You Don't Have To Be Perfect Podcast with Vanessa Luu

Let this be your invitation back to intimacy with Jesus.
Let this be the season where you return.

Thanks so much for being here today.
I’ll talk to you soon — but until then,
keep seeking, keep trusting, and remember: You don’t have to be perfect.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus is called our healer when so many people remain suffering and sick for years? I have. I have prayed countless times to Jehova-Rapha, the God who heals, to heal my Mom, my mother-in-law, myself, and many others. They remain sick, and so do I.

Waiting for a solution in times of sickness, misery, or affliction tests our faith. I'll go far enough to say that waiting for healing is where our faith is forged. Does it exist? If so, it will grow stronger. If it doesn't, we may need to see if we ever had it to begin with.

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Worry is a form of anxiety. God the Father and Jesus the Son tell us not to worry because God is with us. In Matthew 6:25-34 Jesus tells His disciples not to worry four times. Each time, He gives them a reason why worry is unnecessary. These scriptures make me wonder if I'm sinning each time I worry about what I'm wearing or what I'll eat that day because children of God aren't supposed to worry about such things.

God might get frustrated when we worry about something but His compassion for us outweighs that. When I attempt to understand God's compassion, I look to my children. If they disobey me I might get frustrated because they chose the poor option with no benefits, but I don't get so upset that I give up on them. I take time to get my words just right. I seek God for guidance and my love for them never breaks.

This is what I know: I don't want to worry, be scared, or be discouraged. Those emotions are not fun. But they happen because I'm human. As followers of Christ, we are called to rise above these emotions because of who we put our faith in. God doesn't want us obsessing over things that we can do nothing about, so He tells us not to worry because He's already taking care of it. He tells us not to be afraid or discouraged for the same reason. I've determined that God's command to be brave and courageous is given as a comfort and an encouragement.

Maybe it doesn't feel like God has you. I know that feeling but I'm here to tell you, it's just a feeling, it is not true. God is always there for us, it's us who lean away from Him in search of tangible comfort. And though we may find tangible comfort it's always short-lived, just like everything else the world has to offer us.

In Forty-Four years, I've seen something consistent in the church that hinders true community. We may have great discussions about being honest with our struggles or hardships, but there's also a stiffness around its practicality.

Many times, after sharing a struggle or being honest about my emotions, I receive a message that says, you'll have to figure this out on your own. People may offer to pray for me but may also look down on me because I need help. However, God says we will always need help because we aren't Him. If we could break that cycle of shaming those who are brave enough to share their struggles, we'd begin to see true community.

When we encourage others to be honest with their struggles and then shame them for needing help, we send a very confusing message. I don't think we intentionally do this, but maybe if we were aware, we could end the cycle.

Is it enough that we believe in our hearts and declare in our mouths that Jesus is Lord? Does faith truly save us through grace in our Lord Jesus Christ? The Bible says so. It also says that dead branches on the vine (of Christ) will be cut off and thrown on the fire. The Bible says that many will hear, "Depart from me; I never knew you" on the day of judgment. (Matthew 7:23) These are scary verses, can we agree? These verses do not refer to unbelievers but to those who believe or have believed in Jesus. If you have yet to guess, this is not a light-hearted article. It addresses some severe questions that believers should care about.

God never called anyone to impress. He calls us to love Him and others. I entangled impressing others with being effective in carrying the gospel. I was told no one would listen to what I had to say unless they liked me first. Have you been told that, too?

Do Christian women need to practice self-compassion? Join the conversation in the newest episode of the You Don't Have to Be Perfect podcast!

My guest is Jennifer Holmes, a Biblical counselor, speaker, writer, and podcaster. Jennifer works with churches in people's mental health and relational care by offering resources, seminars, and one-on-one care. I invited her here today to discuss self-compassion.

Follow Jen on IG: @Jensnewsong

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"Somewhere between then and now, the Church, the body of Christ, has grown weak. We say we love, but like the Jewish people of Jesus's time, we've put our own rules and standards around it. It didn't work for them, and it's not working for us."

