Abundant Living Podcast with Tracie S. Burns

Dr. Jack Hyles once said, "People do what is most important, then find time to do the rest." What we spend time on is where we put our most importance, and if we are not careful, we will make things that do not really matter in the long run more important that what God wants us to do. In this episode, Tracie shares five of the biggest time wasters for women. She share how easily we can fall into the trap of poor prioritization, but she also shows how to keep all our "to-do"s in the right order to accomplish all we need to do for God and others.

***First, listen to Episode #93 for Part 1!***

Isaac Watts is regarded as the "Godfather of English hymnody," having penned some of the greatest hymns that we still sing today! Lesser known is the family who became his benefactors so that he was able to accomplish so much during his lifetime. In this episode, Tracie is joined by Abigail Medford, who tells the story of the unique connection between Isaac Watts and his generous friends, the Abneys. How did this aristocratic family help Isaac Watts to become one of the greatest hymn writers of all time? You will have to listen to find out!

Please let us know what you think by rating and reviewing this podcast in Spotify or Apple Podcasts! You can also leave a comment on each episode and share what helped you most so that others can decide if it would help them, too!

Isaac Watts is regarded as the "Godfather of English hymnody," having penned some of the greatest hymns that we still sing today! Lesser known is the family who became his benefactors so that he was able to accomplish so much during his lifetime. In this episode, Tracie is joined by Abigail Medford, who tells the story of the unique connection between Isaac Watts and his generous friends, the Abneys. How did this aristocratic family help Isaac Watts to become one of the greatest hymn writers of all time? You will have to listen to find out!

***Listen to Episode #94 for Part 2!***

Please let us know what you think by rating and reviewing this podcast in Spotify or Apple Podcasts! You can also leave a comment on each episode and share what helped you most so that others can decide if it would help them, too!

We are BACK for Season 6! Get ready for a season packed with all kinds of lessons, wisdom, encouragement, and humor from ladies just like YOU! There is no other podcast out there like the Abundant Living Podcast, and we are glad to have you join us for this sixth season!

This episode is from the North Florida Baptist Ladies Conference at Immanuel Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida. This lesson was taught by our pastor's wife Mrs. Heather Neal, who has been on this podcast a couple of times in previous seasons. In this episode, you will learn about how God has created us all vessels, unique and perfect for His service, and about how to stay the right kind of vessel for Him.

Please let us know what you think by rating and reviewing this podcast in Spotify or Apple Podcasts! You can also leave a comment on each episode and share what helped you most so that others can decide if it would help them, too!

In this episode, Tracie asks Heather Neal a myriad of questions on topics from food favorites to tips on being a great church member, and from how to deal with disappointment to surviving the rigors of child rearing.

Heather Neal is the pastor's wife at Immanuel Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida. Reached by the bus ministry as a child, she continued to follow God's call to Bible college, married a pastor's son in 1995, and served as a staff wife until 2013, when her husband took over the pastorate of his father's church. She and her husband have four daughters, one of which is in Heaven, and one brand-new grandson named Jack. Enjoy this "friend" chat and get a little dose of wisdom in the process.

It is rare to find a saved Christian who has not heard of the great Charles Spurgeon. Most have even heard of his renowned wife Susannah, but few know all that she did to keep her husband in the fight for the cause of Christ during his lifetime and in the years after his death. In this episode, Tracie is joined by Abigail Medford, as they share the amazing life story of Susannah Spurgeon (and a little bit of Charles, too). While life perhaps did not turn out the way she had wished, Susannah never let her unfortunate circumstances keep her from being a vital supporter and proponent of getting the Gospel to the world through her famous husband who the world still refers to as the Prince of Preachers. Even as she was left widowed, she continued faithfully to do the work God put in front of her, never resting until God called her home.

