Send The Parable Podcast a Text

Have you ever studied the names of God?  Today we are on week 2 of a message from our home church, as we were finishing up a story about King Jehoshaphat and his army.  Please enjoy this message wherever it may find you today.

Message Notes

Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’”2 Chronicles: 20:15-17 

Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever.” 2 Chronicles: 20:20-21

As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another. 2 Chronicles: 20:22-23 

“This triumph results from complete dependence on God.” Asbury Bible Commentary 

Yahweh 

Elohim 

El Elyon

Here is the list that I was working from.  This list was helpful too.

Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. 2They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the LORD with harps and lyres and trumpets. The fear of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.
2 Chronicles: 20:27-29

"True worship doesn't put on a show or make a fuss; true worship isn't forced, isn't half-hearted, doesn't keep looking at its watch, doesn't worry what the person in the next pew is doing. True worship is open to God, adoring God, waiting for God, trusting God even in the dark."
N. T. Wright

We do not know what to do but our eyes are on you.

Reflection Questions

1. Discover a new name of God this week. This just better give you a focus of God’s characteristics. 
2. What is a way you can worship God today?

Watch this service live at West Ridge

#theparablepodcast #yourstorymatters #2Chronicles #OurEyesAreOnYou

Support the show

Ways to Support The Parable Podcast

#1 Subscribe or Follow the podcast to ensure you catch every episode of The Parable Podcast on your preferred podcast platform (such as iTunes, Spotify).

#2 Recommend this podcast to a friend, providing a great chance to begin your own Parable Conversation.

#3 Looking for a speaker for your Church, Women's Group, or event? Contact Danielle to learn more.

Send The Parable Podcast a Text

Do you ever ask God where were you?   I would love to share one of my recent messages from our home church, where I walked our congregation through a portion of 2 Chronicles. And for those listening chronologically, you will also hear previous guest Esther Lee from episode 222.  Please enjoy this message wherever it may find you today.

Message Notes
When we don’t know what to do, an ending allows for a new beginning.

“LORD, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. 2 Chronicles 20:6 

Lord we do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” 2 Chronicles 20:12b 

You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’” 2 Chronicles: 20:17

The first is a Reminder to Grieve What has happened in 2025. 

‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’ 2 Chronicles 20:9 NIV

“Grief is real. It deserves space. It deserves to be named. And it deserves more than platitudes about silver linings or God’s mysterious ways.” Aubrey Sampson 
 
What do you want to name today and truly grieve from 2025?  

The power is not in us.

"Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s" 

God didn’t leave you in 2025.

“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” Psalm 13:1 

When we don’t know what to do, an ending allows us to witness his presence.

Reflection Questions

1. Grieve and then lament what has happened in 2025  
2. Ask God to show you where he was in 2025?

Watch this service live at West Ridge

Support the show

Ways to Support The Parable Podcast

#1 Subscribe or Follow the podcast to ensure you catch every episode of The Parable Podcast on your preferred podcast platform (such as iTunes, Spotify).

#2 Recommend this podcast to a friend, providing a great chance to begin your own Parable Conversation.

#3 Looking for a speaker for your Church, Women's Group, or event? Contact Danielle to learn more.

Send The Parable Podcast a Text

Do you always look both ways when you cross the street? Joining me today is Founder of Founder of Healtheology and Biblical wellness coach, Katie Hardy who shares about the crosswalks of our lives. Katie is a boy mom of two, wife of a loyal Cleveland Browns fan, and lover of all things that make people feel awesome & live better. She is certified by Duke Health in Integrative Wellness & Behavior Change.

Katie emphasizes the importance of connecting faith with health. She introduces the 'crosswalk' parable, illustrating the choices we face in our spiritual and physical lives. Plus, listen to Katie's unique approach to yoga as a form of worship highlights her commitment to fostering community and spiritual growth. If Katie’s story really resonated with you, could you do me a favor and share this with a friend or family member who feels conflicted or questioning their choices, as this would be an encouragement to them.

