Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

***Content Warning: This episode mentions eating disorders.***   Most of us can recall times in our lives where we've felt lost, confused, or unsure of how to move forward. It can be easy to shy away from these moments—to hide them and put on a smile to pretend as if our road has always been an easy one. But what if instead of striving for perfection around every corner, we stop and lean into these uncomfortable moments? What would happen if we looked at our moments of feeling lost and vulnerable as opportunities to become closer to God? To strengthen our faith and use these stories as testimony? Our guests this week explore these questions as they share their stories of faith and healing. Carlos and Alexa PenaVega share the honest and vulnerable moments that strengthened their relationship with God and taught them the lessons that would inform the rest of their lives. Michael Phillips grew up in Baltimore and was told from an early age that he would not become the lawyer he dreamed to be. As administrators, teachers, and principals told him he would inevitably end up incarcerated, Michael fought a deficit narrative that hung over him for much of his young life.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Kristin Smedley Upcoming interview: Amy Kenny   Carlos and Alexa PenaVega Big Time Rush What If Love Is the Point?: Living for Jesus in a Self-Consumed World Michael Phillips T.D. Jakes Foundation Thurgood Marshall Perry Mason racketeering conspiracy Oral Roberts University  Maya Angelou  Wrong Lanes Have Right Turns   Interview Quotes: “I was really pursuing that deeper relationship with God. I grew up semi-Christian, but the craving that there was something deeper was there. And I just knew that I wanted to see God or experience God on that next level. I didn't want to have this surface level relationship with Him anymore.” - Alexa PenaVega “Whenever something's going on, we pray about it.” - Alexa PenaVega “It was just so cool to see God use our testimony on that level to really impact the world.” - Carlos PenaVega “When you jump into being somebody of faith or when you jump into Christianity, I feel like a lot of times it's painted as like your life is going to be so perfect after you become a Christian. And what actually happened for us was like life actually got way harder when we became Christians, but everything was more peaceful and everything made more sense to us, like, we actually felt more complete.” - Alexa PenaVega “From first grade on, that deficit narrative about what I could and could not do continued to be spoken over my life by certain adults, teachers, administrators in my school.” - Michael Phillips “When trauma goes unacknowledged, tragedy often goes uninterrupted.” - Michael Phillips “It took some time to become untethered from the things that I did as part of my identity. I was very loyal to my mistakes, and it took some time for me to realize those are just some things I did. That's not who I was, and I finally came to a place where I was tired enough of wrestling with all of that pain.” - Michael Phillips “I think with a deep focus on some of those things for children in our communities would completely change the game for our young people. And so instead of a culture that says, ‘What's wrong with you?’ It will become a culture of ‘What happened to you?’ Or, ‘How are you doing?’” - Mich

So many of us are running a race to win the affection and approval of those around us. Did you ever stop to consider how much of your own identity you might be sacrificing to live up to some standard that others have prescribed for you? If we are solely living to ensure that other people love us, we give them the power to determine our self worth. There’s a better way. When we recognize that our identity is rooted in our status as wholly created by God, we can enjoy the spiritual benefits of forgiveness, a personal relationship with God, and the knowledge that our life matters, not because others say it does, but because God says it does.  Our guests this week share about the goals and expectations they had for happiness and fulfillment, laced with presuppositions about what would actually bring them that happiness—only to find that God was showing them that their happiness and worth would ultimately spring through their identities as His beloved children.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Amanda Jane Cooper Upcoming interview: Carlos and Alexa PenaVega   Nik Nikic and his son Chris Ironman 1% Better: Reaching My Full Potential, and You Can Too   Brittany Maher  Cassandra Speer  Her True Worth Her True Worth: Breaking Free from a Culture of Selfies, Side Hustles, and People Pleasing to Embrace Your True Identity in Christ Isaiah 48 NIV   Interview Quotes: “Everybody else was so hung up with whether or not he could finish [the Ironman]. We just were pursuing God's will in our life, and we thought that that's what God put into our hearts and in Chris’s heart when he set that goal for him to be a world champ.” - Nik Nikic “Everybody, no matter what their means are, can achieve amazing things, whether it's work or education or a better marriage