Explore every episode of the podcast The Christian Habits Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lie: This Year Will Be Different… Right? | 30 déc. 2025 | 00:10:49 | |
Every January, we feel it: fresh starts, new motivation, and the quiet confidence that this year will be different. We make lists, set goals, and imagine a better version of ourselves waiting just around the corner. And yet, for many of us, a few weeks or months later, we’re right back where we started—discouraged, frustrated, and wondering why change feels so hard. If you’ve ever told yourself “This year will be different” and then watched nothing really change, this post is for you. Where the Belief ‘This Year Will Be’ Different’Comes FromThe belief “this year will be different” usually comes from New Year’s euphoria. Everything feels possible. Our goals feel exciting instead of heavy. It’s like standing at an all‑you‑can‑eat buffet of goals—career, health, habits, relationships, spiritual growth—and piling our plates high. This belief also shows up anytime we start something new:
We assume that because the thing is new, the outcome will be new. But there’s one thing we forget. The Part We Carry Into Every New StartNo matter how new the system, plan, or habit is… we bring ourselves into it. If we approach new goals with the same patterns, the same expectations, and the same mindset we’ve always used, the results won’t change—no matter how fresh the calendar feels. As the saying (often attributed to Einstein) goes: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” So the real truth is this: This year will only be different if we approach things differently. Why ‘This Year Will Be Different’ Usually FailsLet’s be honest about some common patterns that quietly sabotage our goals. 1. Too Many GoalsMany of us create long, impressive goal lists—so long they’re impossible to sustain. The result? We complete the easy or fun goals and ignore the rest. The unfinished goals linger all year, quietly fueling guilt and discouragement. 2. Relying on Willpower AloneWe assume writing a goal down will magically produce motivation. But willpower is unreliable, especially in areas we’ve never been consistent in before. Expecting sudden willpower is setting ourselves up to fail. 3. Doing It All on Our OwnSome goals can be done privately with God alone, but many are easier—and more sustainable—with support. Isolation often makes change heavier than it needs to be. 4. Expecting Fast and Easy ChangeWhen change doesn’t come quickly, we interpret struggle as failure. Discouragement sets in, and quitting feels logical—even inevitable. What Actually Makes ‘This Year Will Be Different’ Come TrueIf we want this year to be different in a real, lasting way, we need to change how we approach change itself. 1. Choose Fewer, Smaller GoalsInstead of a full year packed with resolutions, consider quarterly goals. Shorter time frames make goals feel more realistic and manageable. A helpful structure:
Less is often more. 2. Combine Practical Tools and Spiritual RenewalMost meaningful goals require both: Practically:
Spiritually:
Scripture reminds us that transformation happens through the renewing of the mind—not just trying harder. 3. Expect It to Take Time (and Include Failure)Lasting change is a process. You will fail along the way. That doesn’t mean you’re incapable—it means you’re human. Failure becomes destructive only when we let it lead to quitting. With God’s help, failure can become feedback instead of a verdict. 4. Don’t Do It AloneSupport matters. Whether it’s a local group, an online community, or structured accountability, having others alongside you lightens the load. That said, the most consistent support comes from walking closely with God—talking honestly with Him, renewing your mind, and persevering together. A Word of Encouragement for the JourneyThe goal isn’t instant transformation. The goal is faithful perseverance. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” — Galatians 6:9 Your future self will thank you—not for being perfect, but for not giving up. More than that, the journey itself draws you closer to God, who is ultimately in charge of the results. This year can be different—but not because the calendar changed. It will be different because you approached it differently, with honesty, wisdom, and God’s help. How to Stop Procrastinating CourseIf you’d like help with a difficult goal—so that this year really can be different— my online course will help. In addition to on-demand videos and practical, hands-on assignments, I’ll also be hosting some online “work parties” in January of 2026 for those enrolled in the class to work on your hard-to-make-yourself-do goals! Click on the image below for more info. How to Listen to This Podcast Episode
The post Lie: This Year Will Be Different… Right? appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Lie: It Shouldn’t Be This Hard to Change | 12 déc. 2025 | 00:15:17 | |
A couple of months ago, I sent out a survey asking which lies people struggle with the most—today’s lie came in #1: “It shouldn’t be this hard to change.” The next two? “I’ll never change” and “I can’t do this anyway, so why bother?” What’s interesting is that those second two lies come after repeated failure. But today’s lie—“It shouldn’t be this hard to change”—actually causes the failure. Why? Because if we believe change should be easy, we won’t put in the work required for real transformation. Let’s dig into this idea and replace the lie with biblical truth. Why We Believe Change Should Be EasyThis lie shows up most often when we’re trying to break a habit—but typically only at the very beginning of the journey. Once you’ve worked on change long enough, you learn (from experience!) that change is supposed to be hard. But if you’re new to the process or haven’t seen much progress yet, you’re far more likely to believe the lie, It shouldn’t be this hard to change. So where does this belief come from? 1. Our Culture—Especially MarketingWe live in a world that constantly tells us: Buy this product. Start this program. Take this course. It will be easy! Marketing promises quick, effortless transformation. That seeps into our thinking, so we assume change should just “happen”—no struggle, no sacrifice. It shouldn’t be hard to change… 2. Misunderstanding Christian GrowthSometimes, in the church, we unintentionally absorb the belief that spiritual growth should be easy, too—almost effortless. We think if we go to church, join a Bible study, or attend a small group, we’ll naturally glide into spiritual maturity. But that’s not how the Bible describes transformation. It uses words like training, fighting, resisting, disciplining, and battling. Real change takes intentional effort, spiritual weapons, and daily engagement with God. We Also Misunderstand What “Hard Work” Really IsMany of us think trying our hardest means “showing up,” like my husband did one day in high school when he told his mom he got a C on a test. “Well, you tried your best,” she said—except he hadn’t studied at all. Lesson learned? That effort meant simply being present. But effort is more than that, especially in spiritual growth. Breaking a stronghold, uprooting a generational sin, rewiring long-held thought patterns, or resisting a habit you’ve practiced for decades—all of that is hard work. A More Accurate Picture: Training for a MarathonIf someone told you to run a marathon in six months, you wouldn’t think, “I’ll just show up that day.” You’d know it required effort, planning, discipline, and sacrifice. Yet we rarely apply that same mindset to our spiritual or emotional habits—even though the Bible clearly portrays transformation as a spiritual battle. The Truth We NeedIf I’m trying to change a stronghold, a generational sin, a long-term habit, or a behavior fueled by years of thinking, it will be extremely hard—and that’s completely normal. Hard doesn’t mean impossible. Hard doesn’t mean God isn’t with you. Hard doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. Hard simply means you’re fighting a real battle. What the Bible Says About Hard ChangeHebrews 12 is a perfect picture of this struggle. It reminds us that resisting sin is painful, that discipline doesn’t feel good in the moment, and that even Jesus sweat drops of blood in His fight against temptation. But it also reminds us that discipline produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those trained by it (Hebrews 12:11). That harvest is coming—if we don’t give up. How to Renew Your Mind for This LieWhen it comes to working hard on growth in the areas God wants us to change, that hard work looks like lots of renewing our mind—multiple times a day. Towards the end of the podcast episode, I share some different ways to renew your mind for the lie, It shouldn’t be this hard to change. I give an example for Scripture meditation, truth journaling, and using the Tired of the Struggle questions from my book, Renewing of the Project. Here are the truths I shared in the podcast as examples of what you could write down when you’re truth journaling the lie, It shouldn’t be this hard to change. The last truth is a truth journal entry from my 2002 journal! : Belief: It shouldn’t be this hard to change. Truths:
Listen to the podcast for more insights and to renew your mind along with me! If you have a friend who is struggling with change in some area of their lives, please share this post or podcast episode with them. How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Lie: It Shouldn’t Be This Hard to Change appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Lie: I Want to Do This (So I Should) | 20 nov. 2025 | 00:15:00 | |
Have you ever noticed how quickly a desire turns into a justification? That looks good—so I should eat it. This lie shows up everywhere, especially in the habits we struggle with: overeating, overspending, over-scrolling, overworking… basically anything where desire takes the wheel and drives us somewhere we later regret. Often people tell me, “I don’t know what I’m thinking. I can’t pinpoint the lie I’m believing.” This makes it hard to truth journal because we need to begin with a lie if we want to put the truth to it. In today’s Christian Habits Podcast episode, I cover a lie you can always use to truth journal whenever you feel like breaking your boundaries with a habit: I want to do this, so I should. At its core, this lie is about desire: we want something. When we believe this lie, we assume that desire equals permission. But desire isn’t a good decision-maker. Where the Lie Comes FromCulture constantly tells us: Follow your heart. You deserve it. Live your truth. And while that might work when our desires are healthy, it’s a terrible strategy when our desires lead us toward sin, addiction, struggles with our health and finances, relationship problems, and regret. God never designed desire to be our leader. He designed it to be something we steward. A Better Way to LiveRomans 13:14 gives us a completely different approach: “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh in regards to its lusts.” That means: 1. Put on Christ 2. Make no provision for the flesh Ask yourself:
For example: If your phone derails your day, stop keeping it nearby. No social media before a certain time. Put it in another room during work hours. Small barriers create big freedom. Renewing Your MindHere are a few truths you can use when you’re truth journaling today’s lie:
Transformation doesn’t happen by willpower. It happens by renewing your mind—catching the lie, replacing it with truth, and practicing that truth one decision at a time. And over time? Desire stops driving the car. Wisdom does. Truth does. Faith does. God does. And that is when real change begins. Listen to the full episode on the Christian Habits Podcast! I’ll give you a chance to renew your mind and go more in depth on the topic. I also share three of my own journal entries on this lie – dating back to 2006! Resources Mentioned on the Podcast
The post Lie: I Want to Do This (So I Should) appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| How to Develop a Consistent Quiet Time – Interview with Coffee and Bible Time | 22 oct. 2025 | 00:32:00 | |
Have you ever wondered how to study the Bible in a way that actually feels approachable—and even enjoyable? In this episode of the Christian Habits Podcast, I had the joy of sitting down with Ellen Krause, Ashley Armijo, and Taylor Mitchell—the inspiring mother-daughter team behind the Coffee and Bible Time ministry—to talk about their new book, The Easy Bible Study Method. These three women are passionate about helping others connect with God through Scripture in a simple, grace-filled way. Whether you’re brand new to Bible study or have struggled with consistency, this conversation is packed with encouragement and practical tools that can help you develop a quiet time that fits your life and strengthens your faith. What We Discussed on the Podcast
This conversation is a gentle reminder that Bible study doesn’t have to be complicated or intimidating. When we approach God’s Word with open hearts and simple tools, we find joy, peace, and the life-changing presence of Jesus—right in the middle of our busy, everyday lives. Listen to the full episode on the Christian Habits Podcast! Resources Mentioned on the Podcast
ASHLEY ARMIJO is cofounder of Coffee and Bible Time, a ministry that helps women learn how to delight in God’s Word and thrive in Christian living. She is an alumna of the Moody Bible Institute with a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Ministry Studies. It is Ashley’s passion to teach women how to study and delight in God’s Word whether that is online through Coffee and Bible Time or opening up her home to young women in the community. ELLEN KRAUSE aka Mentor Mama, is cofounder of Coffee and Bible Time with daughters Ashley and Taylor. She hosts the CBT Podcast, which equips people to delight in God’s Word and thrive in Christian Living! Ellen has been involved in women’s ministry for over 20 years and mentors women worldwide through CBT. Her MA in marketing and her years in corporate America help CBT flourish. TAYLOR MITCHELL is cofounder of Coffee and Bible Time. She holds a bachelor’s degree in pre-counseling and has devoted herself to extensive academic and personal study of the Bible. She is passionate about helping women apply biblical principles to their everyday lives, guiding them to grow closer to God through His Word. With a deep commitment to integrating spiritual and mental health, Taylor encourages women to embrace their true selves and feel fully loved.
