Trusting God with the Glorious and the Ordinary: Michael Iskander & Christian Dearman

This week, we’ll hear from actor Michael Iskander who currently portrays King David on the House of David series. Michael opens up about his unconventional route to acting, the prayer and fasting that became his ritual as he waited to hear whether or not he would be cast in his dream role, and what portraying David has taught him about trusting God in every moment and in every decision.  Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Christian Dearman—a professional baseball player with the Savannah Bananas, a team known not just for their show-stopping performances, but their heart for people. Christian shares how his journey toward the big leagues was nearly cut short by a career-threatening injury and how that difficult season became a turning point in his faith.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Erin Hicks Moon Upcoming interview: Jason and Erica Redman  Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season    Michael Iskander  House of David  The Chosen  Jon Erwin Psalm 8:3-6 NIV   Christian Dearman Savannah Bananas latissimus dorsi tendon Jake Peavy Florida International University Jesse Cole   Interview Quotes: “Even in the mundane, God has a will for us, even in something that we think is unimportant or that doesn’t have a big impact. Maybe it feels like we’re throwing a tiny rock in the ocean and it has no ripple effect. God wills for that to happen, because He is pruning us and training us for something bigger.” - Michael Iskander  “Prayer is extremely important, and always having a moment of reflection of why we’re doing this is vital. For me, the show is not about David. The show is about God. I think even in the acting process of this, God was teaching me just to let go of any sort of idea of control that I have and just to surrender to Him and to trust that prayer is powerful.” - Michael Iskander “I’m just so grateful that God had put me into a positive mindset, because through reading Scripture, I was learning a lot of verses that I was looking at as motivational quotes.” - Christian Dearman “It’s insane because at one point, they were telling me I would never be able to pick up baseball again, and now, my name is in the Hall of Fame. It’s surreal. God is so good all the time.” - Christian Dearman “What I am able to do every single game is connect with kids about Jesus with something as simple as just wearing a cross.” - Christian Dearman “If you could add just a smile to brighten someone’s day—that’s truly God’s work right there.” - Christian Dearman “It doesn’t matter what you’re going through—Jesus already accomplished the ultimate goal. He fought the ultimate battle, and we are saved by grace.” - Christian Dearman  ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this honest and hope-filled interview, Rachel Wojo shares how her faith was tested through her daughter’s 22-year battle with a terminal illness, and how God met her in her grief. From wrestling with anger to discovering the power of simple, heartfelt prayers, her story is a raw reminder that it’s never too late to call on Jesus.   Guest’s Links Facebook: @rachelwojoauthor Instagram: @rachelwojo Watch this interview on our YouTube channel! https://bit.ly/46vT2eL  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website TikTok   *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week, beloved Bible teacher and speaker Lisa Harper shares her perspective on how she traded theological study for a personal God experience and began seeing the Bible as a love story. She stresses showing up to God just as you are—imperfections and all—illustrated by a story of shared heartache. Then, we’ll hear from Richard Gamble, the founder of the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer in the United Kingdom, which is set to open in the fall of 2027. Richard shares the vision behind the largest Christian landmark in Britain, which will contain one million bricks, each one containing a scannable QR code which will reveal someone’s answered prayer.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Josh Baldwin Upcoming interview: Christian Dearman Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season   Lisa Harper  Malachi 3:6 NIV www.lisaharper.org A Jesus-Shaped Life   Richard Gamble Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer  Royal Institute of British Architects www.eternalwall.org.uk Interview Quotes: “If we compartmentalize our relationship with Jesus to only when we’re reading the Bible, to only when we’re attending church or in a Bible study, then it can become segmented in our lives. Theology at its core is relational. It’s less about accruing data about who God is and it’s more about developing an intimate relationship with Jesus.” - Lisa Harper “When you think of the Bible as a rule book, or that it’s primarily about biblical ethics, then it becomes punitive—it’s something I have to get right. When you see it as primarily a love story,  then everything changes.” - Lisa Harper “If you look at all of Scripture, including the Old Testament, through a socio-historical context, you’ll see this ongoing theme of a good God who’s always in the process of redeeming our inherent dignity as His children.” - Lisa Harper “All of us experience exquisite loneliness, but that also shows we are hardwired for