Followed By Mercy

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Christmas isn’t about us reaching up to God, but about God coming to live with us? The Word who created galaxies and then shared our skin, our hunger, our fears, and even our accents. The incarnation made clear: love that comes close.

We start with a story about a runaway daughter and a father who searches for her, finds her, and, in a surprising twist, moves into her broken world. This picture shifts faith from following rules to being rescued. From there, we follow the story from creation’s carefully prep...

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“Bought With Blood That Does Not Rust”

What if something very important about you was determined long before you were born? We open 1 Peter 1 and consider the truth that Christ’s precious blood redeemed us, not silver, gold, or family religion. Precious here means costly, chosen with care, and full of purpose.

To make it real, we talk about farming, bloodlines, and what it means to give up the best lamb. When a farmer offered the first and finest animal, it cost the future of the herd. That i...

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In this episode, “Standing Fast in Love,” we slow down with Philippians 4 and discover how ten honest minutes in God’s Word can reshape your home, your church, and your week.​

You’ll learn a simple daily rhythm you can use on your own, with your family, or in your small group: pray, read one chapter, ask four clear questions, and talk about what you find. Together we walk through Philippians 4, where Paul writes to people he deeply loves and shows a pattern the church desperately needs today—lead with love and wor...

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What if the most important prayer spoken over your life wasn’t for a promotion, a healing, or a quick way out of trouble, but for your eyes to open to what you already have in Christ? That’s where we’re headed today in Ephesians 1. Paul doesn’t beg God to give believers more. He asks that we would finally see the Father as He truly is, recognize the hope wrapped up in our calling, and rest in the power that raised Jesus from the dead.

We begin with the simple t...

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Let's get honest about that inner critic that won't let you breathe. 

We walk right into that storm with Psalm 23 as a map for your mind.
We talk about real moments like sitting with a stage four cancer diagnosis or lying awake when anxiety grips your chest, and how, in those places, the words "Thou art with me" become more than a verse. They become oxygen. The Shepherd's presence outlasts fear, shame, and late-night panic. You'll hear how His rod and staff aren't weapons to punish His sheep, but t...

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“Grace and the Grave”

What if yesterday isn’t your jailer but a grave Christ has already emptied?

In this episode, we face the pull of regret, grief, and nostalgia and follow Scripture’s path into the freedom of God’s eternal now, where your story is no longer a trial without end but a record of mercy.

We talk about how grace reframes your past, not by erasing it but by placing it inside the finished work of Jesus. The cross becomes the real place wher...

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Brought Near: From Distance to Family

Ever felt like God was far away or like you were on the outside looking in? 

From Hopeless Distance to Nearness

Paul reminds Gentile believers that they once stood separated from Christ, cut off from Israel’s commonwealth and the covenants of promise, “having no hope and without God in the world.” Remembering that former distance is not to keep them in shame but to magnify the sheer mercy of God in bringing them near.​

Now, in Christ Jesus, those who...

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When “But God” breaks into a life, the cycle of shame, striving, and spiritual exhaustion finally meets a dead end. This episode walks through Ephesians 2 to show how God’s rich mercy and great love rewrite the story for people who feel stuck under guilt with no way out.​

Episode overview

Two small words, “but God,” stand between who you were and who you are now in Christ. Together we trace the shift from being dead in sin to being made alive, raised, and seated with Christ, and why this changes...

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What if the most complex parts of your life became the most transparent windows into God’s kindness? In this episode, we open Ephesians 2:7–10 and sit with a bold truth: salvation is a gift, good works are fruit, and the future is a stage where God will show the riches of His grace. That vision doesn’t shrink your pain; it gives it purpose.

We talk about what it really means to be saved by grace through faith, not by morality, effort, or ritual, but by mercy, initiative, and love. We exp...

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Have you ever felt like your spiritual life was a phone with no signal, working on the outside but cut off where it matters most? That’s the picture Paul paints in Ephesians 2:1–3. After all the praise and promise of chapter 1, he turns the light toward who we were without Christ and who we are now in Him.

This isn’t about cleaning yourself up or trying harder. It’s about resurrection. We talk about what it means to be “dead in trespasses and sins,” why “you hath he quickened” is written in th...

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Holiness in this episode isn’t a bar you climb over but a home you’ve already been brought into. It’s a life defined by belonging to God, not by keeping score. In this rich conversation with Robert Canfield, we look at Ephesians 1, where there are no commands, only declarations of what God has already done: chosen, sanctified, accepted, and sealed in Christ.

A new foundation for holiness

 We are promised Sanctification, not pressured to sanctify ourselves, as seen in Hebrews 10 and 1 Corinthians 6, which s...

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What happens when you stop reading the Bible like a rulebook and start reading it like a love letter? That question guides our conversation today. We sit with four familiar passages from Genesis 3, Psalm 51, Luke 15, and John 8, and we walk through seven simple questions that help us see the heart of God instead of our own fear. These questions pull back the curtain on a God who seeks before we search, covers before we hide, and restores before we perform.

We start in the garden, where God's words Where are...

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What if the loudest Christian voices were not the angriest, but the most loving? That is where today’s conversation begins. We slow down and examine how communities drift from grace into performance, from compassion into control, and how that subtle shift can erode what we are trying to convey to the world. Jesus said people would know us by our love. If that is true, the way forward will not come from stronger platforms but from softer hearts.

