The Christian Habits Podcast

Have you ever wondered how to study the Bible in a way that actually feels approachable—and even enjoyable? In this episode of the Christian Habits Podcast, I had the joy of sitting down with Ellen Krause, Ashley Armijo, and Taylor Mitchell—the inspiring mother-daughter team behind the Coffee and Bible Time ministry—to talk about their new book, The Easy Bible Study Method. These three women are passionate about helping others connect with God through Scripture in a simple, grace-filled way. Whether you’re brand new to Bible study or have struggled with consistency, this conversation is packed with encouragement and practical tools that can help you develop a quiet time that fits your life and strengthens your faith. What We Discussed on the Podcast How the Easy Bible Study Method helps with ADHD and boredom How to use the Easy Bible Study Method to know God better and grow closer to Him Tips for developing a consistent quiet time habit How to avoid perfectionism with quiet times Differences between Bible in a year vs. studying small amounts of Scripture This conversation is a gentle reminder that Bible study doesn’t have to be complicated or intimidating. When we approach God’s Word with open hearts and simple tools, we find joy, peace, and the life-changing presence of Jesus—right in the middle of our busy, everyday lives. Listen to the full episode on the Christian Habits Podcast! Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Coffee and Bible Time website and online community Coffee and Bible Time YouTube channel The Easy Bible Study Method: A Guide to Understanding, Applying, and Delighting in God’s Word by Ashley Armijo, Taylor Krause, and Ellen Krause How to Listen to the Podcast Listen or subscribe on YouTube. Listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Listen or subscribe on Android. Listen or subscribe on Spotify. Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast.” About the Authors ASHLEY ARMIJO is cofounder of Coffee and Bible Time, a ministry that helps women learn how to delight in God’s Word and thrive in Christian living. She is an alumna of the Moody Bible Institute with a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Ministry Studies. It is Ashley’s passion to teach women how to study and delight in God’s Word whether that is online through Coffee and Bible Time or opening up her home to young women in the community. ELLEN KRAUSE aka Mentor Mama, is cofounder of Coffee and Bible Time with daughters Ashley and Taylor. She hosts the CBT Podcast, which equips people to delight in God’s Word and thrive in Christian Living! Ellen has been involved in women’s ministry for over 20 years and mentors women worldwide through CBT. Her MA in marketing and her years in corporate America help CBT flourish. TAYLOR MITCHELL is cofounder of Coffee and Bible Time. She holds a bachelor’s degree in pre-counseling and has devoted herself to extensive academic and personal study of the Bible. She is passionate about helping women apply biblical principles to their everyday lives, guiding them to grow closer to God through His Word. With a deep commitment to integrating spiritual and mental health, Taylor encourages women to embrace their true selves and feel fully loved. The post How to Develop a Consistent Quiet Time – Interview with Coffee and Bible Time appeared first on Barb Raveling.

Do you ever set goals and fail to reach them? I used to do that all the time. The only goals I completed each year were my recreation goals! Over the years, though, I’ve learned some tips to help me be more successful with reaching goals. On today’s podcast, we’ll discuss ten tips about how to achieve your goals this year. I’ve asked my friend and fellow podcaster and writer, Dr. Melanie Wilson, to help me with this podcast as she is the master at completing goals! What We Discussed on the Podcast 10 tips for achieving your goals How to let go of perfectionism A 3-question format you could use for a mastermind group or friends goal group How to be a good coach to yourself Why it’s important to plan for obstacles and how to do that How to Stop Procrastinating Course This will be an on-demand video course with 17 lessons, three live Q&As (in October 2025), journaling questions, assignments, and an opportunity to find accountability partners. It also has a community feature so you can connect with others in the class.  Click here to find more about the course. Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Barb’s How to Stop Procrastinating Course Melanie’s routine kit Melanie’s book: A Year of Living Productively  Melanie’s blog: homeschoolsanity.com Melanie’s podcast: The Homeschool Sanity Show Barb’s James Bible study Freedom from Procrastination Renewing of the Mind Project Barb’s decision making sheet (Click on the link, then scroll down to “Resources Mentioned in the Book.”) 45 Bible Verses for Procrastination About Melanie Wilson Melanie Wilson is a Christian psychologist turned homeschool mother of six.  She is also the author of a fascinating book called A Year of Living Productively. For one year, Melanie made a commitment to try a different productivity strategy, app, or program each week. In the book she shares how it went that week and what she liked and didn’t like about each of the productivity strategies. How to Listen to the Podcast Listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts Listen or subscribe on Android Listen or subscribe on Stitcher Listen or subscribe on YouTube Music Listen or subscribe on Spotify Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast.”   The post Encore: 10 Tips to Achieve Your Goals appeared first on Barb Raveling.