The post How to Develop a Consistent Quiet Time – Interview with Coffee and Bible Time appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Encore: 10 Tips to Achieve Your Goals | 02 oct. 2025 | 00:32:06 | |
Do you ever set goals and fail to reach them? I used to do that all the time. The only goals I completed each year were my recreation goals! Over the years, though, I’ve learned some tips to help me be more successful with reaching goals. On today’s podcast, we’ll discuss ten tips about how to achieve your goals this year. I’ve asked my friend and fellow podcaster and writer, Dr. Melanie Wilson, to help me with this podcast as she is the master at completing goals! What We Discussed on the Podcast
This will be an on-demand video course with 17 lessons, three live Q&As (in October 2025), journaling questions, assignments, and an opportunity to find accountability partners. It also has a community feature so you can connect with others in the class. Click here to find more about the course. Resources Mentioned on the Podcast
Melanie Wilson is a Christian psychologist turned homeschool mother of six. She is also the author of a fascinating book called A Year of Living Productively. For one year, Melanie made a commitment to try a different productivity strategy, app, or program each week. In the book she shares how it went that week and what she liked and didn’t like about each of the productivity strategies. How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Encore: 10 Tips to Achieve Your Goals appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| 10 Lies That Make You Procrastinate | 18 sept. 2025 | 00:21:18 | |
Do you ever feel like you’ll never get caught up? I know that feeling because I’ve struggled with procrastination for most of my life. Here’s what I’ve discovered: it’s a two-fold process to break free. First, we need to renew our minds and change the way we think so we actually want to do our dreaded tasks. And second, we need to learn practical strategies and time management tools to help us get caught up. I talk about both in my new course, How to Stop Procrastinating, but today I want to share something that’s often overlooked—the subtle lies that make you procrastinate. Let’s uncover ten of the biggest ones together. (I share 40 in my new course.) 10 Lies That Make Us Procrastinate I go into these in more depth in my podcast episode, so I’ll just record a simple truth here for each lie. 1. This needs to be perfect.Truth: There is nothing perfect in life except God. So if I’m waiting for perfection, I’m working on an impossible goal. I subconsciously know it’s impossible and that makes me want to procrastinate! I will be far more likely to do hard things if I have more of a “Let’s just give this a try and see how it goes” attitude. Besides, God is in the habit of taking people who aren’t naturally good at what He called them to do (think Moses) and then equipping them for the calling. He can do that with me too! 2. It’s too hard. I can’t do it.Truth: If God wants me to do this, He’ll help me do it. I can’t do it perfectly. I can’t do it without struggle, and I can’t do it without the possibility of failing, but I can do it! It will be easier if I break it into steps first and start with the smallest step I can take without dreading it. A step I can actually make myself do. 3. I don’t feel like doing this (so I shouldn’t).Truth: Just because I don’t feel like doing something, that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t do it. What if I didn’t feel like feeding my newborn baby? I would still do it! In the Bible, God often called people to do things they didn’t feel like doing. Remember Jonah? On the other hand, sometimes we should stop doing things we don’t feel like doing if there isn’t a good reason to do them. It’s good to take time to think about those things and talk to God and others for wisdom. 4. This problem will go away if I ignore it long enough.Truth: It will never be easier to tackle than it is right now. The longer I put off problems, the bigger they get. Just think of putting off an uncomfortable conversation in a relationship. The longer you put it off, the more the problem grows, and the harder it is to bring it up. I have a whole lesson on how to solve problems promptly in my How to Stop Procrastinating course. 5. I work better under pressure so I’ll wait.Truth: Often, I only work under pressure so that’s why I think I work better under pressure! Sometimes this works but other times I run out of time and end up with a project I’m not happy with because I didn’t have enough time to do a good job on it. 6. If I don’t have a big block of time to work on this, it’s not worth doing.Truth: Often in life, all I have is little blocks of time, so if I want to actually do this, I need to adjust my expectations and do this in little blocks of time. I wrote my first book, Freedom from Emotional Eating, in 15 minute blocks of time because I had a houseful of kids and that’s all I could make myself do. 7. If it’s God will, things will go smoothly, I’ll have the desire to do it, and it will just happen without trying.Truth: Sadly, we can see from Scripture that this isn’t true. Think of Jonah, Moses, Jeremiah, and Elijah. God often calls us to do things that don’t go smoothly, that require a lot of effort on our part, and that we don’t want to do! Plus on a practical level, even if we like our work, there are days we’re not crazy about it. 8. Other things are more urgent so this can wait.Truth: I need to be careful not to let the urgent take over the important. I do that by making priorities (which we’ll talk more about in my procrastination class). 9. This will only take a minute, so I’ll just scroll/check email/etc. first.Truth: It usually takes far more than a minute, and even if it does only take a minute, that minute destroys my concentration. It can take ten or fifteen minutes to get it back again. I’m far better off making boundaries with my phone and not jumping on it whenever I feel like it. (Granted, this is easier said than done. I’m hoping to make a class on how to do this at some point – as soon as I learn how to do it myself!) 10. I’m just not the kind of person who follows through.Truth: I may not be a person who follows through right now, but God can help me change. Also, I do follow through in some areas of my life, just not all areas. Thankfully, I am a work in progress! If you’re interested in making progress in overcoming procrastination, check out my new online course below. Listen to the full episode on the Christian Habits Podcast! “How to Stop Procrastinating” CourseThis will be an on-demand video course with 17 lessons, three live Q&As, assignments, and an opportunity to find accountability partners (at the Q&As). Register by September 22, 2025 to take advantage of early bird pricing. Click here to find more about the course: How to Listen to the Podcast (Christian Habits)
The post 10 Lies That Make You Procrastinate appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| How to Stop Procrastinating: Early Bird Enrollment Open | 08 sept. 2025 | 00:01:59 | |
Feel like you’ll never get caught up? I used to feel that way. Either I had a million things to do and wasn’t doing any of them, or I was busy with all the easy tasks and ignoring the big ones because they were too hard, too boring, too scary, or I didn’t know how to do them. I felt overwhelmed and depressed—and I thought I’d never be able to change. But here’s the truth: God can help us change. He helped me, and He’ll help you! My new How to Stop Procrastinating course will give you an opportunity to go to God for help with change. We’ll tackle overcoming procrastination from both a spiritual and a practical standpoint. The course is designed to gently and practically guide you to a place of action and intention, so you can build momentum, stay consistent, and get caught up. This 4-week course includes:
This is your chance to move from feeling stuck to feeling empowered. You don’t have to keep living this way. Take the first step today and discover freedom in Christ! Right now, you can get the course at the special Early Bird price of $27. But don’t procrastinate (I had to say it! ) —this price is only available until September 22nd. After that, the price goes up to the regular price of $37. The post How to Stop Procrastinating: Early Bird Enrollment Open appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Linda Dillow: Hope for My Hurting Heart | 20 août 2025 | 00:35:50 | |
Have you ever faced a season so heavy you wondered how you’d get through the next hour—let alone the next year? Author Linda Dillow knows that place well. Today on the Christian Habits Podcast, we discuss eight “heart skills” that have helped her cling to God when life was unbearably hard from her new book, Hope for My Hurting Heart. Prepare to gain so much wisdom about dealing with grief and hardship from this episode. Finding Hope for Your Hurting HeartLinda is no stranger to writing about trusting God in difficult seasons. Her book Calm My Anxious Heart has encouraged thousands of women to lay down their worries and embrace contentment. But she admits she thought life might get easier as she got older. “Didn’t happen in my life,” she says wryly. The challenges came hard during COVID. Two of her four children—both daughters—were seriously ill, one undergoing chemo and the other also facing cancer. Travel restrictions and quarantines meant she couldn’t be with them when they needed her most. “I sat on my suitcases and cried,” she recalls. Then came the unthinkable: sitting beside her oldest daughter’s bed and watching her die. “I was in my seventies, and I hadn’t had cancer. I would have taken it from both my daughters if I could. Instead, I was watching them suffer—and my sons-in-law and grandchildren suffer.” A Declaration of HopeIn that season, Linda felt herself sliding from despair toward depression, despite reading the Word and worshiping. “I said, ‘God, I don’t want to slide down this slide. Show me what to do.’” She sensed God whisper: Make a declaration of hope before Me. So, on a yellow legal pad, she wrote three commitments:
That written declaration became her anchor. Whenever new waves of grief came, she would read it aloud: “I have hope in my God, and these things are true.” It kept her from going down the slide into despair. Learning from a Friend’s FaithLinda also tells the story of her longtime friend Valerie, who has endured decades of debilitating, undiagnosed illness, a painful divorce, and extreme dietary restrictions. Valerie’s response? She began memorizing the names of God—first ten, then fifty, then a hundred—declaring them daily. “She’s a woman of peace and faith, focused on others,” Linda says. “It proves what you teach, Barb—that we’re transformed by the renewing of our minds.” When Linda’s daughter Joy died, Valerie gave her a handmade “tree” displaying the hundred names of God. It now sits where Linda kneels to worship, reminding her to declare God’s character. The Heart Skill of Lament: Worship in a Minor KeyOne of Linda’s heart skills is lament—something she calls “worship in a minor key.” She points out that much of the Psalms is David weeping before God. “In our Christian culture, we want happy-clappy worship,” she says. “But God invites us to be honest with Him about our pain.” Linda believes lament is a vital step in moving from loss back to trust. In Hope for My Hurting Heart, she guides readers through a journey from hope and love, down through lament, and back up to trust, encouragement, and praise. Weeping TogetherThis season also brought a deeper intimacy with her husband, Jody. “We call it the weeping intimacy,” she says. “Is it something you want to sign up for? No. But we’re closer today because of it. Our whole family is closer because we’ve wept together.” Her granddaughter, a poet, even processed her grief by writing a book of poetry about her mom. “It’s not fun to go down into those hard places,” Linda says, “but if we stay on the surface, we never really heal.” If you’re walking through pain, Linda’s story—and the eight heart skills in her book—offer a way forward. Not a quick fix, but a steady path of clinging to God’s hope, even when your heart is breaking. You can find Hope for My Hurting Heart on Amazon. Listen to the full episode on the Christian Habits Podcast! Resources Mentioned on the Podcast
Linda Dillow is a bestselling author and a respected Bible teacher and conference speaker. Her books include Calm My Anxious Heart, Intimate Issues, and What’s It Like to Be Married to Me? Linda is the mother of four children, including one who is now with Jesus, and grandmother of ten. She and her husband, Jody, lived overseas for seventeen years and now make their home in Monument, Colorado.
