When James said, "Faith without works is dead," what did he mean? How can we tell if we're faithfully obeying God or striving to earn God's approval?

In today's episode, Carmen & Kristine discuss the passage where James introduces an often misunderstood topic for people of faith. We invite you to join in our conversation to discover what James meant and how his advice applies to our lives today.

Verses from the episode:

James 2.17

James 2.24-26 AMP

Joshua 2,6

Ephesians 2.8-9

Resources:

https://morethanyourself.com/blog/what-the-bible-says-about-being-too-busy

Watch Carmen and Kristine on @KristineBrown on YouTube

Contact Carmen and Kristine:

https://carmenhorne.com

https://kristinebrown.net

 A message at church recently sent me back to the Parable of the Farmer — and straight into the garden with Papaw. We talk about the rocks of bitterness, the weeds of chaos-addiction, and why growth isn't about grand fixes but holy micro steps, taken with consistency. So which is it — hard ground, or good soil? Grab your hoe, y'all — we're getting to plowing. 

Verses referenced:

Matthew 13.3-9; 18-23

Referenced in this episode — worth a listen if you are open to more on living with a sound mind

Gary Bentley speaking at The Assembly West Monroe (Gary begins speaking at 1:06:16)

https://www.youtube.com/live/9igsVDNKak4?si=fi-KJOcrw3JffgLZ

When anxiety hits, where can we turn in Scripture to find peace? In today’s episode, Carmen and Kristine share 3 psalms that have calmed their hearts at times in life when they needed help rediscovering peace.

Listen in to hear which psalms Carmen and Kristine recommend, and how you too can find a go-to psalm in Scripture to battle anxiety in your life. Have a favorite psalm? Share with us via email.

Scripture we discussed:

Psalm 93

Psalm 61

Psalm 91

A reading plan to read through the Book of Psalms in 31 days:
https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/21-psalms

Contact Carmen and Kristine here:

https://carmenhorne.com/
https://morethanyourself.com/

Learn more about Kristine’s books: https://morethanyourself.com/books-kristine-brown
Learn more about Carmen’s books: https://carmenhorne.com/books/

Did you know that we have wonderful benefits as the temple of God? In this episode, Carmen shares a few beautiful Scriptures that remind us of why believing we are God's temple is important. 

Verses Mentioned:

1 Kings 8.28-29

1 Kings 9.3

Genesis 3.8

Exodus 40.34-38

John 2.21 

Colossians 2.9

1 Corinthians 3.16-17

Ephesians 3.17-19

Contact Carmen:

https://carmenhorne.com/

We tend to think discontentment only shows up in hard seasons — but what about when life is actually going well? In this episode, Carmen and Kristine dig into why, when life is good, we can still feel empty, and what Paul's words in Philippians 4:12 reveal about finding contentment in every situation.

Verses Mentioned:

Philippians 4.12–13 

Ecclesiastes 3.11 

Jeremiah 29.13

John 21 

Resources Mentioned:

Ellen Chauvin's book: Longing to Belong: Filling the Longings of Our Hearts with the Hope of Home

https://www.amazon.com/Longing-Belong-Filling-Longings-Hearts/dp/B0DLKMCX2B/

Ellen's Blog Post: Discontent with Discontentment

https://www.ellenchauvin.com/2020/11/discontent-with-my-discontentment/

Contact Carmen or Kristine:

https://carmenhorne.com

https://kristinebrown.net

In today's episode, we're sitting with one of the sweetest promises Jesus ever made — "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11.30)

But what does that really mean? Because Jesus never promised us a trouble-free life. So what makes His yoke different?

Friend, the answer might just change the way you carry your burdens.

Scriptures Referenced:

• Matthew 11.28–30
• John 16.33 (Amplified Bible)
• 1 Peter 4.12 (NLT & The Message)
• John 14. 15-17

The Holy Spirit is Here! download link: https://carmenhorne.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/HolySpiritScripturese.pdf

Contact Carmen: https://carmenhorne.com/

What can we learn from Abigail in the Bible about being content? In this episode, authors Carmen and Kristine share biblical tips for discovering real contentment in everyday life. Finding contentment in difficult circumstances is not easy, but it is possible! Join in the conversation and learn the secret to contentment, no matter what life looks like for you in this season.

Scripture passages mentioned in today's episode:

Philippians 4.11-12

2 Corinthians 11.22-33

1 Samuel 25 

1 Samuel 30

Want to hear more about the Fruit of the Spirit? Check out this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjRIY02MsN4

Get in touch with Kristine or Carmen here:

Kristine: https://kristinebrown.net

Carmen: https://carmenhorne.com

Have you ever wondered why bad things happen to good people? Job did too. In this episode, we walk through Job's story, discover that testing comes to us all, and discuss key takeaways to help us move forward.

Hope is waiting for you in an unexpected place.

Scripture References:

Job 13:15 (NLT)
Job 19:25 (NLT)
Job 42:5 (NLT)
Mark 4:38 (ESV)

Previous episodes you might enjoy:

How to Trust God While You Wait: https://carmenhorne.com/2024/03/how-to-keep-trusting-god-while-you-wait-ep30/

What to Do When You Are Stuck in God's Waiting Room:

https://carmenhorne.com/2025/06/what-to-do-when-you-are-stuck-in-gods-waiting-room-ep53/

Contact Carmen:

https://carmenhorne.com/

When Carmen's mom was in her final days, she left her daughter with a simple charge: "Pay attention so you don't miss it." Carmen has been doing just that ever since.

In this episode, Carmen shares how a Sunday morning hymn became an unexpected reminder of her mother's love and God's faithfulness — and introduces the concept of joy drops: those small, intentional gifts from God that renew our hope and strengthen our souls.

Pulled from Nehemiah 8:10 — "the joy of the Lord is your strength" — this episode is a gentle reminder that God is paying attention to you personally in the midst of your messy and mundane everyday life.

Bible Verse: Nehemiah 8:10

Here's the link to a special blog post my mom wrote about what she would tell her younger self. I thought you might enjoy hearing more from her.

https://carmenhorne.com/2015/07/dear-me-letter-to-my-younger-self-cookie-walter/

Contact Carmen: https://carmenhorne.com/

When we face devastating circumstances in our lives, how do we know God is for us?

In the midst of our deepest struggles, we can sometimes feel like God’s hand is against us. Naomi in the Bible felt that way, as well. In today’s episode, Carmen and Kristine reveal how to know God is for us and not against us. Do you ever feel alone or separated from God? Today’s message is for you. 

Listen in to find encouragement and hope.

Verses mentioned in today’s episode:

Ruth 1.6-13

Romans 8.38-39

Romans 5:5

Romans 8:31

Resources to discover more about Naomi in the Bible: 

Refilled: Finding Fullness in God When Life Leaves You Empty - 

https://morethanyourself.com/refilled

Blog post, “Call Me Mara” - https://morethanyourself.com/blog/call-me-mara