We talk about grace as the frame that holds everything together. Ta...

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A broken world keeps telling us to try harder, fix ourselves, and be our own source. But in Ephesians 1, God speaks a better word. In Christ, we are redeemed, forgiven, and drawn into a restoration story that stretches from Eden to eternity. This episode explores three anchors: redemption, forgiveness, and restoration, and demonstrates how they transition from theology to lived reality.

Redemption isn’t a slogan; it’s a purchase. We examine what “through His blood” truly means, how the Exodus foreshadows freedom, and how Ruth and Boaz point to a Redeemer...

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What if the answer isn’t more faith, but a better object for your faith? In this episode, we open Luke 17 and listen as Jesus redirects His disciples from measuring their belief to resting in the power and character of God. The mustard seed isn’t a quota to hit; it’s a picture of trust placed in Someone great. Then comes the parable of the unprofitable servant, a jarring reminder that even perfect duty can’t earn God’s favor, because grace isn’t a paycheck. It’s a gift. That truth dismantles leg...

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What if the cure for spiritual doubt isn’t trying harder but changing your focus? In this episode, we examine Peter’s letter to believers who’d lost almost everything: their homes, comfort, and normal life, yet were told to “greatly rejoice.” Their anchor wasn’t optimism. It was a living hope rooted in the resurrection of Jesus and an inheritance that can never decay or fade.

Genuine assurance develops when you stop measuring your faith by your performance and begin trusting the One who sustains you. Peter’s words are intentional: y...

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Mercy doesn’t wait for perfect people or perfect moments. It walks into forgotten places and meets us right where we are. In this episode, we open Luke 17 and sit with the ten men who cried out from a distance, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” All ten are healed as they go, but only one stops, sees what grace has done, and turns back to give thanks. That turn becomes our roadmap: notice the mercy you didn’t earn, pause long enough to feel it, and return praise to the One who gave it...

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A single verse misunderstood can shape your whole view of God for better or worse. “If you love me, keep my commandments” has often been used like a scoreboard, measuring who’s in and who’s out. However, in John 14, that line is set within a conversation filled with comfort, peace, and promise. When you hear it in that light, obedience stops being a price tag for love and becomes the natural response to love already given.

In this episode, we trace how Jesus connects love and action, not through pressure but thro...

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What if you stopped begging God to show up and started living as if He has already? In this episode, we dive into Psalm 46 with honesty and practical faith, tracing the path from anxious thoughts to a steady heart. From a late-night nudge to read the Psalms to the backdrop of a category-five hurricane, we explore how “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” becomes more than a verse. It becomes a way to move through hard days.

We talk about the power of Selah, those sacr...

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Still wrestling with old regrets even though you trust Jesus? This episode gets honest about that tension, the gap between what God declares over you and what your mind won’t stop replaying. Starting with Ezekiel’s picture of clean water, we trace how the Old Testament’s rituals pointed ahead to something far greater: not a temporary washing, but a once-for-all cleansing, finished at the cross and confirmed by the resurrection.

We break down imputation in simple terms. Every charge from your past was transferred to Christ’s account, and His perf...

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Jesus continues to eat with people the religious crowd avoids. That’s the scandal that starts this episode. From there, we open Luke 19:10 and Luke 15 to trace a single, relentless theme: God’s heart beats for the lost not as a label to condemn, but as beloved people missing from where they belong.

We walk through three stories that reveal mercy in motion. A sheep that wanders without malice. A coin that’s valuable yet unaware. A son who rebels and walks away. Each story ends in the same crescendo of joy. T...

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What if the most famous verse in the Bible has been hiding a radical truth in plain sight that God’s default posture toward the world is mercy, not condemnation?

In this episode, we trace a clear line from Exodus 34 to John 3:16 to 2 Corinthians 5 and see the Father revealing His own heart: merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and rich in steadfast love. Psalm 23 becomes the lens through which we see that same Father lifting our heads when shame and fear weigh us down.

We talk honestly about years in mi...

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We speak plainly about money, missions, and the hope that drives both: Jesus offers rest where religion piles on rules. From Matthew 11:28 and Psalm 23, we discuss how grace relieves guilt and how giving, praying, and going can flow from love rather than pressure.

Across India, Latin America, and beyond, we’ve seen people try to earn peace through rituals, diets, candles, or daily checklists. Those scenes meet the words of Jesus: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Religion burdens. Jesus lifts...

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What if your identity wasn't based on your performance, your past, or your reputation, but rested on a verdict already spoken by the Father? He chose you, blessed you with every spiritual blessing, set you apart, planned your public adoption, and made you accepted in the Beloved.

We start by confronting a familiar myth that the Father is a distant scorekeeper while Jesus runs interference. Paul won't allow that. Grace precedes peace because the Father moves first. That's why the chapter opens and closes in worship. From there, we explore the...

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What if the most powerful force for real change isn’t pressure or fear but gratitude? In this episode, we open Galatians to discover why “faith working through love” is the heartbeat of the Christian life and how grace transforms duty into desire. Instead of chasing perfection, we explore a better way: walking with the Spirit so that Christ reproduces His life in us, one day at a time.

We uncover the traps of legalism and license one crushes with demands, the other drains you of meaning, and we reveal the altern...

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What if the heaviness you feel isn't from sin but from spiritual striving that grace has already answered? In this episode, we walk through Paul's sweeping argument in Galatians using the vivid story of Hagar and Sarah to reveal why law and grace can't coexist in the same heart without conflict.