The post Linda Dillow: Hope for My Hurting Heart appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Kristen Strong: How to Make and Keep Friends | 30 juil. 2025 | 00:32:29 | |
Have you ever felt like making friends used to be easy—but now it feels downright impossible? If you’re longing for deeper connection, author Kristen Strong gets it. In this episode of the Christian Habits Podcast, Kristen shares practical advice and hard-won wisdom about how to make friends when it doesn’t come naturally anymore from her book Desperate Woman Seeks Friends: Real Talk About Connection, Rejection, and Trying Again for the Friendships You Need. Whether you’re navigating a new season of life or just feeling a little lonely, I think you’ll walk away from our conversation with encouraged. How to Make and Keep FriendsKristen grew up in a small Oklahoma town, surrounded by extended family. “I didn’t have to work hard to make friends,” she said. Even in college, she moved with a group of familiar faces. But that all changed when she transferred colleges to follow her husband, Dave, during his military assignment. “I just assumed I would have instant friends,” she said. “I thought the Lord would just apparate them to my doorstep like in Harry Potter.” Instead, she found herself isolated for the first time in her life. It was a turning point. “I had to learn how to connect,” Kristen said. “And now, I’ve written the book I wish I’d had back then.” The Friendship DeficitThese days, many of us are in the same boat Kristen was in. Life changes, seasons shift, and even our culture doesn’t make it easy. Kristen pointed out that in Western society, independence is often valued over interdependence. “We like our space,” she said, “but that can convince us we don’t need friends.” And social media? “It can scratch the itch for connection, but it doesn’t satisfy,” Kristen shared. “It’s like eating breadcrumbs all day instead of sitting down to a nourishing meal.” Showing Up, Opening Up, Praying UpKristen offers three pillars for cultivating friendships: 1. Showing Up“Friendship rarely happens by accident anymore,” Kristen said. “You have to show up where people are—and keep showing up.” That might mean joining a regular group at church, taking a class, or saying yes to that coffee invite, even when it feels awkward. She encourages people to think practically: “What do you already enjoy? Is there a way to do it with others?” 2. Opening Up“Opening your home is like opening your heart,” Kristen told me. And it doesn’t have to be impressive. “People don’t care how clean your house is. They care that you made room for them.” She’s hosted friends for frozen pizza or a glass of water on the porch while the kids played. “Not every person I’ve had in my house became a great friend—but every great friend has been in my house.” 3. Praying UpKristen is intentional about praying for friendships—and encourages others to do the same. “Jesus had friends. If He needed friends, we certainly do. And God will be faithful to answer that prayer,” she said. “But we have to partner with Him in the process.” Don’t Let Fear WinI asked Kristen what she would say to someone who’s weary of putting themselves out there—especially if they’ve been hurt before. Her response was both gentle and bold. “I’ve been there. I’ve said, ‘Women are tricky. I don’t know if friendship is worth it.’ But I don’t want someone to miss out on what God has for them—or for others to miss out on her.” She reminded us that even Jesus was betrayed by a close friend. “He understands,” she said. “Take your fears and frustrations to Him.” Friendship is Worth the WorkWhether you’re twenty-five or fifty-five, building new friendships takes effort. “You’re not in a petri dish of peers anymore,” Kristen explained. “The older you get, the more intentional you have to be.” But it’s worth it—for your emotional and physical health. Loneliness, she pointed out, has been shown to be as dangerous as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. And even short-term friendships can become long-term blessings. “You never know what you’ll receive in that season,” Kristen said. “Even if someone’s only in your life for a short time, the connection can last.” A Real-Life TestimonyKristen has leaned on her friends through difficult seasons in recent years. “I don’t know how I would have handled it without them,” she said. She compared it to the story of Aaron and Hur holding up Moses’s arms during battle. “My friends have done that for me—and I’ve done it for them. It’s a gift.” And sometimes, those friendships sharpen us. “A good friend once pointed out a critical spirit in me,” she said. “I had to admit she was right, and it helped me turn a corner.” Final ThoughtsIf you’re feeling isolated or discouraged, you’re not alone—and you’re not out of options. As Kristen reminded us: “God works through both the verse and the voice. We need Scripture, but we also need people.” So take the risk. Make the coffee date. Open your door, even if it’s messy. And pray for the courage to try again. You might be surprised by the friends He brings your way. Listen to the full episode on the Christian Habits Podcast! Resources Mentioned on the Podcast
Kristen Strong, whose authored books include Girl Meets Change and When Change Finds You, also compiled the 90-day devotional, Praying Through Loneliness. She writes as a friend walking alongside you in your lonely season to a more helpful, hopeful destination. She loves sharing laughs, long talks, and meaningful stories with family and friends while holding a cup of strong black tea. She and her US Air Force veteran husband, David, have three beloved adult children.
The post Kristen Strong: How to Make and Keep Friends appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Whitney English: Organizing Your Home, Life, and Work | 09 juil. 2025 | 00:37:44 | |
What if the secret to getting your home in order wasn’t just about having more storage—but about asking better questions? That’s what I discovered in my latest conversation with artist and author Whitney English. She joined me on the Christian Habits Podcast to talk about her book Organize First, Decorate Second: How to Go from Clutter to Creativity—and the deeper life lessons behind our desire to get organized. Getting Organized at Home, Life, and WorkWhitney English may be best known for her art, but she also has a gift for systems—and for simplifying the big picture so you can take your next small step. “When I started writing this book,” she said, “I thought it was going to be about decorating. But the phrase organize first, decorate second came to me while I was trying to tackle a project in my own home. And I realized, if I couldn’t teach people how to organize, I couldn’t really help them decorate either.” That honest realization led her on a journey of self-examination: how do we form habits that actually work? And more importantly, how do we live them out? As Whitney shared, “I had to analyze my own habits. Because what good is a plan if you never get around to executing it?” Whitney is the first to admit that she’s great at dreaming and planning. “I love being in the messy middle,” she said. “That’s where all the discoveries happen. But it’s also where I tend to get stuck. Hitting ‘publish’—or putting the paintbrush down—is the hard part for me.” So what changed? “I had to learn how to finish things,” Whitney said. “Now, on days when I don’t feel like doing anything, I just ask: What can I finish today? That one question gets me moving.” Three Questions That Can Change EverythingWhitney shared the simple questions she asks herself when she’s feeling overwhelmed. These aren’t just productivity tips—they’re mindset shifts:
“What’s not working?” It’s a question that helps us step back from the chaos and see the big picture. And as Whitney pointed out, asking questions like these brings us back to the present moment—where we can actually do something about it. That shift in perspective helped her identify a pain point in her afternoons: “The after-school hours weren’t working. So we started the tradition of having 4:00 tea. It gave us a moment to breathe, and it totally changed the rhythm of our day.” Whether it’s clutter on your desk, chaos in your calendar, or an idea that’s stuck in your head, these questions can help you move forward. “They make you reverse-engineer your reality,” Whitney said. “Instead of focusing on the end goal, you come back to the now. And clarity lives in the now.” Systems, Stories, and the Beauty That Grounds UsEven though Whitney is deeply practical, she’s also deeply creative. She loves beauty—especially the kind that tells a story. “You get into meaning when things are beautiful,” she said. “It adds story, and story adds meaning. And that’s something we’re all craving right now.” But that doesn’t mean you need to spend a fortune to create beauty. Whitney encourages her readers to start with what they have: rearrange the furniture, thrift something unique, or simply look at your space with new eyes. As she says in the book, “Sometimes, it’s not about organizing more. It’s about recognizing the systems you already have—like your morning routine—and deciding whether they’re actually working for you.” And when they’re not? You tweak them. You finish what you started. You live the life you planned on paper. More Than a Book on DeclutteringOrganize First, Decorate Second isn’t just a guide to get organized—it’s an invitation to look at your life with fresh eyes, to tell a better story with the things you keep, and to ask the questions that lead to clarity, freedom, and peace. If you’d like to see more of Whitney’s beautiful work—both her art and her practical wisdom—you can check out her website and blog at whitneyenglish.com. Listen to the full episode on the Christian Habits Podcast! Resources Mentioned on the Podcast
Whitney English believes that anyone can live a beautiful life. She believes that gratitude is the birthplace of joy, that people matter, that love is the answer, that if you’re real you can’t be ugly, that everyone is creative and some of us have just forgotten, and that it’s worth trying to be a better version of yourself today than you were yesterday. She has boot-strapped two businesses to seven figures, has a degree in interior design, studied management at Parsons in New York City, and has had her work featured in O magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and on the Today Show (twice). She was featured as one of Country Living magazine’s Women Entrepreneurs in 2008. One of her favorite dreams-come-true, though, is her husband David, and their three children.
The post Whitney English: Organizing Your Home, Life, and Work appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Chip Ingram: Choosing Joy When Life is Hard | 18 juin 2025 | 00:48:35 | |
Do you ever find yourself dwelling on the negative? Or complaining a little too much? Today’s guest, Chip Ingram, knows exactly what that’s like. In fact, his powerful journey through chronic pain and hardship is what led him to write his book, I Choose Joy: Change Your Perspective, Change Your Life. In our conversation, Chip shared how renewing your mind—a biblical practice that transforms how we think—became his pathway to experiencing joy in the midst of overwhelming circumstances. Choosing Joy When Life is HardChip’s story starts with something so ordinary—playing basketball. But that game ended with a herniated disc, setting him on a seven-year journey through chronic pain, multiple surgeries, and long, grueling rehab sessions. During those years, Chip was pastoring a large church, managing four services every Sunday, and trying to push through life as if everything was normal. But life wasn’t normal. Over time, Chip’s perspective darkened, though he didn’t see it until his wife gently pointed it out by asking, “Do you recognize how negative you’ve become?” That question stopped him. He didn’t want to admit it, but she was right. The Turning Point: Renewing His MindIn what Chip describes as the sovereignty of God, he was invited to speak at the Billy Graham Conference on Philippians 1—Paul’s letter written while chained under house arrest. Paul’s words radiated joy despite his circumstances, and that intrigued Chip. Paul wasn’t pretending life was easy. He was chained, facing possible execution, yet his focus was still on God and others. Chip realized he needed to retrain his mind, to deliberately change his perspective. “I basically went into training to renew my mind. I had to retrain my thinking to get perspective, and as I did, it revolutionized my life and my joy—even in the midst of great pain.” This wasn’t about wishful thinking or ignoring hardship. It was about forming habits that would lead to joy. The Joy FormulaAs the son of a math and science teacher, Chip began to see a pattern in Paul’s letter: C (Circumstance) + P (Perspective) = E (Experience) Chip explained that we have very little control over our circumstances. But we have 100% control over our perspective. And our perspective will shape our experience. He discovered four questions from Philippians 1 that help shift our perspective from victimhood to joy: Question 1: Where’s your focus?Chip learned to ask himself: Am I focusing upward (on God and gratitude) and outward (on others)? “As soon as I focused upward and outward, my perspective changed.” Question 2: What’s your purpose?Ask, “How can God use this?” instead of “Why is this happening to me?” “God’s purpose isn’t to make me happy and pain-free—it’s to fulfill His greater plan.” Question 3: Where’s your hope?Chip saw how easy it is to build our hope on “if-then” statements: If I get married, if I succeed, if my health returns… “But hope grounded in Christ is unshakable—even when circumstances don’t improve.” Question 4: What are your expectations?“We often expect life to go well if we’re faithful, but Scripture tells us it’s been granted to us not just to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for His sake.” Joy is a Spiritual DisciplineChip emphasized that choosing joy isn’t easy, instant, or natural. It’s a spiritual discipline that takes intentional, repeated effort. “You can develop a habit of seeing life through a negative lens, but you can also train yourself to choose joy. You have to go into training for the habit of joy.” And, as C.S. Lewis put it, “Joy is the serious business of heaven.” Chip also shared that small daily choices matter—like how we start our day. If the first thing we do is open our phones and flood our minds with the world’s noise, negativity will set the tone. But if we start by focusing on God, we can experience a mindset shift. The Unexpected FruitPerhaps the most beautiful part of Chip’s story is what God did through his pain. Out of this difficult season came a ministry that now serves pastors worldwide. What started as an encouraging phone call during rehab turned into an international movement that has trained over 400,000 pastors across continents. “My circumstance didn’t change, but God’s purposes were fulfilled in ways I never could have imagined.” You can hear Chip’s full story, the four questions that can change your life, and his practical wisdom in the episode: “Chip Ingram: Choosing Joy When Life is Hard” on the Christian Habits Podcast. And if you’d like to dig deeper into the daily habits that help you experience joy, you can find his book, I Choose Joy, wherever books are sold. Listen to the full episode on the Christian Habits Podcast! Resources Mentioned on the Podcast
Chip Ingram is the teaching pastor and CEO of Living on the Edge, an international teaching and discipleship ministry. A pastor for more than thirty years, Chip is the author of many books, including Holy Ambition and The Invisible War. Chip and his wife, Theresa, have four grown children and twelve grandchildren and live in California.