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Gluttony is a sin, so I ask myself, am I a glutton? The definition of gluttony is habitual greed or excess in eating. (Definition from Oxford Languages on Google.) By definition of the word, no, but I've wondered, are we a nation of gluttons? Don't we overconsume everything from television, social media, food, and drinks daily? My answer is yes, but is God's answer yes? There are no data charts on what God considers a healthy diet, so we have to use other principles to determine His answer; as I stated before, I've found this to be extremely difficult.

I have a theory that our toxic world may be a result of our sinful living. God had given us dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:26-31), but we've corrupted it. So what do we do?

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Welcome, friend, to a brand new series on the You Don't Have to Be Perfect Podcast; it's called Nitty Gritty Bible Questions- For Abundant Living. In this series, I will share questions that prompt me to dig deeper during my personal Bible study. When I spend my one-on-one time in the word with God, I'm always amazed and blessed by the questions that come to mind and the answers God provides or doesn't. Sometimes, God wants me to ponder longer and dig deeper; sometimes, He wants me to wait.

I believe this series will help bring the Bible to life for you as well as provide you with practical application for your journey. Let's get started!

Question: Do we break our relationship with God when we disobey his teachings?

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Lakeshia is here today to chat about our powerful position of influence. I think it’s going to be an uplifting episode! Lakeshia thank you so much for coming back to the podcast!

Lakeshia you caught my eye in your post that said, some of us are sitting in seats of power and positions of incredible influence but we don’t see it that way because the world doesn’t value it much; you don’t get praise or rewards; or it doesn’t pay a lot of money or carry a notable “title” You said that NONE of these factors lessen the actual power and influence we possess or absolve us of our responsibility to manage it well.

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If we proclaim to love Jesus, we must look to the Father as Jesus did. We must dedicate our lives to knowing His ways. You won't find God's ways outside of His Word. He wrote them down for our benefit in the Bible so we wouldn't need to wonder.

The whole world won't submit and follow Him, but I still hope and pray that Chrisitans would.

If the world can't see that a noticable difference in how we live, then we aren't doing it right.

Jesus lived differently, and people definitely noticed. The ones who the Father chose for Him believed, followed and were blessed. The ones who rejected Him killed Him to remove the threat He posed on their current way of living.

Dear Christians, if we long to see a better world we must go to the Father, not just for our needs, but to learn His ways and carry them out in Spirit and in Truth. Just image how beautiful it would be.

Other Resources!

We talked about what true faith looks like in the context of fear. Most of our world functions from fear whether they know it or not, but in this episode, we have a real talk about what faith looks like even when you are afraid. It was a very soul-nourishing episode, and I can't wait for you to hear it!

Connect with Charlene here:

Does the way you live resemble the world more than the Bible?

It's extremely easy to get swept away by pop culture and our rapid pace of life, but if you are in Christ, He has called us to live differently.

He doesn't leave it up to us to figure out how to live and navigate this life. He's written it all down for us, and His perfect way is beneficial to us!

Isaiah 48:17

This is what the LORD says—

your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

"I am the LORD your God,

who teaches you what is good for you

and leads you along the paths you should follow.

The Bible is God's Word, and the Word is Jesus. To believe in Him is one thing. People often hold fast to John 3:16.

"For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." They don't seem to pay attention to verses 17-18, which say, "God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him." There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son.

Believing in Jesus requires more than believing in His existence. Believing that He is your only means of redemption should lead you to follow His ways and obey Him. And we learn this from John 3:36, which says, "And anyone who believes in God's Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn't obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God's angry judgment."

So, how do we obey Jesus? First, we have to know Him. To know Him, we must read the Bible because the Word Is Jesus. It tells us this In John 1:1-5. We cannot hope to obey the ways of Jesus If we don't spend time with Him In His word.

Perhaps you are like many Christians today who know they should read their Bible but just can't seem to get Into It.

If that's you, I have something to offer.

