The pain we refuse to process only lingers, but the Book of Joel reveals God's path to restoration and renewal. God doesn’t want your religious behavior—He desires for you to bring the fullness of your brokenness to Him, allowing Him to begin His transformative work. In this episode, Whit and Casey explore the prophet Joel, the importance of lament, the steps of genuine repentance, and how to create space for God to move in our lives. Show notes: Listen to the message: Joel: A Pattern for Renewa...
Aug 13, 2024•54 min
The book of Zechariah offers both a prophetic glimpse into the future and a powerful message for the present. Brimming with vivid imagery and symbolism, it reveals the critical role of the Holy Spirit in fulfilling God’s purposes. But how do we interpret this rich symbolism, and what does the Holy Spirit's influence look like in our lives today? In this episode, Whit and Casey delve into Zechariah chapters 3 and 4, exploring the work of the Holy Spirit and what it means to be a living sacrifice....
Aug 08, 2024•50 min
Our emotions are not off-limits! In this episode, Jamie and Heather talk about what they thought of the movie Inside Out 2 . They explore how different life stages, like puberty and menopause, can impact our emotions and thoughts, and how crucial godly community is to our sense of self. Grab your popcorn and come along for the ride!
Jul 30, 2024•43 min
Prayer is not a place to be perfect; it's a place to be honest. Habakkuk begins by pouring his heart out to God, lamenting the injustice and wickedness he sees. This kind of raw honesty can be uncomfortable, but God wants us to bring our whole selves to Him in prayer—the good, the bad, and the ugly. In this episode, Whit and Casey explore the cultural context of Habakkuk, praying honest prayers, God’s relationship to evil, and our hope for the future. Show notes: Listen to the message: Habakkuk:...
Jul 18, 2024•1 hr 16 min
The devil doesn't always tempt us with things that are obviously evil—sometimes he tempts us with comfort. Wrestling with God involves not compromising in moments of discomfort. It means taking your whole self to the Lord and saying, "I don't know if I can trust you, but I'm going to dig into your word and community to find out." In this episode, Jamie and Heather talk about what it means to wrestle with God, dealing with discomfort, and the power of community. Show notes: In this episode, they ...
Jun 25, 2024•43 min
We have an insatiable appetite for stories. Art helps us make sense of the world, bypassing logic and getting directly at the heart. The story of Ruth teaches us in four chapters what Ruth and Naomi learned over a lifetime. In this episode, Whit and Lyndsey discuss ruth chapter 3, the power of story, how to make sense of the seemingly risqué actions of Ruth, complete submission and vulnerability, and how it all points to Jesus. Show notes: Listen the message Ruth: Vulnerability & Risk https:...
Jun 06, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Lace up your shoes – we’re going on a walk! In this episode, Heather shares about her transformative experience walking the Camino Santiago pilgrimage. Throughout her 170 mile walk, Heather found solace in the simplicity of being present in the moment, meditating on scripture, and communing with the Lord. Her literal walk was a powerful picture of what it can look like to walk with the Lord in life, trusting Him to guide us step-by-step. Show notes: Check out our series: How to Hear God https://...
May 28, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Life doesn’t always turn out the way we hope or plan. When we face loss and disappointment, we may question if God is who He says He is. We can learn a lot about facing adversity from the story of Ruth and Naomi, who both lose everything they have but continue to move toward God. In this episode, Whit and Chris discuss navigating suffering, wrestling with God, small steps of faithfulness, and God’s partnership with man. Show notes: Listen to the Message: Faithfully Following God in the Face of L...
May 23, 2024•1 hr 2 min
To read the story of Ruth as a romantic love story is to miss the full picture of God’s faithfulness in horrific circumstances. It is about love –– but the covenantal, sacrificial kind of Ruth to Naomi and God to His people. In the second part of their conversation about Ruth, Whit and Casey explore how God works through people and places to form us. Show notes: Check Out Part 1 of this Conversation: https://youtu.be/nK1BNLPmE2s?si=qHS0PUMt5yeJp8Z9 Check out the Message: An Introduction to Ruth ...
May 16, 2024•48 min
If you didn’t know, the Old Testament has some pretty crazy stories. One of the challenges in understanding ancient texts like Ruth is the vast cultural gap between then and now. Ruth unfolds against the backdrop of the time of the judges, a period marked by moral decline and spiritual turbulence in Israel. In this episode, Whit and Casey take a deep dive into the cultural, historical, and biblical context of the story. Show notes: Check out Part 2 of this Conversation: https://youtu.be/t-H53kDI...