***Listen to Episode #88 for Part 1!***

For most Christians, the renowned ministry and writings of Oswald Chambers bring to mind his international best-selling devotional, My Utmost for His Highest. However, little is said of his better half–his wife Biddy–who had perhaps even bigger faith and perseverance than her famous husband. In this episode, Tracie is joined by Abigail Medford, as they share the amazing life story of Biddy Chambers (and a little bit of Oswald, too). Her life being a testament of huge faith in action, Biddy Chambers fully immersed herself in her husband's work as his ministry companion, despite the disappointments, danger, death, and sacrifices necessary to see others come to Christ! After Oswald's death, Biddy was determined to not let his influence end, and she spent the rest of her life making sure Oswald Chambers' wisdom would last for at least one hundred years and beyond!

For most Christians, the renowned ministry and writings of Oswald Chambers bring to mind his international best-selling devotional, My Utmost for His Highest. However, little is said of his better half–his wife Biddy–who had perhaps even bigger faith and perseverance than her famous husband. In this episode, Tracie is joined by Abigail Medford, as they share the amazing life story of Biddy Chambers (and a little bit of Oswald, too). Her life being a testament of huge faith in action, Biddy Chambers fully immersed herself in her husband's work as his ministry companion, despite the disappointments, danger, death, and sacrifices necessary to see others come to Christ!

***Listen to Episode #89 for Part 2!***

***Listen to Episode #86 for Part 1***

As England mourned the great David Livingston, a poor girl in the slums of Dundee, Scotland, wondered if God could do something equally as great with her. Single, with no money and little education, she sweetly answered God's call for her to go to the dark continent of Africa. In this episode, Tracie is joined by Abigail Medford, who shares the amazing life story of the missionary woman, Mary Slessor. Despite the hardships of deadly disease, constant danger, and confusing customs, she never allowed anything to stop her from bringing the Gospel to the lost people of Calabar, Africa. 

As England mourned the great David Livingston, a poor girl in the slums of Dundee, Scotland, wondered if God could do something equally as great with her. Single, with no money and little education, she sweetly answered God's call for her to go to the dark continent of Africa. In this episode, Tracie is joined by Abigail Medford, who shares the amazing life story of the missionary woman, Mary Slessor. Despite the hardships of deadly disease, constant danger, and confusing customs, she never allowed anything to stop her from bringing the Gospel to the lost people of Calabar, Africa.

***Listen to Episode #87 for Part 2***

Have you ever wondered how the Abundant Living Podcast came to be? In the intro and outro of each episode, ChristianLadiesFellowship.com is mentioned, but what is it? How can it help you in your daily walk? In this episode, Tracie explains the story behind both of these ministries and introduces listeners to another great part of our ministry they might be missing out on. Plus, she reads one of her own devotion article for listeners to get a "sample" of the website!

Imagine being a nobody but with tons of faith and a burden to reach your fellow man for Christ. In this episode, Tracie is joined by Abigail Medford, and they discuss Jeremiah Lanphier, the man who started the greatest homegrown prayer revival of the 1800s. His great faith and overwhelming burden led him to start what would become the famous Fulton Street Prayer Meeting that spread like wildfire across the United States and beyond, changing hearts and seeing perhaps millions come to Christ in a few short years!

Tough times are inevitable for everyone, even Christians. Even so, are you willing to endure through the trial, even when you don't understand all the reasons? In this episode, Tracie is joined by Mandy Harper, who tells the story of a seven-year-long struggle and all that God taught her through it. She explains all the ups and downs; the blessings and lessons along the way; and the greatest realization of all: enduring is winning!

If God asked you to suffer and to STILL serve Him, could you? In this episode, Tracie is joined by Abigail Medford, who shares the beautiful story of Mary Verghese. A brilliant surgeon in India who defied all odds to continue with her calling even in the face of unspeakable suffering, Mary never gave up because she knew God never gave up on her. Because of this, she was able to help so many who like her had endured suffering, and through her work, many came to Christ after experiencing her beautiful testimony of God's grace.

