Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

Being raised in a faith-steeped environment can provide rich soil in which we can plant ourselves, allowing us to grow tall and firm and confident in the good news of the gospel. But remaining steadfast in faith comes with a heaven-sent assignment: to share it with others. That doesn’t mean, however, that we should push ourselves to the brink of burnout—it’s a careful balance of stewarding our mission well and caring for our loved ones, and ourselves. Our guests this week, rodeo queen and music artist Joni Harms and entrepreneur coach Jennifer Allwood share how their roots of faith have given them the ability to face their fears and follow their hearts.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Listens Past interview: Mica Paris Upcoming interview: Anne Lamott   Joni Harms Oregon Trail Chester A. Arthur Molalla Buckaroo Women's World Magazine https://www.joniharms.com/   Jennifer Allwood The Magic Brush  Fear Is Not The Boss of You https://jenniferallwood.com/   Interview Quotes: “We could sing gospel songs together as a family and other people, if we had folks over that maybe didn't sing or play, they still seemed to love to listen and enjoy the music.” - Joni Harms “What I was saying through my music wasn't just a message that made me happy to sing about. It was really reaching and touching other people. And I thought, what a rewarding feeling this is.” - Joni Harms “With all the different things that you're faced with out there in this world today, especially having faith and being able to stay grounded and just talk to the Lord every day about the different things that you have to deal with is so important.” - Joni Harms “I feel like God has called me to be more of a person that gets out there and helps take some of that pressure off of some of these other people just by being calm, wearing a smile, maybe having a special song to share with them that might take a little of the load off and make them realize things are not so bad.” - Joni Harms “Even though I knew I was doing what God asked me to do, it didn't necessarily mean that I liked it or that it was very comfortable….if the worst thing that I'm imagining was to happen, would I still be okay? What would I still have left? And so if I kind of go through those exercises, it really, really helps me to determine if what I'm actually most fearful about is actually valid or if it's me just making it worse than what it actually really is.” - Jennifer Allwood ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Romans 8:28 reminds us that God will work all things together for good—not just the rosy parts of life, but also the ugly, twisted parts. This week’s guests have both overcome addictions that could have wiped them out completely, but instead they chose to call on God in hopes of finding something better—and were amazed to see Him show up in their darkest moments. Editor-in-chief of Guideposts Magazine, Edward Grinnan, grew up in a family bound together in faith—a faith they had to lean on heavily after the tragic loss of his special needs brother, Bobby. In trying to cope with his brother’s death and navigating life as a young adult, Edward turned to alcohol as a source of comfort, and battled that addiction for years. After starting at Guideposts Magazine in what he thought would be a temporary position, Edward ended up climbing the ranks and staying there until this day, where he continues to inspire and be inspired by the stories of faith of everyday people. Motivational speaker Damon West has faced countless obstacles in his young life, including drug addiction and prison time. Although Damon believed he developed negative patterns of behavior at an early age, he used his time in jail to learn about the Bible and to get insight from his fellow inmates about how life circumstances can transform you for better or worse. Damon ultimately chose—with God’s help―to become his best self.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Romans 8:28 Jesus Calling Jesus Listens Past interview: Karen Ehman Peace In Uncertain Times Series: Jennie Finch Upcoming interview: Joni Harms   Edward Grinnan Guideposts Magazine  The New York Times  Conde Nast  Vanity Fair Esquire Dr. Norman Vincent Peale Edward Grinnan’s books https://www.guideposts.org/ Get a FREE issue of Guideposts at: shopguideposts.org/friends   Damon West University of Houston Downtown University of North Texas Serenity Prayer https://damonwest.org/   Interview Quotes: “I came from a family of very, very strong faith, and when you lose a child, that tends to tear apart marriages. And looking back all these years later, I didn't really see it as a child, but my parents stayed together. Their marriage was as strong as ever, and that's because they turned to their faith every single minute of that crisis and every single hour after that crisis.” - Edward Grinnan “The alcoholism slowly but surely ate me alive so that by the time I was out of graduate school, my late twenties/early thirties, I was basically a homeless wreck. I was just living on the streets on and off, begging for money just so I could continue drinking. There's lots of things that happened in between, college, jobs, travel, vagabond travel, graduate school, but at the end, life spit me out onto the streets.” - Edward Grinnan “God had brought me to the place where I needed to be.” - Edward Grinnan “I began to feel that my own spiritual anchor was being strengthened by these stories and this audience. And I suddenly realized as I was going through a story with a narrator that my own faith was being strengthened. And eventually I realized that the barga