May 16, 2024•38 min
Have you ever felt like God speaks more clearly to others than to you? In the noise of life, discerning God's voice can be a challenge. But we have good news: you can get better at recognizing God’s voice! In this episode, Spiritual Formation Pastors Casey Shirley and Blake Zimmerman talk about how God speaks through His Spirit, the power of community, and learning to pay attention to God’s voice even in the mundane. Show notes: Listen to the message: Normalizing the Voice of the Holy Spirit in ...
May 09, 2024•1 hr 3 min
As parents, one of our greatest desires is to see our children not only get along but also develop long-lasting bonds that last their whole lives. How do we help our kids want to stay close to us and to each other? In this episode, Heather and Jamie get vulnerable about their own sibling dynamics, discuss healthy communication, and share their hopes for the future of their family relationships.
Apr 30, 2024•53 min
A lot of us respect the Bible but if we’re honest with ourselves, we struggle to love it. We haven't learned to "consume" what's spiritually nourishing. Scripture is not just literature; it's spiritual fuel, essential for our growth and vitality. In this episode, Whit and Casey discuss how to learn and grow in our understanding and love of God’s Word. Show notes: Check out the Message: How to Hear God Through His Word https://youtu.be/cZi3yfjiAO4?si=FTDQrxvMU6BkML3h Bible Resources: Eat This Boo...
Apr 25, 2024•1 hr
Sometimes it feels impossible to hear God in a world filled with distractions and doubts. We often want a miraculous, "burning bush" moment. But what if He's speaking through the ordinary, day-to-day? In this episode, Whit and Casey explore the pivotal role of wisdom, the common pitfalls we encounter in seeking God's voice, and their own encounters with God's guidance. Show notes: Listen to the Message “God Wants to Speak to You”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkR2BfQdeZ4 Check out the Life in...
Apr 18, 2024•1 hr 17 min
Is Jesus offering us a hard and miserable life? At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus unveils two distinct paths: one to life and one to death. The path to life is one of repentance and devotion – it requires leaving everything behind. But the treasure is worth the cost. In this episode, Whit and Casey explore the road to life Jesus sets out in the Sermon on the Mount and the historical and cultural impact of Christianity. Show notes: Listen to the Message: Easter 2024 | Enter by the Narr...
Apr 04, 2024•39 min
Change is a constant in life. If you’re not prepared for a changing season, you can find yourself at loose ends, thinking, well, now what? It’s so important to find purpose wherever you’re at, and that happens best in godly community. In this episode, Jamie and Heather get vulnerable about where they’re at and how they can flourish in every area of their lives. If you’re feeling stuck in your season, this is a great episode for you. Show notes: In this episode, Jamie mentions the book The Body K...
Mar 26, 2024•42 min
Nothing can make us feel like a god quite like money––it gets to the heart of both our desires and our needs. In a world vying for our attention at every turn, Jesus challenges us to examine what truly has priority in our lives. You can’t serve God and money, so which will it be? In this episode, Whit and Casey break down Matthew 6:19-34. They talk about spiritual practices to decenter money from our lives, learning dependence on God, and more! Show notes: Listen to the message Navigating Jesus'...
Mar 07, 2024•1 hr 17 min
Why does prayer often feel awkward and uncomfortable? We often struggle with feelings of inadequacy, striving for the perfect words while missing the authentic connection with God. The basis of prayer is not performance but relationship. So, how should we pray? In this episode, Whit and Casey talk about their personal experiences with prayer, our misconceptions about God, and what Jesus had to say about prayer. Show notes: Listen to the Message How to Pray: https://youtu.be/vhdJb0B2gwk?si=vG6OP6...
Feb 29, 2024•1 hr 23 min
What advice would you give your younger self? In this episode, Jamie and Heather have a candid conversation about Heather turning 50 and the unexpected reflections and realizations that come with it. They talk about the complexities of aging, parenting, the pressures of social media, and living to the fullest in every season of life. Plus, they have a lot of fun along the way!
Feb 27, 2024•58 min
We live in a time where we can curate and present our lives for optimal praise and validation. Social media preys on a desire built into every human heart - the desire for approval. Wanting approval isn’t a bad thing. In fact, we’re hardwired for it. The question is, who are we seeking approval from? In this episode, Whit and Casey dive deeper into Matthew 6, shame and honor vs. guilt and innocence cultures, approval in the age of social media, and the transforming initiative of secrecy. Show No...