Hagar represents Sinai's effort, rules, and slavery. Sarah embodies promise, faith, and freedom. Ishmael is what happens when we rush God's plan; Isaac is the joy born from trusting His promise. Together, we press into the hard but freeing command...

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What if the freedom you crave doesn't come from trying harder but from trusting deeper?

We walk through Galatians again, tracing how the law exposes our need while grace steps in to heal, adopt, and transform. This isn't a message about lowering the bar; it's about moving from checklists to a new heart, where obedience turns from burden to joy because love has taken root.

In the story of Abraham, we see that faith came before law. Long before Sinai, he believed God and was counted righteous...

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What if the relief you desire isn't found in doing more, but in trusting what's already done? There is a sharp line between the law that diagnoses and the grace that heals, swapping performance-based religion for a living for a steady walk of faith. From the x-ray and mirror metaphors to Paul's piercing questions, "Did you receive the Spirit by works or by hearing with faith?" we confront the drift from gratitude to grind and show how "It is finished" functions as a verdict that frees, not a slogan to frame.

...

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Freedom sounds different when you've been living on a treadmill. Paul shouts across the centuries to stop trying to earn what Jesus already gave. If performance-based religion has left you tired, ashamed, or numb, this conversation is a deep breath of grace.

You'll hear why the law is a mirror that can show the dirt but never wash it off, and how the cross changes the verb tense of your story, delivered, redeemed, accepted, no first-class for rule keepers and coach for sinners; one table, one Savior, one grace.

...

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What if "be holy" was never meant to sound like a shout from a mountaintop, but a Father's whisper of belonging?

You need to shift your definition of holiness from a checklist to a relationship, from moral pressure to a life shared with the presence of God. Instead of chasing perfection: holy means set apart, spoken for, and filled with the life of Christ.

We walk through vivid images that bring this home: tabernacle vessels made holy by purpose, a wedding ring that signals promise over performance...

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What if the Father's house felt like a home again, where judgment quiets, honesty breathes, and joy returns?

In this episode, we explore the tender power of grace through the often-overlooked figure of the elder brother: the dutiful son who stood outside abundance because he couldn't believe "all I have is yours." That single line becomes our turning point, revealing how grace doesn't negotiate with our performance but invites us to trust the Father's heart.

Together, we trace the transformation of a grace-shaped community—from stage to table, from pe...

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Ever feel like you're doing everything right and still missing the party?

This episode examines the often-overlooked elder brother in Luke 15 not as a villain, but as a mirror reflecting our own quiet exhaustion. We explore how performance-based religion sneaks into our faith, draining joy and transforming the church from a refuge for the broken into a stage for the polished.

With honest language and practical insight, we trace the slow drift from grace to scorekeeping: when worship grows stiff, confession dries up, and love turns selective. We name...

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What if the loudest thief of joy isn’t failure or chaos, but tomorrow? We open with a poem that names what hurry hides, the way our plans and spiritual hustle can masquerade as faith while quietly draining the grace found in the present. From there, we get honest about how living split between what is and what might be creates anxiety, and we offer a slower, steadier way: gather today’s manna, trust the God who names Himself I Am, and rest in a peace that doesn’t depend on outcomes.

Duration: 00:11:55

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If peace always feels one step away, this conversation invites you to stop chasing the horizon and meet the Shepherd who stands in the room. We talk about how a certain kind of “spiritual hunger” can disguise plain restlessness, and why the Lord is my shepherd only changes us when we hear it in present tense. Drawing from Psalm 23, the Lord’s Prayer, Lamentations’ new mercies, and Jesus’ warning about tomorrow’s troubles, we explore a quieter way to live: trust God for this day, not the imaginary future we try to control.

You’ll...

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What if the self-protection you’ve been practicing is the very thing stealing your peace? From a quiet hotel room in Arequipa, while traveling and staying ahead on upcoming shows, Austin speaks to the listener who feels forgotten, unseen, and tired of fighting alone. Bitterness, he says, can sound like wisdom and look like strength, but it slowly becomes a hidden prison. We call it boundaries, but sometimes it’s fear in disguise.

In this episode, we talk honestly about how selfishness hides in self-pity, in the need to win the last...

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A quiet confession opens the door: being forgotten can bruise a soul deeper than we admit. From a small hotel room in Arequipa, while traveling and staying ahead on upcoming shows, we speak to the listener who feels unseen, the one carrying silent wounds that never found closure. Bitterness can look like strength, but it slowly becomes a hidden prison. It promises protection, yet keeps the heart locked away from love.

This episode offers a way out, a path from bitterness to freedom. Grace meets us where striving ends and...

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What if your story doesn’t start with “I should try harder,” but with “I was dead, and God made me alive”? In this episode, we open Ephesians 2 with raw honesty and real hope, tracing Paul’s unflinching diagnosis and the breathtaking interruption of “but God.” We begin with identity saints and faithful by gift, not grind. Then we face the hard truth, dead in trespasses and sins, so we can finally see that grace isn’t a moral upgrade but a resurrection. This isn’t about moving from bad to better; it’s about moving from de...

