You Don't Have To Be Perfect Podcast with Vanessa Luu

 Annie Weber. I looked through your book and am excited for fellow believers to read it! Your desire for your readers is the same as mine! You want others to know God better so that they can find a healthy awareness of the vast differences between living in the world and living for the Lord, and that is a message the masses need today! So let's talk a bit about Astounding Truths. You have it broken up into 4 parts: The character of God, God’s Desire for His People, Curious Parts of the Bible, and God Equips His people and I have to say, you’ve hit the nail on the head with these categories. God has my heart focused on these areas as well and even in this order! You’ve done a great job here. We MUST know the character of God even to begin living a life that pleases him.

Meet my guest:

Annie Weber Annie Weber Is a writer known for her uncompromising approach to sharing God’s Word.

She lives with a keen awareness of how the Truth of Scripture has led her to put her faith in Christ. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of the Bible by writing and speaking about God's Word in an easy-to-understand language. 

Her Book: Astounding Truths of the Bible: A bite-size journey towards understanding the worlds best selling book.

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Other Resources:

You Don't Have To Be Perfect by Vanessa Luu

Truth and Tools Workbook by Vanessa Luu

The Relevant Old Testament by Vanessa Luu

To Support

Leave a review and help spread the word about this uplifting podcast. You can also support it financially here:

https://anchor.fm/vanessa-luu 

In a time and culture that avoids commitment, it's impressive that people still attend church weekly. So what keeps them going?

We'll answer this question and more in the final episode of the Why Do You Go to Church series, on the You Don't Have to Be Perfect podcast.

I've attended a church service my entire life, and the reason has varied over the years, so I used the You Don't Have to Be Perfect podcast as a platform for this research. If you haven't listened to these interviews yet please do. It may give you insight into your own reasons for attending church.

In each interview, there were strong consistencies. For instance, most answered that they went to church for fellowship and to worship God.

From infancy through college, I attended a weekly church service (and usually one midweek). I genuinely loved being there. I loved the people, the singing, and the message of Christ's love. Oddly enough, I hadn't really cultivated a personal relationship with God yet. I heard people talk about it but wasn't really sure how to have it.

As a young mother, my personal relationship with God began to grow, and I knew what it meant to know Him intimately. Oddly enough, that's when I began to dislike attending church. If you don't know by now, I have practiced a perfectionistic way of thinking (my entire life), contributing to my dislike for church.

Perfectionists are known to find problems and quickly implement a plan to solve said problem so that the situation can be "perfect." I soon realized I couldn't fix the church no matter how hard I tried, leading to a weekly dread. As we'd creep closer to Sunday each week, I'd get increasingly uncomfortable, but I'd still go.

I continued to attend church to be obedient toward God and in support of my husband and children. "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (NIV)" -Hebrews 10:25. This verse specifically encouraged me to keep going and not give up even though I felt like I was in a congregation of pretenders. I know God is not fooled by those who pretend, but for some reason, they don't seem to realize that.

Jesus said that they would know we are Christians by our love. More specifically, He said, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." -John 13:35. All I saw were people functioning by worldly methods and calling it Christianity, or worse, love. I wasn't fooled. God has opened my eyes to who He is through the power of His Holy Word, and I could no longer be fooled.

I had gone to church with these people for almost twenty years, and I started wondering, why do they come? What do they believe about the church that has them showing up every week? 

As I began this series, my family and I began a beautiful transition that breathed fresh air into my soul. Amazingly, the series spanned from the beginning of that transition to where I am now: from California to Montana!

I enjoyed every interview and wanted to share some of my favorite parts. My guest Kandee shared that her favorite reason for attending church was to see what God was doing in people's lives because it encouraged her and spurred her on in her faith. I love that, and as we gather together in the Spirit, it should encourage and strengthen our faith. When you meet at the church to fellowship, do you feel encouraged?

What do you believe about Jesus?

How do you define church?

How long have you been attending church?

Why do you go to church?

More about my guest Katie Ruga:

Katie is a Christian wife and mama to 3.  She hosts a podcast for mamas called renewing your motherhood that encourages mamas to pursue biblical motherhood. She also has a one month discipleship program for mamas called renewing your identity. She loves to encourage other mamas to seek God and His word. She enjoys spending time with the Lord every morning with a cup of coffee, loves to swim with her kids, boating with her family and more. 

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Other Resources:

You Don't Have To Be Perfect by Vanessa Luu

Truth and Tools Workbook by Vanessa Luu

The Relevant Old Testament by Vanessa Luu

To Support

Leave a review and help spread the word about this uplifting podcast. You can also support it financially here:

https://anchor.fm/vanessa-luu 

Inside today's podcast, I have with me Roberta Thorndike. Roberta is a Christian editor that works with authors and writers of clean content, and today she’s here to answer the question: Why do you go to church?

What do you believe about Jesus?

How do you define church?

How long have you been attending church?

Why do you go to church?

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Other Resources:

You Don't Have To Be Perfect by Vanessa Luu

Truth and Tools Workbook by Vanessa Luu

The Relevant Old Testament by Vanessa Luu

To Support

Leave a review and help spread the word about this uplifting podcast. You can also support it financially here:

https://anchor.fm/vanessa-luu 

Inside today’s podcast, I have with me Mia Solange. She’s a freelance photographer, jewelry artisan, world traveler, and a beautiful soul.