The post Chip Ingram: Choosing Joy When Life is Hard appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Ann Wilson: How to Speak Life to Your Husband | 04 juin 2025 | 00:32:16 | |
Do you often find yourself giving “helpful suggestions” to your husband? Are you silently annoyed with him much of the time? Or have you made a habit of criticizing him either out loud or in your mind? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’ll love this conversation with Ann Wilson, author of How to Speak Life to Your Husband (When All You Want to Do is Yell at Him). Ann brings so much wisdom, humility, and hope to this episode. Prepare to walk away encouraged and challenged in the best way. How to Speak Life to Your HusbandAnn’s journey toward understanding the power of her words started with what she thought was going to be a normal speaking event alongside her husband, Dave. What she didn’t expect? Dave’s confession to the audience: “Sometimes husbands feel that the moment we walk through the door, our wives are booing us.” Ouch. Ann was stunned—and a little defensive. But instead of dismissing it, she asked God a hard question: Am I booing my husband? The answer was yes. That moment sent her on a path of personal change. She began to see that what she thought was “helping” her husband actually came across as constant correction. As she put it, “God began showing me that I was praying for Dave to change, but God wanted to change me.” And that’s when everything started to shift. What’s It Like to Be Married to Me?Ann started using the reflection question, What’s it like to be married to me? It’s a sobering thought—and a helpful one. She realized her thoughts and internal monologue about Dave had turned negative. “I’d get stuck in this spiral, thinking about all the ways he wasn’t seeing me or showing up.” But instead of venting or stewing, she sensed God nudging her: What would happen if you prayed for him as much as you complained about him? That one question was a game-changer. She started to notice how even her everyday speech had a pattern: “You should do this” or “Have you tried that?”—instructive, not encouraging. She laughs about it now, but it was a wake-up call that her way of communicating wasn’t life-giving. Small Words, Big ImpactOne day, she paused before dinner and intentionally thanked Dave in front of their kids. His response? “I saw the book you were reading, and I know you said that because you read it in a book, but I don’t even care. It felt so good.” That’s when she began to understand how deeply our husbands—like all of us—long to know: Am I doing okay? Does she believe in me? Ann shared a fascinating study from the Arbinger Institute, which showed that we communicate more from our way of being than from our words or behavior. “So even if you’re saying the right thing,” she explained, “your husband can feel it if you don’t believe it.” The Helper Who Stands Toe-to-ToeAnn also dove into the Hebrew meaning behind Genesis 2:18, where God says He will make a “helper suitable” for man. The word “helper” in Hebrew is azer, the same word used to describe God as Israel’s rescuer in battle. And “suitable”? That comes from kenegdo, meaning “to stand toe-to-toe.” “Being a helper isn’t weak,” Ann says. “It means standing side-by-side, back-to-back with your husband. Fierce, protective, and obedient to God’s calling—even when it’s hard.” One theologian told her, “When a man stands toe-to-toe with his wife, he sees, in her eyes, the man he could become.” That line really stuck with both of us. What are our husbands seeing in our eyes? From Criticism to PrayerWhen it comes to knowing when and how to say something hard, Ann now starts with prayer: “God, should I bring it up? If yes, when and how? If not, should I say anything—and if so, what?” She admits she still sometimes feels the urge to help, especially with her adult kids. “But now, I advise less and pray more.” She even fasts and prays regularly with a group of women—something she recommends for anyone wanting to grow spiritually and relationally. And the fruit of those changes? One of Ann’s friends started a gratitude journal for her husband, writing out one thing each day she appreciated about him. On his birthday, she gave it to him. He read it and cried. Why? “Because I feel like I’m constantly failing,” he said, “and when I read her words, it motivated me to be the man she saw instead of the man I felt I was.” That’s the power of speaking life. If you’re longing to be a better wife and love your husband well—even when it’s hard—you can check out Ann’s book, How to Speak Life to Your Husband (When All You Want to Do is Yell at Him). You can find it on Amazon or wherever books are sold. And if you’d like to connect with Ann, you can find her and Dave at @daveannwilson on Instagram and Facebook. Let’s keep asking God to help us see the greatness in the people we love—and to speak life every chance we get. Listen to the full episode on the Christian Habits Podcast! Resources Mentioned on the Podcast
Ann Wilson has served with her husband for more than twenty-five years, cofounding Kensington Community Church, speaking at FamilyLife’s Weekend to Remember®, and hosting their own marriage conferences across the country. They live in the Detroit area, and they have three grown sons, CJ, Austin, and Cody; three daughters-in-law; and seven grandchildren.
The post Ann Wilson: How to Speak Life to Your Husband appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Charles Stone: Stress Less | 21 mai 2025 | 00:25:58 | |
Have you ever felt like stress was running the show—pulling the strings on your thoughts, your body, even your faith? I know I have. In this episode, I chat with author and pastor Charles Stone to talk about what stress really is, why it sticks around, and how we can respond in ways that heal rather than harm. We explore powerful, practical tools to deal with stress grounded in both Scripture and neuroscience—including what it means to “soak your soul,” how monks can teach us to pause, and why your stress might be trying to tell you something deeper. How to Deal with StressStress is like a coin. One side is the event—that thing that blindsides you at work, the argument that sits heavy in your chest, or the endless to-do list. But the flip side? That’s your response. And that’s where hope lives. In his practical and grace-filled book Stress Less: 9 Habits from the Bible and Brain Science to Build Resilience and Reduce Anxiety, Charles Stone shares how we can manage our stress response—physiologically, emotionally, and spiritually—without it managing us. With insights rooted in neuroscience and biblical truth, the message is clear: stress doesn’t have to define you, but it can refine you. Here are a few key takeaways to help you start finding calm in the chaos. Understand What Stress Really IsStress is your brain and body’s natural reaction to a perceived threat or demand. It shows up in two main forms:
When we encounter stress, our sympathetic nervous system kicks in—revving us up for action. This releases cortisol, a hormone we need in moderation. But if cortisol remains elevated for too long, even if the threat is only perceived, it can take a toll on your body, relationships, and even your spiritual life. Soak Your SoulEven Jesus—fully God, yet fully human—regularly took time to be alone with the Father. If he needed those quiet moments, how much more do we? Charles introduces the concept of “soaking your soul”—intentional time in God’s presence through spiritual practices like prayer, meditation, contemplation, and rest. These aren’t just feel-good rituals; science confirms that they help activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which calms you down and lowers your stress response. According to Charles, “God wired us so that soaking our soul actually reduces our stress response.” So if you feel distant from God, know this: He hasn’t left. Sometimes, like the prophet Elijah when his stress got the best of him, it’s as simple as needing a snack, a nap… or time to breathe and be still. Pick One to Three Habits (Not All Nine)The book outlines nine neuroscience-backed habits for stress resilience. But don’t try to tackle them all at once—Charles encourages readers to focus on just one to three that resonate. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s progress. Some of these habits include:
We can’t always know what’s coming. But in Psalm 125:1, David reminds us that those who trust in the Lord are as secure as a mountain. That kind of certainty doesn’t come from ruminating or problem-solving—it comes from surrender. Charles reminds us, “God is who He says He is. He loves you. His Word is true.” That’s where we anchor ourselves when life spins sideways. Practical Hope for Your EverydayWhether you’re in a season of chronic stress or just trying to make it through the day, there’s hope. With biblical rhythms, brain science, and grace for your humanness, Stress Less offers tools to help you deal with stress without it mastering you. Remember: You were never meant to carry it all. God’s presence is the safest place to set it down. Listen to the full episode on the Christian Habits Podcast! Resources Mentioned on the Podcast
Charles Stone (MDiv, DMin, PhD) has served for forty-three years in vocational ministry, thirty of those years as a senior pastor. He recently completed a nine-year role as lead pastor of West Park Church in London, Ontario, Canada, a multicultural congregation with over a thousand attendees. He has authored eight books and now serves as a coaching consultant to pastors and leaders. Over three hundred of his articles have appeared in magazines and online in publications such as Outreach Magazine, Leadership Journal, Pastors.com, SermonCentral.com, and Churchleaders.com. Charles and his wife, Sherryl, have been married for forty-five years and have three adult children and five grandchildren. You can reach him through his website at www.charlesstone.com.
The post Charles Stone: Stress Less appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Kyle Idleman: Every Thought Captive | 07 mai 2025 | 00:36:17 | |
What if the key to lasting change isn’t trying harder but thinking differently? If you’ve been trying to white-knuckle your way to freedom from habits and behaviors that hold you back, this conversation may be the breath of fresh air you need to reframe your approach. Listen as I chat with pastor and author Kyle Idleman about his upcoming book, Every Thought Captive: Calm the Mental Chaos That Keeps You Stuck, Drains Your Hope, and Holds You Back, and how renewing our minds—not just modifying our behavior—leads to true transformation. How to Take Every Thought Captive to ChristFor years, Kyle focused on behavior modification for changing his habits, but eventually realized this approach was missing something. “When we shift our thinking,” he said, “we begin to experience real freedom.” Like dieting, behavior change alone doesn’t last unless you address the thought patterns behind it. We both agreed that taking thoughts captive—choosing truth over reaction—is the real work of transformation. Kyle pointed out that this kind of change isn’t quick or automatic. It takes intentionality, grace, and a willingness to stay the course. A Daily Practice of Mind RenewalKyle shared his simple but powerful habit: starting and ending each day by renewing his mind. In the morning, he visualizes his day, thanks God for specific things, and speaks Scripture aloud. He did an experiment—one month with this habit and one month without—and found a dramatic difference in his peace, focus, and overall mindset. Evening renewal helps him bring his thoughts back to truth before the day ends. “It may feel unnatural at the beginning,” he said, “but the more you do it, the more natural—and life-giving—it becomes.” Five Thought Patterns That Keep Us StuckIn Every Thought Captive, Kyle explores five common mental struggles: insecurity, distraction, offense, misplaced pleasure, and despair. He chose these because they’re universal—and they illustrate how transformation begins in the mind. One story that stood out was when Kyle received a sharp email. His initial reaction was offense. But when he called the sender, he found out that person was in deep pain. That moment shifted everything. “It’s to your glory to overlook an offense,” Kyle said. It reminded me how renewing our thoughts helps us respond with grace instead of reactivity. Being Intentional with What Shapes UsWe also talked about distraction. Kyle shared how our culture’s constant noise makes intentional living harder—but even more necessary. He uses an app called ClearSpace (that gives him screen time for pushups) to help create healthy boundaries with technology. Another strategy Kyle uses is an “exposure journal.” Like a food diary, it tracks what he’s consuming mentally. He explained, “What we expose ourselves to shapes our thoughts, which shape our emotions, relationships, and decisions.” That one insight alone is worth the listen. Training Your Mind with GratitudeKyle also encouraged listeners to practice gratitude—something he stacks into his daily routine by thanking God in the shower. He keeps a gratitude journal and even practices what he calls “reverse engineering your blessings”—recognizing the chain of people and circumstances behind every good thing. It’s a gentle way to practice mindfulness and refocus on God’s grace. A Resource for Deeper ChangeKyle’s book Every Thought Captive is supported by a small group curriculum on RightNow Media and other tools to help you walk this out. This curriculum is helpful for individuals and groups who want to grow together in intentional thinking. You can find Kyle and his book on his website, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook by searching his name or Every Thought Captive. Listen to the full episode on the Christian Habits Podcast. Resources Mentioned on the Podcast
Kyle Idleman is the senior pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, one of the largest churches in America. On a normal weekend, he speaks to more than thirty thousand people spread across fifteen campuses. More than anything else, Kyle enjoys unearthing the teachings of Jesus and making them relevant in people’s lives. He is a frequent speaker for national conventions and influential churches across the country. Kyle and his wife, DesiRae, have been married for over thirty years. They have four children, two sons-in-law, and three grandchildren. They live on a farm in Kentucky, where Kyle doesn’t do any actual farming. You can learn more on his website at kyleidleman.com.
