The Christian Habits Podcast

Do you ever find yourself wondering why certain things are happening in your life? Or paralyzed with regret, spending too much time in woulda-coulda-shoulda thinking? Are you afraid to admit that, at times, you question whether or not God really is good? If you can relate to any of these questions, I invite you to listen to my interview with Joanna Weaver on today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast (links below). We discuss her newest book, Embracing Trust, and how to live with abiding peace and joy in the good times and the bad! Things We Discussed on the Podcast How trust is more than surrender Letting go of “if only” Joanna’s Four Unshakeable Truths How expectations factor into our willingness to trust God Making peace with the mystery of our lives The concept of handling competing ideas Learning to trust God’s process Overcoming perfectionist tendencies Being willing to let God change our identity How to glory in weaknesses, as Paul did, instead of resenting them Encouragement from the lives of Moses, David and Joseph, and how they had to learn to trust the outcome of their lives to God Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Joanna’s newest book: Embracing Trust Embracing Trust 5-Day Challenge Embracing Trust 10-Week Video Study Joanna on YouTube Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World Joanna’s podcast: The Living Room Podcast Joanna’s website Redeeming Your Time by Jordan Raynor About Joanna Weaver With more than 1.6 million books in print, Joanna Weaver is the bestselling and award-winning author of Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, as well as Having a Mary Spirit, Lazarus Awakening, and At the Feet of Jesus devotional. A pastor’s wife, mother of three, and avid Bible teacher, Joanna loves speaking to women about the powerful freedom that is found in making Jesus Lord and trusting Him for things bigger than themselves. She lives with her family in Hamilton, Montana. How to Listen to the Podcast To listen or subscribe on Google Podcasts: click here  To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here  To listen or subscribe on Android: click here  To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here  To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here  Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast.”  The post Embracing Trust with Joanna Weaver appeared first on Barb Raveling.

We live in an age where people are more connected than ever through social media and email, yet loneliness is rampant in all age groups. It’s easy to feel lonely even when we’re surrounded by people both online and in our own lives. We’re not the only ones who feel this way. Mother Teresa once said, “The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love.” In this post and podcast episode, I’d like to talk about how to cure loneliness if you’re a Christian. We’ll begin with asking the question, “Is it normal to feel lonely?” Is it normal for Christians to feel lonely? I would answer that question with a resounding “Yes!” Even Jesus felt lonely. In the Garden of Gethsemane He wanted his disciples with Him yet they were asleep.  I’m guessing He also felt lonely at the cross when so many of His disciples had deserted him. And I can’t imagine He didn’t feel lonely in ministry at times. Over and over, we see Him leaving the crowds and going off to be alone with His Father where He was strengthened to once again do ministry. We also see King David who had both friends and followers feeling lonely. In Psalm 25:16, he prays, “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.” And we see Elijah, hiding in a cave in 1 King 19 feeling lonely. God says, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” And Elijah replies, “I’ve been zealous for you, Lord, but I’m the only one left!” Elijah was feeling alone in ministry. God basically tells Elijah, “You are not alone, Elijah! There are 7000 others besides you who haven’t bent the knee to Baal.” Why does God allow loneliness? So why does God allow Christian loneliness? Well, the simple answer is that God is not a micromanager! He lets us do our own thing, and often the things we do lead to loneliness. Technology also contributes to loneliness. Think back to the day before television, the Internet, and even the radio weren’t invented yet. My guess is that people were less lonely in those days because they spent more time visiting with each other. I think God also allows Christians to feel lonely sometimes for things He wants to accomplish in our lives. I remember when several of my good friends moved far away when my kids were young. I was super lonely and unhappy in that phase of my life, but God used my loneliness to draw me closer to Him and also to mature in ways He wanted me to mature. That said, God doesn’t want us to stay in our loneliness! The two greatest commandments, love God and love others, both speak to relationship. God wants us to be close to Him and others. And He wants us to love well. The more we do that, the less lonely we’ll feel. Loving others involves effort. And the interesting this is that working on breaking free from loneliness will lead toward loving others well. The first step to overcoming loneliness is to find out what is causing it. What causes loneliness? I can think of four different causes of Christian loneliness. Situational Christian Loneliness  The most obvious cause is that we don’t have enough friends or family. Or we have friends but they’re not close friends. Or we have friends in our regular life, but we’re currently someplace else where we don’t have friends.  