Reflection Questions

1. What is one of your current crosswalks that you are having a tough time deciding which direction to go?
2. When you pray next, or even right now, get in the habit of giving all the details over to God.

Connect with Katie

Website | Instagram | Podcast

keywords: wellness, sober, sobriety, faith, coaching, yoga, personal growth, spirituality, community, health, relationships, transformation

Support the show

Ways to Support The Parable Podcast

#1 Subscribe or Follow the podcast to ensure you catch every episode of The Parable Podcast on your preferred podcast platform (such as iTunes, Spotify).

#2 Recommend this podcast to a friend, providing a great chance to begin your own Parable Conversation.

#3 Looking for a speaker for your Church, Women's Group, or event? Contact Danielle to learn more.

Send The Parable Podcast a Text

Have you ever been told there is nothing left for them to do? Joining me today is my friend Esther Lee who shares about one of the seasons where God was the closest to her. Feel free to grab your tissues now for this heartfelt conversation. Esther shares her journey of motherhood, grief, and faith after losing her daughter Ava to cancer. She also discusses the importance of teaching life skills to children, her passion for writing, and how she navigates her grief while honoring Ava's memory. Esther emphasizes the significance of being real with God during difficult times and the importance of processing grief with her family. Through her story, she offers insights into finding hope and healing amidst loss. After listening if you know a friend or family member who is walking through child loss or grief, please pass on this episode so this conversation would be an encouragement to them. Remember your parable showcases how we can see God even when we are kneeling on a hospital room floor. 

Reflection Questions:

1. Journal about when you felt the closest to God.
2. We can never prepare for grief, but we can know that it is okay to have emotions with God. Are you currently feeling like you are holding anything back from him?

Connect with Esther
Team Brighter Days | Love Cakes

Keywords

grief, parenting, faith, storytelling, teaching, loss, healing, writing, cancer, motherhood

Support the show

Ways to Support The Parable Podcast

#1 Subscribe or Follow the podcast to ensure you catch every episode of The Parable Podcast on your preferred podcast platform (such as iTunes, Spotify).

#2 Recommend this podcast to a friend, providing a great chance to begin your own Parable Conversation.

#3 Looking for a speaker for your Church, Women's Group, or event? Contact Danielle to learn more.

Send The Parable Podcast a Text

Is it hard for you to take a next  step of faith when you don’t  know  whats ahead?Joining me today author of Choosing the Opposite and Teaching Pastor Tammy Melchein who shares about relational healing and embarking on a faith filled adventure of next steps.

Tammy is passionate about helping people take next steps with Jesus. She has served on the staff at Community Christian Church for over 20 years, most recently as the leader of the Teaching Team. Community is a church with multiple online and in-person expressions based in the Chicago area, and Tammy regularly teaches at both Community’s online expression and at its various campus locations. Her new book showcases how the Sermon on the Mount guides believers in today’s culture, giving a blueprint for meaningful change. Plus, confront today’s culture wars and controversies head-on as you embrace true discipleship. Make the hard but rewarding choice to live as Jesus did―bringing hope, love, and reconciliation wherever you go.

Takeaways:

• We often mirror the division and polarization of the world. As followers of Jesus, we should strive to look different.
• Our interactions should reflect the teachings of Jesus.
• Fear and anger can wear us down and hinder our mission.
• We need to bring more of the kingdom of God to earth.
• Assumptions and instincts can cloud our judgment in relationships.
• Effective relationships require intentionality and reflection.

Connect with Tammy
Website | Instagram

Choosing the Opposite: How the Sermon on the Mount Helps Us Rethink Our Assumptions, Recalibrate Our Instincts, and Rediscover the Way of Jesus

Reflection Questions
1. Why do you think people say mean things to others, is there a specific time that comes up for you where you can reflect back now with perspective?

2. Is there a certain friend or family member that came to mind today during the episode. If there is strain over that relationship pray right now for healing and the ability to choose the opposite with them?

Keywords: faith, division, polarization, Jesus, relationships, kingdom of God, assumptions, instincts, Choosing the Opposite, new book

Support the show

Ways to Support The Parable Podcast

#1 Subscribe or Follow the podcast to ensure you catch every episode of The Parable Podcast on your preferred podcast platform (such as iTunes, Spotify).