Do you ever feel like you’ll never get caught up? I know that feeling because I’ve struggled with procrastination for most of my life. Here’s what I’ve discovered: it’s a two-fold process to break free. First, we need to renew our minds and change the way we think so we actually want to do our dreaded tasks. And second, we need to learn practical strategies and time management tools to help us get caught up. I talk about both in my new course, How to Stop Procrastinating, but today I want to share something that’s often overlooked—the subtle lies that make you procrastinate. Let’s uncover ten of the biggest ones together. (I share 40 in my new course.)   10 Lies That Make Us Procrastinate I go into these in more depth in my podcast episode, so I’ll just record a simple truth here for each lie. 1. This needs to be perfect. Truth: There is nothing perfect in life except God. So if I’m waiting for perfection, I’m working on an impossible goal. I subconsciously know it’s impossible and that makes me want to procrastinate! I will be far more likely to do hard things if I have more of a “Let’s just give this a try and see how it goes” attitude. Besides, God is in the habit of taking people who aren’t naturally good at what He called them to do (think Moses) and then equipping them for the calling. He can do that with me too! 2. It’s too hard. I can’t do it. Truth: If God wants me to do this, He’ll help me do it. I can’t do it perfectly. I can’t do it without struggle, and I can’t do it without the possibility of failing, but I can do it! It will be easier if I break it into steps first and start with the smallest step I can take without dreading it. A step I can actually make myself do. 3. I don’t feel like doing this (so I shouldn’t). Truth: Just because I don’t feel like doing something, that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t do it. What if I didn’t feel like feeding my newborn baby? I would still do it! In the Bible, God often called people to do things they didn’t feel like doing. Remember Jonah? On the other hand, sometimes we should stop doing things we don’t feel like doing if there isn’t a good reason to do them. It’s good to take time to think about those things and talk to God and others for wisdom. 4. This problem will go away if I ignore it long enough. Truth: It will never be easier to tackle than it is right now. The longer I put off problems, the bigger they get. Just think of putting off an uncomfortable conversation in a relationship. The longer you put it off, the more the problem grows, and the harder it is to bring it up. I have a whole lesson on how to solve problems promptly in my How to Stop Procrastinating course. 5. I work better under pressure so I’ll wait. Truth: Often, I only work under pressure so that’s why I think I work better under pressure! Sometimes this works but other times I run out of time and end up with a project I’m not happy with because I didn’t have enough time to do a good job on it. 6. If I don’t have a big block of time to work on this, it’s not worth doing. Truth: Often in life, all I have is little blocks of time, so if I want to actually do this, I need to adjust my expectations and do this in little blocks of time. I wrote my first book, Freedom from Emotional Eating, in 15 minute blocks of time because I had a houseful of kids and that’s all I could make myself do. 7. If it’s God will, things will go smoothly, I’ll have the desire to do it, and it will just happen without trying. Truth: Sadly, we can see from Scripture that this isn’t true. Think of Jonah, Moses, Jeremiah, and Elijah. God often calls us to do things that don’t go smoothly,  that require a lot of effort on our part, and that we don’t want to do! Plus on a practical level, even if we like our work, there are days we’re not crazy about it. 8. Other things are more urgent so this can wait. Truth: I need to be careful not to let the urgent take over the important. I do that by making priorities (which we’ll talk more about in my procrastination class). 9. This will only take a minute, so I’ll just scroll/check email/etc. first. Truth: It usually takes far more than a minute, and even if it does only take a minute, that minute destroys my concentration. It can take ten or fifteen minutes to get it back again. I’m far better off making boundaries with my phone and not jumping on it whenever I feel like it. (Granted, this is easier said than done. I’m hoping to make a class on how to do this at some point – as soon as I learn how to do it myself!) 10. I’m just not the kind of person who follows through. Truth: I may not be a person who follows through right now, but God can help me change. Also, I do follow through in some areas of my life, just not all areas. Thankfully, I am a work in progress! If you’re interested in making progress in overcoming procrastination, check out my new online course below. Listen to the full episode on the Christian Habits Podcast! “How to Stop Procrastinating” Course This will be an on-demand video course with 17 lessons, three live Q&As, assignments, and an opportunity to find accountability partners (at the Q&As). Register by September 22, 2025 to take advantage of early bird pricing.   Click here to find more about the course: How to Listen to the Podcast (Christian Habits) Listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts Listen or subscribe on Android Listen or subscribe on Stitcher Listen or subscribe on YouTube Music Listen or subscribe on Spotify Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast.”   The post 10 Lies That Make You Procrastinate appeared first on Barb Raveling.