We may also feel lonely if we’re with a group of people who know each other well, yet we’re not part of their group. Emotional Christian Loneliness At other times, we do have friends and family, but we don’t feel like they love us. This happened to me when my kids were young. For some reason, I got on a no-one-loves-me kick and it was hard to get out of it. It can also happen to us if we’re with a group of people who all believe differently than we do, especially if we’ve heard those people condemn people like us. They may still love us (and probably do!) but we think they don’t because we know they don’t care for our beliefs. It can also happen when we see people doing things on social media that we weren’t invited to. Social  Christian Loneliness Another type of Christian loneliness we might experience is a social loneliness. If we’re naturally shy or socially awkward, or if we have low self-esteem, we can look at all those confident outgoing people out there and think we’ll never be able to make friends. This makes us feel more lonely than ever because we don’t feel like we have any hope. And because we’re Christians, we can beat ourselves up over this because we think, “I should be better at this since I’m a Christian!” Spiritual Christian Loneliness As Christians, we have one other opportunity for loneliness and that’s loneliness in our relationship with God. If we’re not feeling close to Him, that can make us feel more lonely than ever. How do I stop being lonely? So how do you stop being lonely? After all, we can’t just snap our fingers and feel like we belong all of a sudden! The truth is that it can take quite a bit of work to overcome loneliness. To be successful, we need to make overcoming loneliness a goal, not a desire. And goals take work to accomplish. But it is possible! Following are some steps to end Christian loneliness based on what type of loneliness you’re experiencing. Situational Loneliness Be proactive in making friends. This is something I did a few years back when I found myself in the position of needing a couple more friends. I made it a project: find new friends! I had to force myself out of my comfort zone and start asking people to do things. Here’s what I found: The first time you ask someone to go out for coffee or a walk, it feels super awkward. The second time, it’s slightly less awkward. And the third time, it’s fun. But it can take awhile to find a friend. You’ll need to find out if you enjoy being with them, if you have common interests, if you like to talk about the same things, and if they want to spend as much time with you as you want to spend with them. Don’t take it personally if they don’t! Some people don’t value relationships and some are just super busy and don’t have time. Connect with old friends via the phone. You can also connect with old friends who have moved away. Now that we’re traveling the country (my husband is a travel physical therapist), I’ll often call a friend or family member and visit with them while I walk. Or the two of us will meet with another couple via Facebook for a little chat. Be proactive in building community.  One of the best ways to make friends is to start groups that meet every week. It will take a little effort in the beginning to set these up, but after you get them set up, you’ll have community each week with very little effort on your part! You could join (or start) a home group at your church, attend a Bible study, form a mom’s group where you visit while the kids play, or find a group that meets around one of your hobbies. My daughter and her husband have a craft night with some of their friends and another friend has a scrapbooking group. When we’re in Montana, we usually go hiking with a big group of friends after church on Sundays. We began it by just asking people at church to go hiking with us one Sunday. We probably rounded up a group of 10 or 12 people just by asking at church! When we’re on the road, we join a home group or Bible study as soon as possible so we have community even though we know we’ll only be in the area for 13 weeks. And it’s surprising how close you can get to people in just 13 weeks! Find new ways to serve people locally or online. Often we think community is all about fun and family, but there is great community in serving others, and God would love to see us doing this! Spend some time brainstorming ways you could serve. We have friends who do Habitat for Humanity, and I think there’s a group of handymen at our church who do home repairs for people. You could call the Chamber of Commerce and see if there is a volunteer organization in your town that matches volunteers with programs. Or look for ways to serve through your church. Emotional Loneliness Let go of unrealistic expectations for how people love you. The first step to overcoming emotional loneliness is to recognize that it’s natural to feel lonely at times. We live in a fallen world and no one is perfect at loving so sometimes we’ll feel lonely because others aren’t loving us well. Let go of envy. It also helps to recognize that we don’t know the whole story when it comes to other people’s relationships. So when you see that perfect couple on Facebook, you don’t know how perfect they are in real life. I remember at a low point in my own marriage, looking at two other marriages in my town and thinking, “I wish my husband were more like that man.” Well, both of those marriages ended up in divorce a few years down the road because even though those men had many wonderful traits, they also had some really non-wonderful traits that caused their wives to leave them. Recognize that some stages of life are more prone to loneliness. Also recognize that each stage of life has its pluses and minuses in the loneliness department. When my kids were middle schoolers and teenagers I was rarely lonely because I had built-in friends in the house. But when they all left home, I had plenty of opportunities for loneliness. I also remember being lonely in college when I lived alone but not so