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Mercy isn’t a mood; it’s the current we keep finding ourselves in. In this episode, we sit down with Chris in Arequipa and trace a family story that spans decades of missions, a son’s cleft lip and palate surgeries, a pastor school that gathered leaders from Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina, and a faithful Shepherd guiding it all. What unfolds is a living picture of Psalm 23, the Good Shepherd steadying our steps through hard choices, holding our breath on tough days, and turning questions into clarity during packed evening Q&A se...

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What if the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is already working in your hardest places, quietly, steadily, right now? In this episode, we open Scripture and our own scars to trace a path from the pit to praise, showing how mercy follows and how weakness becomes the doorway to real strength. We explore Paul’s rich language for God’s might and anchor it in a living throne, Christ seated at the right hand of the Father, and in our present position in Him. No ladders to climb, no performance to i...

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When a man in chains prays for your freedom, it changes how you see your own life. In this episode, we walk through Ephesians 1:17–19 and listen to Paul’s prayer not for comfort or status, but for wisdom, hope, and power. From a prison cell, he asks God to open eyes, anchor hearts, and unleash the same resurrection power that raised Jesus from the dead. That kind of prayer reshapes how we face storms without shrinking them, and how we live with strength that’s quiet but unstoppable.

We talk about why wi...

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Ever notice how God repeats the same truth until it finally sinks in? In this episode, we sit with Ephesians 1:15–16 and watch Paul pray not for his chains to be broken, but for people he loves. From a prison cell, he shows us a way out of self-pity and into a life marked by gratitude, intercession, and hope.
Chris joins me as we discuss why repetition in Scripture isn’t wasted space, but rather God turning up the volume on what we’ve been missing. Paul’s decision to “cease not” to give thanks...

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What if the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is already at work in your everyday life? In this episode, we open Ephesians 1:19–20 and watch Paul pile up words for “power” to make sure we don’t miss it: this isn’t theory, it’s reality for those who believe.

I share pieces of my own story, from cancer diagnoses and false accusations to nights when bitterness felt easier than forgiveness, and how God met me with a strength that didn’t need fireworks to be real. Resurrection power shows up...

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This recording is a message preached at Shady Grove Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia.

Do you picture God the Father as stern and angry, while Jesus is the kind one who shields you from His wrath? You’re not alone, but that picture is far from the truth.

In this episode, we explore a life-giving reality from Ephesians 1: grace and peace flow straight from the Father’s heart. When Paul greets believers with “Grace be to you and peace from God our Father,” he’s not just being poli...

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Have you ever felt worn out from trying to earn God’s approval? You’re not alone. In this episode, we open Ephesians 3:14-21 and discover what it means to be “strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man.”

Through honest stories and biblical truth, we explore the freedom that comes from moving from performance-driven striving to Spirit-enabled rest. Christianity was never meant to be a grind. It isn’t about proving how well we can live for Christ but learning to let Christ live through us.

We...

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Freedom dawns when you finally grasp who you are in Christ. In this episode of Followed by Mercy, Robert Canfield, David Gardner, and I talk about what it means to live from your true identity instead of striving through religious performance.

We examine Ephesians 1 and celebrate the breathtaking truth that believers are holy, blameless, and spotless, not because of what we do, but because of what Jesus has already done. Many Christians live as if they have two competing natures, but the gospel tells us our old nature was cut away...

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Have you ever wondered if your failures disqualified you from God’s plan? Maybe you’ve thought your mistakes derailed what He intended for your life. In this episode, we turn to Ephesians 1:11 and discover the freeing truth that God’s purpose for us isn’t built on our performance but on our position in Christ.

Robert Canfield and I talk about how God’s plan unfolds according to His will, not our ability to get everything right. When He adopts you into His family, He already has a destiny in mind, a...

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What would your life look like if you truly understood your identity in Christ? In this episode of Followed By Mercy, Austin Gardner and Robert Canfield explore the freedom that comes when we stop striving to earn what God has already given us.

Drawing from Ephesians 1:11, they unpack the difference between being “in Adam” and being “in Christ.” This isn’t just theology; it changes how we see ourselves, how we face our struggles, and how we grow. True transformation doesn’t come from rules, programs, or self-effort. It comes from God working...

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Imagine switching family lines, moving from an inheritance of death to an inheritance of life. That’s the transformation that takes place when we move from being “in Adam” to being “in Christ.”

In this episode of Followed by Mercy, we look at Ephesians 1:11 and discover the incredible truth of our inheritance in Christ. Being part of Adam’s family meant we inherited sin, guilt, and separation from God. But through faith in Jesus, we are born again into a new family and receive a completely different inheritance: righteousness, peace, acceptance, and eternal...

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What does real faith look like when it meets real suffering? In this episode, we explore the deep connection between faith and love through the story of the Good Samaritan.

Paul once commended believers for their “faith in the Lord Jesus and love for all the saints” in Ephesians 1:15. Those two always go together. Jesus taught the same truth when He said that loving God and loving our neighbor sum up everything God asks of us.

The parable of the Good Samaritan brings this to life. The reli...

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Have you ever felt like you had to earn God’s love? In this episode, we explore how liberating it is to discover that God’s love isn’t something we earn. It’s who He is.

We walk through Luke 7 and the moving story of a woman known for her sins who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears. While others looked at her with judgment, Jesus saw her with love and forgiveness. His parable of the two debtors reminds us that those who know how deeply they’ve been forgiven als...

