The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast

Boundaries should help us avoid extremes and live closer to the kind of love God intended for relationships.After struggling with boundaries for years, Lysa TerKeurst wondered if they really worked or were even biblical. But what she discovered after countless hours of in-depth counseling and theological research is that healthy boundaries aren’t just a good idea — they’re God’s idea. In her new book, Good Boundaries and Goodbyes, she shows us what good boundaries are supposed to look like, how to place them on ourselves instead of trying to change other people, and how to find healthier ways to have hard conversations around needed boundaries.This episode is taken from the introduction of Lysa's newest book: Good Boundaries and Goodbyes: Loving Others Without Losing the Best of You Are.Related Resources:- What if all the emotional energy spent on saying "yes" to everyone else, walking on eggshells around people we love and trying to manage delicate relational dynamics is bankrupting us of our capacity for living in obedience to who God has asked us to be? If you're ready to gain the biblical wisdom and confidence to finally set boundaries you can keep, let Lysa TerKeurst’s book, Good Boundaries and Goodbyes, be your new go-to guide. Order today!- If you liked this episode, check out the new Therapy & Theology podcast with Lysa TerKeurst. Lysa has teamed up with her personal, licensed professional counselor, Jim Cress, and the Director of Theological Research at Proverbs 31 Ministries, Dr. Joel Muddamalle, to bring you a podcast to help you work through what you've walked through. Start listening today!Click here to read the transcript for this episode.

Prayer is the place we can entrust our deepest needs and hurts, fears and anxieties, longings and disappointments, and most especially our questions, to God.But sometimes it's hard to know where to start. On this episode, Bible teacher Wendy Blight teaches us what prayer is and how to practice it. Learn how prayer allows us to know God and love Him more. Our friend Wendy even walks us through how to hear God through prayer and shares practical tips for cultivating a deeper prayer life today. You won't want to miss this episode. Make sure to share it with a friend!Related ResourcesPurchase our devotional, Clear Mind, Peaceful Heart: Prayers and Devotions for Sleeping Well in a World Full of Worry, from our Proverbs 31 bookstore.Our staff loves the opportunity to pray for you. Head over to our Prayer Wall and let us know how we can be praying for you in this season.Click here to read the transcript for this episode.

What would change about your life if you knew your purpose?Often, we don't live the way we were made to live. But God created us with a purpose. When we know what God, our Creator, made us for, we can experience a fuller, more purposeful life. On this episode of the podcast, our new friend Lauren McAfee, ministry coordinator at Hobby Lobby, will help you understand your God-given identity and how it affects your relationships so you can live in the power of your purpose today.Related Resources:Connect with Lauren at her website at https://www.laurenamcafee.com/ or on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/laurenamcafee/.Trade the lies whispered by the enemy for the truth of what God’s Word says about you — download our free resource "Truths for When You Question Who You Are.” Click here to read the transcript for this episode. 

Is it unloving, selfish or unchristian to draw boundaries? Sometimes the whole process can feel unkind or even like we’re violating Bible verses on how to treat others. But what if we’ve simply misunderstood God’s original intent in giving us this relational gift?Lysa TerKeurst has wrestled with these hesitations. But she’s uncovered common misconceptions about boundaries and learned that boundaries are one of the most powerful, God-honoring tools we can use to protect our relationships.In this teaching, Lysa walks through the first mention of boundaries in the Bible, three crucial words we need to embrace in order to understand God’s intent for boundaries and more. Grab a pen and paper — you’ll want to take notes on this one!Related Resources:- What if all the emotional energy spent on saying "yes" to everyone else, walking on eggshells around people we love and trying to manage delicate relational dynamics is bankrupting us of our capacity for living in obedience to who God has asked us to be? If you're ready to gain the biblical wisdom and confidence to finally set boundaries you can keep, let Lysa TerKeurst’s book, Good Boundaries and Goodbyes, be your new go-to guide. Order today!- If you liked this episode, check out the new Therapy & Theology podcast with Lysa TerKeurst. Lysa has teamed up with her personal, licensed professional counselor, Jim Cress, and the Director of Theological Research at Proverbs 31 Ministries, Dr. Joel Muddamalle, to bring you a podcast to help you work through what you've walked through. Start listening today!Click here to read the transcript for this episode. 

