Joyful Journey

Humans will inevitably experience suffering which is often labeled as “trauma”, but how would the Bible define trauma? 

Today’s episode features renowned author Dr. John Henderson, who is an associate pastor at University Baptist Church in Fayetteville, AR. In addition to being a professor of Biblical Counseling at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, he is a board member for the Biblical Counseling Coalition and of the Association of Biblical Counselors. Dr. Henderson discusses a biblical description of trauma, and speaks from the Psalms about how to find God’s grace to process times of trauma in our lives. 

Christians know that the main focus of Easter is Christ’s resurrection providing salvation, but what does salvation really do?

Janet and Jocelyn discuss the benefits of salvation not only to the believer, but God’s self-glorifying plan of redemption. This week we are reminded that salvation of sinner is ultimately to the praise of God’s glorious grace. 

In popular culture, the conscience is often depicted as a little voice that tells you what you should do. How does the Bible describe the conscience? Does our conscience interact with our emotions?

This week on the podcast, we welcome special guest Dr. Andrew Naselli to discuss the conscience, the topic of his book entitled– Conscience: What is it, How to Train it, and Loving Those That Differ. Dr. Naselli is a pastor, author, and professor of systematic theology and New Testament for Bethlehem College and Seminary in Minneapolis. He is married to his wife Jenny and they have four daughters.

Our hosts, Janet & Jocelyn, had the opportunity again this year to record a special live episode at our church’s Biblical Counseling Training Conference in Lafayette, Indiana. Janet and Jocelyn answer audience questions submitted online. We enjoyed meeting many of our listeners and we hope this can be a blessing to those who weren’t able to attend live. For more information about the Biblical Counseling Training Conference, follow this link: https://www.bctconference.org/

In American culture the word love can be overused, seem trite, and easily misused. Biblical love, on the other hand, is love as exemplified in the life of Christ and how he selflessly cared for the souls around Him. 

In today’s episode, Janet and Jocelyn discuss how biblical love cares for the souls of others by making it easy for them to pursue righteousness. 

Our hearts are constantly crying, “More, more!” Rarely do we find ourselves completely at peace with the circumstances in our lives. So what is it about humanity that makes it so difficult to be content? And what even is contentment - just feeling happy all the time even as the world crashes down around you?

Janet and Jocelyn help us find a biblical definition of contentment and overview how we as believers can cultivate it in our hearts, even in the midst of the hardships of this world. 

Do we need our souls refreshed? Do we need to be made wise? Do we need joy in our hearts and light in our eyes? All of these things can be found in learning to love the Word of God.

Janet and Jocelyn walk us through Psalm 19, a psalm of David that shows the delight of deep affection for the truth of God’s Word.

It’s that time of year again: Ask Us Anything! You submitted questions to our team, and we chose as many as we could to respond to in this Q&A style episode to close out our Season 3 episodes for 2023.

Jesus has many names, but one of His Names that is mentioned most at Christmas is Immanuel, meaning “God with us”. Where does this Name come from, and how are we supposed to understand the prophetic work of Isaiah in light of the Christmas story?

Janet's husband Pastor Brent joins us to help teach us how the old testament prophecy in Isaiah 7 foretells the birth of Christ, who is “God with us”

(Find this prophecy in Isaiah 7:14)

The New Testament repeatedly calls the church community the body of Christ. That sounds simple enough, but it takes hard work to develop loving, Christlike relationships in our church community. 

Listen to this episode as Janet and Jocelyn discuss the importance of being involved in a church community. They discuss the different ways that a church community can help us all grow more like Christ in our journeys.

Thanksgiving is a time when we set aside a special episode to rejoice over the Lord’s blessings in our lives and to give thanks to Him as the Giver of all good gifts!

For our Thanksgiving special, Janet and Jocelyn share and explain their current favorite…

• Book

• Sermon

• Song

• Bible passage

We hope all our listeners are able to take some time to reflect and rejoice over God's faithfulness this season!

From the moment we open our eyes to when our head hits the pillow, our lives are filled with a million and one decisions, small and great.

As Christians, we want the choices we make to honor the Lord and to align with His wisdom and love as described in Scripture. This episode, Janet and Jocelyn consider how to make wise decisions that bring glory to God in the big and small moments of our lives.