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Are you living with boundaries on God’s grace that He never placed on you? Many of us have all we need in Christ yet walk through life like spiritual beggars, blind to the power already at work within us.

In this episode, we look at how easily we restrict God’s power in our lives, much like the early settlers of Manhattan who built a wall, never imagining the city would grow beyond it. 

Paul, chained in a Roman prison, spoke of “the exceeding greatness of God’s power” wi...

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Have you ever felt abandoned by God in your darkest hour? In this episode, I share from my own journey through cancer, surgeries, and treatments that left me questioning everything, only to discover that God’s mercy never left my side. 

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me” isn’t just poetic comfort; it’s a living reality that has carried me through despair and turned my pain into a ministry now reaching thousands across the world.

At the heart of this message is a liberating truth: many of us carry di...

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Have you ever read God’s promises and quietly wondered if they were too good to be true? In this episode, we look at Ephesians 3:12 and the staggering truth that in Christ, you already have boldness, access, and confidence before God, not one day when you’re “good enough,” but right now, just as you are.

Most believers trust God for heaven but live like they’re still on probation here on earth. But grace is not probation. It’s adoption. The gospel isn’t a set of instructions on how to get ins...

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Faith, love, and thanksgiving. Three simple words that carried Paul’s heart even as he sat chained in prison, facing the shadow of death. Instead of despair, his letters overflowed with joy. How?

In this episode, we open Ephesians 1:15-16 and discover what it means to trust Jesus completely, to love others freely, and to give thanks no matter the circumstance. Faith isn’t just wishful thinking. 

It’s leaning your whole weight on Christ, like Hudson Taylor trusting God to provide, or Jim Elliott declaring that surrend...

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This message was preached at Shady Grove Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia. 

Have you ever introduced yourself by your failures? “I’m divorced.” “I’m an addict.” “I’m a mess.” What if your true identity had nothing to do with your past mistakes or even your greatest achievements?

In this episode, we open Ephesians 1:1 and discover the breathtaking truth of who God says we are: saints and faithful in Christ Jesus. This isn’t a title we earn by flawless living. It’s a gift we receive by grace.

Just like...

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What if you could stop trying to earn God’s approval and finally rest in the truth that you already have it? In this episode, we walk through Ephesians 1:13–14 and discover what it means to be sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.

God’s seal isn’t fragile or conditional. It’s as real as DNA inside your body, an unshakable mark that says you belong to Him. This seal doesn’t vanish when life gets messy, when you lose your temper, or when doubt keeps you awake at night. It is...

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For many, the word predestination brings more fear than comfort. Visions of a distant God choosing some for heaven and others for hell can feel unsettling. But what if that’s not what Scripture is saying at all?

In this episode, we look into Ephesians 1:11-14 and discover the breathtaking truth: predestination isn’t about God excluding people, it’s about God making a way for everyone through Jesus. Long before the world began, God wrote your name into His divine will. He didn’t overlook you. He chose you to receive...

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The mystery of God’s will isn’t meant to leave us confused. It’s intended to give us hope. In this episode, we explore Ephesians 1:8-10, where Paul reveals that God is working through Christ to gather everything back together again.
When sin entered the world, it broke everything: our relationships, creation itself, and even our connection with God. But through Jesus, God is healing what’s been shattered. If you’ve ever felt abandoned, broken, or lost in the chaos of life, this conversation will remind you that your story isn’t rand...

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Fully Forgiven: The Freedom of God’s Grace

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by guilt, wondering if God can truly forgive you? That voice of condemnation isn’t from God. It comes from a misunderstanding of what forgiveness in Christ truly means.

In this episode of Followed by Mercy, we continue in Ephesians 1:7 and discover that forgiveness isn’t God tolerating us. It’s God declaring us clean and whole. Forgiveness isn’t stingy or reluctant. It flows out of the riches of His grace. While redemption speaks of...

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Redeemed and Free: Living from Your True Identity in Christ

What if the most dangerous lie you’ve ever believed isn’t about money, success, or culture, but about who you are?

In this episode of Followed by Mercy, we take a deep look at Ephesians 1:7 and the life-changing reality of redemption through Christ’s blood. Using the vivid picture of Roman slave markets, we uncover how Jesus stepped into the marketplace of sin, paid the ultimate price with His blood, and declared us eternally free. The chains...

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What if everything you thought about holiness was backwards? What if, instead of working hard to become holy enough for God, you discovered He has already made you holy?

In this episode, David Gardner joins us for a powerful conversation through Ephesians 1. Together, we uncover the life-changing truth that holiness isn’t earned by performance but given as a gift in Christ. From being blessed with every spiritual blessing, to being adopted as sons and daughters, to being accepted in the Beloved, Paul’s words reveal the depth of God’s grac...

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Have you ever felt like God just tolerates you? Like you’ve been let into the party but told to stay quietly in the corner? In this episode, we uncover the life-changing truth of Ephesians 1:6: we are “accepted in the Beloved.”

God doesn’t simply permit your presence. He delights in you. His love doesn’t keep you at arm’s length but draws you into the circle of joy shared between Father, Son, and Spirit.

Through real-life stories of radical forgiveness, the Morris family adopting the man who kill...

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Have you ever wrestled with words like predestination or chosen and wondered what they really mean? Far from being cold or intimidating, these truths open up the beauty of God’s eternal plan for you.