or whatever it is. It's a process and it is just about being happy about getting a little bit better each day and just becoming a better version of yourself every day.” - Nik Nikic  “I became so disheartened by those false messages, that unless our makeup, hair, body are perfect by culture standards, only then am I worthy. And I found myself very entrapped in that culture of trying to meet that internal longing to be worthy of the space I take in this world with external means.” - Brittany Maher “When I lost that job, it really felt like I had lost myself, if I'm being totally honest, and God really met me in the middle of that.” - Cassandra Speer  “Prayer and reading the Bible is like breathing in and breathing out. You can't have one without the other. And we have to partner with God's Word and His truth so that we can write it on the tablets of our heart and know just exactly what He says about us.” - Brittany Maher “We're created by God to actually need affirmation. When we look for that affirmation in other places is where sometimes we allow our worth and our value to rise and fall on if we're being praised or not.” - Brittany Maher “People's opinions change, seasons change, relationships change, social media algorithms change. We cannot place our value and our identity in these things because they're movable. If we place our value and our worth in the affirmation of others and not in God, we will fall when their opinions shift.“ - Cassandra Speer  ________________________ 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 L

All of us have faced times in our life that felt like a battle. Maybe you’ve had moments of disappointment and pain where you felt like no one understood you, or you had no support system. Perhaps someone hurt you with their words or planted a seed of doubt in your mind that you’d never get to where you want to be in life, and that trying to reach for more would be impossible. Here’s some comforting news: we’re not alone when we face battles in our lives. We’re not left to fight by ourselves. God is greater than whatever we’re facing and He has promised—He will never leave us.  Our guests this week held on to the promise that they could stand strong in God’s power when people or circumstances might have crushed their spirits. Samuel Rodriguez experienced situations in his young life where discrimination threatened to divert him from the path he was meant to follow to become a pastor, author, movie producer, and advisor to three of the last four U.S. presidents. Cynt Marshall endured the abuse and abandonment of her father, but her faith in the Lord and the guidance of her mother led her to thrive despite her circumstances, ultimately becoming a highly successful business woman and the CEO of the Dallas Mavericks NBA franchise.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Dedee & Greg Lhamon Upcoming interview: Chris Nikic   Cynt Marshall Marshalling Resources Dallas Mavericks University of California at Berkeley Teenagers protesting in Parkland, Florida Reverend Dr. Billy Graham You’ve Been Chosen   Samuel Rodriguez New Season Church  National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference 1 Peter 1:16 NIV John 17:21 NIV Matthew 5:14-16 NIV  Luke 1:37 NIV https://pastorsam.com   Interview Quotes: “I always saw myself as the person to help everybody and to provide resources and to be there for people.” - Cynt Marshall “My leadership philosophy is around three Ls, and it's ‘listen to, learn from, and love the people.’” - Cynt Marshall “With faith in God and with standing on His promises, you can truly thrive—not just get through it—but truly thrive through the unexpected.” - Cynt Marshall "I've learned bad things do happen to good people. And so we have to accept adversity and never give up and let the Lord guide us through it." - Cynt Marshall "Love expels fear, mercy triumphs over judgment. All things are possible." - Samuel Rodrigez “We had this crazy dream that the church can be both Billy Graham and Dr. King, and that it can be both righteousness and justice, truth and love, sanctification and service, conviction and compassion.” - Samuel Rodriguez “If you look at the cross as two pieces of wood, one vertical and horizontal, the strongest part of the cross is the nexus. The point of convergence where they intersect. This is the place where we marry the optics of redemption with the metrics of reconciliation.” - Samuel Rodriguez "If our commitment is to be light in the midst of darkness and not just whine about the darkness, doors will continue to open." - Samuel Rodriguez ________________________ Enjoy watchin