If we’re being honest, who among us hasn’t broken the commandment “Thou shalt not covet?” We see what others have, and we want it for ourselves. It may even be a good thing we are wanting - but one that God has granted to others and not to us.

Janet and Jocelyn explore the struggle common to us all and ways to fight against the envy that wages war within our hearts.

Emotions can sometimes feel like they come out of nowhere. How can we react to and guide our emotions with Scripture? 

Jocelyn and Janet discuss where emotions come from, are emotions sinful, and how we can use scripture to handle our emotions in a biblical way. 

God created humanity to communicate with each other in a host of verbal, non-verbal, and written ways, but how can we be sure to let Scripture guide our interaction with others?

Janet and Jocelyn discuss biblical principles that should lead our communication with others. They use God’s relationship with us as an example to follow so we can connect with others in a wise and loving way.

The golden years. The empty nest. Retirement. The fall of life. While our culture views the 50’s and 60’s with a unique kind of anticipation and dread, Christians must be ready for the special gifts and challenges this season holds.

In this episode, Janet and Jocelyn discuss how women of God can praise and honor God throughout their 50’s and 60’s by choosing faithfulness, hope, and endurance through this unique season of life. 

Lingering grief and fear can take hold in the life of those who have experienced miscarriage. Like all difficult and unwanted experiences, the key to moving on after pregnancy loss is the hope we find in Christ.

Stephanie Green returns for part two of her interview about miscarriage. She discusses  the hope that families can find in the character of God, and how Christians can be good stewards of life’s painful and unpleasant challenges.

Statistics show that 1 in every 10 women experience a miscarriage. The loss of a child before birth carries a unique grief, along with physical and emotional suffering that leave a lasting impact on a mother’s body and soul.

Stephanie Green knows this pain all too well. Having walked through miscarriage herself and having spent years walking alongside others who have, Stephanie joins us to share her wisdom on enduring this suffering well and offering hope and help to those who walk through miscarriage.

We all need to eat. We're human, with physical bodies that need food to live! And to some degree or another, we all know what it's like to have a difficult relationship with food. How can we fight to honor the Lord with our bodies and the way we eat?

Janet and Jocelyn welcome Alexandra back to the podcast to discuss what the Bible has to say about food, disordered eating, and how we view our bodies.

There are a million and one things vying for our attention in today’s busy, constantly-on-the-go world. It can feel exhausting knowing what opportunities to accept and which ones to turn down — especially if it’s a choice between very good things! 

Janet and Jocelyn explore what biblical wisdom has to say about our decision-making and how to ensure we are giving our “best yes.”

Sooner or later, someone is going to sin against you. It’s just a fact of life in living in a broken world. So are we ready to know how to respond when — not if — that happens? Janet and Jocelyn walk us through a biblical response to others sins, including passages like James 5:20.

There is a unique heartache and deep sorrow that often accompanies those who walk the hard path of infertility. Ali Engle joins Janet and Jocelyn in this episode to cover why this struggle presents so many unfulfilled longings and temptations, and she helps give those who are suffering hope that Christ is truly near to the broken-hearted and can comfort even empty arms.

How can Christians grow in discernment without becoming cynical and critical of the world around them? In this age where the truth can be hard to find, discernment is a skill that is equally as difficult to develop. 
In this episode, Janet and Jocelyn discuss discernment and how important it is to use scripture to decide how to interact with the world without becoming critical, cynical, and antagonistic.

What is everyone in this weary world looking for? Rest for their souls. And though we often seek that peace and satisfaction in lesser things, the only remedy that will truly satisfy can only be found in Jesus Christ, as demonstrated in the Scripture.

Joining us this episode is Dale Johnson, Executive Director of the Association of Biblical Counselors and host of the Truth in Love podcast. Listen as he shares with us the vital importance of seeking to have the heart of Christ in the midst of an abnormal world. 

Today on the podcast, we talk with Brad Bigney about helping people who struggle with doubt in their Christian walk. 

Many Christians find themselves struggling to believe. Life’s hardships can often cause us to question God, His love, and His authority. Scripture has much to say about doubt and has answers for those of us who have times where we struggle to believe. We pray that this discussion will help you to counsel yourself and others when doubt creeps into the Christian life. 

