The Spacious Place, with Kari Levang

When we are in touch with God’s joy and peace in us (clinging to what is good), then we become whole and holy persons. Like living torches we radiate the light and heat of God’s compassionate love. Mark Yaconelli

This week we’ll continue our conversation about clinging to what is good, but we’ll fast forward to what that looks like for me today. I’ll share some of the ways that I have continued this practice and hopefully give you some handles for your own lives in three important areas. Join me, as we keep showing up and living out our identity as God’s beloved.

Holding onto hope when everything is dark is the greatest test of faith. 

Yasmin Mogahed

In todays’ episode I share what it looked like for me to cling to what was good while I was hanging on for dear life through my season of counseling. Wherever you find yourself today, this conversation will give you insights and ideas around what it looks like to take up the call to hang onto hope! Grab your favorite drink, get comfy and have a listen!

We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope. Martin Luther King Jr

This year, like every other year of my life, has been full of wonderful things and heartbreaking situations. That’s what life is like, right? Both. In this episode we’ll talk about following Jesus right in the middle of our disappointments. I often think we put God on hold or think we can place him somewhere outside of our circumstances, rather than realize He’s right there with us, in the middle of all of it. When we realize we aren’t alone, that’s where we begin to find transcendent peace!

In this episode I’ll share a journal entry that I came across from July of 2016. This entry was a day after I had experienced deep hopelessness and it documents how personally God met me right in the middle of it. I’ll share what the day looked like for me, as well as all the ways God showed Himself to me. You may not relate to the subject matter I’ll share, but unfortunately you may be able to relate to feeling hopeless. My desire is that today’s episode will give you courage and hope for whatever you’re facing!

Believing takes practice. —-Madeline L’Engle

Why is it that Jesus simple invitation to come gets lost on us? Do you find yourself letting busyness get in the way, or fear of what He’ll think of you or your situation? In this episode we’ll talk about not only Jesus invitation for us to be with Him, but we’ll take a glimpse at what He’s like. Hopefully, this will impart some courage into you as you follow Christ.

God promises to make the vale of trouble a door of hope. Jill Briscoe

Life has a way of allowing hard things to come into our lives. Things that also usher in a myriad of emotions that feel huge! In this episode I’ll share some of the things that have been hard this year for me as well as a practical way that I managed my emotions that I found super helpful.

Today I talk with my friend Jennie, the kindest, whose story has piles of goodness and heaps of pain and she has entrusted herself to Jesus and me and so many others. Her’s is a story of real life, following Jesus, one step at a time and I think you’re really going to enjoy this chat together.

Wounds have a way of reminding us that they exist. They won't be overlooked. They poke and prod until we are willing to pay attention--to listen to them and honor them. In today's episode this is exactly what we'll be talking about. Join me in the conversation around my own wounds.

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

In this episode I’m keeping it real. I’ll share with you an experience that I had that threw me into a tailspin. And how I pressed through with Jesus and others, entrusting myself again with those around me and continuing to learn how to stay present even when my body is full of anxiety.

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1

Putting ourselves out there, inviting others to follow us feels risky. We’re afraid of inviting someone to do this because we know ourselves. We’ll talk in this episode about how Paul had the same struggle but didn’t let it hinder him from living out God’s truth that we have become fishers of men (Matthew 4:19). 

Today I’m talking with a couple of friends who I’ve done a lot of life with….Janet Potter and Jessica Yost. Each of us are in very different seasons of life, but we’ve been able to find ways to continue to stay connected over the years. In this episode we talk about how we’ve had to work through places where we don’t agree, how our friendship has included all of our families, and  how being willing to share our own struggles with one another has enriched our lives.

Comparison is the thief of joy. Theodor Roosevelt

In this episode we’ll talk about Peter and Jesus conversation on the beach. That day when Peter jumps out of the boat to get close to the risen Christ. We’ll talk about how this conversation wasn’t just for Peter, but has implications for our lives as well. How comparison robs me what God intends for me and how God longs for us to listen and believe him for the things He has planned for our own specific lives.

He deliberately chose to create me as the object of his own affection.

Phillip Keller

Following Jesus means there is One who is the Shepherd of our souls and it’s not us. The job of this Good Shepherd is to create opportunities for us to flourish in and become all He intends and longs for us to be. The job of the follower, (that’s us!), is to believe that we are the object of his affection and to say yes to all that He has done to create a pathway for me to abide in him.

Follow Me with your wounds

Psalm 34:18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted

    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

In today’s episode I’ll share how my father wounds inhibited me from following Jesus as my Father, up close and what the process to nearness looked like for me. If you have wounds from your own dad, my hope is that today’s episode would give you a deeper shade of Hope!

But the gospel is not just for one day  of our little life with Jesus. It is for everyday that follows. We won’t survive if we replace our connection with Jesus with duty or morals.

Rachel Gilson

Join me today as we talk about how being a Christ follower is a posture of heart—a way of being on the inside that makes its way out of us, into the way we live. Today we’re going to talk about how important this is in terms of how we relate to one another in relationship…especially those that we might not see eye to eye. We’ll talk about how letting understanding lead the way is key to being followers of Jesus.

“Christianity does not begin with our pursuit of Christ, but with Christ’s pursuit of us. Christianity does not start with an invitation we offer to Jesus, but with an invitation Jesus offers to us.” 

― David Platt, Follow Me: A Call to Die. A Call to Live.

One of the phrases that we see Jesus use as He’s beginning His ministry is, “Follow Me”. This phrase has been rolling over in my mind because it is the very essence of what it means to be a Christian and yet is this how we view ourselves? Do we see the word Christian and think it is a description of who we are alone, rather than what we are called into—a living, vibrant walk with a Person? In today’s episode we will begin a conversation about what this means for us and how it affects every area of our lives.

Proverbs 27:9

A sweet friendship refreshes the soul.

In this episode I’m chatting with my sweet friend Jessica. She grew up in the house up the street from the house where we raised our kiddos, and our lives have remained very connected. Jess is smart and super fun! She’s married now and I may or may not have had a part in finding her husband… and they have 4 kiddos of their own! In our conversation in this episode, we talk about marriage, family, friendship, Jesus and so much more!!

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

I believe that God has good things in mind for us! We are his workmanship (poem), the display of his splendor! Often times desires and dreams begin to bubble up in us and we shut them down. But what if we were willing to take the things that feel new and sometimes scary and way outside of our comfort zones, right to the One who put them in our hearts in the first place and allowed Him to prepare our hearts as He leads us.

And I will be with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20b

Practicing presence while parenting teens for any parent often seems like an oxymoron, but today I will share some things that I learned as we parented our 4 kids. I’ll share some personal stories from our family, letting you in on what I would do different today if I could go back and do it all over again, as well as give you some of the principles that I would’t change. 

In this episode you will get a peek into a conversation with my own 4 adult kids, David, Andrew, Paige and Tate.  We sit down and talk about all the things….memories from when they were kids, things they are being challenged by today and ways they are engaging in fun and so much more!  You’ll get a peek into how they relate to one another as well as how we laugh at each other and love one another all at the same time!