This month, we’re featuring multiple guests speaking to ways we can be like “salt and light" in the world wherever we go–and how living a life that puts others first can also bring peace and light to our own lives. Every good deed that we put out into the world builds off one another to help make the world a better place. Whenever we can be a light to others, or bring tangible resources to people who aren’t in a place to provide it to themselves—we are following Christ’s command to “love others as He first loved us.” Being charitable, loving, and giving are traits we can all strive for–and our guests this month demonstrate how they’ve been inspired to instill these traits in their own lives as they pursue to serve others out in the real world.    Links To Full EpisodesBen Higgins Tom & Pam Banwart Holly Hayes Operation Christmas Child Matthew Barnett Rebecca Smith Will McGinnis ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website   *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Isn’t it amazing how uniquely God created us? How He gave us different desires, skills, talents to fulfill what it is we are to do in the world? We are “fearfully and wonderfully made,” [Psalm 139:14] the scriptures tell us, but by no means are we perfect. We sometimes stumble on the way to what it is we’re supposed to be doing in this world. But that’s where God comes in. We can talk to God about what we want, what we need, what we’re passionate about. Because we’re His beloved creation, He’s listening, He’s guiding, and He’s there for us when we turn to Him for help to figure it all out.  Our guests this week each have made choices as to how they will show up in the world. News anchor Ainsley Earhardt believes she has been uniquely gifted to show others—especially children—that they are unique, special, and made for amazing things. Adventurer Ryan George has traveled the globe to skydive, surf, and climb mountains all for the thrill of adventure and showing others how they can experience adventure in their own lives—big and small.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Kristin Smedley Upcoming interview: Samuel Rodriguez Psalm 139:14 NIV   Ainsley Earhardt  Jesus Calling app I’m So Glad You Were Born   Ryan George  GoPro cameras adrenaline junkie Enneagram Type 7 www.explorience.org Scared to Life   Interview Quotes: “I look at children, especially now that I'm a mother, and I know that for each of them, God has a purpose and a plan for their futures and for their lives.” - Ainsley Earhardt “I tell my daughter all the time, ‘you are such a blessing. I am so glad to have you. I'm so glad God made you perfectly for our family, for me.’” - Ainsley Earhardt “I call it digital courage, because as soon as I hit that record button, I was able to do things that scared me because I knew that I can show it online. And so what I did was I turned social media into a platform to seek the approval that I didn't get growing up, to try to get affirmation. And my working theory was, If I were interesting, people would be interested in me. And it's empty.” - Ryan George “Part of my process of being able to use social media healthily is to celebrate other people and to call out what's adventure in their life.” - Ryan George “What I learned is that vulnerable leaders are the most attractive and they're the ones that people want to follow.” - Ryan George “We're all called to live an extraordinary life. And so I look for adventure, not just on these massive trips that end up on social media, but in my daily life.” - Ryan George  ________________________ 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 <a href="

Connection is one of the most important components to having a satisfying and full life. Connection to our family, our friends, through our work, and what we bring to others in the world has the effect of making us feel like we are a part of something bigger than ourselves. Since God created us for connection, it is His desire that we connect with Him too. In Jeremiah 29:12, God beckons us to connect with Him simply because when we do, we can know that He hears us—and knowing that God’s ears are always open to us is the bedrock from which we can move forward confidently in life.   Our guests this week have made it their life’s purpose to connect with others in important ways—and recognize their desire for connection comes from their own connection to God. Jodi Benson is best known as the voice actor of Ariel in The Little Mermaid. She has had the honor and privilege of creating a character that has been known by several generations of parents and children, building connection to millions through her artistry. Deb Liu is a second generation Chinese immigrant. Connection with a community that was somewhat foreign to her when she was growing up was something Deb always longed for, which eventually she found when her family was embraced by their first real church home. She’s stayed mindful of how to build those connections all throughout her career at places like Facebook and eBay and at her current position as the CEO of Ancestry.com.