Matthew 23:11-12

The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

In this episode, I will explore what it means to humble yourself, including a story about my first object lesson on the topic. It involved my eighteen-year-old self, borrowing my mom’s Gran Torino, and facing a disgruntled cashier. 

You’ll have to listen. 

One thing is for sure, God meets us in the humble place. It’s a promise. 

If you would like to support this podcast with a monthly or one-time donation, thank you!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.sherriyoungward.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

To find out about upcoming gatherings and new projects, please join my email list at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.sherriyoungward.com

Matthew 15:32-33

Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.”

Then His disciples said to Him, “Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?”

(Spoiler alert) In the end, Jesus multiplied bread and fish, enough to feed thousands of men, women and children. 

A friend of mine pointed out how Jesus let the disciples pass out the food. He let them help - kind of like when you ask a toddler to help you cook.

It all began when Jesus called His disciples to Himself and shared what was on His Heart. In this episode, we will look at the beauty and transformation that happens when we answer His call.

I will end the episode with the song, “Come Away” and talk a bit about what inspired the lyrics.

If you would like to support this podcast with a monthly or one-time donation, thank you!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.sherriyoungward.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

To find out about upcoming gatherings and new projects, please join my email list at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.sherriyoungward.com

Matthew 11:25-26 

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

I recently asked the women in our Bible Reading Group what came to their minds as they thought of a good father. Some had great fathers, some didn’t have any relationship with a human father whatsoever — but everyone can make a list of what a good father should be.

I will share what I learned from those lists and also pull from the responses of some friends who are fathers who answered the question, "What do you want most for your children?"

If you would like to support this podcast with a monthly or one-time donation, thank you!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.sherriyoungward.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

To find out about upcoming gatherings and new projects, please join my email list at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.sherriyoungward.com

Psalm 18:28 

For You will light my lamp;

The LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

Without light, I can’t see behind me, beside me, or before me (as in my future). I have many stories of how God brought light in the midst of my darkness. Often that light is as delicate as candlelight. Just a flicker of hope. 

In this episode, I will share some recent memories and a personal story of how God brought light to my darkness in a most unexpected way. 

If you would like to support this podcast with a monthly or one-time donation, thank you!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.sherriyoungward.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

To find out about upcoming gatherings and new projects, please join my email list at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.sherriyoungward.com

Psalm 12:6

The words of the LORD are pure words;

As silver tried in a furnace on the earth,

refined seven times.

If you would like to support this podcast with a monthly or one-time donation, thank you!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.sherriyoungward.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

To find out about upcoming gatherings and new projects, please join my email list at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.sherriyoungward.com

Psalm 8:3-4

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers--

the moon and the stars you have set in place--

what are mortals that you should think of us,

mere humans that you should care for us?

I love how David expresses what I have felt at the edge of the sea or underneath a blanket of stars — when there is an immediate adjustment to my perception of my size, and to my perception of God’s size. I need my eyes adjusted to God’s size often. 

Creation is meant for that, and this Psalm confirms it. 

Though we can’t look at the stars or sea together in this episode, I will try to express a measure of their grandeur. 

I will end with the ancient song (27 years old) called “Stars.” Thing is, this song still expresses to me what this Psalm describes.

If you would like to support this podcast with a monthly or one-time donation, thank you!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.sherriyoungward.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

To find out about upcoming gatherings and new projects, please join my email list at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.sherriyoungward.com

Psalm 1:1-3 NIV

Blessed is the one

who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take

or sit in the company of mockers,

but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,

and who meditates on his law day and night.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,

which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither—

whatever they do prospers.

On January 1st, I wrote these verses in my journal. I had in mind the women who are joining me in reading through Scripture this year (2025, you are welcome to join). I had myself in mind too.

Maybe because it was the first day of the new year, I saw this as a great goal to set — to be planted by streams of living water. 

And then I realized, more than a goal - this is a promise. 

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,

which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither—

whatever they do prospers.

Psalm 1:3

This is my hope for us all, no matter the year, that our roots would go deeper and our faith grow stronger.

I will end the episode with the song "Psalm One" from Scripture Songs Volume 1. 

If you would like to support this podcast with a monthly or one-time donation, thank you!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.sherriyoungward.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

To find out about upcoming gatherings and new projects, please join my email list at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.sherriyoungward.com

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. This might be a new yearly tradition.

If you would like to support this podcast with a monthly or one-time donation, thank you!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.sherriyoungward.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

To find out about upcoming gatherings and new projects, please join my email list at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.sherriyoungward.com

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

If you would like to support this podcast with a monthly or one-time donation, thank you!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.sherriyoungward.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

To find out about upcoming gatherings and new projects, please join my email list at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.sherriyoungward.com

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

If you would like to support this podcast with a monthly or one-time donation, thank you!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.sherriyoungward.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

To find out about upcoming gatherings and new projects, please join my email list at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.sherriyoungward.com