The KEY is found in His relationship with His Father! Jesus said He could do nothing except what He saw the Father doing. It’s what gave life, meaning and purpose to everything He did while here on earth (John 5:19). We’re going to talk MORE about this, in TODAY’S EPISODE! What gave Jesus fullness of LIFE and FOCUS for everything He did? Take a listen and find out! You can also READ the FULL article here —> https://yanceyvaldez.com/what-gave-jesus-fullness-of-life-and-focus-for-everything-he-...
Sep 05, 2024•5 min•Season 2Ep. 17
What problem in the world does your KINDNESS to others solve? We live in an unkind world where people are often belittled, made to feel unworthy, less than, beneath consideration, and even deserving of scorn. Your KINDNESS to others gives people their dignity back. It’s a special gift a lot of people don’t see often, yet it communicates very powerfully to others, “You matter.” Boaz was a man who did more than show kindness to others through his acts of service. He WAS a kind person! The first me...
Aug 23, 2024•7 min•Season 2Ep. 16
The prophet Samuel had a very good feeling about this. He was the one appointed by God to anoint the next King of Israel. † When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” —1 Samuel 16:6 NIV And why not? Samuel was a smart and discerning man. He could see with his own eyes that Eliab, Jesse’s oldest son, was a handsome and tall man of stature. He looked like a king. The problem? Samuel was wrong! What QUALITIES does the Lord look...
Aug 14, 2024•6 min•Season 2Ep. 14
What would you give for a 2ND CHANCE? When you put your faith and trust in Christ, you’re going to get a 2ND CHANCE! The world will not have any authority to label you as something “less than” in the eyes of God because you won’t belong to the world any longer. You’ll belong to God! For in Christ, . . . † He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. —Colossians 1:14 What would it mean for yo...
Aug 07, 2024•7 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Do you ever wonder if God HEARS your prayers? Sometimes we PRAY in order to check our “prayer time” off, our TO DO list. The paradox, however, is that we don’t want God to hear our prayers in order to just check us off, His TO DO list. How can we live with greater confidence that God HEARS our prayers? Take a listen and find out! You can also READ the FULL article here at https://yanceyvaldez.com/do-you-ever-wonder-if-god-hears-your-prayers/ . Send us a text Support the show Did you like what yo...
Jul 29, 2024•6 min•Season 2Ep. 12
How Are You Doing at RESTING in God’s Sovereignty and the Sufficiency of His Grace? Caring for the SOUL is more about WHO we are > than WHAT we do. If your identity is wrapped up only in your job (what you do for a living), you’ll never be able to rest because you’ll always be suffering with an “identity crisis.” How can you do better at RESTING in God’s sovereignty and the sufficiency of His grace? Take a listen and find out! You can also READ the FULL article here at https://yanceyvaldez.co...
Jul 12, 2024•6 min•Season 2Ep. 11
What kind of person is your faith LEADING you to become? In his second letter to the Christ-followers who were suffering from persecution on the outside and from false teaching on the inside, Peter encourages them by saying, . . . † For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith, virtue. —2 Peter 1:5a Just like your measure of faith in God is important for your spiritual journey, so is your measure of virtue. Your desire not just to become a better person, but to become more like C...
Jun 20, 2024•6 min•Season 2Ep. 10
The “BEST BOSS in the World” doesn’t really describe WHO the Lord really is, or what He really means, to those who follow Him. He is so much more than what the world might term as a “boss.” WHO is He? And how does knowing WHO you work for impact the QUALITY of one’s work? We’re going to talk MORE about this, in this week’s S2E9: PODCAST EPISODE! Take a LISTEN and let us know what you think! You can also READ the FULL article here —> https://yanceyvaldez.com/how-does-knowing-who-you-work-for-i...
Jun 12, 2024•6 min•Season 2Ep. 9
It was the Day of Pentecost… Fifty days earlier, God raised Jesus from the dead. But on the Day of Pentecost, it was announced that Jesus had now been exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And God the Father, just as He promised, gave Jesus the Son, the Holy Spirit to pour out upon all that the people in attendance saw and heard that day (Acts 2:32-33). Jewish people from all over the known world were there. Completely shocked, they heard Jesus’ disciples praising...
Jun 09, 2024•6 min•Season 2Ep. 8
It was immediately after Jesus’ LAST WORDS to His disciples. After saying to His disciples that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them, and that they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8), Jesus was taken up in a cloud. They watched the whole thing. In fact, they strained to see Him rising into heaven until they could see Him no more. Why was Jesus’ ASCENSION into heaven, something His disciples couldn’t take their eyes...
