After our midpoint break, we jump back into the second half of Psalms! In this episode, we reflect on key insights from the first half of our Psalms study, revisiting important details such as historical context, authorship, and major themes.

The Psalms remind us that God holds a long-term, big-picture perspective over our lives. We’ll step back to look at an overview of the Old Testament to provide deeper understanding of the Psalms, with a special focus on the period of Exile—an often overlooked but crucial moment in the biblical storyline.

Scriptures:

• Psalms 73-89

• Exodus 34:6

I love personality tests. Learning about someone's unique blend of traits is often the most fascinating part.

On the heels of learning about the hesed love of God - this umbrella term that encompasses His steadfast love, kindness, mercy, and loyalty - we'll look at God's undeniable power.

What does it mean for us as His children that He wholly and completely embodies all of these traits?

Scriptures:

• Psalm 61:2-3
• Psalm 62:11-12a
• Psalm 63:2-3
• Psalm 65:5-7
• Psalm 66:3-5
• Job 26:14
• Matthew 8:23-27
• Ephesians 3:16-21

Ann Voskamp defines lament as, "a cry of belief in a good God, a God who has His ear to our hearts, a God who transfigures the ugly into beauty." Throughout the scriptures, God invites His people to bring their complaints, grief, and deepest hurts to Him.

In this episode, we'll look at how lament draws on what we know to be true of God, allows for raw honesty, and encourages us to to petition Him in a way that is unapologetically bold.

As we look at Psalm 44, we'll make some key observations and even connect the writers of this communal lament back to a pivotal story in the Old Testament.

Scriptures:

• I Thessalonians 5:16-18
• Psalm 56:8
• Matthew 5:4
• Psalm 44
• Numbers 16
• Numbers 26:9-11

In today's episode, we begin by asking the question -- "What do I believe about God, and what does that have to do with my life?"

By laying out some simple but profound theological truths, we build a foundation that affects how we approach God and our understanding of how He engages with us. Using the steps Pray, Read, Observe, Interpret, and Apply, we work through Psalm 34:1-10, a passage that speaks to God's active relationship with us.

Scriptures:

• Daniel 9:18
• Hebrews 4:12
• John 20:31
• Psalm 37:4
• Psalm 34:1-10

In this episode, we’ll focus on Psalms 22 through 24—three powerful chapters that capture the depth of David’s emotions and experiences. These psalms not only reflect his personal journey but also point forward to Christ as the fulfillment of his every prayer and longing. We'll see Jesus foreshadowed as the Righteous Sufferer, the Good Shepherd, and the King of Glory.

To deepen our understanding of these well-known scriptures, we’ll explore related passages throughout the Bible. Along the way, we’ll highlight the all-sufficiency of Christ as we consider the humanity and brokenness of biblical voices—people whose struggles and hopes we can likely relate to.

Scriptures:

• Psalm 22:1, 6-7, 16, 18

• Matthew 27:35-41, 46

• Hebrews 12:3

• Psalm 23:1-6

• John 10:10-15

• 1 Peter 5:4

• 1 Samuel 21:11

• Psalm 24:1, 7-8

• John 1:14

• Revelation 19:16

• Philippians 2:9-11

We begin this episode by looking outside of Psalms to the New Testament. Paul writes from prison in Colossians 3:16, encouraging new believers to grow in spiritual maturity and let the word of Christ dwell in them richly. It's in this plea, as well as multiple other passages across scripture, that we see a collective urgency to treasure the scriptures in our hearts.

Studies show that Christians in North America have more access to the Bible than ever before and yet we know less about God’s Word than we ever have. In this brief episode, we'll look at why it's so crucial to get God's Word into us. We'll also examine the science of our brains and offer practical steps forward. We hope you leave this episode both encouraged and challenged!

Scriptures:

• Deuteronomy 11:18

• Psalm 119:11

• Proverbs 3:1

• Luke 6:45

• Isaiah 26:3

• Psalm 139:14

The Psalms teach us that the people of God are called to corporate worship.

In this episode, we'll gain some insights by looking at the original language of the text. We'll draw specifically from chapters 1-7 to understand what worshiping God looks like in our daily lives. We'll read other parts of the Old Testament to understand the back story behind what compelled David to write such raw and heavy prayers.

Scriptures:

Psalms 1-7

Psalm 3:4

Psalm 4:1

Psalm 4:7

Psalm 5:2-3

Psalm 6:9

Psalm 7:1

2 Samuel 13-19

Join us as we work through the 150 chapters of Psalms over the course of this year! This mini-series will include brief episodes that line up with our in-person Bible study.

In today's episode, we look at how the Psalms have acted as the songbook of the people of God for centuries. They were written by multiple authors over a tumultuous period of Israel's history. We can think of this book as the fusion between a hymnal of worship songs and a refreshingly vulnerable journal. The Psalms teach us that we matter a great deal to God, and also, it's not about us. Both can be true. He's the only One truly worthy of our worship, and yet He proves His intentional love and care for us time and again.