Feel like you’ll never get caught up? I used to feel that way. Either I had a million things to do and wasn’t doing any of them, or I was busy with all the easy tasks and ignoring the big ones because they were too hard, too boring, too scary, or I didn’t know how to do them. I felt overwhelmed and depressed—and I thought I’d never be able to change. But here’s the truth: God can help us change. He helped me, and He’ll help you!  My new How to Stop Procrastinating course will give you an opportunity to go to God for help with change.  We’ll tackle overcoming procrastination from both a spiritual and a practical standpoint. The course is designed to gently and practically guide you to a place of action and intention, so you can build momentum, stay consistent, and get caught up. This 4-week course includes: 17 self-paced video lessons (3-4 hours of instruction) 3 live Q&As with me (replays available) Opportunities to find accountability partners Printable worksheets, planning charts, and lecture note handouts Lifetime access to the material (as long as the platform is available) This is your chance to move from feeling stuck to feeling empowered. You don’t have to keep living this way. Take the first step today and discover freedom in Christ! Right now, you can get the course at the special Early Bird price of $27. But don’t procrastinate (I had to say it! ) —this price is only available until September 22nd. After that, the price goes up to the regular price of $37. Enroll Now The post How to Stop Procrastinating: Early Bird Enrollment Open appeared first on Barb Raveling.

Have you ever faced a season so heavy you wondered how you’d get through the next hour—let alone the next year? Author Linda Dillow knows that place well. Today on the Christian Habits Podcast, we discuss eight “heart skills” that have helped her cling to God when life was unbearably hard from her new book, Hope for My Hurting Heart. Prepare to gain so much wisdom about dealing with grief and hardship from this episode. Finding Hope for Your Hurting Heart Linda is no stranger to writing about trusting God in difficult seasons. Her book Calm My Anxious Heart has encouraged thousands of women to lay down their worries and embrace contentment. But she admits she thought life might get easier as she got older. “Didn’t happen in my life,” she says wryly. The challenges came hard during COVID. Two of her four children—both daughters—were seriously ill, one undergoing chemo and the other also facing cancer. Travel restrictions and quarantines meant she couldn’t be with them when they needed her most. “I sat on my suitcases and cried,” she recalls. Then came the unthinkable: sitting beside her oldest daughter’s bed and watching her die. “I was in my seventies, and I hadn’t had cancer. I would have taken it from both my daughters if I could. Instead, I was watching them suffer—and my sons-in-law and grandchildren suffer.” A Declaration of Hope In that season, Linda felt herself sliding from despair toward depression, despite reading the Word and worshiping. “I said, ‘God, I don’t want to slide down this slide. Show me what to do.’” She sensed God whisper: Make a declaration of hope before Me. So, on a yellow legal pad, she wrote three commitments: God, don’t waste my pain. Father, use this pain to build character, perseverance, and hope (Romans 5). Abba, comfort me so I can comfort others (2 Corinthians 1). That written declaration became her anchor. Whenever new waves of grief came, she would read it aloud: “I have hope in my God, and these things are true.” It kept her from going down the slide into despair. Learning from a Friend’s Faith Linda also tells the story of her longtime friend Valerie, who has endured decades of debilitating, undiagnosed illness, a painful divorce, and extreme dietary restrictions. Valerie’s response? She began memorizing the names of God—first ten, then fifty, then a hundred—declaring them daily. “She’s a woman of peace and faith, focused on others,” Linda says. “It proves what you teach, Barb—that we’re transformed by the renewing of our minds.” When Linda’s daughter Joy died, Valerie gave her a handmade “tree” displaying the hundred names of God. It now sits where Linda kneels to worship, reminding her to declare God’s character. The Heart Skill of Lament: Worship in a Minor Key One of Linda’s heart skills is lament—something she calls “worship in a minor key.” She points out that much of the Psalms is David weeping before God. “In our Christian culture, we want happy-clappy worship,” she says. “But God invites us to be honest with Him about our pain.” Linda believes lament is a vital step in moving from loss back to trust. In Hope for My Hurting Heart, she guides readers through a journey from hope and love, down through lament, and back up to trust, encouragement, and praise. Weeping Together This season also brought a deeper intimacy with her husband, Jody. “We call it the weeping intimacy,” she says. “Is it something you want to sign up for? No. But we’re closer today because of it. Our whole family is closer because we’ve wept together.” Her granddaughter, a poet, even processed her grief by writing a book of poetry about her mom. “It’s not fun to go down into those hard places,” Linda says, “but if we stay on the surface, we never really heal.” If you’re walking through pain, Linda’s story—and the eight heart skills in her book—offer a way forward. Not a quick fix, but a steady path of clinging to God’s hope, even when your heart is breaking. You can find Hope for My Hurting Heart on Amazon.  Listen to the full episode on the Christian Habits Podcast! Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Hope for My Hurting Heart by Linda Dillow Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow How to Stop Procrastinating course by Barb Raveling How to Listen to the Podcast Listen or subscribe on YouTube. Listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Listen or subscribe on Android. Listen or subscribe on Spotify. Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast.” About the Author Linda Dillow is a bestselling author and a respected Bible teacher and conference speaker. Her books include Calm My Anxious Heart, Intimate Issues, and What’s It Like to Be Married to Me? Linda is the mother of four children, including one who is now with Jesus, and grandmother of ten. She and her husband, Jody, lived overseas for seventeen years and now make their home in Monument, Colorado. The post Linda Dillow: Hope for My Hurting Heart appeared first on Barb Raveling.