May 30, 2024•6 min•Season 2Ep. 7
It had been some 40 days since Jesus rose from the dead. Over those 40 days Jesus had been presenting Himself to His followers with many convincing proofs that He was alive! He was also speaking about the Kingdom. He told them not to depart from Jerusalem because something would be coming. In fact, He commanded them to wait for the promise of the Father, which He said, . . . † “You have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many day...
May 26, 2024•6 min•Season 2Ep. 6
5-9-24: UPDATED & RE-RECORDED for better sound quality and a better podcast experience! Every day is a gift. No one is guaranteed tomorrow. How can we make the most out of the precious days we are given to live here on earth? We will be heading into the summer months relatively soon. Life and work rhythms will be different for you, your family, friends, co-workers and clients. What adjustments do you need to make or prepare for? Have you made any personal plans to take some time off for rest...
May 08, 2024•7 min•Season 2Ep. 5
When we can learn to embrace the righteousness of God that comes to us through Jesus Christ alone, there is always a way forward. And not only that, the glory of the LORD will protect you from behind! There is no amount of good works, philanthropy, charity or service to others that can serve as a substitute for the precious gift of forgiveness and salvation accomplished through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. † “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.“ Romans 3:23...
May 04, 2024•7 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Attending to the needs of the Lord, what He deems important for our lives, and what He wants to accomplish through our service to others, still matters in the world we live in. There was so much I wanted to do and get done, but learning to live life with only one kidney was going to be an adjustment. After donating a kidney to my brother, I struggled in the recovery process because my energy levels were not the same as they once were. At times, I became frustrated with myself because I would get...
Apr 25, 2024•8 min•Season 2Ep. 3
It could very well be the most important, high priority, HIGH PAY-OFF meeting of your day. It may cost you some precious time, energy and planning, but learning to be with Jesus is one of, if not, the first and foremost priority of a servant-leader’s preparation for a successful day of serving others well. Jesus hasn’t stopped calling ordinary people, like you and me, to Himself. And at times, it may not be for any other reason than to just be with Him. On one day, it may be just to sit quietly ...
Apr 20, 2024•7 min•Season 2Ep. 2
You don’t need another distraction, worry or frustration. What you need, is a target! There used to be a television show on the History Channel called Top Shot. It was an American reality show in which 16 contestants, split into two teams of eight, would compete against each other in various types of shooting challenges. The winner would receive a $100,000 grand prize along with the coveted title of “Top Shot.” The challenges would often require contestants to navigate through unknown scenarios,...
Apr 12, 2024•11 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Happy Good Friday to you! This is our FINAL episode for Season One of the “ Deepen Your Faith, Renew Your Life ” podcast. I wanted to share with you a quick word of encouragement: We can only imagine what happened THE MOMENT Jesus died on the cross and what will happen when He returns. This week’s podcast episode picture, is a picture I took on the Mount of Olives located directly east of the old city of Jerusalem. It is now a Jewish cemetery and has been for the last 3,000 years, housing some 1...
Mar 29, 2024•6 min•Season 1Ep. 27
It’s been two years since my brother and I had our kidney transplant surgery. I remember that hard and difficult conversation I had with my brother, Kenny, when he told me his kidneys were failing. I knew he had some kidney problems, I just didn’t realize how bad, it had gotten. Kenny was telling me how he was at peace with God, and that he was ready to go when God felt it was time. It was in that moment, that I thought to myself, “Wait a second. I’m in pretty good health. Maybe he can have one ...
Mar 22, 2024•10 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Everyone’s personality has an emotional component. It’s part of who we are. Our emotional health is one of the five windows of the soul, in which many of us need to exercise “soul care” daily, in order to manage well. Our emotions often exert a lot more influence over our lives than most of us would care to admit, especially when under pressure or persecution. This is why . . . “Managing our emotions is an essential part of exercising care for the soul.” When we don’t manage our emotions well, n...
Mar 15, 2024•12 min•Season 1Ep. 25
It was a game-changer in every one of their stories. The heroes of faith in the Bible all wanted to make the most out of the life they had been given. But the journey was not without some kind of struggle that needed to be overcome. Whether it was a battle that needed to be won, a problem that needed to be solved, or a vision from God regarding their future, the struggle was real and often against insurmountable odds. Their calling was their life’s work and purpose. A work so much greater than t...