Predestination is not about fate or favoritism. It is about a loving Father who made the first move. Before time began, He secured your salvation in Christ so you could live with confidence, not uncertainty. To be chosen is to be wanted. It means God set His heart on you and wrote the last chapter of yo...

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You are secure, purposeful, and fully identified in Christ because God chose you before the foundation of the world. This choosing has nothing to do with your performance and everything to do with God’s eternal grace and love.

In this episode, we look at Paul’s words in Ephesians, written around AD 60–62, where he encouraged believers to rest in their identity in Christ. Grace means God always makes the first move. He gives unearned favor. Every blessing you will ever need is already deposited in your spiritual bank account in hea...

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Do you ever feel like you have to work harder, pray longer, or be better before God will finally accept you? The letter to the Ephesians gives us a completely different picture. Paul tells us that God has already blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ. We are not trying to earn His favor. We already have it.

Ephesians is not written as a list of corrections but as a reminder of who we are. Paul calls believers “saints” and “faithful in Christ,” not because of what we have done, bu...

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Have you ever felt worn out from trying to earn God’s approval? Many of us grew up believing we had to strive harder, clean ourselves up, and prove ourselves worthy before coming to Him. But the opening verses of Ephesians turn that whole idea upside down.

Paul’s words “grace to you and peace” aren’t just a polite greeting. They’re a bold declaration of reality. Grace comes first, not as a reward for good behavior but as God’s gift to us through Christ. And from that grace flows peace, n...

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Have you ever struggled to see yourself the way God sees you? In this opening episode of our Ephesians series, we explore Paul’s greeting to the believers at Ephesus and uncover life-changing truths about our identity in Christ.

Paul calls ordinary Christians “saints” and “faithful in Christ Jesus,” titles that don’t depend on performance but flow from our union with Christ. Just as a bride takes her husband’s name instantly at marriage, we receive a new name and identity at salvation.

We’ll see how grace always...

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Have you ever felt far from God, like you’ve wandered too far to find your way back? In this episode, we step into David’s story in Psalm 23 and discover something beautiful: God hasn’t been waiting for us to return. He’s been chasing us all along with His goodness and mercy.

We’ll explore how David moved from spiritual drought to the deep confidence that he would dwell in God’s house forever. The Hebrew text reveals a breathtaking truth: when Scripture says, “goodness and mercy shall follow me,” it...

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Have you ever considered that much of our approach to evangelism might be missing the point? In this episode, Austin Gardner and Robert Canfield explore a life-giving perspective on missions that reshapes how and why we share the gospel.

At the center is a simple but powerful truth: we are not rescuing people from an angry God. God, who has already reconciled the world to Himself through Christ. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.” That means evangelism is not an obligation we carr...

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Our eyes reveal the condition of our hearts. When we measure ourselves against others, searching for someone “worse” to feel better about ourselves, we slip into what Jesus called an “evil eye.” This perspective is fueled by pride and fear, pride that elevates us above others and fear that, without comparison, we may not measure up.

In this conversation, Austin Gardner and Robert Canfield look at Jesus’ vivid illustration in Matthew 7:3-5 about removing a speck from someone else’s eye while ignoring the beam in our own. His exaggerated picture driv...

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What shapes the way you see the world around you? In this conversation, Austin Gardner and Robert Canfield unpack the profound truth that what fills your heart determines what you notice and how you interpret life. Just like buying a Tesla suddenly makes you see them everywhere, your spiritual focus shapes your perception of reality.

Many believers struggle with a distorted view of God. Instead of seeing Him as the generous and loving Father He reveals Himself to be, they see Him as harsh, demanding, and quick to punish. That...

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Jesus’ words about the eye being “the lamp of the body” in Matthew 6 have left many people puzzled. In this heartfelt conversation, Austin Gardner and Robert Canfield dive into one of Christ’s most often misunderstood teachings and show how it speaks directly to our spiritual priorities.

Jesus was not changing subjects when He spoke about eyes and light. He was deepening His call to treasure God above all else. The hosts explain how Jewish listeners would have understood the “evil eye” as greed, envy, and spiritual darkness. In...

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When Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd,” He gave those words a depth that has changed lives for centuries. In this episode, we explore the beauty behind that declaration and why it still matters today.

We’ll see how the original language shows that Jesus isn’t just “morally good,” but noble, beautiful, and interesting, the Shepherd who draws us not out of duty, but out of delight. Rome did not murder him, nor did religious leaders, nor even our sins. He laid His life down willingly.

We’ll co...

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Have you ever wondered what matters most in life? In this episode, we walk through Mark 12:28-34 and discover the freeing truth behind the greatest commandment. Jesus doesn’t give us another burden to carry. He shows us what naturally happens when His love fills our hearts.

The law says, “You must.” The gospel says, “This is what happens when Christ lives in you.”

We’ll discuss forgiveness as the ultimate test of love and how it becomes possible, not by trying harder, but by trusting more deeply. You’...

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How do you move from the pit of depression to the pinnacle of blessing? From self-pity to divine joy? In this message from Shady Grove Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia, I open Psalm 23 and walk through David’s remarkable journey. Hunted, hiding in a cave, overwhelmed by sorrow, yet he discovers that what is really pursuing him is not danger but God’s relentless goodness and mercy.

This message calls us out of performance-based religion and into the security of God’s love. We don’t chase Him down. He chases u...

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Have you ever been so wronged that your heart burned for revenge? That desire feels like justice, but it’s not the same thing at all.

