When God Doesn't Answer the Way You Prayed | Before You Quit #2

When you've prayed, sacrificed, and trusted God for years—and the answer still doesn't come—what happens to your faith?

In Day 2 of Rob Skinner's new book, Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done, Rob shares one of the most personal and painful stories in the book.

After becoming a Christian, Rob prayed intensely for his parents to come to faith. He hoped his father would turn to God before dying of pancreatic cancer. Years later, Rob moved his wife and three children to Ashland, Oregon, gave up a paid ministry position, started a church in his living room, began a new career, and endured significant financial loss during the Great Recession—all while hoping his mother would eventually respond to the gospel.

She never did.

On her deathbed, she told him to stop praying for her.

That loss opened what Rob describes as a hole in his soul.

He had prayed. He had sacrificed. He had rearranged his life.

And somewhere along the way, he began believing that God owed him the outcome he wanted.

In this deeply personal episode, Rob talks about quiet disappointment with God, unanswered prayer, grief, delayed hope, and what happens when our expectations of God collide with His sovereignty.

You'll hear about:

• Rob's years of praying for his parents
• His father's death and the hoped-for "thief on the cross" moment that never came
• Why Rob moved his family back to southern Oregon
• Starting a church while supporting his family through real estate
• Losing retirement savings and property during the Great Recession
• His mother's resistance to Christianity
• The spiritual collapse Rob felt after her death
• Why he began feeling that God "owed" him
• Romans 9 and the difficult lesson of trusting the Potter
• How to continue loving God when His silence hurts
• Why disappointment doesn't have to become distance

If you're carrying unanswered prayers, disappointment with God, grief, or the feeling that your sacrifice should have produced a different outcome, this episode is for you.

You may not have the answer you wanted.

But you do not have to walk away.

Keep going.

Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done is available on Amazon and through RobSkinner.com.

If you know someone who is struggling with disappointment toward God or considering leaving the faith, send them this episode.

Rob's goal is to inspire you to live a no-regrets life, make this life count, and multiply disciples, leaders, and churches.

The Decisions That Keep You Faithful: 6 Christians Share What Changed Everything

What decisions help a Christian stay faithful—not just for a few months or years, but for a lifetime?

In this special live edition of the Rob Skinner Podcast, recorded during the Downtown Boston Midweek service, Rob sits down with six disciples at very different stages of their spiritual journeys. Some have followed Jesus for less than a year. Others have been faithful for more than four decades.

Rob asks each person one question:

What one decision changed the trajectory of your spiritual life?

Their answers are different, but remarkably practical.

You'll hear about choosing your environment carefully, building a lifelong habit of prayer and Bible study, allowing Scripture to continually correct you, replacing complaining with action, choosing contentment, taking responsibility for your own discipleship, and surrounding yourself with people who will continually carry you back to Jesus.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• Why the people and environments surrounding you can either strengthen or weaken your faith

• How consistency with God can carry you through decades of change and hardship

• The importance of finding "anchor scriptures" you return to during difficult seasons

• Why complaining rarely changes anything—and what to do instead

• The difference between being discontent and becoming chronically malcontent

• Why you shouldn't wait for someone else to take responsibility for your spiritual growth

• The importance of finding mentors who will challenge and inspire you

• Why every Christian needs "mat carriers" who keep bringing them back to Jesus

• How bitterness, grief, loss, and hope deferred can challenge long-term faithfulness

• Why God's power has already given us what we need to live a godly life

Romans 12:2 reminds us that transformation begins with the renewing of our minds.

Revival isn't reserved for a select few. It happens one life—and often one decision—at a time.

As you listen to these stories, ask yourself:

What decision is God calling me to make today?

If this episode encourages you, share it with someone who needs hope or encouragement to keep growing.

Rob's goal is to inspire you to live a no-regrets life, make this life count, and multiply disciples, leaders, and churches.

Learn more at RobSkinner.com.

I Almost Quit: When You Haven't Lost Your Faith, But You've Lost Your Joy

- Before You Quit #1

What do you do when you still believe in God—but you don't feel the joy you once had?

You haven't necessarily lost your faith. You still care. You may still attend church, pray, and try to do what's right.

But something inside feels different.

The fire isn't there anymore.

In this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast, Rob begins reading from his new book, Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done, a collection of short letters written for Christians who are discouraged, exhausted, hurt, drifting, or wondering whether they can keep going.