The post Kyle Idleman: Every Thought Captive appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Samantha Decker: How to Live an Unhurried Life | 23 avr. 2025 | 00:21:17 | |
Do you ever feel like you’re constantly racing through life—juggling work, family, ministry, and endless to-do lists—while your soul is quietly begging for rest? In today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast, I chat with author and Bible teacher Samantha Decker about her new book, Unhurried: An Invitation to Slow Down, Create Margin, and Surrender Control to God, and the journey God took her on as she learned how to live an unhurried life. How to Live an Unhurried LifeAs a Bible teacher, writer, and mom of four who recently released her first book, Samantha has a deep understanding of why we need to intentionally practice slowing down. But Samantha says she didn’t set out to write a book. “It was really a step of obedience,” she shared. “The Lord used a verse in Haggai to get my attention—‘Consider your ways.’ I was doing all these good things—working, parenting, serving in church—but I wasn’t prioritizing what God was asking me to do.” That moment sparked a shift. God invited Samantha to slow down—not just in her schedule, but in her soul. And that’s the heart of Unhurried—learning to pursue God’s purposes over our own plans. The Power of Small StepsSamantha is candid about the ongoing nature of this journey. “I’m still the mom rushing to get my kids in the car,” she admitted with a laugh. But what’s changed is her posture. Instead of white-knuckling control over her days, she’s learning to ask God, “What do You have for me today?” She talked about how slowing down often begins with small, faithful steps—like answering a phone call when you’d rather keep moving or carving out time for quiet prayer. “It’s like when the priests dipped their toes in the Jordan before the waters parted,” she said. “That first step matters.” Margin Looks Different for EveryoneSamantha also offers very practical advice in her book, especially for people in different life seasons. Whether you work full time, stay at home, or fall somewhere in between, she shares thoughtful insights into how each of us can create margin. “If you stay at home, maybe God is inviting you to ask what to say yes to and what to gently decline,” she said. “If you work full time, maybe there’s a routine—like stopping at the same coffee shop—that can become a space for reflection or relationship.” Having too much unstructured time can lead to its own kind of hurry. Even in my season of life, I can still feel pressured to fill the day with work or activity. Samantha reminded me—and all of us—that even Jesus modeled both work and rest. “He withdrew to be with the Father,” she said. “That rhythm of working and resting with God at the center—that’s what we’re aiming for.” Type A or Type B—We All Struggle with HurryI asked Samantha whether she thought hurriedness was only a problem for high-achievers. Her response was so insightful. “I think we all struggle,” she said. “Our culture rewards busyness and achievement. And anytime we’re trying to control our days without asking God what He wants for us, we’re stepping into that hurried mindset—whether we’re type A or type B.” That resonated with me deeply. As a type B person, I know how procrastination can create its own brand of franticness. Samantha shared how she and her sister—who are opposites in personality—often remind each other of what really matters. “She tells me to slow down. I remind her not to wait too long. We help balance each other.” Starting Your Day with GodSo how do we begin to live a slower, more intentional life? Samantha’s advice was beautifully simple: “Right when you wake up, ask God, ‘What do You have for me today?’” She encouraged us to start the day with prayer, Scripture, or even a moment of silence. “It’s a posture of surrender,” she explained. “Instead of leading with your to-do list, you begin under God’s Lordship. That question alone can reorient your entire day.” I’ve practiced this myself during work struggles—pausing to pray and asking God for direction. More often than not, He brings clarity. It’s amazing what a simple question can do. Where to Learn MoreI thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with Samantha. You can find Unhurried wherever books are sold, and the audiobook just released as well! You can also connect with Samantha on Instagram @samanthadeckerwrites or at her website, samanthadeckerwrites.com. If you’ve been feeling rushed, overwhelmed, or unsure how to slow down, I hope this episode is an encouragement. The invitation to live unhurried isn’t about doing less—it’s about doing what matters, with God leading the way. Listen to the full episode on the Christian Habits Podcast! Resources Mentioned on the Podcast How to Listen to the Podcast
Samantha Decker is a wife, mom, writer, Bible teacher, and above all, a follower of Jesus. She is passionate about encouraging believers to deepen their walk with Jesus through discipleship relationships and an unrelenting love for the Word of God. She and her husband, Dustin, live in Oklahoma and enjoy serving in their local church, trying new restaurants (especially if it’s Tex-Mex), and adventuring with their three rambunctious boys and baby girl. You can connect with her at samanthadeckerwrites.com.
The post Samantha Decker: How to Live an Unhurried Life appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Rebecca George: Trusting God’s Timing | 09 avr. 2025 | 00:26:15 | |
Have you ever been in a season of waiting that feels as though it will never end? Whether you want to begin a family, meet a life partner, find your perfect career, or anything else, waiting can be excruciating—or fertile ground for personal and spiritual growth. In this episode of the Christian Habits Podcast, author and podcaster Rebecca George shares insights from her new book, You’re Not Too Late: Trusting God’s Timing in a Hurry-Up World. Learn to reframe the struggles of waiting and how to find true happiness and joy in a relationship with Christ. What We Discussed on the Podcast:
Rebecca George is the founder of Radical Radiance®, a podcast community where listeners are equipped to blend what they love with the Jesus who makes them shine. She is a podcaster, speaker, and author whose greatest joy in life is discipling others to pursue their passions in a way that builds the Kingdom. In her free time you can find her running outside, writing, or trying a new recipe with 90s country playing in the background. You can connect with her on IG at @rebeccageorgeauthor or at radicalradiance.live! The post Rebecca George: Trusting God’s Timing appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Dana K. White: Decluttering for Creatives (and Anyone Who Struggles) | 26 févr. 2025 | 00:35:48 | |
Does clutter feel like a never-ending battle? If so, you’re not alone! My guest today on The Christian Habits Podcast, Dana K. White, knows exactly what it’s like to struggle with a messy home and the frustration that comes with it. Unlike traditional organizing experts, Dana has lived the chaos and found simple, realistic ways to bring order without feeling overwhelmed. In this episode, she shares practical tips and encouragement for creatives (and anyone who struggles with organization overwhelm) to help you break free from clutter and create a home that works for you. What We Discussed on the Podcast
Dana K. White is the creator of the No Mess Decluttering Process and the author of Decluttering at the Speed of Life (a Wall Street Journal bestseller). She’s also a speaker, podcaster, YouTuber, and (much to her own surprise) a Decluttering Expert. Connect with Dana on her website at www.aslobcomesclean.com. How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Dana K. White: Decluttering for Creatives (and Anyone Who Struggles) appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Tyler Staton: The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit | 21 janv. 2025 | 00:31:55 | |
When we go through a difficult season, it’s tempting to wallow in self-pity or assume that God has abandoned us. But what if, instead, He is using that time to do a great work in us and give us gifts we’d never have experienced otherwise? Today’s guest, Tyler Staton, learned this lesson first-hand when he went through a cancer battle while writing his latest book, The Familiar Stranger, about the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit. In this episode, he shares his thoughts on what he calls “redemptive suffering” and how we can grow closer to God through ordinary practices to enhance our discernment and relationship with Him. What We Discussed on the Podcast
Tyler Staton is the Lead Pastor of Bridgetown Church in Portland, Oregon, where he lives with his wife Kirsten, and their sons Hank, Simon, and Amos. He is passionate about living prayerfully and relationally. Tyler is the author of three books: Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools, Searching for Enough, and The Familiar Stranger. Connect with Tyler on his website at tylerstaton.com. How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Tyler Staton: The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| 7-Week Master Class on Transformation | 11 janv. 2025 | 00:06:57 | |
Note: This class is no longer available but I hope to have another class on how to renew your mind in 2026. Click here if you’d like to hear about future classes: barbraveling.com/course. Do you ever say, “I can’t believe I’ve been a Christian for x number of years and I’m still struggling with this?” Are you reluctant to work on transformation because you’re afraid you’ll fail like you did last time? Do you have some area of your life where you feel stuck? My guess is that we can all answer “yes” to at least one of those questions. It’s discouraging to fail over and over again. Romans 12:2 tells us that the answer to our struggles is to renew our minds. But there are two problems with this approach: 1) We don’t necessarily know what that means or 2) we do know how to renew our minds but we can’t make ourselves do it consistently enough to see transformation. My 7-Week Master Class on Transformation will help you with both of those problems. We’ll get together, each choose an area of our lives to work on, and work together on transformation. What area of transformation would you like help with?Here are a few areas you may want to work on during this transformation class:
No matter what practical area you choose to work on, God will use the transformation process to help you achieve the following goals:
Here are a few features of the class:
The class will begin on January 28, 2025. We will meet weekly for 7 sessions on Tuesdays at 12:00 EST. Each class will be be 1 to 1 1/2 hours long. What if I can’t make the live sessions?If you can’t make the live sessions, I’ll have a replay available by the next day, possibly sooner. The replays will be available until at least 6/1/25, possibly longer, so that you have time to do the class. I will also have an online get together on February 4th at 8:30 PM EST for those who can’t make it during the day to help you find accountability partners. What is the cost of the class?Although classes like this are often quite expensive, I want everyone to be able to take it, so I’m offering the class at $27 USD. Is there a deadline for signing up for the class?Yes, the deadline is January 28, 2025. This is not an on-demand class so even if you plan to take it later, you’ll need to sign up now so I can email you links to the class videos and homework each week. Where can I sign up?To get started, go to the product purchase page by clicking on the button below. Click here to sign up for the class! How to Listen to the Podcast
The post 7-Week Master Class on Transformation appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Jill Savage – How to Thrive as Empty Nesters | 30 déc. 2024 | 00:34:51 | |
Becoming an empty nester can be a challenging time—full of bittersweet goodbyes, new routines, and a lot of questions about what’s next. My guest today on The Christian Habits Podcast, Jill Savage, knows this season well and brings wisdom and encouragement for navigating it with faith and purpose. In this episode, she shares practical insights from her book, Empty Nest, Full Life, on how to let go, grab hold of what matters most, and build a fulfilling life in the empty nest season. What We Discussed on the Podcast
Jill Savage is an author and speaker who is passionate about encouraging families. She is the author or co-author of fourteen books including Professionalizing Motherhood, My Hearts At Home, Real Moms…Real Jesus, Living With Less So Your Family Has More, No More Perfect Moms, No More Perfect Marriages (with her husband Mark), and her most recent release Empty Nest Full Life. Featured on Focus on the Family, Crosswalk.com, Family Life Today and Today’s Christian Woman magazine, Jill is the founder of Hearts at Home, an organization that encouraged moms from 1994-2017. Jill and her husband, Mark, have five children, three who are married, and eight grandchildren. They make their home in Normal, Illinois. How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Jill Savage – How to Thrive as Empty Nesters appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Strahan Coleman: Thirsting for God | 20 nov. 2024 | 00:33:04 | |