When talking about the concept of faith, the Bible tells us that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Even though we can’t literally see God, the Bible also tells us simply; when we seek God, we shall find Him. The ways we seek and find God in the midst of our lives can look different from one person to another. One may study everything they can about how the world came into being, just to get a glimpse of the mind of God. Another may look for the moments in their lives where they felt God was in their corner, through a circumstance that worked out better than they could have imagined, or a seeming answer to a long whispered prayer. The truth remains that even though we can’t see our Creator, we can know Him, believe in Him, and build a relationship with Him wherever we find ourselves in life. Our two guests this week have cemented their faith in God through different avenues—one, a scientist whose devotion to figuring out the secrets of the universe led him to believe in a divine creator, and another who shares with others through music all the places and situations in which we might find God. We’ll talk to Emmy-award winning journalist and former physics instructor Dr. Michael Guillen, and country music singer and songwriter of the song “Where I Find God,” Larry Fleet.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Hebrews 11 NIV 1 Chronicles 28:9 NIV Jesus Calling  Sarah Young Romans 12:2 NIV Jesus Listens   Dr. Michael Guillen Science editor for ABC News UCLA Cornell Harvard First Peter 3:15 NIV Believing Is Seeing Larry Fleet “Where I Find God” Gospel Song Sunday www.larryfleet.com   Interview Quotes: “God wasn't on my radar. He wasn't in the picture. My worldview was based on the notion that seeing was believing. What I believed in was what I could see with my own eyes.” - Dr. Michael Guillen “I was a thick-headed, stubborn intellectual and in some ways I still am. So it took me actually many, many years, decades actually, to finally surrender my life. But that encounter with that Bible, that was my first authentic—even though I was brought up as a child with a Bible—encounter with the Bible, as a thinking adult, as a scientist, as a skeptic, as a cynic, as an atheist. And boy, it turned my life upside down.” - Dr. Michael Guillen “In a nutshell, the Bible teaches who created the universe and why. Science teaches me the wonderful details about the universe God created. And because of the Bible and science, I have the blessing of having a very deep understanding of both the Creator and the creation.” - Dr. Michael Guillen “God is real, not just because the Bible says so, and not just because He radically changed my life, but also because the scientific evidence says so.” - Michael Guillen “Love God with everything you've got, including your mind, and then love one another.” - Dr. Michael Guillen “As a kid, I don't think I really realized that it was gospel music, that's just all I knew and that's what I knew how to play. So I'd always play just old hymns and stuff like that.” - Larry Fleet “I can tell you right now where I do most of my praying and talking to God, that's in a deer stand or a hayfield or on a boat, you know, like whenever I'm outside. I do a lot of driving from Chattanooga to Nashville

*Trigger Warning*  This episode contains content that talks about suicide and self-harm that could be disturbing to some listeners.    Many of us could never imagine that we would ever go through a dark time so dark and so hopeless that we would consider taking our own lives. Yet, so many people who have experienced deep depression know what it feels like when their minds can’t seem to grasp on to hope any longer. During Suicide Prevention week, we’ll speak to two guests whose lives have been directly altered by depression and suicide, American Idol alumnus Dave Pittman & singer Briana Domenica. Dave shares how he was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome at an early age, how being “different” and not understanding why caused problems at school, and how the hopelessness he felt sent him spiraling down a dark path toward taking his own life. Briana Domenica recounts her own struggles with suicidal tendencies and how she has tried to turn her pain into purpose by pouring her heart and soul into music—hoping she can uplift others and encourage an environment of positivity and love.