After nearly 40 years as a Christian, missionary, church planter, and minister, Rob has watched too many sincere Christians quietly walk away. Some were leaders. Some were new Christians. Others had faithfully followed God for decades.

And Rob has experienced those moments himself.

In this first reading, Rob shares a vulnerable season early in his Christian life when he sat in church, looked around at everyone worshiping, and realized:

"I didn't want to be there anymore."

He hadn't stopped believing in God.

He had lost his joy.

Drawing from Hebrews 10:35, Rob offers encouragement for anyone who feels spiritually empty, alienated, disappointed, or simply tired.

In this episode:

• Why sincere Christians sometimes feel like quitting • The difference between losing your faith and losing your joy • Why spiritual discouragement doesn't mean something is fundamentally wrong with you • How church hurt, spiritual failure, recurring sin, disappointment, and exhaustion can slowly wear down your faith • Why many Christians don't leave suddenly—they drift quietly • Rob's personal story of reaching a point where he didn't want to be at church anymore • Why you don't need to solve your entire spiritual life today • The importance of staying one more day • The promise of Hebrews 10:35: "Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded."

If you're hanging on by a thread, you don't have to figure everything out today.

Stay in the fight.

Stay in the faith.

Stay near Jesus.

One day at a time.

And if someone you love is discouraged or thinking about walking away from God, share this episode with them.

This is the beginning of an ongoing series from Rob's new book, Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done. Over the coming weeks, Rob will continue reading through the book and offering hope to Christians who need a reason to stay.

Learn more about Rob and his books at RobSkinner.com.

Rob's goal is to inspire you to live a no-regrets life, make this life count, and multiply disciples, leaders, and churches.

The Biggest Obstacle to Your Spiritual Growth (It's Probably Not What You Think)

Everyone wants revival.

We want to feel closer to God. We want deeper faith. We want more joy. We want to become spiritually fruitful.

But what if revival doesn't begin with stronger emotions?

What if it begins with a renewed mind?

In this episode, Rob explores Romans 12:1–2 and explains why God transforms the way we think before He transforms the way we live.

You'll discover:

• Why revival always begins with God's mercy • How culture quietly shapes our thinking • Why trusting your own understanding can become spiritually dangerous • The connection between what you focus on and who you become • Five practical habits that renew your mind every day • Why your greatest years of spiritual growth may still be ahead of you

If you've felt spiritually tired, discouraged, or stuck, this episode will help you return to the foundation of lasting transformation.

Key Scripture: Romans 12:1–2

Also Mentioned:

• Proverbs 3:5–6
• 2 Corinthians 3:18
• 2 Corinthians 4:16

If this episode encouraged you:

• Subscribe to the Rob Skinner Podcast • Share this episode with a friend • Leave a review • Check out Rob's book Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done

To help support the program, visit here.

Remember:

Live a no-regrets life. Make this life count. Multiply disciples, leaders, and churches.

Don't Die in the Desert: How to Live the Life God Intended

Have you ever wondered whether you are settling for less than the life God intended for you?

The Israelites witnessed miracles, crossed the Red Sea, ate manna from heaven, and experienced God's power firsthand. Yet almost an entire generation died in the wilderness because fear kept them from stepping into God's promises.

In this episode, adapted from a lesson Rob taught at a ministry training retreat in Spokane, Washington, Rob explores the life of Caleb and asks a challenging question:

What if the greatest danger is not failure—but living safely?

While most of his generation wandered in circles, Caleb remained faithful, courageous, mission-focused, and ready for his next adventure. At 85 years old, he was still dreaming, still fighting, and still asking God for more:

"Now give me this hill country."

Rob shares seven principles for becoming a faithful adventurer—someone willing to go anywhere, do anything, and trust God enough to receive the life He intended.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why it is possible to be forgiven and still miss much of God's purpose for your life • What Caleb saw that the other spies could not see • Why faith does not deny reality—it adds God to the equation • The power of following God wholeheartedly • How Rob and Pam learned to keep saying yes to new adventures • Why courage means taking action even when you feel afraid • How to recognize and resist a "shadow mission" • Why your career, education, and money are tools—not your ultimate mission • The importance of staying physically and spiritually strong • Why many people regret playing it safe more than taking meaningful risks • Practical principles for reading, learning, saving, growing, and overcoming failure • How to finish life with purpose instead of regret

The tragedy of Israel's story was not a lack of opportunity. They saw the same land, heard the same promises, and witnessed the same miracles as Caleb.