Have you ever felt like making friends used to be easy—but now it feels downright impossible? If you’re longing for deeper connection, author Kristen Strong gets it. In this episode of the Christian Habits Podcast, Kristen shares practical advice and hard-won wisdom about how to make friends when it doesn’t come naturally anymore from her book Desperate Woman Seeks Friends: Real Talk About Connection, Rejection, and Trying Again for the Friendships You Need. Whether you’re navigating a new season of life or just feeling a little lonely, I think you’ll walk away from our conversation with encouraged. How to Make and Keep Friends Kristen grew up in a small Oklahoma town, surrounded by extended family. “I didn’t have to work hard to make friends,” she said. Even in college, she moved with a group of familiar faces. But that all changed when she transferred colleges to follow her husband, Dave, during his military assignment. “I just assumed I would have instant friends,” she said. “I thought the Lord would just apparate them to my doorstep like in Harry Potter.” Instead, she found herself isolated for the first time in her life. It was a turning point. “I had to learn how to connect,” Kristen said. “And now, I’ve written the book I wish I’d had back then.” The Friendship Deficit These days, many of us are in the same boat Kristen was in. Life changes, seasons shift, and even our culture doesn’t make it easy. Kristen pointed out that in Western society, independence is often valued over interdependence. “We like our space,” she said, “but that can convince us we don’t need friends.” And social media? “It can scratch the itch for connection, but it doesn’t satisfy,” Kristen shared. “It’s like eating breadcrumbs all day instead of sitting down to a nourishing meal.” Showing Up, Opening Up, Praying Up Kristen offers three pillars for cultivating friendships: 1. Showing Up “Friendship rarely happens by accident anymore,” Kristen said. “You have to show up where people are—and keep showing up.” That might mean joining a regular group at church, taking a class, or saying yes to that coffee invite, even when it feels awkward. She encourages people to think practically: “What do you already enjoy? Is there a way to do it with others?” 2. Opening Up “Opening your home is like opening your heart,” Kristen told me. And it doesn’t have to be impressive. “People don’t care how clean your house is. They care that you made room for them.” She’s hosted friends for frozen pizza or a glass of water on the porch while the kids played. “Not every person I’ve had in my house became a great friend—but every great friend has been in my house.” 3. Praying Up Kristen is intentional about praying for friendships—and encourages others to do the same. “Jesus had friends. If He needed friends, we certainly do. And God will be faithful to answer that prayer,” she said. “But we have to partner with Him in the process.” Don’t Let Fear Win I asked Kristen what she would say to someone who’s weary of putting themselves out there—especially if they’ve been hurt before. Her response was both gentle and bold. “I’ve been there. I’ve said, ‘Women are tricky. I don’t know if friendship is worth it.’ But I don’t want someone to miss out on what God has for them—or for others to miss out on her.” She reminded us that even Jesus was betrayed by a close friend. “He understands,” she said. “Take your fears and frustrations to Him.” Friendship is Worth the Work Whether you’re twenty-five or fifty-five, building new friendships takes effort. “You’re not in a petri dish of peers anymore,” Kristen explained. “The older you get, the more intentional you have to be.” But it’s worth it—for your emotional and physical health. Loneliness, she pointed out, has been shown to be as dangerous as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. And even short-term friendships can become long-term blessings. “You never know what you’ll receive in that season,” Kristen said. “Even if someone’s only in your life for a short time, the connection can last.” A Real-Life Testimony Kristen has leaned on her friends through difficult seasons in recent years. “I don’t know how I would have handled it without them,” she said. She compared it to the story of Aaron and Hur holding up Moses’s arms during battle. “My friends have done that for me—and I’ve done it for them. It’s a gift.” And sometimes, those friendships sharpen us. “A good friend once pointed out a critical spirit in me,” she said. “I had to admit she was right, and it helped me turn a corner.” Final Thoughts If you’re feeling isolated or discouraged, you’re not alone—and you’re not out of options. As Kristen reminded us: “God works through both the verse and the voice. We need Scripture, but we also need people.” So take the risk. Make the coffee date. Open your door, even if it’s messy. And pray for the courage to try again. You might be surprised by the friends He brings your way. Listen to the full episode on the Christian Habits Podcast! Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Desperate Woman Seeks Friends: Real Talk About Connection, Rejection, and Trying Again for the Friendships You Need by Kristen Strong kristenstrong.com How to Listen to the Podcast Listen or subscribe on YouTube. Listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Listen or subscribe on Android. Listen or subscribe on Spotify. Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast.” About the Author Kristen Strong, whose authored books include Girl Meets Change and When Change Finds You, also compiled the 90-day devotional, Praying Through Loneliness. She writes as a friend walking alongside you in your lonely season to a more helpful, hopeful destination. She loves sharing laughs, long talks, and meaningful stories with family and friends while holding a cup of strong black tea. She and her US Air Force veteran husband, David, have three beloved adult children.   The post Kristen Strong: How to Make and Keep Friends appeared first on Barb Raveling.