For the full experience, consider purchasing the resource workbook here.

Well, friends, this is bittersweet, because today we wrap up Season 5 of Whit’s End. In this episode, I interview Sarah Thomas, who joins us on sabbatical from across the Atlantic Ocean at a place called Capernwray Hall north of London. 

I had the privilege of crossing paths with Sarah recently when I was invited to participate in a retreat she was leading in Colorado, a retreat that ended up being just what I most needed, a couple days of very vulnerable conversation with other women and long stretches of alone time with Jesus. In this episode, we talk about the importance of solitude - what it is, why it’s such a worthwhile spiritual discipline, and how we can practically pursue it. Sarah briefly shares her testimony and gives the back story of all that led her to start this ministry called Breathe that aims to help you carve out spaces for solitude right where you are. Let’s dive in!

IG: @dstforhim, @ministries.breathe 

Show Notes: 

breathe-ministries.com

https://torchbearers.org/

Quotes:

“I came into Bible school thinking I knew everything about Christianity, and I left four years later realizing just how little I understood and with a much better understanding of the actual gospel, which has a lot more to do with Jesus living the Christian life than Sarah living the Christian life. And that was important for me because I was putting a lot of stock into my own successful living of the Christian life.”

“Wow, I am tired, and I am 20+ years into ministry now, and I don’t want to just struggle, and fade, and not end well. And I don’t want that for my friends.”

“In my heart and mind, I felt there was a need for leaders to get together, to have a little more freedom in their time at a retreat, to be pushed into a little more solitude, and then to be around other like-minded leaders where they could really be real.” 

“I think our greatest need is actually to meet with Jesus…The amazing thing is that he is fully available to us.”

“I believe solitude is a bit of a lost art, and it’s something that is not rocket science, and that I’ve begun to practice in my own personal journey not because I thought it was right and I must do this to be a good Christian, but because I recognize that I need Jesus to help me right now and I don’t know the next right thing.”

“Our God is a living God, and you know if we were just following a set of principles, we could just study. And there’s a lot of great quotes out there…but the reality is that you don’t know how God is always going to answer. And I think He’s a living God who loves us and He has His own plans, and believe it or not they aren’t always our plans.” 

“We know from scripture, he’s after faith…He’s after your heart trusting Him…”

“Seeking the Lord in solitude is a posture of trust.”

“I have found more and more the Lord desires so much for me to just lean in, knowing my need for Him, trusting Him, knowing my brokenness and His ability.”

“Solitude is a beautiful way of expressing knowing our need for Him, our understanding of our need for Him. Then He surprises us.” 

Verses 

Psalm 73

James 4:8

Psalm 73:28

Psalm 91:1

Every year, Woven highlights a ministry that we want to come alongside, encourage, and support in whatever way possible. That’s why we’ve chosen to spotlight Sparrow Collective based in Lewisville, Texas. Today I get to sit down with their founder and CEO, Rachel Joy. She shares some pretty incredible stories, some timeworn nuggets of wisdom, as well as her own journey of God birthing this multifaceted ministry. She opens up about God chasing her when her walls were up, healing some deep wounds, and calling her to step out in great faith. Today we start the conversation with Rachel giving us an overview of who Sparrow is and what they do. 

Social media handle: @rachelrjoy, @sparrowcollective

Website: sparrowandco.com

Show Notes/Quotes:

“I’d been a believer for quite some time but I mean the Lord, He was after me, and he stared down and broke down all these walls that I had put up.” 

“Truth, freedom, identity, purpose. Truth, freedom, identity, purpose.” 

“Comparison is a real thing. Competition is a real thing. We think that our Christianity needs to look like everyone around us, and we don’t actually ask the Lord, ‘Who have you created me to be? And what have you created me to do?’”

“Instead of competing with you and comparing myself to you, I get to celebrate you.”

“I think if you go to the scriptures you’ll see that there are a lot of leaders that are not ideal in the mind’s eye, yet God uses the least of these.”

“A leader is someone who listens to the Lord and steps out in faith and they don’t necessarily have the full picture but they trust the God who does. That’s who a leader is.”

“A leader is not the loudest person in the room. A leader is actually one who listens first.”

“My allegiance has to be to King Jesus. Period, end of story…what sits on the throne of your heart?” 

“A leader always prays and leads with prayer.” 

“Sometimes leaders can build little kingdoms, instead of building THE kingdom. Two very different things.”

“Not every opportunity is obedience.”

“Am I about results, or am I about God being glorified? Those are two very different things.”

“God uses the lowest points to show you who He is and then you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it’s Him that’s doing the work and it’s not you.”

“I feel very much caught up in something that is totally the mark of the Lord and has very little to do with me.”

“Stepping out in faith, you do look a little crazy, and that’s ok.”

“Be curious. Be curious…no sphere of influence is too small, too big, God has placed you exactly where He wants you. Be curious about what He’s doing, and join Him in what He’s doing.”

Verses: 

1 Corinthians 13:12