relationship.” - Lisa Harper “Jesus Christ, the Son of God, He chose to be accessible to us, to be near to us when our lives feel crushed, to get the residue of our heartache on His personhood. He doesn’t just love me because it’s His duty. He delights in me.” - Lisa Harper   “How kind is our God. It’s His mercy that leads us to repentance.” - Lisa Harper  “Whatever you do, don’t believe the lie that you have to clean yourself up first before you turn back to God. Bring everything to the Lord, even your disappointment, even the places where you’re stuck. Then ask Him to restore unto you the joy of your salvation, and He will.” - Lisa Harper  “My own prayer life has changed so much because I don’t worry about if I sound spiritual. I just want to be closer to my Redeemer. Some days that doesn’t look pretty. Some days, that’s really, really messy. But He says, ‘Bring me everything.’” - Lisa Harper “The first thing I did was to speak the dream. I think that’s an important step—when God gives you a vision, to actually speak it out to others.” - Richard Gamble “If God has given you a dream, the success of that dream is not limited to your ability. The success of the dream is just predicated on whether God has chosen it to be. If God is behind a dream, everything is possible.” - Richard Gamble “Ultimately, what we want people to do is to find stories that inspire them to go on their own personal journey to find Jesus, the God who answers.” - Richard Gamble  “You can overcome by sharing your testimony with somebody.” - Richard Gamble “The more those overwhelming moments come, if you are grounded in that truth of who God is daily, you don’t get the anxiety, you don’t get the fear—it bounces off you because you know the truth.” - Richard Gamble  ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week, we’ll hear from Dan and Sam Mathews, full-time content creators who’ve built a life rooted in creativity, family, and a passion for adventure. From backcountry camping and RV renovations to raising their kids on the road, they’ve shared their journey online—offering an honest look at the challenges and joys of living boldly and encouraging others to step outside their comfort zones and choose a more adventurous route. Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Jacob Robinson, founder of Dig World, a construction theme park where kids and adults can operate real equipment. Behind the fun lies a deeply personal story. After a life-changing medical crisis with their son Pierce, Jacob’s world shifted, pushing him to navigate grief, hope, and a new way forward. Today, Dig World isn’t just a park—it’s a place where families connect, challenges are embraced, and joy is celebrated in its purest form.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Bear Grylls Upcoming interview: Lisa Harper  Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith on UPTV   Dan and Sam Mathews Always Choose Adventure   Jacob Robinson Dig World Texas A&M  Texas Children’s Hospital bacterial meningitis www.digworldnation.com   Interview Quotes: “There are a lot of times when multiple doors open, and we don’t know which one to choose. As long as it’s in line with the Lord’s will and we have a peace about it, we just look through the door and go, ‘Which one’s more adventurous?’” - Dan Mathews “The more you have, it can become a distraction in a way that keeps you from fully experiencing what God has.” - Dan Mathews “Chasing a new job title or a bigger house or nicer car or more zeros in your bank account—at the end of the day, it just leaves you unfulfilled. Having time to do what we love, to share Jesus with people, to love on one another, to spend time with our kids, to go and see new places, that became our idea of success. If we don’t have the time to do what we love and to spend time with each other, then all other measures of success don’t matter.” - Dan Mathews   “Adventure isn’t one-size-fits-all. Adventure can just be getting outside of your comfort zone and trying something new.” - Dan Mathews  “God doesn’t want us to live a stagnant life. If you look through the stories in the Bible, you can’t find anywhere God is like, ‘Hey, just stay where you’re at. Don’t change a thing. Long-term, we just want you to hunker down and be comfortable.’ He’s always calling people. He’s telling people to go.” - Dan Mathews “Jesus welcomes us through tough questions. He says, ‘I see you, I understand you, my heart is breaking with you and I love you. And there is a bigger plan.’” - Jacob Robinson “[My son] Pierce is now profoundly deaf in both ears. He’s nonverbal, he’s epileptic, and he’s in a wheelchair. But he is the happiest little dude you’ll ever meet. He radiates joy. He sees life the way that I think Jesus wants us to see life. He doesn’t see your skin color. He doesn’t see how much money you make. He doesn’t see what car you drive or what your house looks like. He truly just wants to be with you, and I think that’s how Jesus would want us to live.” - Jacob Robinson  “Don’t try to figure out your faith until you have a life experience that turns you upside down. Figure out what your faith is and lean into that faith when those times come, because Jesus promises us that challenges will come. Lean into that, and lean into Him.” - Jacob Robinson   ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Welcome to this special bonus episode of the Jesus Calling Podcast, inspired by the topical themes from Sarah Young’s seasonal prayer devotional, Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season. Today we are featuring guests who speak to themes that all of us might be experiencing in this season of autumn. Fall is a time of dormancy, where we and nature begin the process of shedding old things, preparing for rest, and starting anew after winter. This episode offers us an opportunity to reflect, release what no longer serves us, and embrace a period of quiet rejuvenation in anticipation of new beginnings.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens   Tahj Mowry Demi-Leigh Tebow John Eldredge Danielle Coke Candace Cameron Bure Steve Wohlberg Kara Stout ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