What if the secret to getting your home in order wasn’t just about having more storage—but about asking better questions? That’s what I discovered in my latest conversation with artist and author Whitney English. She joined me on the Christian Habits Podcast to talk about her book Organize First, Decorate Second: How to Go from Clutter to Creativity—and the deeper life lessons behind our desire to get organized. Getting Organized at Home, Life, and Work Whitney English may be best known for her art, but she also has a gift for systems—and for simplifying the big picture so you can take your next small step. “When I started writing this book,” she said, “I thought it was going to be about decorating. But the phrase organize first, decorate second came to me while I was trying to tackle a project in my own home. And I realized, if I couldn’t teach people how to organize, I couldn’t really help them decorate either.” That honest realization led her on a journey of self-examination: how do we form habits that actually work? And more importantly, how do we live them out? As Whitney shared, “I had to analyze my own habits. Because what good is a plan if you never get around to executing it?” Whitney is the first to admit that she’s great at dreaming and planning. “I love being in the messy middle,” she said. “That’s where all the discoveries happen. But it’s also where I tend to get stuck. Hitting ‘publish’—or putting the paintbrush down—is the hard part for me.” So what changed? “I had to learn how to finish things,” Whitney said. “Now, on days when I don’t feel like doing anything, I just ask: What can I finish today? That one question gets me moving.” Three Questions That Can Change Everything Whitney shared the simple questions she asks herself when she’s feeling overwhelmed. These aren’t just productivity tips—they’re mindset shifts: “What’s not working?” “Has this served its purpose?” “What would this look like if it were easy?” “What’s not working?” It’s a question that helps us step back from the chaos and see the big picture. And as Whitney pointed out, asking questions like these brings us back to the present moment—where we can actually do something about it. That shift in perspective helped her identify a pain point in her afternoons: “The after-school hours weren’t working. So we started the tradition of having 4:00 tea. It gave us a moment to breathe, and it totally changed the rhythm of our day.” Whether it’s clutter on your desk, chaos in your calendar, or an idea that’s stuck in your head, these questions can help you move forward. “They make you reverse-engineer your reality,” Whitney said. “Instead of focusing on the end goal, you come back to the now. And clarity lives in the now.” Systems, Stories, and the Beauty That Grounds Us Even though Whitney is deeply practical, she’s also deeply creative. She loves beauty—especially the kind that tells a story. “You get into meaning when things are beautiful,” she said. “It adds story, and story adds meaning. And that’s something we’re all craving right now.” But that doesn’t mean you need to spend a fortune to create beauty. Whitney encourages her readers to start with what they have: rearrange the furniture, thrift something unique, or simply look at your space with new eyes. As she says in the book, “Sometimes, it’s not about organizing more. It’s about recognizing the systems you already have—like your morning routine—and deciding whether they’re actually working for you.” And when they’re not? You tweak them. You finish what you started. You live the life you planned on paper. More Than a Book on Decluttering Organize First, Decorate Second isn’t just a guide to get organized—it’s an invitation to look at your life with fresh eyes, to tell a better story with the things you keep, and to ask the questions that lead to clarity, freedom, and peace. If you’d like to see more of Whitney’s beautiful work—both her art and her practical wisdom—you can check out her website and blog at whitneyenglish.com. Listen to the full episode on the Christian Habits Podcast! Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Barb’s Transformation and upcoming “How to Stop Procrastinating” classes Organize First, Decorate Second: How to go from Clutter to Creativity by Whitney English “Shop My Favorite Organizational Products” blog post on Whitney’s website How to Listen to the Podcast Listen or subscribe on YouTube. Listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Listen or subscribe on Android. Listen or subscribe on Spotify. Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast.” About the Author Whitney English believes that anyone can live a beautiful life. She believes that gratitude is the birthplace of joy, that people matter, that love is the answer, that if you’re real you can’t be ugly, that everyone is creative and some of us have just forgotten, and that it’s worth trying to be a better version of yourself today than you were yesterday. She has boot-strapped two businesses to seven figures, has a degree in interior design, studied management at Parsons in New York City, and has had her work featured in O magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and on the Today Show (twice). She was featured as one of Country Living magazine’s Women Entrepreneurs in 2008. One of her favorite dreams-come-true, though, is her husband David, and their three children.  The post Whitney English: Organizing Your Home, Life, and Work appeared first on Barb Raveling.

