The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast

In times of uncertainty, our tendency is to hold tightly to everything we have. We want to feel safe and in control of the things we can control. But what if instead, we choose to let go, open our hands and pray prayers of surrender? What if God is calling us to trust Him more with everything?  In this episode of the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, author and pastor Craig Groeschel sits down with Kendra Schwarz and discusses a two-word prayer that can change everything: Send me. You'll find that praying "send me" might not mean you'll be sent to another physical location, but it always means you'll be nudged out of your comfort zone. You'll learn why when you pray dangerously, you can't live life the same. And that's a good thing. Click the links below to check out the resources we mention in this episode of the podcast: Your life is crazy, but your Bible study doesn't have to be. Online Bible Studies is a place where you can dive deep into books by your favorite Christian authors alongside a community of women from right where you are. Check out our latest Online Bible Study now! Grab a copy of Dangerous Prayers by Craig Groeschel here. Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

We all want to know what God’s will is for our life, right? And wouldn't it be so much easier if there were a formula we could follow to know exactly what to do next?    In this episode of the podcast, Shae Tate offers a new approach to think about the term "calling" by beginning with our call to a daily relationship with the Lord. You'll learn that no matter what your mission field is — your school, home, career or ministry — God is calling you to use your story to bring others to Himself.  Related Resources:At Proverbs 31 Ministries, we offer professional and biblical training by industry experts for women who are called to write, speak and lead, through our She Speaks Conference and COMPEL Writers Training membership site. Click the links to learn more! Click here to download the transcript for this episode.  

When we face fear, it’s hard to know how to pray for God’s covering and protection in the moment. What passage of Scripture speaks to what I’m facing? Where can we find what we need in the Bible?   In this episode, author and speaker Nicki Koziarz teaches us practical ways to pray God’s principles and promises over our situations using Psalm 91 as a guide. You'll learn to take one small step of faith in the midst of your fears, instead of doubting God will come through.   Click the links below to check out the resources we mention in this episode of the podcast: Connect with Nicki on her blog and on her InstagramSubscribe to our Encouragement for Today DevotionsRead Nicki’s devotion “When Our Feet Face Fear"Sign up to learn more about our She Speaks ConferenceVisit the Proverbs 31 Ministries Prayer WallClick here to download the transcript for this episode.

The older we get, the easier it is to recognize that life is a combination of suffering and joy. While we look forward to the joyful times, our suffering has the potential to draw us closer to the Lord … if we choose to steward that season well.   So, how do we do that?  Today on the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, First 5 writer Lyli Dunbar draws from her own life experiences and the book of Daniel to show us four ways to steward our season of suffering well. And guess what? They all start with the letter “P” to make note-taking easy.   With this episode, you will…Learn the importance of establishing a routine of getting into God’s Word daily in order to build a strong foundation to stand on when your world gets shaky.Discover scriptures in the Psalms you can run to that will help you practice trading the tendency to panic with the power of prayer.Understand how worshipping during hard times helps you trust that God is working even when you can’t see it.Related Resources:Establish a consistent, weekday quiet time with our First 5 mobile app. It’s free (yes, free!) — all you need to do is go to your app store on your mobile device to download the app and join us in our current study. Take your daily study of God’s Word a little deeper with our First 5 Study Guides. These guides are meant to be a companion to a study you can find within our First 5 mobile app, or stand-alone as an individual study. Each Study Guide includes helpful study tools such as maps, historical context and an overview of the book(s) you’re studying. Find out more about our Study Guides here!Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