*This episode contains content that may be triggering for some listeners. This week, we’ll hear from Jenny Marrs, an author, designer, and passionate advocate for community transformation, family preservation, and orphan care worldwide, who hosts the HGTV show Fixer to Fabulous with her husband, Dave. Jenny shares the path that led her to the business she is in today, and the challenges of leaving all that you know to embrace the unknown. Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Struggle Jennings, an independent music artist, father of seven, and prison ministry leader. Struggle shares how growing up in a famous musical family didn’t shield him from tragedy and poor choices, but how God used even the hardest seasons, including prison, to rebuild his life.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Patricia Heaton Upcoming interview: Dan and Sam Mathews Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season    Jenny Marrs Fixer to Fabulous  University of Central Florida www.jennymarrs.com Trust God, Love People: Stories of My Openhanded Faith   Struggle Jennings Send Musicians to Prison Waylon Jennings  Jessi Colter www.strugglejennings.com   Interview Quotes: “We’re not meant to do life alone. In [a difficult] season, [my husband and I] needed to lean on each other and on God and get through it, and we realized we actually needed to let people in.” - Jenny Marrs "[God] works through us; He works through our inadequacies, and often when we don't want to do it, He can—even if we think there's no way." - Jenny Marrs "Identifying and spotting God's hand in all of it–the mundane, the hard, the beautiful, the mountain tops—all of those different experiences—we can spot His hand in that." - Jenny Marrs "I want my kids to be able to look back at the faithfulness of God in their lives that they didn't even know about before they were born and have that moving forward." - Jenny Marrs “I was introduced at an early age to both sides of the tracks—seeing Waylon with the security guards and the Cadillac and the Jaguar and the big house and [being a] successful country music icon. And then going back to my dad’s side of the family that lived in West Nashville who worked nine to fives and lived right at that poverty line.” - Struggle Jennings “I was caught up in that world—gangs and drugs and a lot of the beliefs like, Feed your family by any means necessary. It’s okay to do wrong if you’re doing it for the right reason—those types of things that I had to eventually strip myself of.” - Struggle Jennings  “Many times God showed His face and showed His favor, even though I didn’t know why, because I didn’t understand what my purpose was.” - Struggle Jennings “I knew that I finally had to strip down and take full responsibility and accountability and say, ‘This is my fault. I can’t blame the judge. I can’t blame the person that snitched on me. I can’t blame my circumstances or the cards I was dealt. I have the opportunity to turn this around.’” - Struggle Jennings “I just really felt that God had a plan for me, and I wasn’t going to take it for granted.” - Struggle Jennings  “Even the times that I had doubts, it was the responsibility to God and to my fans and to my children [that kept me going]. When you’re purpose-driven and you have a reason for getting up every day and you know you’re living in God’s glory and God’s mercy, you have that strength and that confidence that I’ve made it through a lot of things and I don’t know what’s ahead of me, but I know that if I keep moving in the right direction with love in my heart and God in my heart, it’s going to work out okay. God gives His greatest warriors the toughest battles.” - Struggle Jennings ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week, we’ll hear from three seasoned leaders from Cedarville University—Dr. Michael Sherr, Dr. Jason Lee, and Dr. Angelia Mickle—who bring together decades of experience in social work, theology, and nursing. United by a shared passion for equipping healthcare professionals, they explore how we can find renewed strength under tremendous pressures by bridging the gap between faith and health.  Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Dr. Drew Dickens, a technologist and storyteller exploring where faith, identity, and innovation meet. As host of the Encountering Peace and AI and Spirituality podcasts, he brings deep insight into how emerging technology is reshaping the way we think, connect, and seek meaning.