lonely when I lived in a dorm full of friends. So if you’re in a more lonely stage of life, you’ll have to be more proactive (see situational loneliness for ideas) about making friends. Believe that people love you. It also helps to think about who does love you when you’re feeling lonely. Name actual names of people! This doesn’t always work though because when I was going through my no-one-loves-me phase, I felt like the only person who loved me was our super loving two year old! I was wrong. Lots of people loved me but I was too insecure to see it. Renewing my mind (see #2 in Social Loneliness) would have helped me greatly at that time in my life but I hadn’t written my book yet so I didn’t have that tool! Develop a thankfulness habit. This is a great step to take no matter what our problem is! For loneliness, it will help if we start thanking God for all the people in our lives. Thank Him for all the people who love you and that will help you to believe that they love you. Social Loneliness Focus on others. If your loneliness is caused by shyness or social awkwardness, it helps to focus on others. At one stage of my life when I felt intimidated at social gatherings, I would pray through 1 Corinthians 13 on the way to the gathering with the people there in mind. It helped me to get the focus off myself and onto others, which led to feeling more comfortable at the gather and also experiencing more connection since I was focused on others, not myself. Renew your mind. If you have low self-esteem, try renewing your mind before you meet with a friend or go to a social event. Use any of the insecurity questions in my books The Renewing of the Mind Project or my I Deserve a Donut app. It can take a bit of work to get to the point where we don’t feel insecure, but it’s worth the work! The key to overcoming insecurity is not to get to the point where we think we’re great, but to get to the point where we’re more focused on others rather than ourselves and where we’re willing to be vulnerable to love them well. Ask God to help you connect with others. Sometimes we’re lonely because we don’t value relationships. When I was a teenager, I remember playing the piano in my home and singing a song made popular by Barbra Streisand called “People.” The song said that people who need people were the luckiest people in the world – but I didn’t feel like I needed people at the time. So while I sang, I asked God to help me be a person who needed people. And He did! I love people and need people so I go out of my way to make connections with people. If you don’t feel that need, ask God to help you value people and relationships. Work on your faults. One last thing we can do to overcome social loneliness is to work on character traits that make people not want to be with us. We all have faults so we don’t want to slip into self-condemnation here, but some faults are harder to be around than others. If we’re constantly complaining or negative, or if we talk all the time, or say rude things or give advice all the time, or if we don’t talk at all and never ask questions of others–all of these things can make people not want to be with us. So out of love for others, we could go to God for help with changing those things so we can love others better. Spiritual Loneliness Put effort into your relationship with God. The only way to overcome spiritual Christian loneliness is to get closer to God. It’s been said that there is a God-shaped whole in each of us that can only be filled with God. Yet it takes work to grow closer to God!  Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” Seeking God with our whole hearts is different than just doing a 5-minute duty-driven quiet time each morning. Instead, it’s making a relationship with God as important as a relationship with a close friend or a spouse. Spending both quality and quantity time with Him. Develop a renewing habit. One of the best ways I’ve found to do this is to start a renewing of the mind habit. When I began a regular practice of  going to God to see life and people through His perspective, I grew closer to Him. I started this journey with truth journaling more than twenty years ago and it has continued to draw me near to God all these year. Do a Bible study that helps you discuss life with God. Have you ever had an intimate conversation with someone you didn’t know that well? I find that those types of conversations always make me feel closer to that person. But often our conversations with God are one-sided. It can help us feel closer to Him if we learn how to discuss life with Him. I have lots of free Bible studies on this website that will help you with that (just look at the Bible study tab), or you could also try my James Bible study or RALLY Bible study. Here’s a lesson from the James Bible study: Letting Go of Anger and Annoyance. Well, that’s about it. I hope you’re not feeling too overwhelmed by all these ideas! The bottom line is that we can break free from Christian loneliness but it takes a bit of work. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all of these ideas, just print out this post and circle the ideas that appeal to you, then narrow it down to 1-3 ideas to start out with. Then ask God for help and give it a whirl! You’ll not only be helping yourself, you’ll also be helping all the other lonely people out there who are looking for friends! How to Listen to the Podcast To listen or subscribe on Google Podcasts: click here  To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here  To listen or subscribe on Android: click here  To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here  To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here  Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast.”  The post Christian Loneliness: How to Stop Being Lonely appeared first on Barb Raveling.