Have you ever opened your Bible to the books of 1 & 2 Kings and wondered how you could possibly have anything in common with a bunch of men who ruled hundreds of years ago? For starters, they were real kings with crowns that fought in battles and ruled nations, and we’re just normal people trying to get through the day. No wonder we have a hard time applying their stories and struggles to what we’re facing today.  But you know what? We don’t want those thoughts to stop you from diving into the Old Testament because we believe that all of God’s Word is living, active and applicable to what we face today. The books of 1 & 2 Kings are exciting and give us an account of how much God wants us to trust in Him —not in ourselves or others. Lysa TerKeurst recently released a brand-new Bible study based on 1 & 2 Kings called Trustworthy: Overcoming Our Greatest Struggles to Trust God. In this week’s episode of the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, you’ll get an inside peek into a conversation we had with Lysa during our Trustworthy Online Bible Study.   With this episode, you will…Gain a basic understanding of the lives of Jeroboam and Rehoboam in 1 & 2 Kings, and learn about their trust issues within the context of their own stories.Recognize that even though you’re not a king, you’re responsible for stewarding your influence  — whether that be social media, work, parenting or friends — we have the opportunity to point them all back to God. Find relief from trying to do things in your own way or your own timing by taking small steps to trust God more today.Related resources:Want to learn more about Lysa’s latest study, Trustworthy, and unpack your trust issues within a biblical community? Proverbs 31 Ministries’ Online Bible Studies is the place for you! Click here to learn more about Online Bible Studies and check out our current study.Be equipped to lead your own study of Trustworthy with the leader kit! When you purchase the leader kit, you’ll get access to the Trustworthy study guide and a DVD with all 6 interactive teaching sessions filmed on location in Israel. The only thing you’ll need is a group of girlfriends and designated time to dig deep and learn together.Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

When you think about what affects your own happiness, you might think about how your mood changes after you’ve spent too much time on social media or when someone says something rude to you.  Did you know that if you’re holding on to unforgiveness, it might be affecting you more than you realize?  Today on The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, we’re joined by Max Lucado, a bestselling author of multiple books and pastor of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. Through a lot of research, Max found that 1 in 3 Americans admits they’re unhappy which inspired him to write How Happiness Happens, where he tackles this issue from a biblical perspective. Today, he’s giving us a sneak peek into this really powerful message.   When you listen to today’s episode, you will…Discover the secret to being happy is to release forgiveness you’ve been holding back. Learn how Jesus modeled what it looks like to be unoffendable by extending grace before your offender needs it.Understand that forgiveness does not mean you’re endorsing or forgetting what happened to you; it means clearing your heart of offenses daily as you go before the Lord.Related Resources:Dive deeper into Max’s book, How Happiness Happens: Finding Lasting Joy in a World of Comparison, Disappointment and Unmet Expectations. Purchase your copy today anywhere books are sold! Did you know you can participate in our past Online Bible Studies with Max? That’s right! Anxious for Nothing and Because of Bethlehem are available for you to do on your own. Click here to find out how to participate!Download the transcript of the podcast here.

 You’re happily scrolling through social media to see what’s going on for the day, and then all of a sudden, you come across a post that has hundreds of comments where people (maybe even some of your friends) are having a “not-so-gracious” discussion. Should you join the conversation or unfollow that person? Or maybe you’re about to head to a family dinner with people you love dearly, but there’s a sticky topic that’s bound to come up that makes you want to hide under the table. How do you approach that conversation while still honoring the relationships and loving those people? Whatever or wherever your sticky situation is — online, at the table or with a co-worker — we pray this episode gives you a biblical foundation to help you navigate difficult conversations as an image-bearer of Christ. In this episode, you will… Understand the value and freedom gained by starting your day with an attitude of forgiveness, before you’re ever offended. Be empowered to make a difference in your corner of the world by choosing to create an atmosphere of gentle responses wherever you go. Learn how getting involved on social media helps and hinders your relationships, and when to respond with grace or simply not react at all. Is The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast helping you with whatever season of life you’re walking through? We want to hear your story! When you leave a review on iTunes, it helps more people discover our podcast content. Related Resources:Do you know someone who’s difficult to love? The lady at church who's always gossiping. The lazy co-worker. That sibling who knows how to push your buttons. We have a free printable just for you! Click here to access “Hugging a Porcupine and Squeezing a Skunk: How to love the difficult people in your life” for FREE today!In her book, Unglued, Lysa TerKeurst said, “Am I trying to prove that I’m right, or improve this relationship?” She developed a free resource to help you called “3 Questions to Ask Before You Respond.” Access this downloadable guide for free today!Get a free chapter of Lysa TerKeurst’s book, Uninvited, along with an assessment titled, “What’s it like to do life with me?” Simply download the chapter and complete the self-assessment, then prayerfully ask a trusted friend to complete the friend assessment. Click here to get started! Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