Fear simply made their decisions.

Don't allow fear to make decisions that faith should make.

Keep dreaming.

Keep growing.

Keep saying yes to God.

And when your opportunity comes, have the faith to say:

"Now give me this hill country."

Find Rob's books, podcast resources, and ways to support the ministry at RobSkinner.com.

To help support the program, visit here.

Rob's goal is to inspire you to live a no-regrets life, make this life count, and multiply disciples, leaders, and churches.

Stop Waiting for "The One": How Fear Is Keeping You Single

Are you waiting for certainty before you're willing to put yourself out there?

Do you want to get married someday, but fear rejection, making the wrong choice, getting hurt, or simply never finding the right person?

In this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast, Rob tackles one of the greatest obstacles facing Christian singles today: fear.

After teaching a lesson on dating to approximately 200 young adults and married Christians in Boston, Rob noticed a common theme. Many people aren't struggling because they don't want to get married or because they never meet anyone. They're struggling because they're afraid to take the first step.

Rob explains why God's answer to uncertainty isn't certainty—it's faith.

Drawing from Ecclesiastes 11:6 and other biblical principles, Rob challenges singles to "sow their seed," take healthy relational risks, become the kind of person they hope to marry, and trust God with the outcome.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why fear may be a bigger dating obstacle than lack of opportunity • Why God doesn't ask you to know the future before taking action • The biblical principle of "sowing your seed" • Why a first date doesn't need to feel like a marriage proposal • How to become the kind of person you hope to marry • Why choosing someone who strengthens your faith matters • Rob's thoughts on Christian online dating • How Rob prayed for nine months before meeting Pam • Why taking care of yourself physically and emotionally matters • How to date without putting unnecessary pressure on every interaction • Why purity protects trust and strengthens your future marriage • Why friendship is more important than chemistry alone • How to replace the search for certainty with courage

Rob also shares the story of his own journey toward marriage. After a relationship he thought would lead to marriage ended, he spent months praying and surrendering his future to God. Nine months later, Pam flew into Berkeley from Cairo, Egypt—and a little over a year later, they were married.

The message is simple:

Stop asking God for certainty.

Start asking Him for courage.

Walk forward. Trust Him. Sow your seed. Become someone worth marrying. Protect your purity. Build friendships. Pray faithfully.

Then leave tomorrow where it has always belonged—in the hands of God.

Learn more about Rob, his books, and the Rob Skinner Podcast at RobSkinner.com.

Rob's goal is to inspire you to live a no-regrets life, make this life count, and multiply disciples, leaders, and churches.

Walk Where Jesus Walked: The Holy Land Tour That Will Transform Your Faith

Have you ever wanted to walk where Jesus walked?

In this episode, Rob sits down with longtime minister and Bible teacher Mike Fontenau from Perth, Australia, to discuss an unforgettable opportunity—a guided Holy Land tour planned for October 2027.

With more than twenty years of experience leading biblical tours through Israel, Mike shares how visiting the places you've only read about can completely transform your understanding of Scripture.

From the Sea of Galilee and Capernaum to Jerusalem, the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, Jericho, Bethlehem, Caesarea, Mount Carmel, and beyond, every stop includes a Bible lesson that connects the location with God's story.

Mike also explains how the tour is organized, what is included, safety considerations, and why this may be his final Holy Land tour.

In this episode you'll discover:

• Why visiting Israel brings the Bible to life • The major biblical sites included on the tour • Lessons taught where biblical events actually happened • Why Galilee and Jerusalem offer two very different experiences • What makes this tour different from a typical vacation • The current plans for the October 2027 trip • Tour costs and what is included • Thoughts on safety and travel in Israel • Why this may be Mike Fontenau's final Holy Land tour

Whether you've dreamed of visiting Israel for years or simply want to deepen your understanding of Scripture, this conversation will inspire your faith and help you picture the Bible in an entirely new way.

To learn more about future opportunities, stay connected through RobSkinner.com.

My goal is to inspire you to live a no-regrets life, make this life count, and multiply disciples, leaders, and churches.

Before You Fast: 10 Ways to Experience Breakthrough with God

What if your breakthrough is waiting on the other side of wholehearted prayer and fasting?

