As humans, we have about 6,200 thoughts per day, and 80% of these thoughts are negative. The good news is that we don’t have to become mentalists in order to overcome the suffocating nature of self-criticism.   God, through the Bible teaches us the solution to self-criticism is through having a learner’s heart! Check out this video devotional to learn more about how to have a learner's heart that defeats self-critical thoughts. Sign up for the 12 Days of Jesus course Show Notes: 12...

Christianity is a relationship religion, and the Bible has a lot to say about how to have great friendships. Scripture says that God himself is love; so the closer we are to him, the more loving we will become. Jesus gives us the ultimate example of how to love, connect, and have deep relationships. Check out this episode of Scripture Playlists to learn how to have the humility and love we need to build great relationships like Jesus did. Show Notes 1 John 4:16,19 NLT 1 Corinthians...

God is the source of all courage. When our relationship with him is close, courage comes naturally because we trust God to protect us. This means that we don’t have to be swept away by fear or worry in even the most stressful and scary circumstances. Listen to these verses of the Bible that will fills us with courage that gives us strength, peace, understanding, patience, and hope. Show Notes Proverbs 1:33 TPT Joshua 1:9 NIV John 14:27 AMP Isaiah 35:4 Voice Isaiah 57:15 NLT Psalm...

A few weeks ago, we published our latest Featured Devotional by our editor in chief, Russ Ewell, entitled “The Blueprint for Living Spiritually: A five-step journey to a soul connection with God, through the footsteps of Jesus.” We are excited to let you know that you can now listen to the Blueprint in its entirety on our website so you can listen as you read along.  We are introducing a new show format, called Deep Reads, in which we will narrate Featured Devotionals and release them as...

God loves us and is capable of doing far more than we could ask or imagine. He not only desires for us to grow but also enjoys the process of helping us become who we’re meant to be. Check out this Scripture Playlist to learn how God wants us to grow and change our lives. Show Notes Ephesians 1:5-8 NCV Isaiah 41:10 TPT Philippians 1:9 CEV Hebrews 6:10-12 ERV 2 Peter 1:5-8 CEV Galatians 6:9-10 NLT Galatians 5:25-26 MSG Philippians 3:12-14 NCV Ephesians 4:15-16 NLT

Many things in life can lead us to the bottom of a pit—from challenging circumstances to problems of our own making—but in the end, it doesn’t really matter how we got there. What matters is we have a God who can always lift us out. Listen to these verses of the Bible on how David teaches us how to pray our way out of any murky pit. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:14 Admit to God that you need his help. 1:42 Remember how God has moved in the past. 2:24 Surrender your will to God...

Negative thoughts about ourselves can be debilitating and discouraging. Left unchecked, they can completely take over our minds and stop us from seeing ourselves and our lives from God’s perspective. God loves the deepest parts of who we are, and his purpose for us is greater than any flaw we may feel that we have. Listen to these verses of the Bible to combat self-criticism with God’s love and truth. Show Notes Isaiah 55:8-9 ERV Ephesians 2:10 NLT 1 John 3:19-21 Voice 1 John...

God cares about what we really think, not just about what we do. Instead of filling our minds with negative thoughts that make us feel guilty and distant from God, we can listen to his Word and train ourselves to think the way he does. His thoughts are higher than and completely different from ours. As we let him influence our thoughts, we will learn to think positively and spiritually about both ourselves and the world around us.  Let’s listen to this Scripture Playlist to learn what it...

When our personal conviction comes from the Bible, we will be strong, courageous, and faithful to God through the ups and downs of life. We will also find the power and motivation to make changes in our lives, even when they’re not easy. We’ll be on our way to the full and satisfying life God wants us to live.  Let’s listen to this Scripture Playlist to learn how to become a person of conviction.  Show Notes Hebrews 11:1 AMP 1 Thessalonians 1:4-7 NIV Joshua 14:6-9 NIV Hebrews...

Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, and uneasiness. It’s an emotion that everyone experiences to different degrees, but it can affect our faith and make it hard to see beyond what’s right in front of us. Rather than letting anxiety drive us away from God, we can choose to let it bring us humbly toward him. Listen to this Scripture Playlist of the Bible about anxiety and how our relationship with God can help us beat it. Show Notes Mark 4:19 NLT Psalm 94:18-19 AMP ‭‭1 Peter‬...

Attaching to God is one of the greatest and most transformative experiences anyone can have. It's also incredibly challenging. Attachment requires a level of vulnerability that can feel uncomfortable, but it's worth it because it allows amazing things to happen in our lives. Listen to this Scripture Playlist to learn to enjoy opening your heart to God and the deep connection with him that comes as a result. Show Notes John 15:4 GW John 1:18 NIV Psalm 90:1 AMP Isaiah 49:15-16...

Every day is a new day with God. He calls us to use our pasts to grow closer to him, not hold us back. God is a God of fresh starts, growth, and change. Whether it’s past pains, hurts, experiences, accomplishments, God wants us to look forward to his life and plan for us. Listen to this Scripture Playlist to learn how to let go of our pasts and move forward in faith! Show Notes: Philippians 3:12-14 CEV Jeremiah 29:11 GW Titus 3:7 ERV Revelation 21:4 CEV Isaiah 43:18-19...

