Worth the Risk

GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN:

If you suddenly had an unlimited amount of money, but you weren’t allowed to save or invest any of it, what’s the first completely unnecessary thing you’d buy?

Down to the Root:

This fall we’re talking about harvest—and when we think about a good harvest, we usually think about having more.

Our culture tends to define abundance as:

More money

More possessions

More opportunities

More success

More recognition

More comfort

None of those things are necessarily bad. But have we started believing that having more automatically means we’re living an abundant life?

Main thought:

Have we confused abundance with accumulation?

QUESTION #1

What’s something you’ve chased or strived for because you thought it would make you feel successful, secure, or fulfilled? And when you got it—or didn’t get it—what did you learn?

JOHN 10:10 NLT

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

Jesus tells us He came to give us a rich and satisfying life. But sometimes our definition of a “rich life” looks very different from His.

What if abundance isn’t primarily about what we’re accumulating, but about the life we’re experiencing in Christ?

THE DISCIPLES — LUKE 9:1–6 NLT

Jesus sends the disciples out with power and authority over demons and diseases and tells them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and heal the sick.

But then He tells them to take essentially nothing with them—no food, money, traveler’s bag, or change of clothes.

They didn’t have much, but they had abundance.

Think about what they DID have:

They were walking with Jesus.

They were proclaiming the Kingdom.

They were watching people be healed.

They were seeing people experience freedom.

They were learning complete dependence on God.

They were participating in things that mattered eternally.

From the outside looking in, their lives might not have looked particularly “successful.”

Which raises the question:

If we looked at the disciples through our culture’s definition of success, would we have called their lives abundant?

QUESTION #2

What does spiritual abundance look like in your life right now?

Where can you see God producing a harvest that might not look impressive from the outside?

Maybe it’s:

Greater peace

Contentment

A deeper relationship with Jesus

Obedience

Generosity

Your marriage growing

Discipling your kids

Serving someone

Freedom from something you’ve struggled with

Becoming more loving, patient, joyful, or self-controlled

Maybe the harvest God is producing in this season isn’t something you can put on a résumé, post on Instagram, or measure with a dollar sign.

MAKE A MOVE:

This week, identify one place where you’ve been measuring abundance by the world’s scoreboard and intentionally invest in something eternal instead.

Call the person God keeps putting on your heart. Give generously. Spend intentional time with your family. Open your Bible before your phone. Serve someone who can’t repay you. Share your faith. Choose contentment instead of comparison.

And ask yourself:

“What is God growing in me, and what am I investing in that will actually last?”

Because maybe the greatest harvest of our lives won’t always be something the world can see.

Announcements

This fall we’re walking through themes of patient growth, abundance, hospitality, and harvest. We’re going to have some amazing guests and just enjoy talking through one of the best seasons of all, fall!

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

We’re talking about fruit in the Christian life today, so let’s start light. Casey, what’s the superior fruit—hands down, no debate? And why should the rest of us agree with you?

Down to the Root

We all want spiritual maturity… and we want it yesterday. We want patience right now. We want deep relationships without the slow investment they require. We want fruit, but we forget that fruit takes time. It develops slowly, often quietly, and almost never on the schedule we prefer.

Casey, what’s one fruit you see the Lord developing in you right now—or one you know still needs time to mature?

Look at the growth cycle of a grapevine. It spends 10–11 months in preparation for only 1–2 months of visible fruit:

•  Budburst

•  Shoot and leaf growth

•  Flowering and fruit set

•  Fruit ripening

•  Harvest

•  Dormancy

Most of the year the vine looks like nothing is happening. Yet the roots are deepening, the wood is strengthening, and the next season’s fruit is already being prepared.

In John 15 Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches.” Every healthy branch bears fruit. For years I assumed that meant constant, visible production—24/7, 365. But while the Lord is always at work in every season of our lives, the fruit the outside world can see often appears only after months of quiet dormancy, careful pruning, and unseen growth. Visible fruit takes time.

Casey, tell us about a time you were longing to see a specific fruit in your life and it took far longer than you expected.

(I’ll share too: I wanted deep friendships—and learned that real connection grows on the same slow timetable as a vineyard.)

Make a Move

This week, start a simple fruit journal.

1.  Name one spiritual fruit you long to see grow.

2.  Each week, note where you sense you are in the grapevine cycle: budding, shoot growth, flowering, ripening, harvest, or dormancy.

3.  Track honestly—without rushing the process.

Remember the good news: the fruit doesn’t come from striving. It comes from abiding in Jesus and remaining in His love. He is always doing something, even when the branch still looks bare. Keep showing up. Keep staying connected. The harvest will come in its time.

What if delight isn’t a luxury for the Christian life—but a spiritual discipline?

In this encouraging conversation, Casey and Brittney sit down with author and speaker Deidre to explore the often-overlooked practice of delight. Together, they discuss why so many believers struggle to receive God’s goodness, how delight can become holy work in our everyday lives, and what it looks like to remain tuned to the Father’s joy even in seasons of hardship.

Whether you’re walking through a season of abundance or carrying a burden that feels heavy, this episode offers a refreshing reminder that God invites His children not only to obedience and endurance, but also to joy, beauty, wonder, and delight in Him.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

Why delight is a spiritual discipline, not just an emotion

Practical ways to cultivate delight in everyday life

What keeps us from receiving God’s goodness

How to embrace joy without ignoring sorrow

How to remain aware of God’s presence and gifts in every season

If you’ve ever felt guilty for slowing down, struggled to enjoy God’s blessings, or wondered how joy and suffering can coexist, this conversation will encourage your heart and point you back to the goodness of the Father.

Connect with us at Worth the Risk and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

What does it look like to flourish in a season of abundance?