We all experience low points in life; we try our very best to avoid them, but they come anyway! We recoil from the pain, the disappointments, and the difficulties that we face. However, what would happen if we viewed these trials as invitations to experience God? My guest today on the Christian Habits Podcast, Strahan Coleman, has learned to do just that through his many years of chronic illness. Moment by moment, God will meet us in our pain. What We Discussed on the Podcast
Strahan Coleman is a writer, poet, and musician living in Aotearoa, New Zealand with his wife and three young boys. Through years of chronic illness, Strahan discovered a friendship with God filled with vulnerability, honesty and unceasing prayer, and now spends his time teaching and providing spaces of deep, rich, Spirit-led prayer for others through his books, prayer schools and spiritual retreats. In his latest work, Thirsting: Quenching Our Soul’s Deepest Desire, Strahan invites his readers to, like him, learn to transform the ache of our lives into our truest prayers, liberating the fire within us to become our greatest gift – our divine homing beacon. Connect with Strahan Coleman at commonerscommunion.com, on Instagram: @commoners_communion, @strahanmusic, or on Spotify. How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Strahan Coleman: Thirsting for God appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Learning to Unplug with Hannah Brencher | 23 oct. 2024 | 00:28:48 | |
Most of us realize that our screens are consuming us. We know we should cut back on our screen-time but are at a loss for how to start. My guest on the Christian Habits Podcast today, Hannah Brencher, started off with a 1,000 hour screen-free challenge, and she hasn’t looked back since this pivotal life-change. Hannah gives practical tips as well as inspiration to start putting down our phones and re-discovering the world around us! What We Discussed on the Podcast
©Taylor Zorzi / Zorzi Creative Hannah Brencher is a writer, TED speaker, and entrepreneur. She founded The World Needs More Love Letters, a global community dedicated to sending letter bundles to those who need encouragement. Named as one of the White House’s “Women Working to Do Good,” Hannah has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Oprah, Glamour, USATODAY.com, the Chicago Tribune, and more. She lives in Atlanta with her husband, Lane, and daughter Novalee. Find Hannah at hannahbrencher.com. Connect with Hannah on Instagram, Facebook,or Pinterest. How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Learning to Unplug with Hannah Brencher appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Christy Osborne: Love Life Sober | 25 sept. 2024 | 00:33:21 | |
So many of us today are looking for ways to cope with the pressures of life. Instead of going to God, we turn to our phones, food, shopping, or even alcohol. Such was the case with Christy Osborne, my guest on the Christian Habits Podcast. Christy talks about her journey to sobriety and the choice to live without alcohol in her new book Love Life Sober. Even if you do not struggle specifically with alcohol, you will hear many helpful ways to deal with any addiction. What We Discussed on the Podcast
Christy Osborne, author of Love Life Sober, is a graduate of the University of Southern California and attended law school at Pepperdine University. After passing the California bar exam, Christy relocated to London and assumed various roles in law, public relations, and business development. She founded a popular website for American expat women and became a royal commentator on SKY News in the UK. Christy discovered her true calling when she chose sobriety and began openly advocating for it on social media. As a highly trained senior sobriety coach featured in/by Marie Claire, Newsweek, The Daily Mail, Yahoo, PBS, London Daily News, Hip & Healthy, and more, she empowers women throughout the US and UK to redefine their relationship with alcohol. Visit her at LoveLifeSober.com. Connect with Christy on Instagram. How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Christy Osborne: Love Life Sober appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Kirby Kelly: You Can Be Free: Overcoming Temptation and Habitual Sin by the Power and Promises of the Gospel | 27 août 2024 | 00:30:39 | |
Have you thought to yourself: I’ll never get over this? Have you tried over and over again to get out from underneath the control of a habit or a sin in your life only to be discouraged once again? If so, you will be greatly encouraged by my interview with Kirby Kelly about overcoming temptation which is the subject of her book: You Can Be Free: Overcoming Temptation and Habitual Sin by the Power and Promises of the Gospel. You, too, can find freedom from your habits and addictions! What We Discussed on the Podcast
Kirby Kelly is a Christ-centered content creator and influencer. She runs the Bought + Beloved podcast along with content on her YouTube channel, Instagram, and TikTok. She uploads weekly content that inspires, encourages, and teaches people the Truth of the Bible and how to cultivate a relationship with Jesus. Her passion is teaching God’s truth everywhere she goes; on stages and in front of cameras, through writing and one-on-one conversations. Kirby desires to see this generation and culture flourish in freedom and confidence in their identity and to walk in the victory that has been won on the Cross. kirby-kelly.com How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Kirby Kelly: You Can Be Free: Overcoming Temptation and Habitual Sin by the Power and Promises of the Gospel appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Single Today with Ryan Wekenman (for Singles & Marrieds) | 07 mai 2024 | 00:48:09 | |
Are you a single person? Or a married person who struggles with regret, overthinking, or worrying about what the future may (or may not) hold? If you fit into either of these categories, today’s Christian Podcast episode will help! I’ll be visiting with Ryan Wekenman about his new book, Single Today: Conquer Yesterday’s Regrets, Ditch Tomorrow’s Worries, and Thrive Right Where You Are. I love Ryan’s new book and found it incredibly helpful, even though I’ve been married for 42 years. I only wish his book had been available back when I was single. It’s a spiritual formation and Christian growth book, but it’s also an incredibly helpful how-to manual for living a vibrant, rewarding life as a single person (or a married person). Join us on the podcast today as we discuss Ryan’s new book and how to live in the present with God each and every day. What We Discussed on the Podcast
Ryan Wekenman is a storyteller and pastor who is passionate about finding creative ways to help people explore life’s biggest questions. He has a master’s degree from Talbot School of Theology. He is the co-host of two podcasts, Stories in Scripture, a show that brings the Bible to life for people all around the world, and Afterthoughts, a weekly conversation about faith, culture, and the church. Ryan is the teaching pastor of Red Rocks Austin, a young, vibrant church he helped start with a few of his best friends. He lives in Austin, Texas. Connect with Ryan at his website, or on Instagram. Online Philippians Bible StudyI’d also like to invite you to our online Philippians Bible study, which begins May 15. We’ll be covering the following lessons in that Bible study. Wednesday mornings classes: 9 am PST, 10 am MST, 11 am CST, 12 pm EST
Click here for more info on the study and to sign up for it: Philippians Online Bible Study How to Listen to the Podcast:
The post Single Today with Ryan Wekenman (for Singles & Marrieds) appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Letting Go of Anxiety with God’s Help | 17 avr. 2024 | 00:27:28 | |
Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night worrying about something? I know I do! With so much going on in our world and lives, it’s easy to give into to worry and anxiety. On today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast, we’ll talk about letting go of anxiety by walking through Lesson 15 from my new Philippians Bible Study together. Each lesson in the Philippians Bible study is on a different topic, but since Philippians is all about finding joy in difficult circumstances it’s the perfect book of the Bible to go to for help. On the podcast, we’ll talk about five different options we can take when anxiety hits, and which options are most helpful. If you’d like to download a copy of Lesson 15, click here: Free Downloadable Bible Study Lesson: Lesson 15 Philippians Bible Study by Barb Raveling.In the podcast episode, I mentioned that I would include an image of how I diagramed Philippians 4:8-9. Here’s an image of that diagram: Online Philippians Bible StudyI’d also like to invite you to our online Philippians Bible study, which begins May 15. We’ll be covering the following lessons in that Bible study. Wednesday mornings classes: 9 am PST, 10 am MST, 11 am CST, 12 pm EST
Click here for more info on the study and to sign up for it: Philippians Online Bible Study Resources We Mentioned on the Podcast
The post Letting Go of Anxiety with God’s Help appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Closer to God Bible Studies with Barb Raveling | 09 avr. 2024 | 00:27:17 | |
Do you ever feel like you want to change, but you can’t seem to make it happen? Do you long to be closer to God? So often we change as soon as we become Christians, then go for years and years without any growth. In the Closer to God Bible Study Series, you’ll have a chance to study the Bible in a way that will help you visibly grow as you go to God for help with life. Today, I’m excited to announce the second book in the Closer to God Bible Study Series: Philippians!! Philippians is one of my favorite books of the Bible. One of the main themes of the book is finding contentment in all circumstances. This is interesting because Paul wrote the book from prison. I picture him sitting in prison, possibly bored, anxious, or maybe even thinking of the unfairness of it all. I imagine him talking to God and learning how to be content in this difficult situation. Seeing it all from a biblical perspective, letting go, and embracing God in the midst of it. Then he writes his letter to the Philippians and encourages them to rejoice always, dwell on the good, and learn to be content in all situations, just as he was doing in prison! Thankfully, we get to benefit from Paul’s hard-won wisdom in this book. I’ll be sharing more about my Philippians Bible study and also the Closer to God Bible Study Series on my podcast interview today. If you don’t have time to listen to the podcast …You can find out more about the study here: Philippians Bible Study. What We Discussed on the Podcast
The post Closer to God Bible Studies with Barb Raveling appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Healing What You Can’t Erase with Christopher Cook | 13 mars 2024 | 00:28:37 | |
In today’s culture, there is a mental health crisis. So many are looking for answers, yet much of the advice given does not provide sustainable relief. However, we know that the only way to true and lasting peace is to know the Prince of Peace! On the Christian Habits Podcast today (links below), my guest, Christopher Cook discusses this very topic and his new book Healing What You Can’t Erase. What We Discussed on the Podcast
Christopher Cook is a leadership coach, author, and podcast host focused on transformation and wholeness. With an aptitude for strategy and execution, his ability to unearth clarity out of complexity drives his mission to help individuals and organizations thrive in their true identity. His work has appeared in outlets such as SUCCESS Magazine, and he has spent over a decade coaching leaders in both the marketplace and non-profit sectors. His weekly podcast, Win Today with Christopher Cook, equips wellness-minded listeners to move beyond the limitations of self-help, and instead, toward an integrated life of wholeness from the inside out. Pulling from his own experiences with adversity and personal transformation, these efforts, embodied by his passion for mental health, emotional health, and spiritual maturity, along with his educational credentials in business administration, leadership, and ministry, have led to helping people experience healing and transformation in their spirit, mind, and body. How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Healing What You Can’t Erase with Christopher Cook appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| 14 Practical Ways to Get Closer to God | 14 févr. 2024 | 00:33:57 | |
Do you ever feel distant from God? Do you long to be close to Him? In today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast we’ll talk about 14 practical things you can do to get closer to God. 14 Practical Ways to Get Closer to GodThe more intentional we are about our relationships, the better those relationships will be. Let’s look at some practical things we can do to get closer to God. I’ll give a short list here and then go into more depth in the podcast.
The wonderful thing about God is that He loves us even when we don’t feel close to Him. So if we’re wanting to improve our relationship with Him, we know He wants that as well. That’s not always true in our relationships with people. Sometimes it helps to think about what changes we’d like to make to improve our relationships. Following are some journaling questions you can use to think about your relationship with God.