"I don't have time!" We've all said this, but is it really true? Is it possible to find more hours in our day? In this episode, Tracie is joined by Cindy Healy, whose busy schedule in the full-time music ministry is stealthily managed by her meticulous time management. Cindy shares all her tips and tricks, along with all the tools she uses to keep herself organized and balanced.

Welcome to Season 5 of the Abundant Living Podcast! In this episode, Tracie is joined by Abigail Medford to answer some questions from listeners. They cover the gamut, from practical to spiritual, along with a few hilarious stories along the way.

When the opportunities present themselves for us to act boldly for the Lord, we must step out in faith. In this episode, Tracie is joined by her father Steve Sandberg where he tells the story of how his family got saved out of the Lutheran church because of the boldness of one woman named Dixie Gates. She took a God-given opportunity, acted boldly in faith, and God gave the amazing increase that resulted in generations being saved.

Parenting can be the most rewarding and most difficult job we will ever have. Often, when in the trenches of it, we can find ourselves wondering if all the hard work will ever pay off. In this episode, Tracie is joined by her husband David. They talk through the principles they practiced while raising their now older teens. They share many stories peppered with tips and tricks to show how all the consistency in those little moments have paid off in the lives of their young people. 

Evelyn Brand, inspired by the written words of a missionary to India, determined that God was calling her to take the Gospel to the Indian people. In this episode, Tracie is joined by Abigail Medford, who shares the amazing story of the Baptist missionary, Evelyn "Granny" Brand. Her tenacity kept her serving on the mission field for nearly 65 years, despite the deplorable conditions, crushing disappointment, and personal tragedy, never wavering from her call to the hill people of southern India. 

Did you miss the Christian Ladies Fellowship meeting at the Preacher's Delight Conference this year? Here is just a sample of one of the encouraging sessions. On Thursday morning, our host Tracie Burns spoke to the ladies on being content in the purpose that God has for you today. 

Did you miss the Christian Ladies Fellowship meeting at the Preacher's Delight Conference this year? Here is just a sample of one of the encouraging sessions. On Wednesday morning, Mrs. Heather Neal, the pastor's wife at Immanuel Baptist Church, interviewed Mrs. Vita Collingsworth. She and her husband have been serving at the Heritage Baptist Church in Mogodore, Ohio, for 33 years. Despite many obstacles with her health, Mrs. Collingsworth has remained at the helm of serving God and giving Him her best.

If we know that God sees even the sparrow fall, then He certainly blesses and uses those little moments in our lives where we have stayed faithful to His call to share the Gospel. In this episode, Abigail Medford joins Tracie, as she shares the story of how God used so many people to get a young girl saved and in church, and that girl was her mom! She tells how each little moment of faithfulness on the part of each person who influenced her mom left a legacy of sharing the Gospel throughout her family's heritage.

What we may think are the negatives in our lives, God can use those as purposeful positives to mold our lives into what He wants them to be. In this episode, Heather Neal shares her testimony of how God used a bus worker to get her and her family into church. Then, God led Heather to marry a preacher who eventually became her pastor! Together, they have endured some of the toughest trials a couple can face, yet they stayed faithful, even when all they had was their faith to which to cling.

God has given all of us unique gifts, and we can use them to make a difference as long as we are willing to put in the work! In this episode, Tracie is joined by Abigail Medford who shares the amazing life story of early American patriot, Mercy Otis Warren. While she is renowned for her contributions to the patriot cause, her unique life balance of Christian womanhood can teach us much about how we too can have it all if we are willing to use all that God has given us. 

Often, when we embark on serving God, we think it is going to be one way, while God, in fact, has quite different plans in how He will use us in His work. In this episode, Tracie is joined by her husband David who shares how we can all be in the ministry as long as we are willing to surrender to God fully and to continue surrendering to the opportunities that God bring to us throughout our lives.