Do you have loved ones in your life with whom you disagree? Do you find it hard to engage with someone who has a different opinion than yours? Are you prone to just “agree to disagree” when beliefs differ? If any of these are true for you, my interview today on the Christian Habits Podcast with Mike Donehey (links below) will give you a more peaceful approach and practical tips to have more healthy conversations when divisive topics arise. What We Discussed on the Podcast The importance of how we disagree rather than just what is said How to gently engage another person with curiosity Maintaining openness with someone who has left the faith allows them a way back According to Romans 2:4, it’s God’s kindness that leads us to repentance When you’re confident in what you believe, you aren’t threatened by another’s questions When someone feels understood, it often drains away animosity How “agreeing to disagree” isn’t always the best way How to not become a “smug monster” Why Mike believes that bitterness is the most dangerous sin Why it’s always more important to love the other person than to win the argument Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Mike’s book, Grace in the Gray: A More Loving Way to Disagree The Renewing of the Mind Project Notable Quotes from Mike’s Book “If we are to love in the gray spaces—the places where our arguments find just footing on either side—curiosity and kindness must lead the way. Our desire to be heard must not overpower our need to hear what others are saying. Our desire to be understood must not overshadow our need to understand others.” “When grace is our baseline, then being disapproved of no longer feels like being disowned. We can even invite in divergence because we know where we stand. We know whose love we stand in.” About Mike Donehey Mike Donehey is a singer, songwriter, podcast host, and former lead singer of the Christian contemporary band Tenth Avenue North. He’s also the author of Grace in the Gray: A More Loving Way to Disagree (WaterBrook; on sale 1/17/23) and the bestselling author of Finding God’s Life for My Will. Mike, his wife, Kelly, and their four daughters live in Nashville, Tennessee. He’s also the host of Chasing the Beauty podcast. For more information, visit mikedonehey.com, or find Mike on his social channels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok. How to Listen to the Podcast To listen or subscribe on Google Podcasts: click here  To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here  To listen or subscribe on Android: click here  To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here  To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here  Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast.”  The post A More Loving Way to Disagree with Mike Donehey appeared first on Barb Raveling.