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Tim Atwood Upcoming interview: Ainsley Earhardt Jeremiah 29:12 NIV   Jodi Benson  Ariel in The Little Mermaid Disney Legend Millikin University Part of My World   Deb Liu CEO of Ancestry.com Boston Consulting Group Stanford Take Your Power Back   Interview Quotes: “Just to be able to feel like God had given me these gifts, and I just wanted to use them to the best ability that I could and be able to support myself and try to make a living doing this crazy business. So definitely God just really created the path very, very clearly for me.” - Jodi Benson “Divine orchestration is truly the key because we can have this plan in my mind, you know? I can have this, I'm seventeen years old and I'll have this plan. And my plan was just blown up because God's plan was a thousand times better.” - Jodi Benson  “That's very hard for a planner like me to not be able to have this big, huge picture. But honestly, if He did, He knew I couldn't handle it. I mean, if He showed me at seventeen or at twenty-one or at twenty-five things that were five years in advance, He knew I wouldn't be able to handle it. That's how gracious and loving and kind He is. So He gives me just enough that I can handle.” - Jodi Benson  “He can handle me in any way that I present myself to Him.” - Jodi Benson “If I get myself all wrapped up in the past or I get myself all wrapped up in tomorrow, I kind of lose what it is that He wants me to do today. So I try to keep it simple.” - Jodi Benson “The work I do at Ancestry; it's really about connecting people with their own history. The work that we do is to really help people discover

What comes to mind when you hear the word "catalyst"? A short cut? A dynamic experience? A transformative idea? The ancient roots of this word comes from a verb that means to unloose, to set free. Think of a horse hemmed in a barn stall. A catalyst would be an open door. This week, both of our guests today had dreams involving football. Both, however, had other gifts and talents they would see come to the fore, and realized that the disappointing situations and tough choices that happened to them while on the way to their dreams were catalysts for broader horizons with bigger pastures. Dr. Myron Rolle is a neurosurgeon who has traveled the world; making it a better place using primarily his gifts, as he puts it,  "from the neck up."  By choosing a path toward medicine, Myron’s football dreams were cut short, but was able to see the wisdom in having his dream diverted. Inquiros "Inky" Johnson nearly died while playing football, but the spiritual mentoring he received during his years at the University of Tennessee set him on course to be a motivational speaker who uses his platform to travel the world and make it a better place, too.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Jason Brown Upcoming interview: Jodi Benson   Dr. Myron Rolle The 2% Way Proverbs 29 NIV Habitat for Humanity Princeton University  Senator Bill Bradley Rhodes Scholarship Bobby Bowden Luke 10:20 NIV Florida State  human mesenchymal stem cell research    Inquiros "Inky" Johnson University of Tennessee Fitzgerald Field brachial plexus James Mitchell www.inkyjohnson.com   Interview Quotes: “[Our family] had to stick together. We had to lean on each other, to lean on our relationship with Christ. And if we did that, then maybe success would follow.” - Dr. Myron Rolle "I'd be a student first, an athlete second, [but FSU promised] to grow me as a leader, as a Christian, as a man, and eventually as a role model." - Dr. Myron Rolle "One thing that Coach Bowden said was that he was excited about his players getting into the NFL. But he's more proud and more pressed to see all of his players’ names written in the Lamb's Book of Life and joining him in heaven one day." - Dr. Myron Rolle "I knew that football had an expiration date. If I had my way, I would not have had it as early. But again, it worked out how it did. And it is a blessing to be able to be in this field now, waking up every day, doing surgery, helping patients in the hospital, teaching young medical students." - Dr. Myron Rolle “My junior year, the second game, 2006, September 9th, I went to make a routine tackle. It ended my career, and it changed my life forever. I thought I was in a bad dream. I didn't think my career would not only end that day, I didn't think I would be left with a paralyzed right arm a

Are you facing a crossroads in your life where your next move involves taking a step that feels unfamiliar or hard? None of us really knows what the next minute, days, or weeks might bring, but God does. And when we trust that He is in charge of our future, taking those leaps of faith leads us ever closer to where we’re living in the fullness of who we’re meant to be.  Emily Chang is the CEO of the McCann World Group advertising company. As a successful executive who has headed up initiatives at Starbucks and Apple, it would seem Emily’s legacy might be secured—but her corporate achievements simply were the springboard for the legacy she really wishes to establish—which is to personally make a difference for good in people’s lives by opening up her home to youth in need. Jodi Stuber grew up with a love of horses, always dreaming of having one of her own. When Jodi found out about equine therapy, she knew this great love of horses was just a stepping off point to her true calling of serving people—including children and veterans—by connecting them to animals at the Hopewell Ranch, which she co-founded in 2004.     Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Brian Tome Upcoming interview: Dr. Myron Rolle   Emily Chang McCann World Group The Spare Room Purpose Driven Life social legacy    Jodi Stuber Hopewell Ranch COVID Project Solomon PTS [Post Traumatic Stress] www.hopewellranch.org Project Solomon   Interview Quotes: “It's a privilege to know our God. And it's a privilege to understand that we can thrive, we can live in abundance and in joy, and especially when we put others before ourselves, when we put God at the center of our life, everything changes.” - Emily Chang “Faith is taking a step without knowing exactly the outcome, but having absolute conviction that God is at work and you get to be a part of what He is doing.” - Emily Chang “It's like an incredibly freeing thing when all we have to do is say, ‘Okay, whatever you want, let me go try and be obedient and do the best I can.’ And God is amazing and always surpasses your wildest imagination.” - Emily Chang “I think these small and regular habits become a lifestyle. And then our lifestyle strengthens our beliefs as well as our beliefs strengthen our lifestyle. And ultimately, that combination shapes who we are.” - Emily Chang “It was such a blessing to see how the Lord took the things that I desired and manifested them so that we could start with that healing presence of the Lord through animals. And it was just really special.” - Jodi Stuber “I like to think that when He formed the Earth and the people and the animals, that's creation. And so I believe that when you have somebody who's creative, God shares that piece of His heart with us, to give back to those around us. And I just think that's a beautiful gift and I love it.” - Jodi Stuber  “I feel like there's so many people feeling lonely because they don't think anybody sees them. We know God sees them. And what I love is when He shines a spotlight on people that we can then minister to and try to help things be a little better. And that's so rewarding.” - Jodi Stuber  ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://b

This monthly special edition of the Jesus Calling Podcast features multiple guests who have appeared in their own episodes on the Jesus Calling Podcast speaking to how faith impacts people all over the world. As Christians, we have the ability to be the hands and feet of Jesus wherever we go—whether that’s in our home country or while we’re traveling abroad. Each of us are longing for the same type of close relationships with God, even though our lives may look very different. All around the world, people are seeking to know and connect with God in different ways, giving us the perfect opportunity to see Him move no matter where we are—and be changed because of it.    Links To Full EpisodesAngus Buchan Sinach Sheila Walsh Glo Atanmo Darlene Zschech Mica Paris Jeanne Lakin _______________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website   *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Michelangelo famously said, "The sculpture is already complete within the marble block before I start my work. It is already there; I just have to chisel away the superfluous material." This quote creatively and non-judgmentally describes the process of removing unwanted traits, polishing gifts, and working raw materials to create something memorable. Like the artist, God is always shaping us until we eventually realize what emerges from that process reveals the beauty of who we are as God’s creation. This week we talk to two people who understand this sometimes difficult and loving sculpting process. Tayla Lynn is the granddaughter of country music legend Loretta Lynn, and she understands the perils of chipping past substance addiction to find her true, beautiful self. Hannah Dasher tells of working through the pain of her parents' divorce to find her dream of becoming a country musician materialized on social media. Both stories highlight the fact that we are all in the process of becoming complete.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Chris Janson Upcoming interview: Emily Chang   Tayla Lynn Loretta Lynn Trey Twitty Coal Miner's Daughter Adderall ADHD Hurricane Mills Tayla Lynn Sings Loretta Lynn www.taylalynn.com   Hannah Dasher Stand By Your Pan Alan Jackson www.hannahdasher.com Interview Quotes: “At times it was literally me and God in a closet. I knew nobody else would protect me, and I knew that He would somehow, and I would be okay with Him, hand-in-hand.” - Tayla Lynn “I think as a mama, it's a little bit harder to let go and forgive yourself when you feel like you've maybe done something to your kid. You just feel that kind of guilt any time you're not being the best mom you can. I still have shame that I'm working on from that.” - Tayla Lynn “I never felt like God wasn't there. I always knew any time that I wasn't feeling God, it was because that was of my own doing. God is everything to me. Jesus is everything to me. It's always been that way.” - Tayla Lynn “It's so important to spend quality time with the Lord each day. It holds me accountable. Lord knows I need it, and it really makes me sensitive to opportunities that He's put in my path.” - Hannah Dasher “I’m not in this [music] career for me. I'm here by His design, and I'm a vessel for Him to further His Kingdom, not my own. And when I finally started to realize that it removed so much pressure from me and really turned it into purpose.” - Hannah Dasher ________________________ 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 I