God has called me to create resources for Christians to help them understand the Bible and draw closer to God. This came out of my own testimony with God's word. I used to not be able to connect until God told me that it was the only way to find the answers I sought for living this life. I asked Him to give me understanding, and He has, for a decade now, God has given me fresh eyes to understand His Word.

Any of my books will serve you as guides to understanding the Bible in a more practical way while deepening your intimacy with the one True God—the one who created you and has perfect plans for you.

Inside today’s podcast, I have with me DJ Hejtmanek. DJ has newly retired and now paints full-time. Her mixed media process has emerged and coalesced into mostly an abstract realism style including birds,(I’m sure you know I love that) animals, and portraits, as well as nonrepresentational abstracts. She’s moved from painting on her kitchen counter to an actual studio where she paints most days.

It was an honor and a privilege to interview an artist whose art hangs on my wall. You’ve seen it if you watch my live daily Bible readings. I know you will enjoy this episode with artist, DJ Hejtmanek!

Connect with her here!

Website: djhejt.com

IG: Instagram.com/djhejtmanek

FB: “I didn’t know I was an artist” - @djhejtmanek

Inside today’s podcast, I have with me DJ Hejtmanek. DJ has newly retired and now paints full-time. Her mixed media process has emerged and coalesced into mostly an abstract realism style including birds,(I’m sure you know I love that) animals, and portraits, as well as nonrepresentational abstracts. She’s moved from painting on her kitchen counter to an actual studio where she paints most days.

It was an honor and a privilege to interview an artist whose art hangs on my wall. You’ve seen it if you watch my live daily Bible readings. I know you will enjoy this episode with artist, DJ Hejtmanek!

Connect with her here!

You will LOVE this episode! What a great interview!! 

Hannah was such a wonderful guest! We talked about so many amazing things like what does trusting God look like??

Tune in today and join the uplifting conversation !

More about @princesshannahwrites 

Hannah Pettefer is a 26-year-old Louisiana small business owner, ballet instructor, and marketer. Her first book "Open Hands" will be released this holiday season, and it is a testimony of how to trust God with the desires and disappointments of life. Hannah is the gatherer of her friend group, always hosting a party or celebrating something. Her favorite things are sunsets, the Psalms, and a good 3:00 cup of coffee. Keep up with her on Instagram @Princesshannahwrites and TikTok.

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Today's guest is Susan Ely. I've been a fan of her work for a long time and am thrilled to have her on the podcast. This episode will inspire you and make you think in a good way.

Join the conversation and be blessed!

More about Susan: My passion for art blossomed a few years ago, a surprising shift from my identity as a writer and speaker. Struck by a temporary loss of words, I embarked on an exploration of curiosity and experimentation, choosing these as my "words of the year." An untouched palette of watercolors beckoned, Instagram photos urged me to paint, and soon, I found myself immersed in art, painting flowers and whimsical birds late into the night. This newfound fascination evolved from watercolors to acrylics and collage, delighting me and my growing audience. Though I'm a latecomer to the art world, it brings me immense joy, especially as I've recently ventured into crafting unique earrings from my artwork, thanks to my daughter's suggestion.

Connect with Susan:

The apathy of humanity as a collective is enough to suffocate the life out of me, which is why I love artists. Art is proof to me that there are humans who want to do more than numb through each day for no greater pay out than to survive it. 

1. What kind of art do you make?
2. When did you first start making art and what inspired it?
3. What’s your personal definition of art?
4. Do you feel art nourishes your soul?
5. Where can we find your art and support you?

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 Annie Weber. I looked through your book and am excited for fellow believers to read it! Your desire for your readers is the same as mine! You want others to know God better so that they can find a healthy awareness of the vast differences between living in the world and living for the Lord, and that is a message the masses need today! So let's talk a bit about Astounding Truths. You have it broken up into 4 parts: The character of God, God’s Desire for His People, Curious Parts of the Bible, and God Equips His people and I have to say, you’ve hit the nail on the head with these categories. God has my heart focused on these areas as well and even in this order! You’ve done a great job here. We MUST know the character of God even to begin living a life that pleases him.

Meet my guest:

Annie Weber Annie Weber Is a writer known for her uncompromising approach to sharing God’s Word.