If you’ve ever experienced stress over your personal productivity, today’s episode of The Christian Habits Podcast with Jordan Raynor will really encourage you (links below). I talk with Jordan about his book, Redeeming Your Time: 7 Biblical Principles for being Purposeful, Present and Wildly Productive.  What We Discussed on the Podcast How this book’s advice differs from other “time management” books Having peace in Jesus regardless of your productivity How to centralize “open loops” with a commitment tracking system Learning to accept your “uni-presence” How good works are our worship in response to the gospel Ideas to minimize external and internal distractions How redeeming the time means that we are called to be very selective about what we say “yes” to Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Jordan’s book:  Redeeming Your Time: 7 Biblical Principles for being Purposeful, Present and Wildly Productive.  Jordan’s newest book: The Word Before Work: A Monday-Through-Friday Devotional to Help You Find Eternal Purpose in Your Daily Work Deep Work by Cal Newport Waves of Creativity: A Gathering of Ideas on Creating with God by Alan Arnold Notable Quotes from Jordan’s Book “Our work matters today because it is a means of glorifying God and loving our neighbors as ourselves. But our work also matters for eternity because God can use it to build his kingdom.” “In today’s distracted world, being fully present is one of the most valuable presents you can give.” “Which problem, once solved, is going to make most of my other problems easier to solve or disappear entirely?” “Opportunities that aren’t attached to some meaningful end aren’t opportunities. They are simply possibilities that stir up frantic excitement.” About Jordan Raynor Bestselling author Jordan Raynor helps Christians respond to the radical, biblical truth that their work matters for eternity. He does this through his books including the bestselling Redeeming Your Time: 7 Biblical Principles for Being Purposeful, Present, and Wildly Productive and The Word Before Work: A Monday-Through-Friday Devotional to Help You Find Eternal Purpose in Your Daily Work (WaterBrook; on sale 11/15/22), The Creator in You (children’s book), Mere Christians podcast, and weekly devotional (“The Word Before Work”)—content that has served millions of Christ-followers in every country on earth. In addition to his writing, Jordan serves as the executive chairman of Threshold 360, a venture-backed tech startup which he previously ran as CEO following a string of successful ventures of his own. Jordan served in the White House under George W. Bush and has twice been selected as a Google Fellow. Jordan and his books have been featured on dozens of media outlets including CNBC, Fast Company, WIRED Magazine, Forbes.com, In the Market with Janet Parshall, Dad Tired, Ken Coleman Show & The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast. He lives near Tampa, Florida with his wife and their three young daughters. For more information, visit https://www.jordanraynor.com & https://www.instagram.com/jordanraynor How to Listen to the Podcast To listen or subscribe on Google Podcasts: click here  To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here  To listen or subscribe on Android: click here  To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here  To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here  Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast.”  The post Purposeful, Present, and Wildly Productive with Jordan Raynor appeared first on Barb Raveling.

When trials and hard times come into our lives, we can find ourselves questioning God and becoming bitter. On today’s episode of The Christian Habits Podcast (links below), I talk with Daniel Fusco about how developing resilience during trials can actually be a path to fruitfulness and growth in our lives, and also about his new book, You’re Gonna Make It. What We Discussed on the Podcast What is resilience? How hope and grit factor into the resilience equation How to submit to God’s will, no matter what Discovering the fruit that comes from hard times in our lives Learning to walk through trials open-hearted Dispelling the “life is easy” myth The profound growth that happens during trials in our lives Building resilience before the hardship Making space to cultivate hope How the Body of Christ is at its best when our lives are at their worst Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Daniel’s new book: You’re Gonna Make It About Daniel Fusco Daniel Fusco is an author, a church planter, and the lead pastor of Crossroads Community Church in Vancouver, Washington. His radio program, Jesus Is Real Radio, is broadcast across the country, and his TV show, Real with Daniel Fusco, airs across the globe. He also hosts the popular You’re Gonna Make It podcast and is the author of Crazy Happy, and You’re Gonna Make It. He has written numerous articles for CBN.com, PreachingToday.com, and Relevant. Fusco and his wife, Lynn, have three children and reside in southwest Washington How to Listen to the Podcast To listen or subscribe on Google Podcasts: click here  To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here  To listen or subscribe on Android: click here  To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here  To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here  Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast.”  The post Daniel Fusco: Unlocking Resilience When Life is a Mess appeared first on Barb Raveling.