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Suicide Prevention week Sarah Young Jesus Calling Jesus Listens National Suicide Prevetion Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Past interview: Chad Robichaux Upcoming interview: Larry Fleet   Davd Pittman “Crazy Brave’ song “Different Kind of Love” album Tourette Syndrome ABC’s American Idol Neil Patrick Harris Bible Gateway   Briana Domenica Psalms 23:4 NIV Angel in the Sky Romans 8:28 NIV brianadomenica.com   Interview Quotes: “I was more afraid of living through that again than I was of dying.” - Dave Pittman, on being bullied as a child with Tourette Syndrome ”My mom—both my parents—just drilled into my head and my heart the importance of accepting yourself for who you are, and not just who you are, but who you are in Christ, your identity, who you've become in your walk with Christ.” - Dave Pittman “I think it's okay to ask why, even now, because Job did. We look at Job in the Bible, he asked God, ‘Why? Why is this happening to me?’” - Dave Pittman “Anyone can accept something they have to do, but when you can embrace something that you get to do, it’s different. It changes things.” - Dave Pittman “I dealt with this hopelessness for four years until my aunt Linda noticed the cuts on my wrist. She kissed them and she told me I was worthy, loved, and a child of God. That conversation not only saved my life, but it encouraged me to get the help that I so desperately needed.” - Briana Domenica “I think simply starting a dialog can combat that [mental health] stigma because unless we start a dialog, we will never see change. And I want people to know that they are not alone. There is help, but most importantly, there is hope. And I love this acronym for hope: hold on, pain ends.” - Briana Domenica “Everyone's journeys are different, but moving from a place of darkness to light is possible. All you need is a little faith, even if it's the size of a mustard seed. Take it one day at a time, speak up, and reach out, because help and hope are available.” - Briana Domenica ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Vi

Do you have a dream for your life that didn’t pan out exactly as you had planned? Maybe something out of your control happened that made that dream impossible, or maybe you made some choices that turned your life in a direction that wasn’t in line with your hopes and goals? Though we can be filled with regret over dreams lost or deferred, God has another way of looking at those shifts in our lives and He encourages us that He will always guide us to where He wants us to be, as we’re reminded in Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” Country music star Brett Young had dreams of being a pro baseball player until an injury halted his career. Sarah Jakes Roberts, daughter of Bishop T.D. Jakes, never imagined that she would become pregnant as a teenager and for many years dealt with the shame and disappointment of having a life that didn’t turn out as she had planned. Each of these stories shows us that God can take our circumstances, no matter what they are, and still get us to where we can live the amazing life he has in store for us.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Proverbs 19:21 NIV Jesus Calling Jesus Listens Sarah Young Past interview: Pastor Matthew Barnett Upcoming interview: Ben Courson   Brett Young Fresno State Arizona State Love You, Little Lady Weekends Look A Little Different These Days  www.brettyoungmusic.com   Sarah Jakes Roberts Bishop T.D. Jakes Woman Evolve The Potter's House One Woman Evolve: Break Up With Your Fears and Revolutionize Your Life   Interview Quotes: “Without my faith, I wouldn't have been able to get over the injury and let baseball go and be open enough to let something else come in. And music ended up being something that I love more than I loved baseball. And it feels exactly like what I was supposed to do in life.” - Brett Young “I always say, ‘If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.’” - Brett Young “The fact that God is giving us this life and these unique days one at a time, it feels almost irresponsible to try to fit them into a mold or try to make today yesterday or look forward to tomorrow rather than living in this precious moment that you've been given.” - Brett Young “I think life is a collection of God opening and closing doors. And I think we're the only ones that get in our way of seeing when a door is being closed and when the door is being opened.” - Brett Young  “[I] decided to completely stay away from anything that looked like ministry and even God, because I wasn't sure that there was a place for a girl who had made such a big, big mistake that I thought was beyond recovery.” - Sarah Jakes Robert “It took a step of faith for me to believe that maybe [salvation] applied to me too, not just the woman who's on the other side of the pew or my neighbor, but this same redemption is available to me.” - Sarah Jakes Roberts “It doesn't matter what color we are—on the inside, we're all trying to sort through the sin of life and missing the mark and wondering where we fit. And I have found that sometimes we allow things to divide us that keep us from actually being able to edify one another because of the barriers that exist in culture.” - Sarah Jakes Roberts  “God's presence is always available to us. But sometimes we are present in our life, so much so that we miss out on God's p