She lives with a keen awareness of how the Truth of Scripture has led her to put her faith in Christ. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of the Bible by writing and speaking about God's Word in an easy-to-understand language. 

Her Book: Astounding Truths of the Bible: A bite-size journey towards understanding the worlds best selling book.

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In a time and culture that avoids commitment, it's impressive that people still attend church weekly. So what keeps them going?

We'll answer this question and more in the final episode of the Why Do You Go to Church series, on the You Don't Have to Be Perfect podcast.

I've attended a church service my entire life, and the reason has varied over the years, so I used the You Don't Have to Be Perfect podcast as a platform for this research. If you haven't listened to these interviews yet please do. It may give you insight into your own reasons for attending church.

In each interview, there were strong consistencies. For instance, most answered that they went to church for fellowship and to worship God.

From infancy through college, I attended a weekly church service (and usually one midweek). I genuinely loved being there. I loved the people, the singing, and the message of Christ's love. Oddly enough, I hadn't really cultivated a personal relationship with God yet. I heard people talk about it but wasn't really sure how to have it.

As a young mother, my personal relationship with God began to grow, and I knew what it meant to know Him intimately. Oddly enough, that's when I began to dislike attending church. If you don't know by now, I have practiced a perfectionistic way of thinking (my entire life), contributing to my dislike for church.

Perfectionists are known to find problems and quickly implement a plan to solve said problem so that the situation can be "perfect." I soon realized I couldn't fix the church no matter how hard I tried, leading to a weekly dread. As we'd creep closer to Sunday each week, I'd get increasingly uncomfortable, but I'd still go.

What do you believe about Jesus?

How do you define church?

How long have you been attending church?

Why do you go to church?

More about my guest Katie Ruga:

Katie is a Christian wife and mama to 3.  She hosts a podcast for mamas called renewing your motherhood that encourages mamas to pursue biblical motherhood. She also has a one month discipleship program for mamas called renewing your identity. She loves to encourage other mamas to seek God and His word. She enjoys spending time with the Lord every morning with a cup of coffee, loves to swim with her kids, boating with her family and more. 

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Inside today's podcast, I have with me Roberta Thorndike. Roberta is a Christian editor that works with authors and writers of clean content, and today she’s here to answer the question: Why do you go to church?

What do you believe about Jesus?

How do you define church?

How long have you been attending church?

Why do you go to church?

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Inside today’s podcast, I have with me Mia Solange. She’s a freelance photographer, jewelry artisan, world traveler, and a beautiful soul.

She's with us today to answer the question: why do you go to church?

1. What do you believe about Jesus?

2. How long have you been attending church?

3. How do you define church?

4. Why do you go to church?

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This episode is part of the Why Do You Go to Church series.

Inside today's podcast, I have with me, Kylee Ghabour. Kylee is a supermom of two, one of Southern California's best elementary school teachers and one of my dearest friends. She loves playing all sports and enjoys reading.

Questions in this episode.

1. What do you believe about Jesus?
2. How long have you attended church?
3. How do you define church?
4. Why do you go to church?
5. Do you always enjoy going?

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Inside today's podcast, I have with me, Melissa Robinson. Melissa Robinson is a wife, and mom of two boys and serves in women's ministry. She enjoys nature photography & writing for her blog, My hills and valleys which is a place to find encouragement in spiritual growth through the power of God’s Word. My hills and valleys is a community of women after the heart of God who seeks to encourage and build one another up through the hills and valleys of life.

Today she's here to discuss with me why she goes to church!

Have you ever thought about why you attend church week after week? Is it just something you do on Sunday, or does it have an intentional purpose?

Connect with Melissa on IG: @myhillsandvalleys

Episode 5 of the Why Do You Go to Church series!

Questions:

1. What do you believe about Jesus?

2. How long have you been attending church?

3. Why do you go to church?

4. Do you enjoy going to church?

About Julie:

Today’s guest is my good friend Julie Johnson. Julie is a wife and new Mom to her son Christopher as well as a COTA therapist. She lives with her family in American Canyon, California.

