John 16:13-14 (NKJV)

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 

Matthew Henry wrote —All the gifts and graces of the Spirit, all the preaching, and all the writing of the apostles, under the influence of the Spirit, all the tongues, and miracles, were to glorify Christ.

Recently, I hosted one of our monthly online women’s gatherings for the Women’s Bible Club and the Mercy Room. Our theme this year is Teach Me to Follow.

We have been praying for each other to become more sensitive to His promptings. I will share a story of how His prompting to linger on some verses drew me into a beautiful view of Him. 

“He will glorify Me”— If the Holy Spirit wants to glorify Jesus to you, or through you, stop everything and follow. 

What a lovely view He wants to share with us. 

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Psalm 138:8 (NKJV)

The LORD will accomplish what concerns me;

Your lovingkindness, O LORD, is everlasting;

Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

In this episode, I walk through Psalm 138, stopping along the way to linger on a few verses that stand out. There is so much treasure packed into these eight verses.

Near the end, I read a reflection from Charles Spurgeon on verse 8, where he describes receiving this promise written on a slip of paper inside a “little envelope,” meant to be carried through the year as a steady support.

Since I can’t place an envelope in your hand, I’m glad to read it aloud to you—along with a little music in the background.

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This week, we are revisiting a favorite episode. We hope you enjoy going back with us.

Ephesians 1:3

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.

I read this verse in multiple versions and three words stayed the same: “every spiritual blessing.”

In this episode, I will share a real-time quest to find spiritual blessings in the midst of a very loud morning here in my corner of earth. The crashing and scraping outside my window made the perfect metaphor for my often very loud thoughts, so I recorded it for you. You may be tempted to grab your hard hat. 

I will read to you from:

Psalm 19:1-14

Psalm 8:3-9

2 Corinthians 4:16 - 5:1

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This week, we are revisiting a favorite episode. We hope you enjoy going back with us.

Psalm 139:3

You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.

"And art acquainted with all my ways - All the paths that I tread; the whole course of my life. All that I do, in all places and at all times, is fully known to thee."

Barnes

As I reflected on the whole course of my life, I wanted to share the story of my second birthday, which happened when I was eighteen years old.

I discovered this has been one of my most played and shared episodes and I am revisiting it here on my birthday week. It's become a yearly tradition.

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This week, we are revisiting a favorite episode. We hope you enjoy going back with us.

2 Corinthians 4:6

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

Last week, we looked at God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ as an infant.

This week, we will move ahead to God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ as a grown-up.

I will share Scripture that gave me a literal sigh of relief.

I will read to you from:

Luke 4:14-21

Luke 8:42-48

Matthew 5:1-10

Matthew 11:28-30

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This week, we are revisiting a favorite episode. We hope you enjoy going back with us.

2 Corinthians 4:6

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

What comes into your mind when you think of the face of Christ as an infant?

Who among us would choose to come into the world the way He did?

Even as an infant, He challenged the way of the world and the way of "me."

Right from the start, Jesus modeled humility, dependence and trust.

I will read to you from:

2 Corinthians 4:6-7

Luke 2:7

Isaiah 9:2

Matthew 1:19-20

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For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

-Isaiah 9:6

In this episode, we take a walk through the story behind the song, "O Little Town of Bethlehem." Written by Phillips Brooks just after the Civil War, the hymn grew out of a weary pastor’s visit to Bethlehem—a night that filled him with a peace he never forgot.

Knowing the heaviness of that moment in history makes the lyrics even more meaningful, especially the line: “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight.”

We will also reflect on the humble setting of Jesus’ birth, Mary’s own song in Luke 1, and the way God still draws near to ordinary, humble hearts. We also look at the story behind the melody written for Brooks’ Sunday School children—a little reminder that God often meets us even when we feel defeated.

I’ll end with the song, "O Little Town of Bethlehem." I hope you discover, as I have, deeper layers of meaning in this familiar Christmas song. 

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1 Peter 2:25 (NKJV)

For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

This is one of those verses I write in my journal every time I come to it. There’s a peace that settles over me when I am reminded He is the Shepherd and Overseer of my soul.

I talked about my ER visit in the episode "Bright Spots," but when I came to this verse, I noticed even more of the ways God had been caring for me.

I also tell the story of the perfectly-timed letter. It was one of those unmistakable reminders of God’s kindness and how He often shepherds us through the timely obedience of others.

We’ll look briefly at the simple needs of sheep (including their daily need for water) and how it points us back to Jesus’ invitation to come to Him for living water. Maybe you’re like me and need those reminders again and again.

I’ll end with the song, “Where He Restores.”

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Mark 6:41

Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.

In this episode, I’m sharing a few things that have been on my heart—much like a conversation with a friend while walking through my neighborhood park. Walking and talking is my favorite way to catch up.

I wanted to offer a little behind-the-scenes peek: why encore episodes make me smile, how I’m learning to make adjustments, and then there’s the disciples’ dimples (you’ll have to listen for that one).

I’ll also share the verses that encouraged me to start this podcast in the first place—and how they’re still speaking to me today. I hope they speak to you, too.

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Psalm 119:33–37 (NASB)

Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes,

And I shall observe it to the end.

Give me understanding, that I may observe Your law

And keep it with all my heart.

Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,

For I delight in it.

Incline my heart to Your testimonies

And not to dishonest gain.

Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity,

And revive me in Your ways.

I remember exactly where I was when I first read these verses and how a melody immediately came to mind. It became a song for Scripture Songs Volume 2 and you’ll hear it at the end of this episode.

As I read Psalm 119:33–37 in the NASB, the NIV, and the NLT, something caught my attention: two phrases remain unchanged — “all my heart” and “to the end.”

James Boice wrote that “to the end” means without time limit, and “with all my heart” means without reservation.

Another phrase stood out too: “Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity.” Many translations render it “worthless things.”

There really is a war over our eyes—over where we set our gaze. Not every “worthless thing” is sinful, but when comparison or discontent rises in us, those things may be climbing into a place they were never meant to have.

Psalm 119:37

Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity,

And revive me in Your ways.

May God redirect our gaze, revive our hearts, and help us follow Him—to the end and with all our heart. 

I’ll close with the song, “With All My Heart.”

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