Brenda was raised without a lot of religious training from either her Catholic mother or her Fundamentalist Mormon father. She grew up going back and forth between the United States and Mexico and her father's fundamentalist, polygamist colony. The family eventually settled in the LeBaron colony to be closer to her father's family. Brenda lived in fear of never measuring up until she heard the gospel of grace that put her on a path of freedom and healing. Now she's been called back to minister in the polygamist colony where she was raised. Her story is full of hope for anyone hurting and afraid you'll never measure up.

Is truth what we feel to be true? What do you do when what you know to be true clashes with what you are feeling is true? Pastor and researcher Jon Benzinger is our guest again for a fast-paced, fact-filled discussion on the top 5 reasons we can trust the Bible to be our reliable guide for life and relationship with God and others. We also talk about the importance of feelings and we explore how performance-based religion often gets it wrong when it comes to our feelings and how we know truth. Lynn and Jon also talk candidly about how God used the Bible to personally change their lives and the hope and healing that is there for anyone who is seeking transformation.

Note: This podcast originally aired as Episode #070.

Welcome to 2021. We're kicking off the new year with two of our favorite and most popular episodes. Our guest is Jon Benzinger, Lead Pastor at Redeemer Bible in Gilbert, AZ. He's done extensive study on the multiple lines of evidence for the reliability and trustworthiness of the Bible. Jon is an excellent communicator and engaged with Lynn and me with authenticity and clarity. He has an incredible heart for people, especially the predominant demographics in Gilbert -- Hispanics, retirees, and Mormons.
The question of why we can trust the Bible, and just as importantly, why we should live consistently with what the Bible teaches, made for a fun and fast-paced conversation with Jon. Lynn and I were encouraged and inspired by this episode and we are excited we get to kick off the 2021 podcast season by sharing it with you. Happy New Year!
Note: This podcast originally aired as Episode #069.

Analise's father was diagnosed with stage four cancer when she was nine and only given a couple of months to live. Her story of loss, faith, and love eventually became intertwined with Mormonism when LDS neighbors from a nearby ranch offered to help her and her mom with their horses and cattle. In this episode, Analise shares how her evangelistic Bible studies with the Mormon boy next door led to her falling in love with him and walking away from her family and almost her faith. Will she stay true to Jesus, or will she leave everything she loves to follow him into Mormonism?

Join us this week for part 2 of this story of love, grace, Jesus, hard choices, and horses.

Analise's father was diagnosed with stage four cancer when she was nine and only given a couple of months to live. Her story of loss, faith, and love eventually became intertwined with Mormonism when LDS neighbors from a nearby ranch offered to help her and her mom with their horses and cattle. In this episode, we follow Analise, now an attractive young woman who is also an accomplished horseback rider. She is devoted to Jesus and burdened to share truth with her LDS neighbors. Life gets complicated when a young Mormon man, just returned from his LDS mission, shows up to help on the ranch. In time they fall for each other and Analise is suddenly much more open to the LDS faith. Will she stay true to Jesus, or will she walk away from her Christian family and faith to follow her heart?

Join us this week as we start a 3-part story of love, grace, Jesus, hard choices, and horses.

In this episode after years of being a single mom and shying away from marriage, Leah falls for a non-Mormon. He converts and they get married in the LDS temple. The experience jarred him so, it led to his going inactive and sent Leah on a quest to prove both her husband and her Christian friend were wrong about Mormonism. In a series of providential events, God reaches her heart and transforms both her and her husband's lives. It's a fast-moving episode filled with laughter, and a surprise reconciliation with her father who had abused her as a young girl. Her life radiates a joy and hope in Jesus and is clear evidence of the healing that God's grace can bring to anyone.