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Have you ever been through a hardship? Besides our conversation about why she goes to church, my guest Blair Curtis can relate. She’s just released her debut book, Shipwrecker, A chilling true story of betrayal and how a brave young woman found her way out of the storm. 

Her goal with this book is to encourage others to navigate life’s storms with God, even if they've previously walked away from Him.

More about Blair:

Blair Curtis, M.Ed. is a combat veteran of the United States Navy. She is a Certified Veterans Yoga Project Teacher and published author of the book Shipwrecker. She is also a Special Education Teacher in Minnesota and loves helping children thrive. She and her husband have three small children and one on the way. She continues to serve The Kingdom as an ordained minister officiating weddings throughout the United States.

Inside today’s podcast, I have back with me Jennifer Kosuda. Jen is the founder of The Art of a Messy House, and is a wife, mom, teacher, author, and now podcaster. After thirty years of battling depression, anxiety, disordered eating, and other battles such as PTSD, she was set free. At that moment, she promised never to stop sharing about God’s love and Truths. The Art of a Messy House four-part book series, blog, and podcast is her journey to do just that. She's with us today to answer the question: why do you go to church?

Connect with Jen!

My guest today is Tricia Wahr.

Tricia Wahr is a long-time friend, wife, and mom of 7 kids who works in the financial sector! She enjoys coffee, spending time with her family, and being on the worship team at her church.

Questions: 1. What do you believe about Jesus? 

I believe Jesus is the Son of God. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one can come to the Father except through Jesus. He is the reason I live, and I want to honor and glorify Him in all I do. He loves greater than anyone I've ever known, and all His ways are good. He's the Creator of the Universe and everything in it. He's all-knowing, all-powerful, the forever high priest who has taken away the world's sins for those who accept Him. He's even more than everything I just said.

2. How long have you been attending church? I've been attending church since I was an infant. I loved growing up in the church; I felt surrounded by love and beauty. But that changed for me in my adult years. And it's one of the reasons I pose this question today. Why do you go to church? I'm excited to hear everyone's answers who are willing to speak up. I've wanted to ask this for a long time because I believe there are many who show up to church out of habit but don't really have an intentional reason for being there.

3. Why do you go to church? I used to go to church because I loved the people, the music and the teachings. Now I go to church out of obedience. Yes, I'm being very candid here because this podcast is about authenticity. I believe Christians today are doing church wrong. They are not meeting with the intentions that God laid out for us in the New Testament. I believe God is using me to help the church return to its intended purpose.

4. Do you enjoy attending? I used to, and hopefully I will enjoy it again.

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Questions: 1. What do you believe about Jesus? 

I believe Jesus is the Son of God. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one can come to the Father except through Jesus. He is the reason I live, and I want to honor and glorify Him in all I do. He loves greater than anyone I've ever known, and all His ways are good. He's the Creator of the Universe and everything in it. He's all-knowing, all-powerful, the forever high priest who has taken away the world's sins for those who accept Him. He's even more than everything I just said.

2. How long have you been attending church? I've been attending church since I was an infant. I loved growing up in the church; I felt surrounded by love and beauty. But that changed for me in my adult years. And it's one of the reasons I pose this question today. Why do you go to church? I'm excited to hear everyone's answers who are willing to speak up. I've wanted to ask this for a long time because I believe there are many who show up to church out of habit but don't really have an intentional reason for being there.

3. Why do you go to church? I used to go to church because I loved the people, the music and the teachings. Now I go to church out of obedience. Yes, I'm being very candid here because this podcast is about authenticity. I believe Christians today are doing church wrong. They are not meeting with the intentions that God laid out for us in the New Testament. I believe God is using me to help the church return to its intended purpose.

4. Do you enjoy attending? I used to, and hopefully I will enjoy it again.

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Inside today’s podcast I am thrilled to interview my favorite fiction author, Danielle Harrington. 

