfort that will follow it through anyway.” - Christy Wright

Guest’s LinksChristy’s Website

Christy’s Instagram

Christy’s Facebook

Christy’s Twitter

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*Episode produced by Four Eyes Media*

To celebrate the merriest week of the year, author Sally Lloyd-Jones is reading three special Christmas stories from The Jesus Storybook Bible, perfect to listen to with your family. Wherever you are this season, let your heart be filled with childlike wonder and as you remember the miracle of Love that came down as a tiny baby boy. Merry Christmas! 

Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeThe Jesus Storybook Bible 

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*Episode produced by Four Eyes Media*

While living in one of Washington, DC’s most ethnically and economically diverse neighborhoods, pastor Duke Kwon began to see opportunities to make Jesus’ love incarnate. Using Jesus’ life as inspiration, Duke shares why he believes his mission is to bring restoration and healing to his community, and how Jesus’ love has the power not only to transform our neighbors, but especially to transform us.

Quotes

“It's a glorious and beautiful calling for us to actually embody and to become personal incarnations of the very love of Christ to this world.” - Duke Kwon 

“Jesus moved into the neighborhood, as it were, by His own loving initiative, and that He laid it all down more than baking us cookies and just being kind to us. He loved us sacrificially. He died for our sins. He lived again by His resurrection to give us life. And the transforming power of that kind of love then should make us true neighbors ourselves when we encounter that Jesus.” - Duke Kwon

“Reconciliation is simply the healing of ruptured love. It's love being repaired interpersonally in our relationships.” - Duke Kwon 

“Christians should be the first ones to jump in line to undo the harms of our injury in a wound-filled past. Christians should be the ones that are the first on our knees to humble ourselves and repent and to love our neighbor as ourselves.” - Duke Kwon

Duke Kwon’s LinksDuke Kwon’s Twitter

Duke Kwon’s Instagram

Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeGrace Meridian Hill Church

Connect with Sally Lloyd-JonesJesus Storybook Bible Facebook

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Sally’s website

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*Episode produced by Four Eyes Media*