Whether it is the direct result of sin we have committed or the result of experiencing brokenness in the world, we have all been burdened and sometimes even disillusioned by different kinds of guilt. Unresolved or wrongly resolved feelings of guilt can be a real burden on the Christian life. In this episode, we talk about some pitfalls in dealing with guilt and how we can find a way to true freedom from guilt.

Links mentioned in Episode 5

Show Notes 

What is Godly Sorrow?  Got Questions 

She Reads Truth Reading Plan

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When we try to respond to the deeply disorienting hardships in life with hope grounded in temporal things, we oversimplify the problem at best, and at worst, we believe in a lie. In this episode, we acknowledge the way platitudes in the light of suffering  do more harm than good and refocus our hearts on the God who is big enough to handle brokenness and heartache. Join me as we acknowledge God’s  power in the midst of pain,  and take some time to bring our burdens to Him in prayer.

Links from Episode 4

Show Notes 

Matthew Henry Commentary on Psalm 121 

Come all who are weary - Desiring God

Don’t give them hallmark platitudes  - TGC

Thanks for listening! I would love to connect with you beyond this podcast on the Website, Growing Together Monthly Newsletter, or on Instagram.

Prayer can sometimes feel like a roller coaster experience of hope and disappointment. We all know that there is no escaping the hardships of life but as Christian women we can rightly expect to walk through difficult seasons anchored in lasting biblical hope. If you want to get off the roller coaster and take the next step in experiencing lasting hope in your prayer life and in every part of your life, this episode is for you!

Links from Episode 3

Show Notes

Broken Cisterns - Savor Scripture 

The Upside Down Kingdom - Tim Keller Sermon 

Should Christians Self Care - Tim Challies 

How Self Help Can become Self Hurt - TGC 

Thanks for listening! I would love to connect with you beyond this podcast on the Website, Growing Together Monthly Newsletter, or on Instagram.

Do you feel weighed down by soul clutter? Have you had times when you are able to get up and go physically, but on the inside you feel weary, stuck, pensive, or unusually down.  In this episode we consider what weighs us down and how to stop the cycle of accumulating soul clutter by praying your feelings. Whether this is an established practice for you or something that you would like to learn to do, this episode is for you!

Show Notes

5 Journal Prompts To Help You Pray Your Feelings

1. How have you been responding to the people in your life over the last few days?
   If you are having trouble recognizing when you need to pray your feelings, a good place to start is simply noticing and recording times in the day when you were either upset or reacted to something poorly.  This could be a harsh response, ignoring someone, a moment of quiet hurt, noticing that you are having arguments in your head and so on.
2. To the best of your ability articulate what or how you are feeling.
   Are you angry, sad, frustrated, discouraged, confused?
3. When did you notice these feelings?
   Were you interacting with someone specific?  Was it something you heard  or read?  Was it a memory that surfaced?
4. Why do you feel this way?
   You may not have an answer for this and if not that is okay but sometimes you actually know the reason behind your feelings.  At this time, instead of trying to determine whether or not you are justified in the way you are feeling, just articulate the reason for your feelings.
5. After you have walked through this process, ask God to help you correctly interpret your feelings and take the right action.
   Then watch for how he answers either in the moment or through other ordinary means of grace like your daily devotional times, a sermon or wise counsel from godly friends and mentors.

Links from the Episode 2

How People Change by Paul Tripp and Timothy Lane

Introduction to the book of Hebrews by John MacArthur

Pray your Feelings Prompts + Downloadable Journal Page

Growing Together Monthly Newsletter

Thanks for listening! I would love to connect with you beyond this podcast on the Website, Growing Together Monthly Newsletter, or on Instagram.

What comes to mind when you think about thriving in your faith? Does it seem doable? In this episode we are diving into what it means to thrive in your faith and the foundation for doing this in a lifegiving sustainable way.

Practical Step

At the beginning of your devotional time, I encourage you to start with a short prayer expressing two things:

1. What you are concerned about or thinking about as you come into your devotional time.  This could range from something weighing you down to simply anticipating the events of the day.
2. Express a desire for God to speak to you during your devotional time and to address whatever you stated in response to the first question.

As you express this desire remember the promise: “The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

This does not have to be a long drawn out process. You can say this prayer in less than a minute. On the other hand if there is a time you find yourself coming to your devotional time with a heavy heart then you can take as long as you need to articulate your thoughts.  You can pray this  out loud or write it down. This is one easy step in building the habit of talking to God about your life consistently.

Thanks for listening! I would love to connect with you beyond this podcast on the Website, Monthly Growing Together Newsletter, or on Instagram.

Do you want to take the next step toward thriving in your faith? We are exploring practices and perspectives that can help you experience the abundant, thriving life that Jesus promised; in both difficult seasons and seasons of rest.