Imagine sitting down to pen words of faith, laid on your heart by God, while in the midst of great grief and tremendous suffering. For most of us, we would never expect our words to have much of an impact beyond helping us to spill our broken hearts onto paper. In this episode, Tracie is joined by Abigail Medford, who shares the amazing faith of three women who may have seemed to the world to have little to offer, but who gave all they had to God by sharing the thoughts of their hearts through hymns of encouragement. Because of their contribution to our rich Christian heritage, we are still blessed through singing their hymns all these hundreds of years later!

For too long, Christians have stigmatized grief as weakness instead of making a way to help those who are hurting to heal. In this episode, Tracie is joined by Pastor Greg Neal who, through his own grief experience after the death of his daughter, founded The Amanda Ranch, a place for rest, renewal, and revival. Listen to the unique story behind how The Amanda Ranch came about and learn how you can be a part of helping our brothers and sisters in Christ find the recovery they need to living abundantly for the Lord!

Here are the links as mentioned in this episode:

It is 1932. You're a young, single woman with no money and no prospects. All you know is that God has called you as a missionary to China, and somehow or someway, you must find a way to get there! In this episode, Tracie is joined by Abigail Medford, who shares the amazing story of the woman missionary, Gladys Aylward. Her life is so amazing that it's hard to believe; however, through unwavering faith, unfathomable bravery, and unshakable trust in God, Gladys Aylward defied all odds to see the Chinese people come to Christ.

Join Tracie for a recap of the Christian Ladies Fellowship meeting this week at the Preacher's Delight Conference. Hear all the blessings of the week and how God used the preaching to challenge us and fellowship to encourage us!

Behind the face of every faithful Christian lady are stories of victories, struggles, and blessings from the Lord. In this episode, Tracie interviews Abigail Medford, who embarked on a project last year to interview faithful Christian women in her church and to write their stories as articles for ChristianLadiesFellowship.com. Abigail shares copious nuggets of wisdom and lessons of encouragement she gleaned from each interview. She also instructs on how the younger generation can obtain this wisdom from the older generation, and she encourages the older generation to share their legacy so the stories of faithful Christians can be passed down through the generations!

We have all heard people misconstrue the biblical phrase, "Judge not, lest ye be judged!" It is human nature, or our sin nature, to judge others in their decisions, in their motives, and in their actions. Join Tracie as she shares through stories and scripture how we can take action in our own hearts and minds to stop judgment in its tracks and learn to love others right where they are at without judging them.

“Silence is golden.” Do you struggle to know when to speak and when to keep it to yourself? Has something you said caused a bunch of unnecessary drama for you in the past, and you don’t want to make that mistake again? Join Tracie as she shares through stories and scripture how we can know the times to stay quiet in order to preserve our peace, our influence, and our testimonies.

Have you ever said, "I need to slow down before I fall down," or "I need a vacation before I lose my marbles!" Life just gets busier and busier, and we often find ourselves drowning in all we have to do. Join Tracie as she shares through stories and scripture how we can survive the busyness of life without falling apart with a few helpful ideas to keep us from being too busy.

Life is a series of decisions, and sometimes, those decisions involve trying to solve life's never-ending problems. Join Tracie as she shares five plans of action for solving problems in situations, in circumstances, or with others, without sacrificing biblical principles and while maintaining a good Christian testimony.

Everyone, at one time or another, will encounter a difficult situation with another family member or a loved one. Sometimes, that family member is just a difficult person in general, so how should we handle dealing with them, while still maintaining the right Christian testimony? Join Tracie as she shares ten tips for dealing with difficult loved ones and how to set principles and boundaries so that you can have peace in your relationships.

Growing up in church, you perhaps heard the term "helpmeet" from time to time, mostly referring to being a good wife. However, is that all the Bible means when it talks about being a help meet? Join Tracie as she shares through Bible study and stories how ANY Christian lady can fulfill the God-given role of being a help meet as the Bible says, regardless if she is married, single, or widowed.

