Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

Pastors Joel and Nina Schmidgall and writer Darlene Brock are finding balance in their lives by they committing their closest relationships to prayer and giving their worries and expectations to God.   Joel and Nina Schmidgall live in Washington, D.C. and minister to couples at National Community Church. Over the years, they have learned how to include God’s love and guidance in their marriage by praying to Him. Joel and Nina have collaborated with their friends, Mark and Laura Batterson, and put their discoveries into a new book called Praying Circles Around Your Marriage. After spending 20 years in the Christian music business, Darlene Brock felt God leading her in a new direction: beginning a ministry to help women join together and support each other to become the best version of themselves. Today, she explains why this support and community is so needed by women as they face unique challenges in our current society. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Radio host Delilah and author Gary Thomas are two gifted communicators who spread the joy of God’s love to others and show us different ways we can nourish our closest relationships. Every night on her show, Delilah hears stories of the heart from her listeners which she in turn shares with millions of other listeners around the world. Today we learn about the woman behind the microphone as Delilah tells us about her growing-up years and how she broke into broadcasting. Despite her broad reach, Delilah has discovered that the easiest way to change the world is by touching the lives of your own neighbors and friends, which she talks about in her new book, One Heart at a Time. Gary is a teaching pastor who often counsels couples before their wedding day, and this journey has led to his latest book, Preparing Your Heart for Marriage: Devotions for Engaged Couples. Today he shares insights for couples looking to begin their marriages with God at the center, and tells us about the surprising blessings of Gary’s own stage of marriage: empty nester. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Authors Brenda Minton, Marta Perry, Lee Tobin McClain, and Shirlee McCoy write for Love Inspired, a line of books that shows how faith, forgiveness, and hope have the power to lift our spirits and change our lives. Through the books they create and the stories they tell us from their own lives, each author reminds us that love takes many forms, from love between parents, friends, partners, pets, children, and more. God gives us many kinds of relationships that bless our lives—all we have to do is look for them. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Kerri Rawson, had her identity ripped from her at 26 years old, when authorities arrested her father, Dennis Rader, who plead guilty in 2005 to being the notorious BTK serial killer. Through her tremendous faith, Kerri found the strength to forgive the man who ruined eight families, including her own, and the courage to tell her story, first through ministry and now in her book A Serial Killer’s Daughter: My Story of Faith, Love, and Overcoming. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Tim Brown and Super Bowl champion quarterback Jeff Hostetler achieved amazing success in their sport, and have witnessed the power of God in their personal and professional lives. Tim Brown’s career spanned a record-breaking 17 years in the NFL. His motivation to succeed in life and in football was driven by a desire to reconcile with his father, after a misunderstanding when Tim was only 12 years old drove them apart for years. Tim recalls the life-changing moment with his father that would define his path for over a decade. We welcome back Jeff Hostetler for the continuation of his amazing story. Jeff led the New York Giants to their win in Super Bowl XXV some 1 ½ months after starting quarterback Phil Simms went out for the season with a broken foot. He tells us about his rocky start in the league, the family crises he endured during that time, and how he was able to realize the purpose for years of hard waiting as he learned to trust God’s timing in his life.   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Darlene Zschech and Margaret Feinberg have seen God’s presence woven into the fabric of their lives and realized He’s closer to us in ways we might have never imagined. First up, Darlene Zschech grew up in Australia and found commercial success in music at age 10, but decided to leave a career as an entertainer to seek a life in worship and ministry. During In 1993, during a stressful time in her life Darlene found herself at her piano, prayerfully singing her heart to God. The words that flowed out eventually became one of most recognized praise and worship songs of the modern era: “Shout to the Lord.” She shares about the joys and heartaches of being a pastor, and writes candidly about her cancer journey and reconciling the disease with her faith in her new book The Golden Thread. Beloved Bible teacher Margaret Feinberg has been writing for more than 20 years. She tells us about her early experiences growing up with parents who moved around quite a bit, and how that shaped Margaret’s curiosity and love of exploring different people and cultures. Margaret uses that curiosity in her new book Taste and See: Discovering God Among Butchers, Bakers, and Fresh Food Makers, where she shares a culinary exploration of Scripture that profoundly changed the way she viewed gatherings