She's with us today to answer the question: why do you go to church?

1. What do you believe about Jesus?

2. How long have you been attending church?

3. How do you define church?

4. Why do you go to church?

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Other Resources:

You Don't Have To Be Perfect by Vanessa Luu

Truth and Tools Workbook by Vanessa Luu

The Relevant Old Testament by Vanessa Luu

To Support

Leave a review and help spread the word about this uplifting podcast. You can also support it financially here:

https://anchor.fm/vanessa-luu 

This episode is part of the Why Do You Go to Church series.

Inside today's podcast, I have with me, Kylee Ghabour. Kylee is a supermom of two, one of Southern California's best elementary school teachers and one of my dearest friends. She loves playing all sports and enjoys reading.

Questions in this episode.

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Other Resources:

You Don't Have To Be Perfect by Vanessa Luu

Truth and Tools Workbook by Vanessa Luu

The Relevant Old Testament by Vanessa Luu

To Support

Leave a review and help spread the word about this uplifting podcast. You can also support it financially here:

https://anchor.fm/vanessa-luu 

Inside today's podcast, I have with me, Melissa Robinson. Melissa Robinson is a wife, and mom of two boys and serves in women's ministry. She enjoys nature photography & writing for her blog, My hills and valleys which is a place to find encouragement in spiritual growth through the power of God’s Word. My hills and valleys is a community of women after the heart of God who seeks to encourage and build one another up through the hills and valleys of life.

Today she's here to discuss with me why she goes to church!

Have you ever thought about why you attend church week after week? Is it just something you do on Sunday, or does it have an intentional purpose?

Connect with Melissa on IG: @myhillsandvalleys

or on her blog: https://myhillsandvalleys.com/

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Other Resources:

You Don't Have To Be Perfect by Vanessa Luu

Truth and Tools Workbook by Vanessa Luu

The Relevant Old Testament by Vanessa Luu

To Support

Leave a review and help spread the word about this uplifting podcast. You can also support it financially here:

https://anchor.fm/vanessa-luu 

Episode 5 of the Why Do You Go to Church series!

Questions:

1. What do you believe about Jesus?

2. How long have you been attending church?

3. Why do you go to church?

4. Do you enjoy going to church?

About Julie:

Today’s guest is my good friend Julie Johnson. Julie is a wife and new Mom to her son Christopher as well as a COTA therapist. She lives with her family in American Canyon, California.

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Other Resources:

You Don't Have To Be Perfect by Vanessa Luu

Truth and Tools Workbook by Vanessa Luu

The Relevant Old Testament by Vanessa Luu

To Support

Leave a review and help spread the word about this uplifting podcast. You can also support it financially here:

https://anchor.fm/vanessa-luu 

Want to be a guest? Email me at [email protected]

Have you ever been through a hardship? Besides our conversation about why she goes to church, my guest Blair Curtis can relate. She’s just released her debut book, Shipwrecker, A chilling true story of betrayal and how a brave young woman found her way out of the storm. 

Her goal with this book is to encourage others to navigate life’s storms with God, even if they've previously walked away from Him.

More about Blair:

Blair Curtis, M.Ed. is a combat veteran of the United States Navy. She is a Certified Veterans Yoga Project Teacher and published author of the book Shipwrecker. She is also a Special Education Teacher in Minnesota and loves helping children thrive. She and her husband have three small children and one on the way. She continues to serve The Kingdom as an ordained minister officiating weddings throughout the United States.

Shipwrecker https://a.co/d/iJGySzX

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Other Resources:

You Don't Have To Be Perfect by Vanessa Luu

Truth and Tools Workbook by Vanessa Luu

The Relevant Old Testament by Vanessa Luu

To Support

Leave a review and help spread the word about this uplifting podcast. You can also support it financially here:

https://anchor.fm/vanessa-luu 

Inside today’s podcast, I have back with me Jennifer Kosuda. Jen is the founder of The Art of a Messy House, and is a wife, mom, teacher, author, and now podcaster. After thirty years of battling depression, anxiety, disordered eating, and other battles such as PTSD, she was set free. At that moment, she promised never to stop sharing about God’s love and Truths. The Art of a Messy House four-part book series, blog, and podcast is her journey to do just that. She's with us today to answer the question: why do you go to church?

Connect with Jen!

Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/theartofamessyhouse

(Includes published books) 

Instagram: @theartofamessyhouse 

YouTube

https://youtube.com/@theartofamessyhouse 

Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-a-messy-house/id1677030475

Spotify Podcast

https://open.spotify.com/show/52ApyVUl51HMdsUjXgVFoR?si=y-1FlekWQXe1o7UjwW242g

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Other Resources:

You Don't Have To Be Perfect by Vanessa Luu

Truth and Tools Workbook by Vanessa Luu

The Relevant Old Testament by Vanessa Luu

To Support

Leave a review and help spread the word about this uplifting podcast. You can also support it financially here:

https://anchor.fm/vanessa-luu