In this podcast, we explore the life-giving truth behind God’s words, “Vengeance is Mine.” Far from limiting us, this promise frees us from the exhausting burden of trying to make things right on our own. Through honest stories of hurt, grace, and healing, we examine how vengeance binds us to the past while God’s justice brings genuine restoration.

Forgiveness doesn’t say the wron...

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What if following Jesus wasn’t about proving yourself, but simply learning from Him? In this heartfelt living room conversation with friends Chris, David, and Robert, we explore Jesus’ invitation to “come learn of me” and discover how it changes everything.

So many of us live under the exhausting pressure to earn God’s approval. But Jesus offers a radically different way—one where transformation flows from proximity, not performance. As David shares, “The longer we’re close to Jesus, the more we become like Him, meeker, more gentle, humble, accessible, kind, and loving...

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What if rest wasn’t about doing less, but about being with the right Teacher? In Matthew 11, Jesus gives the only self-description of His heart in the whole Bible: “I am meek and lowly.” And in the same breath, He invites us to take His yoke and find rest for our souls.

In Jesus’ day, a rabbi’s “yoke” meant his interpretation of the law—a list of rules to follow. But Jesus offers something radically different. His yoke isn’t about religious performance but relationship. He doesn’t pile on more requirements...

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Already Home. Dwelling in the Presence of God

Finding our true home in God’s presence changes everything about how we see our lives and our faith. In this final message on Psalm 23, we reflect on David’s profound declaration, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever,” and what it means for us today.

The Hebrew word for “dwell” means to sit down, abide, and remain permanently. This isn’t about occasional visits to God when life gets hard. It’s about living constantly in His presence. After...

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Never Alone 

Discovering the Shepherd’s Presence in Psalm 23

The most profound truth about your life is that you are never alone. Today, we step back into Psalm 23, where David, facing some of his darkest moments, anchors his hope in the unshakable presence of the Shepherd.

David doesn’t boast about perfect circumstances or having everything he wants. Instead, he clings to the One who stays when everyone else leaves. From peace to danger, from abundance to scarcity, from life to death, the Shepherd’s prese...

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Dwelling With God. The Heartbeat of Scripture

What if the central theme of the Bible isn’t rules, rituals, or religious performance, but God’s relentless desire to be with His people? In this final message on Psalm 23, we explore the breathtaking truth behind David’s words, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

From evening walks in Eden to the tabernacle in the wilderness, from Jesus “pitching His tent” among us to the Spirit living inside believers today, we trace the storyline of a God who keeps movi...

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Episode Title: I Will Fear No Evil

Fear has a way of showing what we truly worship. Whether it’s bridges and airplanes or financial ruin and health scares, our deepest anxieties expose the authority we’ve given to our circumstances. In this episode, we explore Psalm 23:4 and discover that fear is more than an emotion; it’s actually misplaced reverence.

David’s bold words, “I will fear no evil,” weren’t written from a place of comfort. He was in “the valley of the shadow of death,” facing d...

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Are you ready to transform your relationship with food, not just for a short time, but for good? Join us for an honest conversation with Katie, who discovered a new freedom through the carnivore diet after years of battling cravings and confusion.

This is not a diet fad or a one-size-fits-all promise. Katie’s journey is about letting go of food rules and learning what it means to feel truly satisfied and at peace with eating. She says it plainly: fat is your friend. For her, embracing fat was the key to...

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Psalm 23 is poetry for people in dark places. In this episode, we step into David’s words, “my cup runs over,” and discover what it means to find God’s abundance right in the middle of pain, betrayal, and loss. David didn’t write from a palace. He wrote from a cave, surrounded by threats and uncertainty. Yet he still saw God’s goodness overflowing in his life.

What does it mean for your cup to overflow when everything around you feels empty? We’ll talk about how God’s presence chang...

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“Sugar is delicious. You’re lying if you say it’s not,” Katie laughs, and she means it. But for two years now, she hasn’t touched the stuff. Not because of iron willpower, but because life on the carnivore diet has changed her from the inside out emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

For years, mood swings and low moments just felt like her “normal.” Irritability and emotional crashes were part of daily life. It wasn’t until her husband looked her in the eyes and said, “I don’t care what it costs...

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Could eating only meat really change your life? For missionary mom Katie Gardner, the answer was a surprising yes.

After years of feeling unwell, exhausted, battling hormonal chaos, and hearing the phrase “your tests look normal” from doctors who had no real answers, Katie stumbled across a radical idea online: the carnivore diet. At first, it sounded ridiculous. But with nothing left to lose, she took the leap.

Those first three weeks weren’t easy. Doubts and withdrawal symptoms nearly sent her back to her old habits. But th...

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Followed by Mercy: The Shepherd Who Never Lets Go

Do you realize that God has been pursuing you from the very start? In this episode, we dive into the final verse of Psalm 23, where David confidently declares, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” This isn’t just the happy ending to a famous psalm. It’s the beautiful truth that our spiritual journey is, in fact, God’s pursuit of us from beginning to end.

It’s easy to believe that faith is about chasin...

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Have you ever stopped to wonder if God’s goodness is actually chasing you down even when it feels like everything else is falling apart? In this episode, we dig deep into the words of Psalm 23:6 and discover that “surely goodness and mercy shall follow me” means much more than just trailing behind. In the original Hebrew, “follow” describes a love that pursues you relentlessly, fiercely, the way an army hunts down a prize. It’s the same word used for tracking enemies, except here, it’s God’s kindness refusing to quit on you.