Danielle Harrington is a stay-at-home mom, award-winning author, and hardcore science nerd. She earned her undergraduate degree in chemistry from Biola University and taught high school chemistry for five years before becoming a full-time writer. Her inner fangirl perks up at the mention of Quidditch, BookTok, Middle Earth, and the perfect hand-crafted chai tea latte.

Danielle lives in Idaho with her husband, daughter, and three cats. Her current mission: Give readers twists they don't see coming and imaginings that keep them thinking long after the story

ends.

Danielle, I am THRILLED to have you with me today. Thank you so much for agreeing to come back to the podcast.

1. Last year you quit your fulltime teaching job, had a baby and move to Idaho! That was a lot! Can you share with us how those decisions came to be?
2. Were you scared about quitting your teaching career and moving out of state?
3. Was prayer involved in this decision? Was it an act of faith
4. What was it like to crank out the 3rd book of your series with a new baby and no teaching job?
5. What is your favorite thing about writing these fabulous novels?
6. What advice would you give to those who are considering a big life change?

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Pretend you are not about to read a chapter of one of the most famous Bible stories. I'm inviting you to read Chapter 5 with fresh eyes. As I read through the story again, I was amused. The words and actions of each person are so telling. If you get intentional, you can look at your life and plot in these characters.

Pharaoh- The threatened leader.

Moses- The obedient yet concerned servant.

Aaron- The helper.

Hebrew servants- The majority of the population.

God- The all-knowing, all-powerful being. 

Have you ever witnessed a threatened leader? I'm sure you have! Might you have one in your family or at your job? Maybe this character is in your church. At the very least, you've witnessed a threatened leader in a movie or television show. The threatened leader is motivated by fear. Everything they do directly responds to the fear of losing their power.

Do you have a Moses in your life? A person who is obedient to God but also gets confused and concerned when things don't seem to be going too well. Perhaps, in your story, you are Moses?

If you are Moses, who is your Aaron? Who is that person in your life that isn't perfect but does their best to have your back?

We are the Hebrew people/slaves/servants in this story. Believe it.

Most of our discontent with painful circumstances or unmet expectations involves timing. We view life much differently than God. He has the pleasure and the privilege to live outside of time while we don't. This truth has caused me to become angry more times than I can count, but the discrepancy between our timelines is an opportunity to grow in faith and trust Him.

Moses obeyed God even though he felt unqualified; what God asked of him was no small feat. God called Moses to deliver the Hebrew people from Egypt! Moses didn't go to school for this. He didn't study ancient texts and uncover some secret missions to carry out. He had run away from a murder he had committed and was content to live under the radar as a shepherd among the Midians.

God promised Moses that He would be with him, but Moses counted it a failure when Pharaoh increased the labor for the Hebrew people. He asked God, why did you do this to your people!? This a valid question and one I can relate to well. Here's what I noticed, though, in chapter 3, verse 12, God says, "Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain."

God's promise, in chapter 3, does not include multiple victories but one victory at the end. This means God will be with Moses throughout the entirety of the deliverance. God even told Moses precisely what would happen with Pharoah. Moses knew that Pharoah would not accept his terms immediately because God told him so in chapter 4, verses 21-23. But when the opposition took place, Moses freaked. To this, I reply, "Same."

Freaking out at the first site of opposition is my norm. You think I would have learned by now, but like Moses, I am drawn to ask God why?

Thoughtful Pause

Do you trust God even when things get scary? Spend time in prayer now and be honest with God about your insecurities.

God is trustworthy, and He’s also gracious with our insecurities. As you close this chapter today, remember all the ways that God has come through for you in His perfect timing and ask Him to help you remember those the next time things get scary.

You can use the Exodus story to help strengthen your faith. God does exactly what He promises to do every time.

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Inside today's podcast, we have Dawn Michelle Michals returning! Michelle and I have a deep Spirit-filled conversation.

Our chat was so long that I broke it up into two episodes, and I know you'll love them both. Today we cover what God does with our desires as well as Michelle's devotional of Matthew chapter 6. Grab your copy!

6 Days with Matthew 6: A six-day journey through Matthew 6 

The ebook is currently available. Please leave a review!