In this Mini Quiet Time, we learn how to handle painful feelings of discouragement in our spiritual lives. Jesus came for the moments we feel bruised and low. His goal was to serve people, and when we share that goal, there is no way we can fail. Through a story about four faithful friends in the Bible (along with a little inspiration from the holiday classic It's a Wonderful Life), we'll learn how to change our perspective and experience the truly wonderful life God wants us to enjoy. Join...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and one of the busiest! When life speeds up, one of the biggest temptations many of us face is to stop spending time with God. But God is the only one who can bring true inner peace into our lives. No matter how fast life is going, we can find calm by listening to and trusting God’s Word more than our own ability to get things done.  Listen to our new Scripture Playlist to learn how to get peace from being close to God. Show Notes: Philippians...

By staying close to God and following his guidance, we can fill our homes with joy, love, intimacy, and resilience. Listen to this Scripture Playlist to make your marriage truly merry during the brisk (and stressful) holiday months or any time of year.  Show Notes: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NIrV Genesis 2:18, 24 CEV Proverbs 18:22 NET Proverbs 31:10-12,17,25 AMP Proverbs 5:18-19 NCV Hebrews 13:4 NCV Proverbs 27:8 GW Proverbs 19:14 NLT Colossians 3:19 AMP 1 Corinthians 13:5-7...

God’s forgiveness is as deep as it is powerful. When we understand how personal the love and forgiveness of God is, our lives will change from the inside out. We will be filled with joy instead of regret, gratitude instead of guilt, and mercy instead of anger or resentment. Check out this Scripture Playlist to learn how God’s forgiveness can change your life. Show Notes Ephesians 1:5-8 NCV Psalm 65:3 NLT Romans 5:6-8 ERV 1 John 3:20 NLT Psalm 103:8-14 NLT Psalm 86:5 NLT Psalm...

We all need fresh starts at some point in our lives, and regardless of how many mistakes we make or how little we feel we deserve it, God always gives us the strength to start again. So in whatever area you feel like you need a fresh start today, enjoy this Scripture Playlist about how God will give us a new heart, a new way of thinking, and new strength to move forward. As you listen, take a minute to think about an area of your life where you need God’s help to start again and move...

When we’re truly grateful for the love God shows us and the good things he does for us, our lives will change in ways we could never imagine. Fixing our hearts on the things we are grateful for will compel us to share these things with others as well. Listen to this Scripture Playlist to learn about the power of a grateful heart. Show Notes: Psalm 107:1 NIV Psalm 50:14 CEV Psalm 118:1 CEV Psalm 50:23 CEV Colossians 4:2 ERV Philippians 4:6-7 CEV Colossians 3:15 CEV Psalm...

Sometimes, it’s hard to be ourselves. Fear of rejection can make us hide who we really are. We cover up our sins, insecurities, and mistakes and pretend to be people we’re not. But one of the most amazing things about having a relationship with God is he frees us up to be ourselves. The Bible can help us overcome our fear and be honest about anything so that we can build close friendships with God and other people. Check out this Scripture Playlist to learn more about how to be set free from...

The Bible is a book that tells the story of God's relationship with us. It is filled with stories, poems, songs, and letters showing how God created us and the world we live in with the sole purpose of establishing a connection with his beloved people. However, our perception of God may not always be accurate. To help us keep our hearts and minds focused on who God truly is, we can revisit key passages that remind us that God protects us, shows us mercy, empowers us, and cares about us....

What do you rely on to feel confident? If it's something shakeable—like ourselves, our abilities, or other people's opinions—we will feel fragile and insecure. God wants to give us lasting confidence and teaches us how to get it through his early disciples. Check out this episode of Mini Quiet Time to learn more about how to get confidence that lasts! Show Notes: Job 8:14-15 NLT Acts 4:7-12 NLT Acts 4:13 TPT Acts 4:23-24,29-31 NLT

God desires to bring healing into our lives. Sometimes the healing we need is physical, but perhaps even more often, it’s spiritual and emotional. We may need healing from painful situations that have happened to us, or from the effects of our own sinful choices. Understanding God’s desire and power to heal will help us reveal the parts of our hearts that need it. Check out this Scripture Playlist to learn how God can bringing healing into our lives. Show Notes Psalm 147:3 MEV...

Fear of failure can stop us from taking chances, pursuing what God wants, and growing into who we’re meant to be. Luckily, God can help us overcome this fear. With him on our side, we can be confident that failure isn’t fatal—it’s just part of growing! God can shape everything into something good, and even if we fail, he will never fail us. He can turn every mistake into something that shapes us into who we are meant to be. Listen to this Scripture Playlist episode to bolster your courage so...

A psychologist named Carol Dweck coined the terms “fixed mindset” and “growth mindset” in 2006. Having a “fixed mindset” means we think things like “This is just how I am," “I’ve never been good at this,” or “I’m not cut out for this.” A growth mindset says, “I don’t know how to do this yet, but I can learn.” Having a growth mindset is tied to improved mental health, academic performance, and overall well-being. So it’s no surprise then that it’s also essential to our relationship with...