around food forever. ___ ___ ___ ➤ LIKE us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JesusCalling/ ➤ FOLLOW us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesuscalling/ ➤ FOLLOW us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jesus_calling ___ ___ ___ ➤ SUBSCRIBE on iTunes: https://apple.co/2Pxa7eS ➤ LISTEN on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2E2C1vA Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Surfer Bethany Hamilton and Switchfoot frontman Jon Foreman both believe that by being open to others with their experiences, whether triumphant or tragic, God can use them to have a mighty impact. First up, A surfing prodigy at just 13 years old, Bethany’s future in the sport looked promising, but in one tragic incident, her life was changed by a shark attack that resulted in the loss of her left arm. With faith and courage, she refused to be a victim, and her story of survival and her return to competitive surfing has inspired millions. Today Bethany tells us how her faith carried her through her darkest days, and about her reluctance to share her story until a sudden realization changed her mind. For more than 20 years, GRAMMY-winning recording artist Jon Foreman has been the lead singer of the alternative band Switchfoot, inspiring legions of fans across the world with guitar riffs and contemplative lyrics in songs like “Dare You to Move” and “Meant to Live.” Jon tells us about the band’s earliest days and the story behind their breakout moment when their music was featured in the movie A Walk to Remember. He shares about the band’s new album Native Tongue, and why they blur the lines between secular and sacred as they try to reach a broad audience with Christ’s love and life-giving purpose. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Devon Still and Keni Thomas have braved life-or-death moments. Now they strive to set an example for others and show them how they trusted God for His life-giving presence. First up, Devon Still is an All-American defensive end who spent his NFL career playing for the Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, and New York Jets. In 2014, just weeks after his faith in God was re-ignited, Devon discovered Leah was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. He recounts a pivotal moment in a hospital chapel that changed the way he viewed his new faith and his daughter’s disease. Our next guest, country music artist and former Army Ranger Keni Thomas, was impressed with a strong sense of duty to serve in the military. In 1993 he was deployed to Somalia, where he found himself entrenched in the horrific events portrayed in the book and movie Black Hawk Down. Today Keni is a motivational speaker who draws on his military experience to inspire audiences worldwide. He reflects on the fateful day in Mogadishu and describes the work he does now to help veterans transition back into civilian life, while demonstrating how gratitude can drastically change your perspective. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

David Crowder and Francesca Battistelli are Christian music artists trying their best to follow wherever God leads them to create, even if they end up somewhere unexpected. In 1996, while he was still a student at Baylor University, David and a few of his friends formed popular Christian rock and modern worship music group, The David Crowder*Band. The group went on to win numerous Gospel Music Association Dove Awards and were nominated for a GRAMMY. After 16 years together, and just having released the number 2 album in the world behind Adele,the band decided to part ways. Crowder went on to perform as a solo artist and has just released a new album called I Know a Ghost. Today David shares how his parents and growing up in church shaped his path, and how, through this latest album, he came to recognize the power of God’s spirit living inside each of us. Francesca Battistelli has been a recording artist for more than a decade, all the while touring and raising her young family. Today Francesca tells us about her Broadway musical background, how she strives to be a courageous example for her children, and why she’s thankful God sent her back to the drawing board more than forty times until she had written all the songs for her new album called Own It. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Will Graham, grandson of Billy Graham, and Myquillyn Smith have been blessed with rich family legacies, and honor the values and lessons they’ve been taught from previous generations. Today, Will Graham is the vice president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Although he grew up under the legacy of his grandfather, Will was given freedom to follow any path he chose. Will shares what it was like growing up in the Graham family, about the winding path he followed as God led him to serve in his family’s ministry, and some stories from his first book, Redeemed: Devotions for the Longing Soul. When Myquillyn Smith grew up, she learned to embrace home as a place where rest, creativity, and hospitality could flourish. And for the past ten years, Myquillyn has been encouraging women to embrace their home—imperfections and all—on her blog, The Nester, and now in her new book Cozy Minimalist Home. Today Myquillyn tells us how she began to let go of perfection and be content with what she has, right where God put her, and how she’s been able to use her home to connect with others. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.