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Brett Swayn Upcoming interview: Jenny Marrs   Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith on UPTV Dr. Michael Sherr Dr. Jason Lee Dr. Angelia Mickle Cedarville University Center for Biblical Integration at Cedarville University Colossians 3 NIV Isaiah 40:31 NIV Scripture and Scrubs: A Christian Calling to Healthcare   Dr. Drew Dickens Encountering Peace  AI and Spirituality  Whispers of the Spirit: A 40-Day Guide to Intimate Prayer Interview Quotes: “One of the things that we want to do is make sure that we’re setting our trajectory around what God wants from us, to listen to God regularly through His Word, and to connect with Him daily.” - Dr. Jason Lee  “We all have to live out our call to live the gospel, to be on mission, to live our relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in whatever endeavor we find ourselves in our lives.” - Dr. Michael Sherr “Part of the challenge is to see how we can pull the professional and spiritual journeys together and create a greater impact and a sense of purpose. But also a sense of longevity, because all these things are done not just in the moment and for immediate success or healing or any treatment, but ultimately for the glory of God.” - Dr. Jason Lee  “The purpose of us being here is to comfort people and to help them in their time of vulnerability, or if they’re hurt and suffering, and just love them unconditionally—the way that Jesus would.” - Angelia Mickle “If we have Jesus in our heart, the joy is going to show. Jesus is love, and we’re going to reflect Christ, so we’re going to reflect love.” - Dr. Angelia Mickle   “[AI] is still casually dismissed right now, and that’s concerning to me because we’re dealing with issues of identity, we’re dealing with issues of inspiration.” - Dr. Drew Dickens  “Prayer requires effort, and we need to remember that communicating with the Creator and Sustainer of this vast universe is an amazing privilege.” - Dr. Drew Dickens “We need to have these conversations on the effects of [AI] in the pews, on families and relationships—the effects it’s going to have on community, on communion, on what it means to gather together, or just to re-engage with a physical moment of intimacy with God.” - Dr. Drew Dickens “We’re not to be a people of fear, but of hope. So we can be intentional, we can find ways to engage with AI in a redemptive way, and we can be mindful of these opportunities because there is hope.” - Dr. Drew Dickens ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

On this episode of Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer, we’ll hear from physician, researcher, author, and speaker Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, who understands the daily pressure many of us feel to “perform” and live up to unrealistic standards of who we think we should be. When we can begin to understand who we are apart from what we do, God can help us remove the pressure to “do” and embrace the freedom to “be.”  Guest’s Links YouTube: @SaundraDaltonSmith Instagram: @drdaltonsmith Facebook:@DrSaundraDaltonSmith Watch this interview on our YouTube channel! https://bit.ly/4mzRd5X  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website TikTok   *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week, we’ll hear from Monique Rodriguez—an author, entrepreneur, and founder of the women-led beauty brand Mielle Organics, a hair care and beauty brand. Monique shares how a devastating personal loss became the catalyst for a deepened faith and the birth of a global beauty brand built on bold belief, healing, and hope in God’s promises. Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Adam Young, a therapist and podcaster from Fort Collins, Colorado. Adam is the voice behind The Place We Find Ourselves, where he guides listeners through the intersections of personal story, trauma, and healing. In his work, Adam highlights the power of relationships, the wisdom of the body, and the role of faith in helping us find meaning and connection.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Tabitha Brown Upcoming interview: Drs. Michael Sherr, Angelia Mickle, and Jason Lee Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith on UPTV   Monique Rodriguez Mielle Organics emergency C-section Romans 8:28 NIV Psalm 30:1-5 NIV www.mielleorganics.com The Glory in Your Story   Adam Young The Place We Find Ourselves Make Sense of Your Story www.adamyoungcounseling.com   Interview Quotes: “I just didn’t have the courage and the faith in myself to believe that I could actually achieve what was deemed impossible for someone that looked like me growing up in the household that I grew up in.” - Monique Rodriguez  “I had to lean on His Word and trust Him by faith that He was going to see me through this with an even bigger promise on the other side of this.” - Monique Rodriguez “I decided that I wanted to follow God’s lead, and I wanted to live a purpose-filled life because you only get one shot. When you go through tragic events, it really causes you to have a different perspective.” - Monique Rodriguez “I decided to fulfill [my dream] when I went through that loss, and I am thankful for my son’s life because he caused me to have a relationship with God. He taught me to be fearless and to have courage and to be bold in my faith.” - Monique Rodriguez “Our mission is not only to empower, educate, and to excite women about healthy hair, but I also feel that we are empowering, exciting, and educating about the