Do you ever find yourself dwelling on the negative? Or complaining a little too much? Today’s guest, Chip Ingram, knows exactly what that’s like. In fact, his powerful journey through chronic pain and hardship is what led him to write his book, I Choose Joy: Change Your Perspective, Change Your Life. In our conversation, Chip shared how renewing your mind—a biblical practice that transforms how we think—became his pathway to experiencing joy in the midst of overwhelming circumstances. Choosing Joy When Life is Hard Chip’s story starts with something so ordinary—playing basketball. But that game ended with a herniated disc, setting him on a seven-year journey through chronic pain, multiple surgeries, and long, grueling rehab sessions. During those years, Chip was pastoring a large church, managing four services every Sunday, and trying to push through life as if everything was normal. But life wasn’t normal. Over time, Chip’s perspective darkened, though he didn’t see it until his wife gently pointed it out by asking, “Do you recognize how negative you’ve become?” That question stopped him. He didn’t want to admit it, but she was right. The Turning Point: Renewing His Mind In what Chip describes as the sovereignty of God, he was invited to speak at the Billy Graham Conference on Philippians 1—Paul’s letter written while chained under house arrest. Paul’s words radiated joy despite his circumstances, and that intrigued Chip. Paul wasn’t pretending life was easy. He was chained, facing possible execution, yet his focus was still on God and others. Chip realized he needed to retrain his mind, to deliberately change his perspective. “I basically went into training to renew my mind. I had to retrain my thinking to get perspective, and as I did, it revolutionized my life and my joy—even in the midst of great pain.” This wasn’t about wishful thinking or ignoring hardship. It was about forming habits that would lead to joy. The Joy Formula As the son of a math and science teacher, Chip began to see a pattern in Paul’s letter: C (Circumstance) + P (Perspective) = E (Experience) Chip explained that we have very little control over our circumstances. But we have 100% control over our perspective. And our perspective will shape our experience. He discovered four questions from Philippians 1 that help shift our perspective from victimhood to joy: Question 1: Where’s your focus? Chip learned to ask himself: Am I focusing upward (on God and gratitude) and outward (on others)? “As soon as I focused upward and outward, my perspective changed.” Question 2: What’s your purpose? Ask, “How can God use this?” instead of “Why is this happening to me?” “God’s purpose isn’t to make me happy and pain-free—it’s to fulfill His greater plan.” Question 3: Where’s your hope? Chip saw how easy it is to build our hope on “if-then” statements: If I get married, if I succeed, if my health returns… “But hope grounded in Christ is unshakable—even when circumstances don’t improve.” Question 4: What are your expectations? “We often expect life to go well if we’re faithful, but Scripture tells us it’s been granted to us not just to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for His sake.” Joy is a Spiritual Discipline Chip emphasized that choosing joy isn’t easy, instant, or natural. It’s a spiritual discipline that takes intentional, repeated effort. “You can develop a habit of seeing life through a negative lens, but you can also train yourself to choose joy. You have to go into training for the habit of joy.” And, as C.S. Lewis put it, “Joy is the serious business of heaven.” Chip also shared that small daily choices matter—like how we start our day. If the first thing we do is open our phones and flood our minds with the world’s noise, negativity will set the tone. But if we start by focusing on God, we can experience a mindset shift. The Unexpected Fruit Perhaps the most beautiful part of Chip’s story is what God did through his pain. Out of this difficult season came a ministry that now serves pastors worldwide. What started as an encouraging phone call during rehab turned into an international movement that has trained over 400,000 pastors across continents. “My circumstance didn’t change, but God’s purposes were fulfilled in ways I never could have imagined.” You can hear Chip’s full story, the four questions that can change your life, and his practical wisdom in the episode: “Chip Ingram: Choosing Joy When Life is Hard” on the Christian Habits Podcast. And if you’d like to dig deeper into the daily habits that help you experience joy, you can find his book, I Choose Joy, wherever books are sold.  Listen to the full episode on the Christian Habits Podcast! Resources Mentioned on the Podcast I Choose Joy: Change Your Perspective, Change Your Life by Chip Ingram The Invisible War by Chip Ingram Living on the Edge Ministries Chip’s resources for Bible Studies and Small Groups: at livingontheedge.org and on the app stores. How to Listen to the Podcast Listen or subscribe on YouTube. Listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Listen or subscribe on Android. Listen or subscribe on Spotify. Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast.” About the Author Chip Ingram is the teaching pastor and CEO of Living on the Edge, an international teaching and discipleship ministry. A pastor for more than thirty years, Chip is the author of many books, including Holy Ambition and The Invisible War. Chip and his wife, Theresa, have four grown children and twelve grandchildren and live in California. The post Chip Ingram: Choosing Joy When Life is Hard appeared first on Barb Raveling.