In this episode, we’re joined by special guest Jennifer Chaney as we explore Psalm 92:12-15 and discuss what it means to be deeply rooted in God during seasons when life feels full, fruitful, and flourishing. Together, we talk about staying connected to the Vine when things are going well, why spiritual dependence matters on the mountaintops, and how to guard our hearts against pride and self-reliance.

Whether you’re walking through a season of growth, answered prayers, or unexpected blessings, this conversation will encourage you to remain rooted in the One who makes true flourishing possible.

Spring reminds us that God is always bringing life from places that once felt barren.

In this episode of the Worth the Risk Podcast, we’re talking about what it means when God says, “See, I am doing a new thing.” Through the lens of Isaiah 43, we unpack how God brings hope, refreshment, and unexpected beauty even in seasons that feel dry, uncertain, or impossible.

Sometimes we expect God to move the same way He always has—but often, His new work looks different than we imagined. What if the very place that feels like a wilderness is where He’s preparing rivers to flow?

Join us as we talk about trusting God in the unknown, recognizing His hand in new seasons, and learning to see His faithfulness even when the path forward doesn’t look the way we expected.

You are not forgotten. God is still making a way.

What happens when you step out of a hard season… but you’re not fully strong yet?

In this episode, we’re talking about the tender in-between—the season of beginning to bloom.

Just like a newly planted tree needs extra care, protection, and intentional boundaries, so do we when God is growing something new in our lives. This isn’t the time to rush—it’s the time to be rooted.

We dive into:

Why coming out of a “winter” season requires intentional protection

The role of a godly husband as a covering and support

The importance of wise, truth-speaking friendships

How to set healthy time and relational boundaries without losing your call to serve

The difference between avoiding people… and loving them like Jesus

And ultimately, why you cannot bloom without the Light—Jesus Himself

John 8:12 reminds us:

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

If you’ve been in a hidden season and feel like God is bringing you into something new, this episode will help you walk forward wisely, gently, and anchored in truth.

You don’t have to rush growth.

You just need the right conditions.

What if the most important work God is doing in your life… is happening where no one can see it?

In this episode of the Worth the Risk podcast, we’re joined by a special guest, Grace, as we continue our conversation on spiritual seasons—this time focusing on what it means to be in the soil.

Before anything grows, before anything is visible, there is a hidden season where the seed is buried, broken open, and deeply rooted. And while this season can feel lonely, dark, and even painful—it is also where everything begins.

We talk about:

    •    Why the “soil season” is essential for real, lasting growth

    •    How hiddenness and loneliness can actually be part of God’s process

    •    What it looks like for a seed to be “split open”—and why that matters spiritually

    •    The deep intimacy with God that often happens in unseen seasons

    •    What it truly means to abide and be nourished at the root

Grace shares vulnerably about her own journey in the soil and what the Lord taught her about intimacy, surrender, and trust.

Friend, just because it’s hidden doesn’t mean it’s unimportant.

The soil is where the roots grow deep… and where life begins.

What season are you in right now?

In this episode of the Worth the Risk podcast, we’re stepping into a fresh rhythm as we begin exploring spiritual seasons—spring, summer, fall, and winter—and what they reveal about our walk with God.

We kick things off by talking about spring and summer seasons—a time of growth, new life, and fresh beginnings. But more importantly, we lean into something many of us find ourselves in…

The in-between.

That space where:

    •    You feel like one season is ending, but the next hasn’t fully begun

    •    You’re experiencing both growth and pruning

    •    You have one foot in winter and one foot in spring

If you’ve ever felt stretched, uncomfortable, or unsure in a transition season—this episode is for you.

We talk about:

    •    Why you can be in more than one season at once

    •    How God is working in both the waiting and the growing

    •    The purpose behind seasons that feel unclear or unfinished

    •    Why you don’t have to rush out of the in-between

And we’ll leave you with a powerful question to reflect on:

What season are you in—and what is one step of obedience God is inviting you into right now?

Friend, the in-between isn’t wasted.

It’s often where God does His deepest work.

God is a Creator — and because we are made in His image, He has placed dreams and creative callings inside each of us. But so often, when He nudges us toward obedience, hesitation creeps in.

In this episode, we talk about why holy dreams sometimes meet hesitant hearts — and the subtle things that hold us back from stepping forward in faith. From perfectionism and fear to waiting for clarity and approval, we unpack common roadblocks that keep us stuck instead of moving in obedience.

You’ll be encouraged to shift from hesitation to faithfulness, remember that God values obedience over bravery, and take your next small step toward the dream He’s placed in your heart.

Because in God’s Kingdom, creation isn’t about scale — it’s about faithfulness.

✨ Plus, don’t forget to join us at Rooted Together on February 27th!

Fear is something every one of us battles — but what if the answer isn’t trying harder to be brave?

In this episode, we unpack 1 John 4:18 and the powerful truth that perfect love casts out fear. John was writing to believers who wrestled with fear of judgment and punishment, struggling to fully rest in what the cross had accomplished. And if we’re honest, we’ve been there too — wondering, Am I really forgiven? What if I mess up again? Has God changed His mind about me?

When we misunderstand the cross, fear often takes root. But when we refocus on the finished work of Jesus, we move from striving to abiding — abiding in His love, security, and freedom.

In this conversation, we talk about:
• The deeper roots behind our everyday fears
• Why self-help can’t break fear’s chains
• What Jesus fully accomplished through the cross
• How to move forward in obedience — even with shaky knees

We don’t live free from fear because life is easy. We live free because Jesus’ love is steady, finished, and forever.

If fear has been playing a leading role in your story lately, this episode will gently guide you back to the unshakable love of Christ — the only love powerful enough to cast it out.