gospel.” - Monique Rodriguez “I do feel that Mielle—because it was birthed from a place of pain that ultimately was purposeful—is anointed.” - Monique Rodriguez  “If you’re having butterflies in your stomach, if you have a lump in your throat, if you have tightness in your chest because of a certain experience that you’re having or something coming up in your life, that is your body’s way of saying, ‘There is something inside your heart that needs to be addressed that is not well.’” - Adam Young “Part of the healing journey is getting honest, not just about what happened, but about the feelings that you have in your body, and welcoming those, making us a home for those feelings so that they can be felt, processed, and expressed.” - Adam Young  “Whenever you experience trauma, the single most effective way to experience healing of those neural networks is through healthy relationships with other people. Healing is necessarily relational, and it requires looking at the past.” - Adam Young  “We’re created for secure attachment, which means a healthy relationship with God where we have a felt sense that God is there for us, that God will respond to our cries, and that God is pursuing our hearts.” - Adam Young “Practices in general, whether it’s prayer, mindfulness, walking and looking at beauty, whatever practices you have in your life where you bring the fullness of your presence—and that’s the key attribute for a practice to be meaningful—you have to be aware and present.” - Adam Young  “The practice of prayer, the practice of solitude, both are necessary for the development of not just your brain, but for you to come to know who you are, who God created you to be, and how you uniquely reflect God in a way that others don’t.” - Adam Young   ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week on the podcast, we meet Justin Knoop—a husband, father of four, and the heart behind the Blessing Boys. What began as a small lawn care business grew into a mission to serve others, inspire his sons, and transform lives one yard at a time. Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Tricia Goyer—an author, speaker, podcaster, and homeschooling mom whose journey has taken her from teen pregnancy to building a family of ten through adoption and foster care. Along the way, Tricia discovered that it’s not about doing more, but about noticing what matters most.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Gary Sinise Upcoming interview: Monique Rodriguez Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith on UPTV   Justin Knoop Blessing Boys   Tricia Goyer Psalm 22:6 Psalm 40:2  www.triciagoyer.com Faith That Sticks: 5 Real-Life Ways to Disciple Your Preteen Interview Quotes: “There was a search in my heart for purpose, for fulfillment. I spent a lot of my teenage years and even into my twenties just searching to fill that void. I think eventually it led me to where I am today, but it took me a long time to figure out what that purpose was that I was searching for.” - Justin Knoop  “My sons were getting into this phase of life where I needed to start thinking about what it meant to begin to set an example for them. So what I did was I set aside Fridays—one day a week—for me and my sons to actually go out and serve the community.” - Justin Knoop “I think we can get caught up in our own lives and what’s going on in our family and our home and forget that there’s a world out there that needs us. What we teach our kids is that your purpose in life—outside of being in relationship with God—is to bring value to others.” - Justin Knoop  “Yes, we have different hobbies and things that we do, but we want to pour the majority of our time into things that impact people around us. We’re not just about cutting grass and overgrown yards. We’re really after changing lives and impacting people.” - Justin Knoop “I realized through God, through prayer, through sitting before Him crying because I was so overwhelmed, that He already created [my children] as unique human beings with a purpose and I didn’t need to pour everything into them. I just needed to follow the purpose that God had given them.” - Tricia Goyer  “I think it really takes almost becoming students of our kids and seeing what God already put in them—the calling that He has on their lives—and really focusing on who God created each individual to be. And then going before God, sitting quietly before Him, praying for our kids, and asking Him to open the door that we can help them walk through.” - Tricia Goyer  “If we are listening—if we’re sitting around, driving, taking a walk around the block—if we’re there and listening to [our children], that’s when the big things come out, that’s when the questions happen.” - Tricia Goyer  “If we’re waiting for our kids to be adults before we have meaningful conversations with them, it is too late. We need to build that, and pre-teens is the perfect little window where they still think it’s really cool to go get a smoothie and talk, and we can use that time to pour into our kids.” - Tricia Goyer  “So many times we wonder how things are going to work out. Whatever God has called us to, we’re trying to see the end, and all we see is obstacle, obstacle, obstacle. I think that’s just a reminder that if God calls us to something, He is faithful and He’s going to be there.” - Tricia Goyer  ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.