Do you find yourself looking to other people or things to satisfy you? Are you tempted to doubt that Jesus alone really does offer a life of joy, peace and contentment? On today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast (links below), I visit with Jennifer Slattery about nine common idols we are tempted to worship and how to resist them. What We Discussed on the Podcast What is an idol? Nine common things we are tempted to worship instead of God How idols can hurt our relationships How an inner-angst is an indicator that we may have an idol The process associated with giving up an idol Jennifer’s own struggles with an eating disorder as she struggled with a food idol Wisdom for overcoming idols A great question to ask when deciding to give up an idol Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating  Pre-Order bonuses for Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating Jennifer’s website, jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com About Jennifer Slattery Jennifer Slattery is an author, speaker, and ministry leader passionate about helping God’s children reach their full potential and live fully surrendered to Christ. Find her online at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com.       How to Listen to the Podcast To listen or subscribe on Google Podcasts: click here  To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here  To listen or subscribe on Android: click here  To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here  To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here  Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast.”  The post Jennifer Slattery: 9 Common Idols and How to Resist Them appeared first on Barb Raveling.

I don’t know about you, but when life is hard, I’m often tempted to do things that aren’t good for me. Eat, for example. Or waste time on my phone. Or sit like a lump on the couch and think of all the things that could possibly go wrong and how my life will be even worse in the future. What I don’t normally do is run to God for refuge and strength and perspective. At least not first thing. When I do get around to that, I feel about a million times better. My problems don’t seem as huge through the lens of Scripture, and I feel much better soaking in God’s love and protection. In today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast (links below), I talk about three temptations we face when life is hard and three solutions for each temptation. I got the idea for the episode from one of my quiet times a couple of weeks ago. I was reading about the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4,  and it made me think about how Jesus responded to His trials and how often we are tempted to respond to our own trials. I’ll include a picture of the notes I made in my Bible below. (I don’t usually draw lines through the Scripture in my Bible, but I was out of room!) If you’re going through something hard right now, I hope this podcast episode helps you! What I Discussed on the Podcast How we face all kinds of different trials in our lives What we are often tempted to do in response to hard times The distractions that we often turn to Examples of hard seasons from my own life Solutions to the temptations we face in challenging times Scriptures that I reference – Deut. 6:16, James 1:2-4, Gal. 5:22-23, Ps. 27:13 Resources Talked About on the Podcast Free Bible studies on my website Freedom from Emotional Eating Rally: A Personal Growth Bible Study My newest book Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating Pre-Order Bonuses for my new book! Order by October 31st to take advantage of these. How to Listen to the Podcast To listen or subscribe on Google Podcasts: click here  To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here  To listen or subscribe on Android: click here  To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here  To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here  Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast.”  The post When Life is Hard: 3 Temptations & 3 Solutions appeared first on Barb Raveling.

Do you feel overwhelmed by the task of getting organized? Does a simple glance around your home or office tell you that clutter is taking over your life? If so, my podcast interview with Dana K. White from A Slob Comes Clean (links below) will offer helpful advice about how to tackle these projects without stress.   What We Discussed on the Podcast Coming to terms with our own unique clutter threshold The Container Concept Accepting the reality of the limited space we have How decluttering and cleaning are not the same things What the layers of a clean house are How Dana’s method is different than minimalism How to change our goals about our spaces The Visibility Rule How decluttering is a lifelong process Resources We Talked About on the Podcast James Bible Study Dana’s new book: Organizing for the Rest of Us Another of Dana’s books: Decluttering at the Speed of Life Dana’s website: aslobcomesclean.com About Dana K. White Dana K. White is a Wallstreet Journal bestselling author, blogger, podcaster, speaker, and (much to her own surprise) a decluttering expert. In an attempt to get her home under control, Dana started blogging as “Nony” (short for anonymous) at A Slob Comes Clean. Dana soon realized she was not alone in her housekeeping struggles and in her feelings of shame. Today, Dana shares realistic home management strategies with her signature humor and a message of hope for the hopelessly messy through her blog, weekly podcasts, and videos. Dana lives with her husband and three kids just outside of Dallas, Texas. Learn more at www.aslobcomesclean.com. How to Listen to the Podcast To listen or subscribe on Google Podcasts: click here  To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here  To listen or subscribe on Android: click here  To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here  To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here  Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast.”    The post Dana K. White: How to Declutter and Get Organized appeared first on Barb Raveling.