Do you often find yourself giving “helpful suggestions” to your husband? Are you silently annoyed with him much of the time? Or have you made a habit of criticizing him either out loud or in your mind? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’ll love this conversation with Ann Wilson, author of How to Speak Life to Your Husband (When All You Want to Do is Yell at Him). Ann brings so much wisdom, humility, and hope to this episode. Prepare to walk away encouraged and challenged in the best way. How to Speak Life to Your Husband Ann’s journey toward understanding the power of her words started with what she thought was going to be a normal speaking event alongside her husband, Dave. What she didn’t expect? Dave’s confession to the audience: “Sometimes husbands feel that the moment we walk through the door, our wives are booing us.” Ouch. Ann was stunned—and a little defensive. But instead of dismissing it, she asked God a hard question: Am I booing my husband? The answer was yes. That moment sent her on a path of personal change. She began to see that what she thought was “helping” her husband actually came across as constant correction. As she put it, “God began showing me that I was praying for Dave to change, but God wanted to change me.” And that’s when everything started to shift. What’s It Like to Be Married to Me? Ann started using the reflection question, What’s it like to be married to me? It’s a sobering thought—and a helpful one. She realized her thoughts and internal monologue about Dave had turned negative. “I’d get stuck in this spiral, thinking about all the ways he wasn’t seeing me or showing up.” But instead of venting or stewing, she sensed God nudging her: What would happen if you prayed for him as much as you complained about him? That one question was a game-changer. She started to notice how even her everyday speech had a pattern: “You should do this” or “Have you tried that?”—instructive, not encouraging. She laughs about it now, but it was a wake-up call that her way of communicating wasn’t life-giving. Small Words, Big Impact One day, she paused before dinner and intentionally thanked Dave in front of their kids. His response? “I saw the book you were reading, and I know you said that because you read it in a book, but I don’t even care. It felt so good.” That’s when she began to understand how deeply our husbands—like all of us—long to know: Am I doing okay? Does she believe in me? Ann shared a fascinating study from the Arbinger Institute, which showed that we communicate more from our way of being than from our words or behavior. “So even if you’re saying the right thing,” she explained, “your husband can feel it if you don’t believe it.” The Helper Who Stands Toe-to-Toe Ann also dove into the Hebrew meaning behind Genesis 2:18, where God says He will make a “helper suitable” for man. The word “helper” in Hebrew is azer, the same word used to describe God as Israel’s rescuer in battle. And “suitable”? That comes from kenegdo, meaning “to stand toe-to-toe.” “Being a helper isn’t weak,” Ann says. “It means standing side-by-side, back-to-back with your husband. Fierce, protective, and obedient to God’s calling—even when it’s hard.” One theologian told her, “When a man stands toe-to-toe with his wife, he sees, in her eyes, the man he could become.” That line really stuck with both of us. What are our husbands seeing in our eyes? From Criticism to Prayer When it comes to knowing when and how to say something hard, Ann now starts with prayer: “God, should I bring it up? If yes, when and how? If not, should I say anything—and if so, what?” She admits she still sometimes feels the urge to help, especially with her adult kids. “But now, I advise less and pray more.” She even fasts and prays regularly with a group of women—something she recommends for anyone wanting to grow spiritually and relationally. And the fruit of those changes? One of Ann’s friends started a gratitude journal for her husband, writing out one thing each day she appreciated about him. On his birthday, she gave it to him. He read it and cried. Why? “Because I feel like I’m constantly failing,” he said, “and when I read her words, it motivated me to be the man she saw instead of the man I felt I was.” That’s the power of speaking life. If you’re longing to be a better wife and love your husband well—even when it’s hard—you can check out Ann’s book, How to Speak Life to Your Husband (When All You Want to Do is Yell at Him). You can find it on Amazon or wherever books are sold. And if you’d like to connect with Ann, you can find her and Dave at @daveannwilson on Instagram and Facebook. Let’s keep asking God to help us see the greatness in the people we love—and to speak life every chance we get.  Listen to the full episode on the Christian Habits Podcast! Resources Mentioned on the Podcast How to Speak Life to Your Husband (When All You Want to Do Is Yell At Him) by Ann Wilson Get counseling help at getfaithful.com/christianhabits How to Listen to the Podcast Listen or subscribe on YouTube. Listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Listen or subscribe on Android. Listen or subscribe on Spotify. Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast.” About the Author Ann Wilson has served with her husband for more than twenty-five years, cofounding Kensington Community Church, speaking at FamilyLife’s Weekend to Remember®, and hosting their own marriage conferences across the country. They live in the Detroit area, and they have three grown sons, CJ, Austin, and Cody; three daughters-in-law; and seven grandchildren.   The post Ann Wilson: How to Speak Life to Your Husband appeared first on Barb Raveling.