What’s keeping you from really resting?Are you afraid of losing control or fear the job won’t get done without you? Or maybe you think you’re resting, but you fill your time with TV, reading or shopping and at the end of the day, you’re still tired? Take a second and think of your own reasons.  Whatever your answer, it’s easy to look at the word “rest” in our culture and think it’s never possible because we’re too busy, or that we don’t know how to truly unplug. In this week’s episode, Kristen White, Proverbs 31 staff member and wife of Pastor Kaleb White, will tackle the true reason why we should rest, and what God’s Word says about it.   In this episode, you will...Evaluate your priority of working versus resting by looking at the story of creation in Genesis and how it teaches us about how God prioritized rest.Understand the difference of working from rest instead of resting from work, and get a few ideas for how to creatively or mentally recharge when you need a break.Remember that the Sabbath isn’t a rule that keeps us from getting more work done, but a day set aside by God for us to rest and grow in our relationship with Him. Related Resources:Ready to start studying the Bible in a fresh way? Download our FREE First 5 mobile app and join us each weekday for a relevant, but challenging teaching on one chapter of the Bible at a time.Get biblical encouragement sent straight to your inbox every day AND stay up-to-date with all things happening at Proverbs 31 Ministries when you sign up for our free Encouragement for Today weekday devotions.Click here to download the transcript of this episode.

Depending on your church background, you might participate in Advent every year, or you might stay away from it because it seems like a mysterious, age-old tradition that’s reserved for only certain denominations. You might even associate Advent with a candy calendar you see displayed in stores close to the holiday season.  At Proverbs 31 Ministries, our goal is to help you know the Truth of God’s Word by shedding light on things that might be a little unclear … even things like the Advent season. While Advent is not a biblical command, it is an activity we can choose to participate in to turn our hearts from the hustle and bustle as we focus on biblical truths.   In this episode, you’ll hear from Proverbs 31 Ministries' director of theology, Joel Muddamalle. You will…Discover what Advent is, what it isn’t and how it can help align your heart with God’s Word as we celebrate Christmas and Jesus’ second coming.Stop rushing through the holiday season and refocus your mind on adoration for Jesus through patience, expectations for what He’s doing and contemplation on His goodness.Understand the importance of setting aside time to share with your family about who Jesus is and what He has done, and what He has promised to come back and do. No matter your views on Advent, we pray this episode will serve as a resource and a reason to slow down and focus on Jesus this season. Related Resources:If you’re reading this, maybe God has used Proverbs 31 Ministries to point you back to Him in your deepest moment of need. Will you consider giving back so we can continue giving you our resources and reach even more women who desperately need Him? Click here to make a donation today!Are you and your kids rushing through the holiday season? Slow down and make this season even sweeter with our hand-selected products, like the authentic olive wood nativity scene, The Sweetest Story Ever Told interactive cookie kit and more! A portion of every purchase you make from Proverbs 31 goes back to help us reach more women with God’s Word. Click here to see our entire Christmas collection!Click here to download the transcript of this episode.

Do you ever find it hard to let God work on your behalf? Are you tempted to trust in your own strength rather than let God work things out for you?   As believers, we have the most incredible opportunity to put our full trust and confidence in our heavenly Father. But, so often, we get caught in the trap of thinking “Surely I’m not the right person to do this” or “There’s too much against me for this to actually work out.” Today on The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, Lynn Cowell will help us understand what it means to develop unshakable confidence built on Christ.   With today’s episode, you will…Grow your confidence in God as you hear references to stories in Scripture that show how He moved through others who trusted Him to do the impossible.Identify and address the fears that keep you stuck, and learn what practical steps to take to walk in your calling with confidence.Renew your passion to do what only you’ve been called to do, knowing it’s more important to please God than others.Related Resources:Discover more about unshakable confidence with Lynn’s Bible study, Make Your Move. Purchase the Bible study and DVD set today from Proverbs 31 Ministries’ online store.Is there a tween in your life who needs a little encouragement as she makes the transition from being a little girl to becoming a teenager? Check out Lynn’s book, Brave Beauty: Finding the Fearless You, available on the Proverbs 31 Ministries’ online store.Plan your next church women’s event with the Proverbs 31 Ministries’ speaker team in mind! Click here to inquire about having speakers like Lynn Cowell, Chrystal Evans Hurst, Nicki Koziarz and more at your next event. Click here to download the transcript for this episode.