In a world that is constantly redefining the lines of good and evil, Christians are called to a higher standard. As followers of Jesus, God expects us to set our morality according to His Word - and what HE says is right and good, not what is right and good in our own eyes. 

This episode, Janet and Jocelyn will define what true righteousness looks like and how we can hold fast to God’s ways amidst the shifting sands of our culture’s fluctuating morality.

In light of Easter weekend, we are releasing a special episode with Janet's husband, Pastor Brent Aucoin, who joins us again to share his wisdom from the Old Testament and to help us ponder an important question:

Where is the resurrection of the anticipated Messiah predicted in the Old Testament? The answer may surprise you... Listen to hear how the OT leads toward the absolute necessity of the resurrection.

Also, our new memory verse for this next quarter will be Psalm 89:14-17.

Grief is an inescapable part of the human experience. As Christians living in a broken world, sometimes we encounter situations which don’t seem to fit with what we want or expect God to do. 

Today, we welcome special guest Mark Vroegop, the author of the book Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy, to discuss our biblical response to grief and how to lament in line with the teachings of the scriptures.

Aging is a difficult process and can cause fear and worry for many. How can we prepare our hearts for the challenges that may come with aging? Join us this week as Janet and Jocelyn are joined by special guest Dr. Amy Baker, author and Biblical Counselor, to discuss the biblical view of aging. Amy helps us understand our purpose in this season of life and reminds us that God’s grace is not dependent upon what we do. He has a perfect plan for every period of life.

Our hosts, Janet & Jocelyn, had a unique opportunity to record a special live episode at our church’s Biblical Counseling Training Conference in Lafayette, Indiana. In addition to discussing how everyone is a counselor, Janet and Jocelyn answer audience questions submitted online and in-person. We enjoyed meeting many of our listeners and we hope this can be a blessing to those who weren’t able to attend live. For more information about the Biblical Training Conference, follow this link: faithlafayette.org/BCTC.

The Christian life can be a difficult road, especially if your husband doesn’t follow God’s Word. Does the Bible have anything to say about how to live with an ungodly husband?

Janet and Jocelyn discuss ways the Bible tells us to interact with a husband who doesn’t want to grow or be Christ-like. Through a foundation of a right view of God, wives can still glorify God in the midst of a difficult marriage by seeing hard things from Christ’s perspective and considering the desires of their hearts.

Everyone experiences moments of anger, and when left unchecked, it can easily turn into bitterness—a resentful anger dwelling in one’s heart. How can God’s Word help us to defeat bitterness in our counselee’s or our own heart?

In this episode, Janet and Jocelyn interview special guest Steve Viars, Senior Pastor of Faith Church in Lafayette, IN. They discuss Pastor Viars’ book called “Overcoming Bitterness,” and share biblical principles to guide us as we consider this important heart issue.

At the beginning of each year, people are excited and motivated to set new goals and become better in different areas of their lives. Often those looking for change in the new year strive for perfection, and give up when they get burned out or make mistakes. It is wise to set goals and work toward positive change, but Christians often lose sight of the ultimate motivation of glorifying God. In this episode, Janet and Jocelyn discuss the topic of ordinary faithfulness, how to be faithful in our day to day lives and in our relationship with the Lord.

By popular demand, IT’S BACK! We have a treat in store for you today in the form of our second annual Ask Us Anything episode, where we take questions from you, our listeners, and answer as many as we can throughout the episode!

You asked us questions like,

• What are some ways we can help or encourage our pastors and their wives, especially those who counsel?
• What do I do when my parents are making choices I don’t agree with or believe are sinful?
• If you could go back and change one thing in your life, what would it be?

As always, a big thank you to our listeners and social media followers for your input, questions, and support this year. We are so thankful the Lord has blessed us with this sweet community!

Christmas is almost here! For many of us, the frantic pace of the season crowds out the celebration of Christ’s birth. Join Janet and Jocelyn as they take some time to slow down and contemplate Christ and his incarnation. Listen in as they discuss the beauty and glory of Christ and how it shines so brightly at Christmas.

We all encounter people who try to manipulate our actions or emotions for their own purposes. How does Scripture call us to respond to those who try to manipulate others around them? In this episode, Janet and Jocelyn explore the heart behind manipulative behavior and discuss ways to come alongside those who try to control others and respond with Christ-likeness.