Have you ever felt like stress was running the show—pulling the strings on your thoughts, your body, even your faith? I know I have. In this episode, I chat with author and pastor Charles Stone to talk about what stress really is, why it sticks around, and how we can respond in ways that heal rather than harm. We explore powerful, practical tools to deal with stress grounded in both Scripture and neuroscience—including what it means to “soak your soul,” how monks can teach us to pause, and why your stress might be trying to tell you something deeper. How to Deal with Stress Stress is like a coin. One side is the event—that thing that blindsides you at work, the argument that sits heavy in your chest, or the endless to-do list. But the flip side? That’s your response. And that’s where hope lives. In his practical and grace-filled book Stress Less: 9 Habits from the Bible and Brain Science to Build Resilience and Reduce Anxiety, Charles Stone shares how we can manage our stress response—physiologically, emotionally, and spiritually—without it managing us. With insights rooted in neuroscience and biblical truth, the message is clear: stress doesn’t have to define you, but it can refine you. Here are a few key takeaways to help you start finding calm in the chaos. Understand What Stress Really Is Stress is your brain and body’s natural reaction to a perceived threat or demand. It shows up in two main forms: Acute stress: short-term, in-the-moment Chronic stress: ongoing and persistent When we encounter stress, our sympathetic nervous system kicks in—revving us up for action. This releases cortisol, a hormone we need in moderation. But if cortisol remains elevated for too long, even if the threat is only perceived, it can take a toll on your body, relationships, and even your spiritual life. Soak Your Soul Even Jesus—fully God, yet fully human—regularly took time to be alone with the Father. If he needed those quiet moments, how much more do we? Charles introduces the concept of “soaking your soul”—intentional time in God’s presence through spiritual practices like prayer, meditation, contemplation, and rest. These aren’t just feel-good rituals; science confirms that they help activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which calms you down and lowers your stress response. According to Charles, “God wired us so that soaking our soul actually reduces our stress response.” So if you feel distant from God, know this: He hasn’t left. Sometimes, like the prophet Elijah when his stress got the best of him, it’s as simple as needing a snack, a nap… or time to breathe and be still. Pick One to Three Habits (Not All Nine) The book outlines nine neuroscience-backed habits for stress resilience. But don’t try to tackle them all at once—Charles encourages readers to focus on just one to three that resonate. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s progress. Some of these habits include: Gratitude: A practice that rewires your brain and lifts your heart. Start or end your day by naming three good things you’re grateful for. Surrendering prayer: Jesuit priest Claude de la Colombière described it as trusting God’s wisdom, believing He works for our good, and knowing He’s in control—even when we’re not. Spiritual stillness: Inspired by monks who practiced statio—a moment to pause, stand, and prepare for what’s next. Cultivate Certainty (Even in Uncertain Times) We can’t always know what’s coming. But in Psalm 125:1, David reminds us that those who trust in the Lord are as secure as a mountain. That kind of certainty doesn’t come from ruminating or problem-solving—it comes from surrender. Charles reminds us, “God is who He says He is. He loves you. His Word is true.” That’s where we anchor ourselves when life spins sideways. Practical Hope for Your Everyday Whether you’re in a season of chronic stress or just trying to make it through the day, there’s hope. With biblical rhythms, brain science, and grace for your humanness, Stress Less offers tools to help you deal with stress without it mastering you. Remember: You were never meant to carry it all. God’s presence is the safest place to set it down.  Listen to the full episode on the Christian Habits Podcast! Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Stress Less: 9 Habits from the Bible and Brain Science to Build Resilience and Reduce Anxiety by Charles Stone “30-Day Stress Resilience Planner” free with signup at charlesstone.com How to Listen to the Podcast Listen or subscribe on YouTube. Listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Listen or subscribe on Android. Listen or subscribe on Spotify. Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast.” About the Author Charles Stone (MDiv, DMin, PhD) has served for forty-three years in vocational ministry, thirty of those years as a senior pastor. He recently completed a nine-year role as lead pastor of West Park Church in London, Ontario, Canada, a multicultural congregation with over a thousand attendees. He has authored eight books and now serves as a coaching consultant to pastors and leaders. Over three hundred of his articles have appeared in magazines and online in publications such as Outreach Magazine, Leadership Journal, Pastors.com, SermonCentral.com, and Churchleaders.com. Charles and his wife, Sherryl, have been married for forty-five years and have three adult children and five grandchildren. You can reach him through his website at www.charlesstone.com. The post Charles Stone: Stress Less appeared first on Barb Raveling.