Da...

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How could David write, "my cup runs over," when his life was falling apart or had already fallen apart? Let's take a look at Psalm 23 and the story behind it. David didn't write from a place of safety or celebration. He was running for his life, barefoot and heartbroken, surrounded by betrayal and loss. Yet somehow, in the shadows, he spoke of abundance.

What changed? It wasn't David's circumstances. It was where he put his focus. Instead of staring down his enemies, he looked to his Shepherd, the One who...

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What if everything you believed about your spiritual worth was built on a misunderstanding? That inner critic telling you “you’re not enough” isn’t just mistaken, it’s denying the truth Christ has already spoken.

In this deeply personal episode of Followed by Mercy, Austin Gardner sits down with his son, David, a missionary who has spent twenty years in Peru, to discuss the surprising and relentless mercy of God. David shares powerful stories of God’s provision from unexpected vehicles to last-minute financial help during furlough, which have carried his family t...

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Have you ever felt the crushing weight of shame? That heaviness that makes you want to keep your head down and hide from the world? “Thou anointest my head with oil,” those words from Psalm 23, offer a remedy that speaks to the heart of every person who’s ever felt unworthy.

David didn’t write this verse from the comfort of his palace. He wrote it on the run, stripped of everything, with his own son seeking his life. Yet, even in exile, he discovered something remarkable: the presence of his Shep...

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Ever feel like you’re hanging on by a thread? Like David hiding in a cave, surrounded by trouble, wondering if you’ll ever see daylight again? That’s exactly where Psalm 23 comes alive, especially those simple words, “thou anointest my head with oil.”

This episode, “Followed by Mercy,” goes below the surface of Psalm 23 and digs deep into what it means to be anointed in the valley. Our Shepherd applying the oil wasn't just a nice touch; it was a healing, protective, and comforting gesture for the wounded sheep. For David, it...

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What if the secret to peace isn't gaining more control, but surrendering it?

Do you ever feel like the world is spinning out of control, and it's up to you to hold everything together? In this episode, host Austin Gardner welcomes Robert Canfield, president of Taking the Light Ministries, for an honest conversation about a different way to find peace, one that doesn't depend on having all the answers.

Drawing from the ancient wisdom of Psalm 131, Robert and Austin explore David's gentle picture of a soul at...

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Ever felt like God's love is something you have to earn? In today's episode, Austin Gardner sits down with Robert Canfield for a conversation that might breathe fresh hope into your weary soul.

Together, they pull back the curtain on the exhausting cycle of performance-based religion—a cycle that leaves so many believers tired, ashamed, and feeling like God's love is always just out of reach. Robert shares powerful stories from his ministry, "Taking the Light," where radio broadcasts in Burkina Faso and Peru are reaching people who would never set fo...

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Ever feel like you’re alone in the storm? Like the darkness is closing in, and nobody sees what you’re going through? What if the valley you’re dreading is the place where God wants to show you just how close He really is?

Psalm 23 isn’t a song for the dead; it’s hope for the living. David wrote it while running for his life, betrayed by his own son. He wasn’t sitting by quiet waters. He was in deep trouble and heartbreak, yet he found a peace he cou...

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When life unravels, when trust is broken, when loss or disappointment corners us, Psalm 23 calls us to something deeper than just survival. It offers a way of seeing the world that lifts our eyes from the storm to the unchanging presence of our Shepherd. 

David wasn’t a stranger to suffering. He knew what it meant to be pursued, misunderstood, and weighed down by regret. Yet in his darkest hours, David didn’t just wish for better days; he chose radical trust. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”...

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When David said, “Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me,” he wasn’t talking about punishment; he was describing a Shepherd who stands between His sheep and danger, who guides and rescues, and who is always for us, even in the darkest valleys.

In today’s episode, we slow down with Psalm 23 to explore the real meaning behind the Shepherd’s rod and staff. These ancient tools aren’t about breaking sheep, but protecting them. The rod was a club to drive off predators, a symbol of God’s fierce protect...

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What You See Is What You Get: The Power of Spiritual Vision

“What you see is what you get” isn’t just for computers or graphic design; it’s a profound spiritual truth that can shape the entire trajectory of your life. When all you see are your problems—your pain, the bills piling up, broken relationships, or dreams that feel out of reach—you get more of the same. But God offers us a different lens.

In this episode, you’ll discover how the giants you face don’t hav...

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Shadows have a way of twisting reality. They make dangers look bigger than they are, and fears feel closer than they’ve ever been. The “valley of the shadow of death” isn’t just poetry. It’s the honest experience of walking through seasons so dark you can almost feel death breathing down your neck.

In this episode, we take a deep look at Psalm 23 and what it truly means to walk through the valley of shadows. The Hebrew concept of “shadow” encompasses more than just a hint of darkness. It’s a place o...

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What if the most incredible spiritual truth you need right now is also the simplest? You are never alone.

David once celebrated that God was with him in the valley, but as followers of Jesus, we have something even more astonishing—Christ isn’t just beside us; He has moved in. The Holy Spirit hasn’t just stopped by for a visit or promised to stand close in times of hardship. He’s made His home in the middle of our mess, inside our very bodies, as our Comforter and constant...