#2 Recommend this podcast to a friend, providing a great chance to begin your own Parable Conversation.

#3 Looking for a speaker for your Church, Women's Group, or event? Contact Danielle to learn more.

Send The Parable Podcast a Text

Every week, I listen back to the podcast for a final check before we post it every Wednesday. And there are just different perspectives that come out for me. Something that maybe even though I was the one who was interviewing, it impacted me in a different way listening back. Join me as I share a little of my perspective from each episode, and how different things stuck out for my own faith.

Understanding Expectations in Relationships with Cubby Chalmers
Have you ever held onto childhood expectations? If you like to hear people’s stories and be encouraged about the ways God is working in their life. You have found a home here at the Parable podcast. Joining me today is Cubby Chalmers who shares about how his childhood expectation felt like a curse. Click Here for More Information.

When Your Plans Don't Work with Cheryl Davis - Would you say you praise God when your plans don’t work? Joining me today is writer and podcaster Cheryl Davis who encourages us all to see God’s bigger plan. Cheryl recounts a memorable hunting experience that taught her about the importance of flexibility and recognizing God's hand in our lives. Click Here for More Information

What Shaped My Identity with Kathy Demott - Is it hard for you to imagine the other possibilities of life? If you enjoy hearing people’s stories and want to be encouraged about the ways God is working in their lives, you have found a home here at the Parable podcast.  Joining me today is Kathy Demott, who shares about how pride, abandonment, and identity were all a part of her story. Click Here for more.

Support the show

Ways to Support The Parable Podcast

#1 Subscribe or Follow the podcast to ensure you catch every episode of The Parable Podcast on your preferred podcast platform (such as iTunes, Spotify).

#2 Recommend this podcast to a friend, providing a great chance to begin your own Parable Conversation.

#3 Looking for a speaker for your Church, Women's Group, or event? Contact Danielle to learn more.

Send The Parable Podcast a Text

Is it hard for you to imagine the other possibilities of life? If you enjoy hearing people’s stories and want to be encouraged about the ways God is working in their lives, you have found a home here at the Parable podcast.  Joining me today is Kathy Demott, who shares about how pride, abandonment, and identity were all a part of her story.

Reflection Questions:

1. Journal about whether there is a label or title that is holding shame and lies over your life that needs to be stripped away from your identity.
2. Discover a new verse to keep as a reminder about who your identity is in  Christ.

Could you do me a favor and share Kathy’s episode with a friend or family member who is a single mom, walking through a season of abandonment, so you can encourage them, too.

Connect with Kathy:

FaceBook | E-mail

IG: Kathy Lunardini DeMott

IG: His Glory Your Story

Support the show

Ways to Support The Parable Podcast

#1 Subscribe or Follow the podcast to ensure you catch every episode of The Parable Podcast on your preferred podcast platform (such as iTunes, Spotify).

#2 Recommend this podcast to a friend, providing a great chance to begin your own Parable Conversation.

#3 Looking for a speaker for your Church, Women's Group, or event? Contact Danielle to learn more.

Send The Parable Podcast a Text

Would you say you praise God when your plans don’t work? Joining me today is writer and podcaster Cheryl Davis, who encourages us all to see God’s bigger plan. Cheryl recounts a memorable hunting experience that taught her the importance of flexibility and recognizing God's hand in our lives. Our conversation delves into the challenges of motherhood, the significance of self-care, and the power of storytelling. Cheryl also discusses her podcast aimed at encouraging mothers.

Takeaways

• Life has not happened how I want it, but God's hand is always in it.
• Praising God for plans that didn't work out can lead to unexpected blessings.
• Grieving failed plans is important for emotional healing.
• Contentment is a struggle when plans don't go as expected.
• Recognizing God's purpose in our struggles can provide comfort.
• Being undone is part of the process of being made new.

Sound Bites

• "God had a bigger plan."
• "Life has not happened how I want it."