Our world has watered down what it means to be feminine in general, but even worse, it has corrupted the meaning of Christian femininity. Join Tracie as she shares the key of how to not only be feminine ourselves but also how to help the next generation to discover true Christian femininity.

Often, we get so caught up in the tangible things of life, we can easily forget the things that matter most. Join Tracie as she shares a personal story that taught her that the greatest gift we can ever give can be given by anyone!

God calls pride one of the most hated sins of all, yet we all struggle with it from time to time. How can we overcome pride if it has taken hold in our lives? Even more so, how can we keep a lookout to avoid pride all together? Join Tracie as she shares from scripture what to look for to avoid pride and how to overcome it when it has taken root in our spirits.

Feelings of guilt and shame is not uncommon, but when we allow these feelings to set up housekeeping in our minds and hearts, they can hinder us from reaching our potential for God and from enjoying the joy of God's everyday blessings. Join Tracie as she shares through stories and scripture how we can have victory over past guilt and can find joy in knowing we live in freedom through Christ.

Is my investment in others worth all the effort? In this episode, Tracie interviews Liz Myers, who, along with her husband, works with the teens and in the music ministry at Countryside Baptist Church in Waycross, Georgia. She shares stories about the ladies who have invested in her life throughout the years and how each person made a monumental difference in helping her to become the Christian lady that she is today. 

Life's changing seasons are inevitable. While we can never quite prepare to be an expert at every season, there are some basic principles that will help us manage the twists, turns, and bumps in the road along the way. Join Tracie as she shares from scripture three important things to do as you navigate the changing seasons in your life. 

We will all face big life decisions. When we do, there are so many variables, and it can be difficult to know how to make the right decision. Join Tracie as she shares from her own personal experience and from scripture how to set good biblical principles that will guide us when faced with those big life decisions. 

As much as we wish life was filled with peaceable and happy relationships, we will all encounter unkindness, difficulties, and yes, even false accusations. Join Tracie as she shares from her own personal experience how to apply biblical principles to our reactions when we are falsely accused or misaligned by others in order to keep a good testimony.

The world has diluted and diminished the art of appropriateness in our lives and especially in our conversations. Guarding our conversations is extremely important, not only in keeping our hearts and minds right, but also in being a great example of Christian womanhood to the next generation. Join Tracie as she shares how to set some personal boundaries in our day-to-day conversations so that we can preserve our hearts and our testimonies as Christian ladies.

🎉It's our Fiftieth Episode🎉

Today, Tracie interviews her good friend and fellow church member, Mandy Harper. Mandy shares some of her testimony, including her struggle through losing both of her parents within a few years of each other, two very different tragedies with very different challenges. Mandy testifies of what God has taught her through her sorrow and the comfort she has found through Christ.

Everyone at some point in their lives will experience the disappointment that comes from a missed opportunities. Join Tracie as she share through stories and scripture how to handle these moments of disappointment from a biblical perspective.

Valleys in our lives are inevitable. We should expect them, but we should make sure that our attitudes, spirits, and perspectives are what they need to be as we endure them. Join Tracie as she share through stories and scripture a few ways to keep the right perspective while going through a valley.

Getting along with others is Bible-living! While the world's humanistic philosophies may beg to differ, God expects us to get along with our Christian brothers and sisters. Join Tracie as she share through stories and scripture five reasons we fail to get along with those around us and how to overcome these things in order to have good relationships with the body of Christ, the church.

We've all been there: stuck in a rut of negativity, whether because life is disappointing or difficult, or we just have not been taking care of ourselves. Then, we suddenly find ourselves constantly complaining. A constant negative attitude and a complaining spirit can not only be detrimental to our spiritual well being and overall happiness, it can also be destructive to those around us. Join Tracie as she share through stories and scripture how to turn around a negative, complaining spirit into one of joy and positivity.