In this episode, Rob prepares listeners for the upcoming 72-Hour Fast for Revival by sharing practical, biblical guidance on how to make the experience meaningful. Whether you've fasted many times or have never skipped a meal for spiritual reasons, this episode will help you approach God with faith, humility, and expectation.

Rob explains why repentance always comes before revival, how to prepare your heart, practical tips for fasting safely, and why God promises to reward those who earnestly seek Him.

This isn't simply about going without food.

It's about drawing closer to God.

In this episode you'll discover:

• Why revival begins with repentance • How confession prepares your heart for prayer • Choosing the right type of fast • Why fasting should remain between you and God • Practical tips for staying healthy during a fast • Turning hunger into prayer • Creating a focused prayer list • Believing God for impossible breakthroughs • Inviting others into the Fast for Revival • Why God rewards those who earnestly seek Him

Key Scriptures:

Matthew 18:18–20

James 5:16

Psalm 66:18

Matthew 6:16–18

Jeremiah 32:27

Joel 2

Hebrews 11:6

Join believers around the world for the Fast for Revival:

📅 June 28 – July 1

Learn more and sign up at: RobSkinner.com

My goal is to inspire you to live a no-regrets life, make this life count, and multiply disciples, leaders, and churches.

From Olympic Dreams to Church Growth in Spain: How Jeff Arias Learned to Trust God

What does it look like to spend decades building a successful career and then use everything you've learned to advance God's Kingdom?

In this episode, Rob sits down with Jeff Arias, a bivocational minister serving in Madrid, Spain. Jeff shares his remarkable journey—from growing up in Virginia, chasing Olympic skiing dreams in Colorado, becoming a disciple in 1986, building a successful business career, and eventually helping lead churches across Spain and Portugal.

Jeff opens up about being fired from the ministry as a young man, rebuilding his life through perseverance and humility, working with Fisher-Price and Swimways, selling a successful company, and ultimately stepping into a self-supported ministry role in Europe.

The conversation explores faith, business, leadership, retirement, greed, fasting, discipleship, and how Christians can make their lives count no matter their stage of life.

In this episode you'll learn:

• How Jeff became a Christian while attending the University of Colorado • The surprising acts of service that changed his heart • Lessons learned after being fired from ministry • How he built a successful business career • Why self-supported ministry is becoming increasingly important • The challenges and opportunities of ministry in Spain • How churches are growing across the Iberian Peninsula • Why fasting remains a powerful spiritual discipline • Practical advice for Christians preparing for retirement • How to keep your faith strong while building a career

Whether you're a ministry leader, entrepreneur, retiree, or someone simply trying to stay faithful through different seasons of life, this conversation will challenge and inspire you.

Resources:

Join the Fast for Revival: RobSkinner.com

Books by Rob Skinner: The 10X Christian Before You Quit

Connect with Rob: RobSkinner.com

My goal is to inspire you to live a no-regrets life, make this life count, and multiply disciples, leaders, and churches.

85 Years Old and Still Preaching: Why Al Baird Refuses to Retire

What keeps a Christian faithful, fruitful, and full of vision at 85 years old?

In this inspiring episode, Rob sits down with Dr. Al Baird, longtime church leader, teacher, and disciple-maker, who is still actively preaching and helping churches grow decades into his Christian journey.

After losing his wife Gloria following 56 years of marriage, Al faced the challenge of finding purpose in a new season of life. Rather than slowing down, he accepted an opportunity to help revitalize the church in Bakersfield, California—a congregation that had lost momentum, vision, and hope.

In this conversation, Al shares:

• Why every Christian needs a dream

• How he navigated life after losing Gloria

• The opportunity he saw in Bakersfield

• What happens when churches lose vision

• Why retirement can be one of the most powerful seasons of ministry

• How contribution and participation began growing again

• Lessons learned from decades of ministry

• The incredible example of George and Irene Gurganus

• Why Christians should never retire spiritually

• Practical advice for staying faithful over the long haul

This conversation is filled with wisdom, perspective, and encouragement for Christians of every age.

If you've ever wondered how to finish strong, this episode is for you.

Connect with Rob:

🌐 RobSkinner.com

📖 The 10X Christian

📖 Before You Quit

Join the Fast for Revival and receive encouragement leading up to the worldwide fast.