After the last few years, we are looking for relief.But in the rush to get our lives back to what they used to be, we are settling for temporary relief instead of lasting restoration. What if there's a better way to live? A way that doesn't just squeeze God into our busy lives ... a way where we can find the true rest we need. On this episode, author John Eldredge walks us through practical ways we can be intentional to cultivate a life with God so we can be resilient to whatever comes our way.Related Resources:- 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 Get Your Life Back by John Eldredge.- Check out John's book, Resilient: Restoring Your Weary Soul in These Turbulent Times.- We want to connect with our podcast listeners each month! Sign up to be a Podcast Insider, and each month you'll receive bonus content, journal prompts and more.- Click here to view the transcript for this episode. 

When we walk through seasons of waiting or uncertainty, it's tempting to look at the past through rose-colored glasses. We choose to only remember the good parts and forget the bad.But when we do that, it robs us of the opportunity to see how God is providing for us in the present, even if it's not predictable or what we'd prefer. On today's podcast, our friend and Director of Marketing at Proverbs 31, Madi Vincent, uses the Book of Numbers to show us what to do when we are wrestling in the waiting. Related Resources:Download our free First 5 mobile app and spend the first moments of your day with God before the hustle of your to-do list begins. We also have study guides to help you dig a little deeper into God's Word.Connect with Madi on Instagram here!Click here to view the transcript.

Our desire to please God can so easily turn into us trying to perform.But how do we know when we've slipped into striving? On this episode of the podcast, our new friend and author, Kaitlin Garrison, teaches us the difference between the true gospel of grace and the false gospel of grit. Overcome the cycle of shame from not being good enough by discovering the sweet relief that comes from our righteousness being found in Christ alone.Related Resources:- Order Kaitlin's book, Sweet Relief: How the Gospel Frees Us from a Life of Striving, today!- Connect with Kaitlin on Instagram @kaitlinngarrison- We created COMPEL Writers Training just for YOU! Stay accountable to practice your writing skills, and know you are not alone through our online community. Click here to join today!Click here to view the transcript.

It's easy to seek certainty when life feels unpredictable and out of control. But what if uncertainty leads us closer to God?  On today's episode, our dear friend, Proverbs 31 writer and author, Amy Carroll challenges us to embrace uncertainty because we learn how to better trust and seek God. Through her "clarity principle," she walks us through a three-step Bible study technique when we're seeking answers in the middle of uncertain seasons. This principle is one you'll want to save for later, so grab a pen and paper to take notes! Related Resources:- Subscribe to receive free Encouragement for Today weekday devotions in your inbox. - Make sure you get a copy of Amy's Bible study, Esther: Seeing Our Invisible God in an Uncertain World, co-author Lynn Cowell. - Connect with Amy on Instagram @amydohmcarrollClick here to download the transcript for this episode.

Let's admit it, most of us are pretty easily distracted. If we're breathing, there are thousands of things a day vying for our attention daily.  But how do we do this? Today on the podcast our friend and author, Bob Goff walks through how to live more intentional lives. When we stop focusing on what everyone else is doing, we can stop being distracted from what God is doing. With scriptural insight and practical advice, together we'll learn to orient our lives and hold on to hope when everything feels overwhelming.Related Resources:Start living a less-distracted, more joy-filled and love-oriented life with Bob's study, Undistracted Study Guide plus Streaming Video: Capture Your Purpose. Rediscover Your JoyConnect with Bob on his website bobgoff.com.Has the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast helped you grow in your faith or gain fresh biblical perspective? Tell us about it by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. When you review and rate the podcast, it helps us reach even more people with biblical Truth.Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

When life feels overwhelming or anxiety creeps in, our first response isn't always to turn to God's Word.  But Scripture has the Truth for whatever we are facing. On today's episode, author and singer-songwriter Ellie Holcomb shares the life-changing power of memorizing Scripture and how it inspires all her music. God's Word is living and active; something we can treasure. Learn easy steps to start memorizing Scripture, and how it helps discern the difference between lies and the Truth. Plus, it wouldn't be an episode with Ellie if she didn't sing and pray over us too. So grab your headphones or play in the car and join us!Related Resources: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!  Follow Ellie on Instagram @ellieholcomb and find her music on Apple music and Spotify.Click here to download the transcript for this episode.