It’s Thanksgiving week, and this week’s episode is a little different! Janet and Jocelyn interview each other about all the goodness and grace that God has shown to them this year. We hope you enjoy this more informal chat as we praise our Good Shepherd for the amazing ways He has blessed us.

This episode, we tackle one of our most requested topics: navigating the relationship between adult children and parents. As children grow up and leave the home, the relationship between child and parent changes and develops in ways that can be difficult to navigate with grace and wisdom.

Today, Janet and Jocelyn offer biblical guidance and wisdom on practical ways that both adult parents and their children can build healthy boundaries and foster a respectful, loving relationship that honors the Lord.

As a Christian, there is perhaps no greater story you will ever tell than the story of how you came to know and love the Lord. But many of us are not great orators, speech writers, or gifted natural communicators.

This week, Janet and Jocelyn discuss why sharing our testimony - the story of what God has done in and through our lives - is an important skill that we as believers should hone and develop so God’s glory shines through stronger and brighter than our own accomplishments, trials, or circumstances.

Sooner or later, we are all touched by grief. It’s part of living in a world broken by sin. When we have a friend who is in the throes of grief, our usual instinct is to want to help ease their suffering. But how?

Gail McGinty joins Janet and Jocelyn in this week’s episode to discuss practical ways to say and do (and what to avoid) as we work to provide comfort to those who are grieving.

Sexual intimacy is one of the most beautiful pictures of the relationship between Christ and the church. Sin has twisted and deformed biblical sex into something that God never intended.

In today’s episode, Janet and Jocelyn discuss how God designed sexual intimacy to be a beautiful expression of love within a marriage relationship. 

Chronic pain is a problem that many people live with each day. How can Christians honor Christ in the middle of such debilitating suffering?

Today, Janet and Jocelyn interview special guest Dr. Criag Svensson, the author of the book When There is No Cure. He is a trained pharmacist who is also an adjunct professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the Indiana University School of Medicine. In this episode they discuss how Christians should respond and react to the difficulties that come from chronic pain.

Forgiving those who have hurt us can be one of the most difficult challenges as a Christian. In this episode, Janet and Jocelyn link Christ’s forgiving heart with our own to show that we can follow Christ’s example in how we forgive one another.

Our God is infinite, but he has created us with limits in our daily lives. In this episode, Janet and Jocelyn unpack scriptures that help us to understand how we can glorify God in spite of limitations of time and money.

Many Christians struggle with an anxious heart that can lead to panic attacks. How can we as Christians consider this often overlooked symptom of an anxious heart? In this episode, Jocelyn & Janet discuss how to handle anxiety and panic attacks with a biblical perspective.

Marriage is the closest human relationship we could ever experience... Which means, as fallen sinners, husbands and wives get a front row seat to each other's exposed sin on a regular basis.

In this episode, Brent and Janet discuss how healthy marriages should be a safe space — not for sin to persist— but one where sinners can receive compassion and help from each other as they fight sin together.

God’s word is sufficient to guide us in our daily lives. There are many scriptures that can be go-to passages to help us in the problems that we face. Today we welcome Kevin Carson to discuss his five favorite scripture passages that he often uses in counseling. This episode will be encouraging for counselors and counselees alike.

The word “worship” can cause many thoughts and emotions in different Christian circles. Today we welcome Josh Aucoin as we discuss the topic of worship. We’ll discuss the “why” behind worship, and what corporate worship really means to God and others around us in our churches.

When we talk about defending our faith, often the discussion of science comes into the mix sooner or later. So today, we'll tackle this hot button topic head-on: Are the Bible and science really opposed to each other, as our culture often says? How can a basic knowledge of science help us understand WHY we believe? And how does the gospel fit in here?

In part 2 of our Apologetics mini-series, we welcome our good friend, scientist and pastor's wife Tirzah Birk, to discuss these questions about Science in Apologetics.

Believer, are you prepared to defend your faith? Our dear friend Alexandra is back as a guest this week to kick off our mini series on apologetics! This episode, Alexandra joins Janet to discuss 1 Peter 3:15 and how we as believers can answer the biblical call to always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that is in us.