Finding our way in life can be challenging, overwhelming, and discouraging. The path may seem clear at times, and then others, we feel pushed in a direction that may not feel comfortable or familiar. The only thing that we can trust is that God will show us the way and we must step out in faith to find our purpose. Travis Tritt, a wildly popular 90’s country star, thought he had his life mapped out in his hometown of Marietta, Georgia, managing the family air conditioning business. Tom Phillips, a pastor who worked with the Billy Graham Association as a crusade director, studied medicine in college. Both men were led to follow dreams that seemed out of reach, but God had their futures in mind the whole time.   Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Listens Sarah Young Past interview: David Crowder Upcoming interview: Brett Young   Travis Tritt Grand Ole Opry Ray Charles Eagles Common Thread Charlie Daniels Set in Stone   Tom Phillips Billy Graham Association Billy Graham Cliff Barrows www.billygraham.org Dr. Tom Phillips’ latest books   Interview Quotes: “I grew up with the understanding of what God meant to my family's life, to my life. We had Bible study on a regular basis. And it was just a great place to sort of build your foundation for the rest of your life.” - Travis Tritt “Even though there were times when I strayed away from [faith], it was always something that was in the back of my mind, in the back of my heart.” Travis Tritt “I'm one of those people that can look back and say, honestly, my dreams have more than come true.” - Travis Tritt “I am a big believer in counting your blessings. So my prayers start off each night with thanking God for all the blessings.” - Travis Tritt “I believe now we are in the early phases of the latter rain in America that will cause the greatest fruit that's ever been borne by the church of this nation.” - Dr. Tom Phillips “It was like a light bulb for destiny came on in my heart and my life. And I surrendered to whatever God wanted me to do. And I made a deal with Him though, I didn't want to give up medicine, so I’d surrender to medical missions. And He said, ‘That's not what I asked you to do. I didn't ask you to surrender half yourself. I asked you to surrender your whole self.’” - Dr. Tom Phillips “The church is here to change the culture. The word of God is here to change the culture and make us more like the Creator.” - Dr. Tom Phillips ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at <a href="https://www

Grief, death, and loss are an inevitable part of life, though knowing that doesn’t make the pain any easier to bear. Whether you’ve faced unexpected loss time and time again or are navigating grief for the very first time, the waves of difficulty can be drowning. But the good news is that God can offer us a life raft. Isaiah 57:18-19 says, “I will heal them; I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel’s mourners, creating praise on their lips. Peace, peace, to those far and near.” This week’s guests, Holly Singletary and Andy Griggs, share the holes left in their hearts, and how God has helped heal them, and they share how we can find comfort in the legacies of loved ones passed, and also know deep in our hearts that one day, we will see them again in heaven.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Isaiah 57:18-19 NIV Jesus Listens Past interview: Eddie Montgomery Upcoming interview: Travis Tritt   Holly Singletary Daryle Singletary Hope With Holly Podcast Hope With Holly Blog Merle Haggard  George Jones  www.hopewithholly.com   Andy Griggs Job 1:10 NIV www.andygriggs.com   Interview Quotes: “I came home that weekend after meeting Daryle and told my mom and dad that I found the man I was going to marry.” - Holly Singletary “It was really sweet to watch [Daryle as a dad] because I think our role of waiting so long prepared us for a different kind of parenting. I felt like we had a lot more patience and we appreciated some of the moments maybe that we would not have appreciated earlier on in life.” - Holly Singletary “It's okay to cry. We have good and bad days and some days we miss [Daryle] more, especially on those special days or special moments or just an everyday moment. I'm like, ‘It's okay to be sad.’ But one thing I tell them, ‘It's not okay to stay there. I don't want you to stay there. I don't want that to turn into bitterness and anger and madness.’” - Holly Singletary  “Legacies don't die. They don't die very easily. It takes a long time to see the sunset of a legacy. Yeah, because everybody's life is a sunset, that's a beautiful thing at times. Life is a beautiful thing. Beautiful thing. how God made this.” - Andy Griggs “I think it is instilled into man that outside of our heavenly father and His sovereignty, the most powerful thing in this universe is my words and my prayer, I really believe them. I think prayer, it changes. It changes the future, it changes everything I'm looking at.” - Andy Griggs “I have learned that when you grieve through the Spirit, there's a healing that takes place. And it's supernatural. It's godly.” - Andy Griggs “As a true believer in Christ, I think that one of our biggest assets in all of life is having that Comforter with us, and that gets me through the valleys.” - Andy Griggs ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube</