My prayer for all of us is that God will help us have the discipline and desire to do some of the things that will draw us closer to Him. He loves us and wants to be in a relationship with us. That’s such a huge blessing. Does one of the above steps stand out to you as something you’d like to try doing? If so, I hope you’ll give that a try. Additional Resources Mentioned on the Podcast How to Listen to the Podcast
The post 14 Practical Ways to Get Closer to God appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| John Mark Comer: Practicing the Way | 16 janv. 2024 | 00:25:31 | |
Do you find yourself simply going through the motions in your Christian walk? Do you long for a deeply intentional and powerful relationship with God? If so, you will inspired and challenged by this episode of The Christian Habits Podcast (links below). My guest today, John Mark Comer, talks about a whole-life, immersive approach to your faith found in his new book, Practicing the Way. What We Discussed on the Podcast
John Mark Comer is the New York Times bestselling author of seven books including The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry and Live No Lies as well as being a pastor, teacher, and founder of Practicing the Way. His latest book is Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus. Become like him. Do as he did. (a WaterBrook hardcover; on sale 1/16/24). After serving as the lead pastor of Bridgetown Church in Portland, Oregon, for nearly two decades, John Mark and his family now reside in Los Angeles, where he serves as a teacher in residence on discipleship and spiritual formation at Vintage Church LA. His podcasts, John Mark Comer Teachings and Rule of Life, have been ranked on top religion and spirituality podcast charts in the US and UK. For more information visit johnmarkcomer.com and find him on Instagram . How to Listen to the Podcast
The post John Mark Comer: Practicing the Way appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Living with Joy in a Stressful World with Brant Hansen | 02 janv. 2024 | 00:30:59 | |
It’s easy to feel stressed, overwhelmed, and anxious when we focus on the turmoil in the world (or our own lives). However, there is hope! My guest on the podcast today, Brant Hansen, reminds us that we truly can have peace and abiding joy – no matter our circumstances – if Jesus is the center of our lives. We’ll also discuss Brant’s new book, Life is Hard, God is Good, Let’s Dance. What We Discussed on the Podcast
BRANT HANSEN is a bestselling author, syndicated radio host and advocate for healing children with correctable disabilities through CURE International Children’s Hospitals. His award-winning radio show, The Brant Hansen Show, airs on top stations in the U.S. and Canada. His podcast, The Brant and Sherri Oddcast, has been downloaded more than 15 million times. He has been named “Personality of the Year” multiple times by Christian Music Broadcasters and is called “Christian music ‘s most beloved radio personality” by Christian Voice Magazine. Brant writes about varied topics related to faith, including masculinity in his book, The Men We Need, and forgiveness in Unoffendable, about which he was recently interviewed on ABC’s Good Morning America. He speaks often about being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder as an adult. Brant also proudly refers to himself as a “toast-obsessed nerd’ who was no less than president of the Illinois Student Librarians Association in high school. He also plays the accordion, “in spite of popular demand.” Connect with Brant at his website, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter). How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Living with Joy in a Stressful World with Brant Hansen appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Memorizing Scripture with Glenna Marshall | 21 nov. 2023 | 00:27:36 | |
Do you struggle to memorize Scripture? I do. For years I thought I couldn’t memorize it because I don’t have a good memory. But for the last couple of months–ever since I read Glenna Marshall’s book on memorizing Scripture–I’ve been going great guns with Scripture memory and love it! If you’re someone like me who has struggled for years to commit God’s Word to memory, my latest episode of The Christian Habits Podcast (links below) will help. My guest, Glenna Marshall, has a new book out about the power and unexpected blessings of memorizing Scripture. It has been life-changing for her, and I can already tell it will be life-changing for me! What We Discussed on the Podcast
GLENNA MARSHALL is a pastor’s wife and mother of Find Glenna online at GlennaMarshall.com or on Instagram. How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Memorizing Scripture with Glenna Marshall appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Practicing the Presence of Jesus with Joni Eareckson Tada | 24 oct. 2023 | 00:22:00 | |
Do stressful situations steal your peace? Have you allowed the disappointments in your life to keep you from feeling close to Jesus? Do you wish to experience the calm you feel in your quiet moments with God all throughout your day? In my interview on the Christian Habits Podcast (links below), Joni Eareckson Tada shares wisdom from her personal life experiences about learning to stay close to Jesus all throughout the day. We also discuss her newest book, The Practice of the Presence of Jesus. What We Discussed on the Podcast
Joni Eareckson Tada is an esteemed Christian stateswoman and respected global leader in disability advocacy. Although a 1967 diving accident left her a quadriplegic, she emerged from rehabilitation with a determination to help others with similar disabilities. Mrs. Tada serves as CEO of Joni and Friends, a Christian organization which provides programs and services for thousands of special needs families around the world. President Reagan appointed Mrs. Tada to the National Council on Disability, then reappointed by President George H.W. Bush. During her tenure, the ADA was passed and signed into law. Mrs. Tada served as advisor to Condoleezza Rice on the Disability Advisory Committee to the U.S. State Department. She served as Senior Associate for Disability Concerns for the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization. The Colson Center on Christian Worldview awarded Joni Tada its prestigious William Wilberforce Award, and she was also inducted into Indiana Wesleyan University’s Society of World Changers. Joni Eareckson Tada has been awarded several honorary degrees, including Doctor of Humanities from Gordon College and Doctor of Divinity from Westminster Theological Seminary. She is an effective communicator, sharing her inspirational message in books, through artwork, radio, and other media. Joni Tada served as General Editor of the Beyond Suffering Bible, a special edition published by Tyndale for people affected by disability. Joni and her husband Ken were married in 1982 and reside in Calabasas, California. How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Practicing the Presence of Jesus with Joni Eareckson Tada appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Susie Larson: Staying Strong in Battle | 26 sept. 2023 | 00:33:29 | |
Has the joy and peace in your life been replaced by stress and strife? Is your inner narrative filling you with thoughts of despair? Do you find yourself questioning God’s goodness? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, you may be in the midst of a spiritual battle. My guest today on the Christian Habits Podcast (links below), Susie Larson, shares such valuable wisdom from her very personal experiences in spiritual warfare, and from her book Strong in Battle. What We Discussed on the Podcast
The post Susie Larson: Staying Strong in Battle appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Dannah Gresh: Finding Healing for Your Marriage | 22 août 2023 | 00:31:06 | |
Marriage is hard, we all agree. And when a spouse has an addiction to pornography, a marriage can be stretched to its breaking point. However, when God is involved, there is always hope! On today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast (links below), my guest, Dannah Gresh shares about this particular struggle in her own marriage which was the inspiration for her newest book, Happily Even After. What We Discussed on the Podcast
Dannah has sold over 2 million books and reaches women and girls in more than 100 countries. She and her husband Bob live in State College, Pennsylvania on a small farm that could be confused as a petting zoo. Horses, llamas, peacocks, chickens, goats, dogs and cats abound. The family pastime is chasing whoever—or whatever—might be loose. Find Dannah online at dannahgresh.com. How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Dannah Gresh: Finding Healing for Your Marriage appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Sarah J. Hauser: Finding Rest When Life is Hard | 25 juil. 2023 | 00:28:37 | |
Are you going through a hard season right now? Does God feel silent? Sarah J. Hauser, my guest on the Christian Habits Podcast (links below), is no stranger to these difficulties. In our interview, she shares about her new book, All Who are Weary: Finding True Rest by Letting Go of the Burdens You were Never Meant to Carry, and about the difficult season she went through to learn the truths she writes about. What We Discussed on the Podcast
SARAH J. HAUSER is a writer and speaker living in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and four kids. She shares biblical truth to nourish the soul — and the occasional recipe to nourish the body. Sarah completed her B.A. and M.A. at Wheaton College. She’s a member
The post Sarah J. Hauser: Finding Rest When Life is Hard appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Andrea Herzer: Living with Chronic Pain and Illness | 27 juin 2023 | 00:30:21 | |
Do you suffer from chronic pain or a debilitating illness? Have you recently received a difficult diagnosis? Or are you or a loved one simply going through a difficult trial right now? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you will be greatly encouraged by my interview with Andrea Herzer about her new book: Incurable Faith: 120 Devotions of Lasting Hope for Lingering Health Issues. What We Discussed on the Podcast
The post Andrea Herzer: Living with Chronic Pain and Illness appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Jamie Erickson: Cultivating Holy Hygge | 30 mai 2023 | 00:33:03 | |
Do you often feel rushed and like you’re not really enjoying life? Does your heart long for rest and for sweet fellowship with dear friends? If so, you’ll be encouraged by the Danish practice of hygge (HYOO-guh) which my podcast guest, Jamie Erickson, discusses in her latest book: Holy Hygge: Creating a Place for People to Gather and the Gospel to Grow. Today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast (links below) considers the beautiful practice of true hospitality. What We Discussed on the Podcast
When she’s not curating memories, hoarding vintage books, or homeschooling her five kids, JAMIE ERICKSON can be found encouraging and equipping a growing tribe of mothers all across the globe on the Mom to Mom podcast, through her blog The Unlikely Homeschool, at national conferences, and in her book Homeschool Bravely: How to Squash Doubt, Trust God, and Teach Your Child With Confidence How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Jamie Erickson: Cultivating Holy Hygge appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Mary DeMuth: Parenting Your Adult Kids with Joy | 02 mai 2023 | 00:28:03 | |
It can be hard to transition from parenting young kids or even teenagers to parenting adult children. That becomes even more difficult when our kids make choices that worry us. In today’s Christian Habits Podcast episode (links below), I visit with Mary DeMuth about her new book, Love, Pray, Listen: Parenting Your Wayward Adult Children with Joy. Mary gives us welcome advice for parenting our adult children with joy. What We Talked About on the Podcast
Mary DeMuth is an international speaker, a podcaster, and the author of over forty books, fiction and nonfiction, includingThe Day I Met Jesus. Through God’s healing, Mary has overcome a difficult past to become an authentic example of what it means to live a brand-new story. She loves to help others“re-story”their lives through the books she writes. Mary lives inTexas with her husband of 30 years and is Mom to three adult children. Learn more at marydemuth.com Get Mary’s free ebook: A Year of Weekly Prayers for Your Adult Kids. How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Mary DeMuth: Parenting Your Adult Kids with Joy appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Mark Batterson: How Please, Sorry, and Thanks Can Change Your Life | 04 avr. 2023 | 00:23:19 | |
Mark Batterson is an influential pastor and a prolific author of over twenty-three books. His latest book, Please, Sorry, Thanks: the Three Words that Change Everything digs into how every relationship can be positively affected by a new revelation and application of these three words in our lives. I think you’ll really enjoy my interview with him today on The Christian Habits Podcast (links below). Things We Discussed on the Podcast
Mark Batterson is the lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C. One church in multiple locations, NCC owns and operates Ebenezers Coffeehouse, The Capital Turnaround, Miracle Theatre and the DC Dream Center. Mark is the New York Times bestselling author of 23 books, including Please, Sorry, Thanks: The Three Words That Change Everything and Win the Day, as well as several books for children, including The Best Worst Day Ever, written with his daughter Summer. Mark and his wife, Lora, live on Capitol Hill and have three children. Visit markbatterson.com and @MarkBatterson for more information. How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Mark Batterson: How Please, Sorry, and Thanks Can Change Your Life appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Embracing Trust with Joanna Weaver | 07 mars 2023 | 00:49:23 | |
Do you ever find yourself wondering why certain things are happening in your life? Or paralyzed with regret, spending too much time in woulda-coulda-shoulda thinking? Are you afraid to admit that, at times, you question whether or not God really is good? If you can relate to any of these questions, I invite you to listen to my interview with Joanna Weaver on today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast (links below). We discuss her newest book, Embracing Trust, and how to live with abiding peace and joy in the good times and the bad! Things We Discussed on the Podcast
With more than 1.6 million books in print, Joanna Weaver is the bestselling and award-winning author of Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, as well as Having a Mary Spirit, Lazarus Awakening, and At the Feet of Jesus devotional. A pastor’s wife, mother of three, and avid Bible teacher, Joanna loves speaking to women about the powerful freedom that is found in making Jesus Lord and trusting Him for things bigger than themselves. She lives with her family in Hamilton, Montana. How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Embracing Trust with Joanna Weaver appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Christian Loneliness: How to Stop Being Lonely | 08 févr. 2023 | 00:26:18 | |
We live in an age where people are more connected than ever through social media and email, yet loneliness is rampant in all age groups. It’s easy to feel lonely even when we’re surrounded by people both online and in our own lives. We’re not the only ones who feel this way. Mother Teresa once said, “The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love.” In this post and podcast episode, I’d like to talk about how to cure loneliness if you’re a Christian. We’ll begin with asking the question, “Is it normal to feel lonely?” Is it normal for Christians to feel lonely?I would answer that question with a resounding “Yes!” Even Jesus felt lonely. In the Garden of Gethsemane He wanted his disciples with Him yet they were asleep. I’m guessing He also felt lonely at the cross when so many of His disciples had deserted him. And I can’t imagine He didn’t feel lonely in ministry at times. Over and over, we see Him leaving the crowds and going off to be alone with His Father where He was strengthened to once again do ministry. We also see King David who had both friends and followers feeling lonely. In Psalm 25:16, he prays, “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.” And we see Elijah, hiding in a cave in 1 King 19 feeling lonely. God says, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” And Elijah replies, “I’ve been zealous for you, Lord, but I’m the only one left!” Elijah was feeling alone in ministry. God basically tells Elijah, “You are not alone, Elijah! There are 7000 others besides you who haven’t bent the knee to Baal.” Why does God allow loneliness?So why does God allow Christian loneliness? Well, the simple answer is that God is not a micromanager! He lets us do our own thing, and often the things we do lead to loneliness. Technology also contributes to loneliness. Think back to the day before television, the Internet, and even the radio weren’t invented yet. My guess is that people were less lonely in those days because they spent more time visiting with each other. I think God also allows Christians to feel lonely sometimes for things He wants to accomplish in our lives. I remember when several of my good friends moved far away when my kids were young. I was super lonely and unhappy in that phase of my life, but God used my loneliness to draw me closer to Him and also to mature in ways He wanted me to mature. That said, God doesn’t want us to stay in our loneliness! The two greatest commandments, love God and love others, both speak to relationship. God wants us to be close to Him and others. And He wants us to love well. The more we do that, the less lonely we’ll feel. Loving others involves effort. And the interesting this is that working on breaking free from loneliness will lead toward loving others well. The first step to overcoming loneliness is to find out what is causing it. What causes loneliness?I can think of four different causes of Christian loneliness.