Reflection Questions

1. Maybe you are not going on an actual hunt, but you can take a moment today to be more mindful of the ways god is and has worked throughout your last week.
2. How can you grieve about the plans that didn't work and how expectations were not met, and surrender that to the Lord?

Connect with Cheryl

Substack | Podcast | FB Group

Keywords: motherhood, ministry, hunting, faith, personal stories, encouragement, podcasting, devotionals

Support the show

Ways to Support The Parable Podcast

#1 Subscribe or Follow the podcast to ensure you catch every episode of The Parable Podcast on your preferred podcast platform (such as iTunes, Spotify).

#2 Recommend this podcast to a friend, providing a great chance to begin your own Parable Conversation.

#3 Looking for a speaker for your Church, Women's Group, or event? Contact Danielle to learn more.

Send The Parable Podcast a Text

Have you ever held onto childhood expectations? If you like to hear people’s stories and be encouraged about the ways God is working in their life. You have found a home here at the Parable podcast. Joining me today is Cubby Chalmers who shares about how his childhood expectation felt like a curse. I spoke with Cubby about the importance of community, sharing personal stories, and the journey of love and relationships. Cubby reflects on his childhood, the wisdom gained through experiences, and the significance of empathy and mentorship. He also shares his own parables, discussing the challenges of navigating relationships and the transformative power of love. Our conversation emphasizes the role of prayer, the need to release expectations, and the importance of trusting God in our journeys.

Reflection Questions

1. Who can you pray for today and through that maybe it will shift your focus and bring you healing.
2. This is a constant practice but how can you release expectations to bring you closer in trust in God.

Connect with Cubby

FaceBook | E-mail | Website

Keywords: community, personal growth, empathy, relationships, love, mentorship, prayer, expectations, faith, The Parable Podcast

Support the show

Ways to Support The Parable Podcast

#1 Subscribe or Follow the podcast to ensure you catch every episode of The Parable Podcast on your preferred podcast platform (such as iTunes, Spotify).

#2 Recommend this podcast to a friend, providing a great chance to begin your own Parable Conversation.

#3 Looking for a speaker for your Church, Women's Group, or event? Contact Danielle to learn more.

Send The Parable Podcast a Text

Every week, I listen back to the podcast for a final check before we post it every Wednesday. And there are just different perspectives that come out for me. Something that maybe even though I was the one who was interviewing, it impacted me in a different way listening back. And so I thought it'd be fun to do a little bit of a rewind and a recap from this past month's episodes. Join me as I share a little of my perspective behind it, and how different things stuck out for my own faith.

The Power of Reflection with Tracy Scott - Have you ever noticed something as an adult that you didn’t see in your childhood? Discover the power of reflection and gratitude with Tracy Scott.  Dive into her journey of embracing life's lessons and finding joy in every moment. Click Here for more.

My Guiding Shepherd with Mandy Loh - Have you ever been in a season where you have felt desperate and lost? Meet my friend Tyler Mallory who walks us through a period of his life when he didn’t know what else to do but fix his eyes on God. There was a quote Tyler shared from his pastor in this episode that really resonated with me. 

The Art of Vinemaking with Bette Dickinson - Bette encourages us to lean into the art of vinemaking. In a culture that measures fruitfulness by productivity, The Art of Vinemaking offers a counter-cultural and deeply compelling invitation: to return to the slower, sacred rhythm of abiding. Click Here to learn more.

Our Eyes Are On You with Tyler Mallory - Have you ever been in a season where you have felt desperate and lost? Meet my friend Tyler Mallory who walks us through a period of his life when he didn’t know what else to do but fix his eyes on God. Click here for more. 

Support the show

Ways to Support The Parable Podcast

#1 Subscribe or Follow the podcast to ensure you catch every episode of The Parable Podcast on your preferred podcast platform (such as iTunes, Spotify).

#2 Recommend this podcast to a friend, providing a great chance to begin your own Parable Conversation.

#3 Looking for a speaker for your Church, Women's Group, or event? Contact Danielle to learn more.