The best news we could ever receive is that in the middle of our most broken, painful moments, there is Someone who will reach out to us—no matter what we’ve done, who we’ve hurt, or the mistakes that we’ve made. God does not care what you look like, or the road that you’ve traveled—all He cares for is your heart and where you’re headed. Sharon Jaynes is an international conference speaker and author. Time and time again, Sharon has seen the power of forgiveness in her life, and has seen how your worst, most heartbreaking moments can be the springboard for positive change. Christine Soule grew up in a broken home, struggled with drug addiction, was a victim of sex trafficking, and had nowhere to turn. Eventually, Christine found God and she did a 180 on her lifestyle—boldly making different life choices, relying on nothing but the goodness of God to heal her broken soul and spirit. Christine is now the the founder and CEO of Providence Heights, a nonprofit organization that was created to house women and children in need, as well as providing counseling, jobs, and education.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Listens Past interview: Zach Williams  Upcoming interview: Holly Singletary   Sharon Jaynes When You Don’t Like Your Story Proverbs 31 Ministries  Girlfriends in God, Inc. sharonjaynes.com   Christine Soule Providence Heights Benny Hinn Broken and Beautiful   Interview Quotes: “I always felt as a little girl that I wasn't good enough, I wasn't smart enough, I wasn't pretty enough. I wasn't a good enough daughter. And if I could be, then maybe my parents wouldn't be so angry and fight all the time.” - Sharon Jaynes “I said, ‘Dad, none of us can be good enough. If we could be good enough, then Jesus wouldn't have had to die on the cross.’ But he could not understand that kind of grace for a man like him.” - Sharon Jaynes “I want to encourage you that getting from that place to being able to tell your story of redemption is a process.” - Sharon Jaynes “We have to stop and think, Who is it that I am not forgiving? Because as long as we have unforgiveness in our heart, we will get stuck in a bad chapter in our story. So the first step is deciding you want to get well, the second step is to forgive those people who have hurt you.” - Sharon Jaynes “If someone steps in that church and they look a little different than you, they're seeking God. They need a savior and you know what? Grab a hold of them because they have made the scariest, most bold step, probably up to that point in their life. So love them. It's a huge deal to let them know that they matter.” - Christine Soule “Don't expect people to change overnight, just one step at a time so that they can really allow God to cultivate them. It's not our job just to fix them. It's God's job to cultivate them.” - Christine Soule “Just know friends, that He is for you. Even in the midst of difficult circumstances, He's for you. He's with you. He loves and adores you, and allow that to turn your life into something truly beautiful.” - Christine Soule ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/Jesus_Calling/?eq=jesus%20calling&etslf=5858"

Many of us feel called to serve others in some way—and often when we think about what that could look like, we feel paralyzed by too many options. There are so many needs all across the world that must urgently be met, so how do we know where to start? This week’s guests, CEO of Convoy of Hope Hal Donaldson and CEO of Haiti Made Will McGinniss share how they found a way to make real change in lives and in hearts—spreading the word of God and caring for His people at the same time.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith Susie McEntire-Eaton   Circleallacess.com Past interview: Brian Tome Upcoming interview: Sharon Jaynes   Hal Donaldson Convoy of Hope Mother Teresa Golden State Warriors San Jose State University Disruptive Compassion Your Next 24 Hours   Will McGinniss Audio Adrenaline Hands and Feet Project  Haiti Made “Hands and Feet” song James 1:27 NIV www.haitimade.com   Interview Quotes: “I met Mother Teresa. And during the course of that interview, she asked me, “What are you doing to help the poor and the suffering?” And I figured it was probably not a good idea to lie to Mother Teresa. So I told her the truth. I said, “I'm really not doing much of anything.” And she looked back at me and she said, “Everyone can do something.” And she began to talk to me about doing the next kind thing that Jesus put in front of me.” - Hal Donaldson “When you're obedient to God and you do the things that are important to God, God takes that step of faith and He grows it. He makes it something