Feb 22, 2024•1 hr 22 min
At first glance, passages where Jesus addresses marriage and divorce are confusing at best and harsh at worst. But when we begin to peel back the layers and grasp the context, we see that Jesus is actually elevating our view of marriage. In this episode, Whit and Casey discuss interpreting difficult passages, covenantal commitment, and how marriage should look in the Kingdom of Jesus. Show notes: Listen to the message What Does the Bible Say About Marriage? https://youtu.be/q7yRHj73CHo?si=gz41q1...
Feb 08, 2024•1 hr 51 min
Jesus pulls no punches in His Sermon on the Mount. He directly addresses the ways we tend to drift from His way of life. Rather than abolishing the wisdom of the past, He seeks to deepen and amplify it, infusing it with new relevance. In this episode, Whit, Blake, and Casey explore Matthew 5:17-30, what it means for Jesus to fulfill the law, and the pitfalls of anger and lust. Show notes: Watch the message: The Way Out of Anger and Lust https://youtu.be/3V2tgE3YYO0?si=A3Ry6GIqwikAjrb8...
Feb 01, 2024•1 hr 36 min
Since they last recorded, Jamie and Heather have experienced significant milestones! With one child walking down the aisle and another navigating college, they've found themselves in a new season of parenting. In this episode, they talk about releasing control, the importance of community, walking through open doors without excuses, and their ins and outs for 2024! Show notes: Jamie mentions she is doing the Bible Recap challenge this year. You can join her here: https://www.thebiblerecap.com/...
Jan 30, 2024•50 min•Season 8Ep. 1
Christianity is more than an adherence to certain beliefs. It’s an embodied faith, a process of becoming–– a way of life as taught and demonstrated by Jesus. In this episode, Casey and Whit talk about the last four beatitudes which urge us to be merciful, pure of heart, a peacemaker, and to expect opposition. What does it look like to live this out in 2024? Show notes: Listen to the message How to Be a Merciful Follower of Christ https://youtu.be/v7m7OlEkveA?si=5GF2pjQvV8NdV2wd...
Jan 25, 2024•1 hr 29 min
According to Sermon on the Mount, there’s a way to live that will make life better for you, but it might sound counterintuitive. In the first four beatitudes, Jesus invites you to be poor in spirit, to mourn, to be meek, and to hunger and thirst for righteousness, which may leave you thinking, wait, what? But we can explain. In this episode, Whit and Casey explore meme culture, Old Testament references, and the qualities of a Kingdom seeker. Show notes: Check out the message: How to Be a Kingdom...
Jan 19, 2024•1 hr 27 min
Every community has a set of rules and values to live by; this is what it means to be us. That’s exactly what Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is for Christians. In Matthew 5-7, Jesus gives us instructions for how to live in His new kingdom. He’s both forming an identity for the church and telling us how to be human. In this episode, Whit and Casey explore how the Sermon on the Mount should be understood and applied, and what it means to truly thrive. Show notes: Check out the message: What Does "Bles...
Jan 11, 2024•1 hr 9 min
In a world where the pace of technological advancement is ever-increasing, we find ourselves navigating a divide between generations like never before. There is a forward momentum to a life with God. So, how do we relate to the people who came before us and the people coming after us? In this episode, Whit and Casey talk about passing the baton to future generations, leaving the past behind, and simple steps of obedience. Show Notes: Listen to the message: Navigating Generational Gaps in Church ...
Nov 02, 2023•57 min
Have you ever read a Bible story and thought, okay, but why? The Bible is filled with narratives, parables, and teachings that often leave us pondering the purpose behind God's actions. Some people avoid the "why" questions: Why did God create mankind? What's God's end game here? But they are necessary to get to the deeper truth: What God is going to do, He has been doing the whole time. In this episode, Whit and Lyndsey talk about the concept of Missio Dei, what God is up to in the world, and h...
Oct 27, 2023•1 hr
How often do you think about the future? For many, thoughts of the future bring uncertainty and anxiety. But Revelation gives us a picture of the future, and (spoiler alert) God’s ultimate plan is fulfilled. This view of the future should change the way we live in the present. In this episode, Whit and Casey talk about existential angst, the final battle at Armageddon, and living a life of purpose. Show notes: Listen to the message: https://youtu.be/pDvIlzPGBGU?si=mvCk60C8z6r0wR8l...
Sep 28, 2023•36 min
For many, the Anti-Christ is a figure that resides in the world of horror movies and fiction. But when we delve deeper into Revelation and look at history, we find that the idea of a charismatic and corrupt leader is not confined to the realms of fantasy. So, who is this anti-Christ, and what’s his mark? In this episode, Whit and Casey answer questions like, How do we avoid falling prey to magnetic leaders? Can you accidentally take the mark of the beast? Show notes: Listen to the message: https...
Sep 21, 2023•58 min