Mar 06, 2024•11 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Did you wake up this morning with a goal in mind? Maybe a vision of how you wanted your day or week to play out? You then made a plan, a roadmap with the steps you needed to realize your vision. But then something suddenly came up. Now you have to readjust your plans, perhaps even trash them completely, because your agenda doesn’t have the priority it once had. We live in a world filled with competing agendas, including our own . The fact that the world we live in is also filled with lots of mis...
Feb 24, 2024•8 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Everything she tried, ended in failure and disappointment. There was no money left. She spent it all trying to find a cure. We don’t know her name, but this woman had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had no close friends, no one to share her burden with, nor could she foster any meaningful relationships in her condition. Under Old Testament Law, her malady labeled her “unclean.” Thus, she would have been a social outcast from her people. All she wanted was to be healed. But ...
Feb 17, 2024•10 min•Season 1Ep. 22
I’m not just talking about asking God to show up in His presence and power, but are you seeking Him to specifically accomplish His PURPOSE in your life? God doesn’t have a plan B. Jesus has always been God’s first and only option for dealing with everything that is wrong in this world and making it right. † There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12 NLT Do you believe there’s still power in the name of Jesus? Do you be...
Feb 10, 2024•12 min•Season 1Ep. 21
I took this picture on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee in Capernaum, the region where Jesus lived and did the majority of His ministry. It was such a personal and meaningful experience, I thought I would share it with you today along with this week’s devotional question: What does God NEED from you to ACCOMPLISH His work in and through your life today? He didn’t know what to think when Jesus showed up at work that day, but Jesus had a problem. Crowds were pressing in all around Him. Des...
Feb 03, 2024•12 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Tension is the state of being stretched tightly. In order to realize all you were meant to become and experience in life, you can’t avoid the necessary stretching and tension you may experience between two extremes—your human limitations and your God-given potential. Italian violin maker, Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737), was a master violin craftsman and innovator, who brought the craft of violin making to its highest peak of perfection. His violins and cellos rank among the finest and most expen...
Jan 17, 2024•11 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Does anyone ever celebrate that they have spent their entire day worrying about something? Can worrying do anything to ADD value to your life or to the life of anyone else? It’s one of the greatest questions Jesus ever asked His followers! What can we learn from the greatest leader the world has ever known about what to do when WORRYING seems to be dominating our thoughts? Take a listen and find out! You can also READ the FULL article here at https://yanceyvaldez.com/can-worrying-add-a-single-mo...
Jan 13, 2024•9 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Who are the people whose lives you are intending to SERVE and IMPACT in the year ahead? Moses was a fugitive on the run when he left Egypt at age 40. Born to be a prince, he ended up murdering someone instead. His life should have been over. But God had a different outcome in mind! After he fled from Egypt, the next 40 years of Moses’ life would be spent in the wilderness where he would find a wife and have children. He became a shepherd taking care of his father-in-law’s flocks as well as his o...
Jan 06, 2024•10 min•Season 1Ep. 14
There was a lot Mary had to take in and process when the Angel Gabriel showed up with a Word from God. This encounter with a heavenly messenger was far from a normal experience for her. In the Bible, we don’t find Mary ever praying for or pursuing an angelic experience. On the contrary, the Bible tells us that quite unexpectedly . . . † [The angel] came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this...
Dec 28, 2023•11 min•Season 1Ep. 13
What is the level of joy in your life today? We still see bright lights in the sky, over our cities and even better in the outskirts of town. We saw them even in the skies of Cuba, overlooking the historic Hotel Nacional de Cuba, an iconic landmark that has welcomed many of the rich and famous since it first opened back in 1930. Christmas is not widely celebrated in Cuba. You won’t see very many Christmas trees, lights, decorations or presents being exchanged. For most families, money for that w...
Dec 22, 2023•9 min•Season 1Ep. 12
One of my friends on Facebook (you know who you are), will post almost every Sunday morning, “It’s going to be a great day!” It’s a very powerful and hope-filled statement! It puts a smile on my face every time I read it. A great day is something most people want. But sadly enough, a lot of people don’t even know what a good day LOOKS like, much less how to create one. What would you say if someone were to ask you, “ What does a great day LOOK like to you ?” What would your answer be based upon?...
Dec 16, 2023•7 min•Season 1Ep. 11