So how do you stop being lonely? After all, we can’t just snap our fingers and feel like we belong all of a sudden! The truth is that it can take quite a bit of work to overcome loneliness. To be successful, we need to make overcoming loneliness a goal, not a desire. And goals take work to accomplish. But it is possible! Following are some steps to end Christian loneliness based on what type of loneliness you’re experiencing.
Well, that’s about it. I hope you’re not feeling too overwhelmed by all these ideas! The bottom line is that we can break free from Christian loneliness but it takes a bit of work. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all of these ideas, just print out this post and circle the ideas that appeal to you, then narrow it down to 1-3 ideas to start out with. Then ask God for help and give it a whirl! You’ll not only be helping yourself, you’ll also be helping all the other lonely people out there who are looking for friends! How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Christian Loneliness: How to Stop Being Lonely appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| A More Loving Way to Disagree with Mike Donehey | 12 janv. 2023 | 00:41:10 | |
Do you have loved ones in your life with whom you disagree? Do you find it hard to engage with someone who has a different opinion than yours? Are you prone to just “agree to disagree” when beliefs differ? If any of these are true for you, my interview today on the Christian Habits Podcast with Mike Donehey (links below) will give you a more peaceful approach and practical tips to have more healthy conversations when divisive topics arise. What We Discussed on the Podcast
“If we are to love in the gray spaces—the places where our arguments find just footing on either side—curiosity and kindness must lead the way. Our desire to be heard must not overpower our need to hear what others are saying. Our desire to be understood must not overshadow our need to understand others.” “When grace is our baseline, then being disapproved of no longer feels like being disowned. We can even invite in divergence because we know where we stand. We know whose love we stand in.” About Mike DoneheyMike Donehey is a singer, songwriter, podcast host, and former lead singer of the Christian contemporary band Tenth Avenue North. He’s also the author of Grace in the Gray: A More Loving Way to Disagree (WaterBrook; on sale 1/17/23) and the bestselling author of Finding God’s Life for My Will. Mike, his wife, Kelly, and their four daughters live in Nashville, Tennessee. He’s also the host of Chasing the Beauty podcast. For more information, visit mikedonehey.com, or find Mike on his social channels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok. How to Listen to the Podcast
The post A More Loving Way to Disagree with Mike Donehey appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Purposeful, Present, and Wildly Productive with Jordan Raynor | 14 déc. 2022 | 00:44:22 | |
If you’ve ever experienced stress over your personal productivity, today’s episode of The Christian Habits Podcast with Jordan Raynor will really encourage you (links below). I talk with Jordan about his book, Redeeming Your Time: 7 Biblical Principles for being Purposeful, Present and Wildly Productive. What We Discussed on the Podcast
“Our work matters today because it is a means of glorifying God and loving our neighbors as ourselves. But our work also matters for eternity because God can use it to build his kingdom.” “In today’s distracted world, being fully present is one of the most valuable presents you can give.” “Which problem, once solved, is going to make most of my other problems easier to solve or disappear entirely?” “Opportunities that aren’t attached to some meaningful end aren’t opportunities. They are simply possibilities that stir up frantic excitement.” About Jordan RaynorBestselling author Jordan Raynor helps Christians respond to the radical, biblical truth that their work matters for eternity. He does this through his books including the bestselling Redeeming Your Time: 7 Biblical Principles for Being Purposeful, Present, and Wildly Productive and The Word Before Work: A Monday-Through-Friday Devotional to Help You Find Eternal Purpose in Your Daily Work (WaterBrook; on sale 11/15/22), The Creator in You (children’s book), Mere Christians podcast, and weekly devotional (“The Word Before Work”)—content that has served millions of Christ-followers in every country on earth. In addition to his writing, Jordan serves as the executive chairman of Threshold 360, a venture-backed tech startup which he previously ran as CEO following a string of successful ventures of his own. Jordan served in the White House under George W. Bush and has twice been selected as a Google Fellow. Jordan and his books have been featured on dozens of media outlets including CNBC, Fast Company, WIRED Magazine, Forbes.com, In the Market with Janet Parshall, Dad Tired, Ken Coleman Show & The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast. He lives near Tampa, Florida with his wife and their three young daughters. For more information, visit https://www.jordanraynor.com & https://www.instagram.com/jordanraynor How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Purposeful, Present, and Wildly Productive with Jordan Raynor appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Daniel Fusco: Unlocking Resilience When Life is a Mess | 16 nov. 2022 | 00:40:48 | |
When trials and hard times come into our lives, we can find ourselves questioning God and becoming bitter. On today’s episode of The Christian Habits Podcast (links below), I talk with Daniel Fusco about how developing resilience during trials can actually be a path to fruitfulness and growth in our lives, and also about his new book, You’re Gonna Make It. What We Discussed on the Podcast
Daniel Fusco is an author, a church planter, and the lead pastor of Crossroads Community Church in Vancouver, Washington. His radio program, Jesus Is Real Radio, is broadcast across the country, and his TV show, Real with Daniel Fusco, airs across the globe. He also hosts the popular You’re Gonna Make It podcast and is the author of Crazy Happy, and You’re Gonna Make It. He has written numerous articles for CBN.com, PreachingToday.com, and Relevant. Fusco and his wife, Lynn, have three children and reside in southwest Washington How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Daniel Fusco: Unlocking Resilience When Life is a Mess appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Jennifer Slattery: 9 Common Idols and How to Resist Them | 19 oct. 2022 | 00:41:01 | |
Do you find yourself looking to other people or things to satisfy you? Are you tempted to doubt that Jesus alone really does offer a life of joy, peace and contentment? On today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast (links below), I visit with Jennifer Slattery about nine common idols we are tempted to worship and how to resist them. What We Discussed on the Podcast
How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Jennifer Slattery: 9 Common Idols and How to Resist Them appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| When Life is Hard: 3 Temptations & 3 Solutions | 21 sept. 2022 | 00:21:39 | |
I don’t know about you, but when life is hard, I’m often tempted to do things that aren’t good for me. Eat, for example. Or waste time on my phone. Or sit like a lump on the couch and think of all the things that could possibly go wrong and how my life will be even worse in the future. What I don’t normally do is run to God for refuge and strength and perspective. At least not first thing. When I do get around to that, I feel about a million times better. My problems don’t seem as huge through the lens of Scripture, and I feel much better soaking in God’s love and protection. In today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast (links below), I talk about three temptations we face when life is hard and three solutions for each temptation. I got the idea for the episode from one of my quiet times a couple of weeks ago. I was reading about the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4, and it made me think about how Jesus responded to His trials and how often we are tempted to respond to our own trials. I’ll include a picture of the notes I made in my Bible below. (I don’t usually draw lines through the Scripture in my Bible, but I was out of room!) If you’re going through something hard right now, I hope this podcast episode helps you! What I Discussed on the Podcast
The post When Life is Hard: 3 Temptations & 3 Solutions appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Dana K. White: How to Declutter and Get Organized | 01 juin 2022 | 00:43:14 | |
Do you feel overwhelmed by the task of getting organized? Does a simple glance around your home or office tell you that clutter is taking over your life? If so, my podcast interview with Dana K. White from A Slob Comes Clean (links below) will offer helpful advice about how to tackle these projects without stress. What We Discussed on the Podcast
Dana K. White is a Wallstreet Journal bestselling author, blogger, podcaster, speaker, and (much to her own surprise) a decluttering expert. In an attempt to get her home under control, Dana started blogging as “Nony” (short for anonymous) at A Slob Comes Clean. Dana soon realized she was not alone in her housekeeping struggles and in her feelings of shame. Today, Dana shares realistic home management strategies with her signature humor and a message of hope for the hopelessly messy through her blog, weekly podcasts, and videos. Dana lives with her husband and three kids just outside of Dallas, Texas. Learn more at www.aslobcomesclean.com. How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Dana K. White: How to Declutter and Get Organized appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Asheritah CiuCiu: Growing a Prayer Habit | 04 mai 2022 | 00:45:00 | |
In this interview with Asheritah CiuCiu, we discuss how to grow a prayer habit using the REST method from her new book, Prayers of Rest: 365 Prompts to Hear God’s Voice. If you find yourself struggling to make prayer a daily habit, Asheritah offers many helpful ways to cultivate this powerful discipline in this episode of the Christian Habits Podcast (links below). What We Discussed on the Podcast
Asheritah Ciuciu is a bestselling author, national speaker, and host of the Prayers of REST podcast. She is the founder of One Thing Alone Ministries, an online ministry that helps women all over the world find joy in Jesus through creative and consistent time in God’s word. Asheritah grew up in Romania as a missionary kid and studied English and Women’s Ministry at Cedarville University. She is married to her high school sweetheart and together they raise their three spunky kids in NE Ohio. Asheritah is the author of several books, including the best-selling Advent devotional Unwrapping the Names of Jesus. Her writing and speaking has been featured on Focus on the Family, Revive Our Hearts, Moody Radio, Relevant Magazine, Proverbs 31, and MOPS International. For more information about Asheritah, her books, and writing/speaking ministry, visit www.asheritah.com. How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Asheritah CiuCiu: Growing a Prayer Habit appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||
| Joshua Becker: Overcoming Distractions to Live a More Meaningful Life | 06 avr. 2022 | 00:32:19 | |
In Joshua Becker’s new book, Things that Matter, he talks about eight common distractions that keep us from living a meaningful life. Joshua Becker is a former pastor and the founder of the influential Becoming Minimalist blog, where he has been helping millions find more by owning less for the last 15 years. On today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast (links below), I visit with Joshua about two of those distractions—the pursuit of leisure and the pursuit of happiness. Things We Discussed on the Podcast
Joshua Becker, author of Things That Matter: Overcoming Distractions to Pursue a More Meaningful Life, is also the bestselling author of The More of Less, The Minimalist Home, and founder of Becoming Minimalist, a website dedicated to inspiring others to find more life by owning less. The website welcomes over 1.5 million readers each month and has inspired millions around the world to consider the practical benefits of owning fewer possessions. He is also the creator of Simplify magazine and founder of The Hope Effect, a nonprofit organization changing how the world cares for orphans. He’s a contributing writer to Forbes and has appeared in dozens of media outlets, including Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CBS Evening News, and “The Drew Barrymore Show.” Joshua and his family live near Phoenix, Arizona. For more information, visit BecomingMinimalist.com. How to Listen to the Podcast
The post Joshua Becker: Overcoming Distractions to Live a More Meaningful Life appeared first on Barb Raveling. | |||