larger than we ever dreamed.” - Hal Donaldson “We can allow the images of despair to paralyze us or the enormity of the problems to paralyze us, or we can roll up our sleeves and say, “Let's get to work.” Jesus used me to make a difference.” - Hal Donaldson “The key to life, the key to fulfillment, purpose, it doesn't come from exceeding others. It comes from elevating others.” - Hal Donaldson “The very first week I got into this Christian rock band and God had a different plan, He would be like, ‘Yeah, I'm going to take your heart to help people and I'm going to give you a platform to do that. And you're going to reach a lot of people who come from all different walks of life and your music's going to bless them and encourage them.’” - Will McGinniss  “What we've learned through time is that there has to be a cultural exchange and we both learn from one another, you know, not that we come in with all the right ideas and completely, you know, just save them, because Jesus has been there for centuries, you know, and decades. But we often come in and feel like we know what's best for these people. And we want to help and have great intentions, but our helping can often create more problems. And so we want to do that in a way that's an equitable exchange.” - Will McGinniss “And as He's entrusted more to me, running Haiti Made now, I don't always feel qualified every day, but I know if I show up every day with a good effort and a good work ethic and just with God's spirit and His help, I call on Him daily to help me lead this team and to be able to get in the right doors, get the right doors open to sell these goods. And we're just continually trying to be creative and having this work grow and to create more jobs and touch

When we face life experiences that hurt us, that drastically alter the way things go, it can cut deep and cause us significant pain. But as the Bible says in 1 Peter 2:24, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” Remember that even in the most daunting of circumstances, Jesus took your wounds as His own so that you may know peace and hope in salvation. Our guests this week have experienced their own personal wounds. Former mafia member Michael Franzese shares about growing up in one of the most notorious crime families, how he himself descended into the darkness, and how ultimately, God healed every element of his past and made him a new person. Michele Wilbur-Christiansen shares the tragic story of her parents’ heartbreaking death, and how her and her siblings found peace in knowing that one day, they will be reunited with them in heaven.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast 1 Peter 2:24 NIV Jesus Listens Sarah Young Jesus Calling  Past interview: Lecrae Moore Upcoming interview: Hal Donaldson   Michael Franzese New York Cosa Nostra  Joe Colombo Rudy Giuliani Book of Proverbs   Michele Wilbur-Christiansen Capital University in Columbus, Ohio   Interview Quotes: “The night I went back into prison, they told me I'd never see the street again, I'd never seen my wife and children, they were going to try and indict me on new charges. The government was upset with me because I wouldn't cooperate. They threw me in a hole, I was in solitary, and it was probably the worst night of my life. I thought I was going to lose everything that was dear to me, never see my wife and kids again, I was in my mid thirties. I was still a young guy. So it was a very difficult night. And I was lying on the cot, honestly, I just wanted to close my eyes and not wake up.” - Michael Franzese “The Bible became my Bible. It became true to me.” - Michael Franzese “The heroism of my life kind of transferred from my father to Jesus. I was enamored with the personality of Jesus, the character of Jesus as a man. He was a true man's man.” - Michael Franzese “When times are at their worst for us is when Jesus is the most powerful in our lives.” - Michael Franzese “I did stray away from God, but never really from family. And then over time, I saw how God was working for me in my life, I became a born-again Christian. So I was able to see how God was working for me, even if I kept Him behind the scenes. And then eventually I came to know Him as more than just a religion, but more as my personal friend and Savior.” - Michele Wilbur-Christiansen “Knowing our parents were in His presence gave us comfort through our pain. And a reminder that He always has our best interests in mind, even in the worst moments of our lives.” - Michele Wilbur-Christiansen “This tragedy has caused me to question God at times. I've asked, ‘Why them God, why now?’” - Michele Wilbur-Christiansen “God continually reminds me that we are to trust Him with all of our heart, not just some or not just the parts that we decide to give Him.” - Michele Wilbur-Christiantiansen “Take your anger, your sadness, and all your emotions and all your questions to God, He can handle it and still lovingly accepts you with open arms. He will meet you in your mess.” - Michele Wilbur-Christiansen ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ___________________