In this interview with Asheritah CiuCiu, we discuss how to grow a prayer habit using the REST method from her new book, Prayers of Rest: 365 Prompts to Hear God’s Voice. If you find yourself struggling to make prayer a daily habit, Asheritah offers many helpful ways to cultivate this powerful discipline in this episode of the Christian Habits Podcast (links below). What We Discussed on the Podcast How to make a prayer habit stick by learning, fostering and practicing it Praying through hard emotions How distracting thoughts can actually become prompts in prayer How developing intimacy with God takes time How what we believe about God influences our prayers Written prayers vs. spontaneous prayers How to stop talking and begin listening in prayer The REST prayer method: Recite God’s goodness, Express your neediness, Seek His Stillness, and Trusting God’s faithfulness Praying through scripture Resources Mentioned on the Podcast My previous interview with Asheritah: Overcoming Food Fixation Asheritah’s newest book: Prayers of Rest: 365 Prompts to Hear God’s Voice App that Barb referenced: Reimagining the Examen (free app available on both Google and Apple app stores) Asheritah’s books: Full: Food, Jesus and the Battle for Satisfaction, and Bible and Breakfast About Asheritah CiuCiu Asheritah Ciuciu is a bestselling author, national speaker, and host of the Prayers of REST podcast. She is the founder of One Thing Alone Ministries, an online ministry that helps women all over the world find joy in Jesus through creative and consistent time in God’s word. Asheritah grew up in Romania as a missionary kid and studied English and Women’s Ministry at Cedarville University. She is married to her high school sweetheart and together they raise their three spunky kids in NE Ohio. Asheritah is the author of several books, including the best-selling Advent devotional Unwrapping the Names of Jesus. Her writing and speaking has been featured on Focus on the Family, Revive Our Hearts, Moody Radio, Relevant Magazine, Proverbs 31, and MOPS International. For more information about Asheritah, her books, and writing/speaking ministry, visit www.asheritah.com. How to Listen to the Podcast To listen or subscribe on Google Podcasts: click here  To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here  To listen or subscribe on Android: click here  To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here  To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here  Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast.”  The post Asheritah CiuCiu: Growing a Prayer Habit appeared first on Barb Raveling.

In Joshua Becker’s new book, Things that Matter, he talks about eight common distractions that keep us from living a meaningful life. Joshua Becker is a former pastor and the founder of the influential Becoming Minimalist blog, where he has been helping millions find more by owning less for the last 15 years. On today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast (links below), I visit with Joshua about two of those distractions—the pursuit of leisure and the pursuit of happiness. Things We Discussed on the Podcast How removing distractions from our lives enables us to realize our fullest potential How the pursuit of money, possessions, accolades, leisure, fear, and past mistakes hold us back Two types of distractions: internal and external The specific distractions of leisure and the pursuit of personal happiness How serving others helps to overcome the victim mentality The idea of retirement is found nowhere in the Bible How to transition from lives of self-centeredness to lives of service Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Things that Matter: Overcoming Distractions to Pursue a More Meaningful Life by Joshua Becker About Joshua Becker Joshua Becker, author of Things That Matter: Overcoming Distractions to Pursue a More Meaningful Life, is also the bestselling author of The More of Less, The Minimalist Home, and founder of Becoming Minimalist, a website dedicated to inspiring others to find more life by owning less. The website welcomes over 1.5 million readers each month and has inspired millions around the world to consider the practical benefits of owning fewer possessions. He is also the creator of Simplify magazine and founder of The Hope Effect, a nonprofit organization changing how the world cares for orphans. He’s a contributing writer to Forbes and has appeared in dozens of media outlets, including Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CBS Evening News, and “The Drew Barrymore Show.” Joshua and his family live near Phoenix, Arizona. For more information, visit BecomingMinimalist.com. How to Listen to the Podcast To listen or subscribe on Google Podcasts: click here  To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here  To listen or subscribe on Android: click here  To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here  To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here  Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast.”  The post Joshua Becker: Overcoming Distractions to Live a More Meaningful Life appeared first on Barb Raveling.