Changing
This podcast, first and foremost, is about becoming who we are truly meant to be. No matter what life we are born into, we all have the power to draw closer to God. In this episode, your host Donald Kelly shares three key things he has learned from hosting this podcast – they have helped him on his journey and we hope they will help you, too. Everyone Can Change Some transformations can be dramatic – we hear stories of receiving revelations or miracles as a catalyst for change. Not all change is that visible, but that doesn’t make it any less important. God frequently...
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Getting sucked into material, earthly things happens to us all. You’re not alone if you’ve ever pushed back your church-related activities to take care of work or family. So how do you balance all of the important things in life? In this episode of Changing, your host Donald Kelly gives you three ways to find your eternal perspective so that you can prioritize what truly matters. Ask yourself, “Why do I do what I do?” As you go about your life, do you pray, read scriptures, and attend church because you feel like you have to, or out of a love of God and desire to feel closer...
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Following the path of Jesus Christ means many different things to different people, so how do we know what to do when we’re told to “be more Christlike”? In this episode, your host Donald Kelly shares nine attributes of Christ with you so that you can incorporate them into your life. Faith in Christ When you trust and have faith in Christ, you become closer to the spirit, and that gives you the strength to do great things. Donald shares a story of when his faith and prayer helped him through a challenging housing situation. Hope Optimism and perseverance will help...
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As we move past the resurrection Sunday, we are reminded of the pain of loss that comes with death. In this episode, your host Donald Kelly shares five ways we can cope with the pain of grief and mourning. 5 Ways to Deal With Loss Remember that it’s not the end. We know from John 11:25 that death is a stage of our existence. We live, then we die, but if we have faith in Christ and follow Him, we will join Him in the afterlife. Read the scriptures. They can help to reassure you when things are difficult, as they have for Donald and members of his family. Time heals all...
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Happy Easter, listeners! Each year, Easter is an awesome time to celebrate, spend time with friends and loved ones, and enjoy the beginning of longer, warmer days. But we all know there’s so much more to this holiday than chocolate bunnies and hunting for eggs – so what’s it all about? In this episode of Changing, Donald talks with us about the resurrection and its significance on this special day. Why Was the Resurrection Necessary? After Adam and Eve fell from grace, they became spiritually disconnected from God (spiritual death) and became mortal (opportunity for physical...
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If you or someone you know are going through a difficult time right now, you’re not alone. Whether you’re facing financial struggles, marital issues, workplace challenges, or something completely different, the Lord is always with you. There’s no shame in asking for help, especially from God, who will strengthen you every step of the way. How Can the Lord Strengthen Us? When you face temptation towards sin, know that you won’t ever be given temptation you can not overcome (check out Episode 100 for more on temptation!) Think of the challenges you face as opportunities to...
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When you’re faced with temptation over and over, it can make you feel like those temptations have some strength and power over you. While being faced with temptation will push you to choose your faith time and time again, each time you overcome, you grow. In this episode, Donald Kelly talks about facing repetitions of the same temptation, and offers some tips for how you can find strength in those difficult moments. Why Are We Tempted Repeatedly? Life is a test. Even if you commit to righteousness, it doesn’t mean you won’t ever be tempted. Temptation will be targeted toward...
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Acts of service help bring us closer to God. Through selfless acts of kindness and care, we become more Christ-like in our ways and help those around us feel the power of God. Not only that, but when we serve God’s children, we serve God as well. In this episode, Donald shares a story about a time when he participated in an act of service with his congregation. Serving Dixie Brown and the Florida Keys In 2017, Hurricane Irma hit the Keys in South Florida, destroying the homes of many communities His team received a work order to help a community member named Dixie Brown, and he...
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In this episode, Donald takes us through the miracle when Jesus healed a man suffering from palsy (Mark 2:1). You’ll hear how Jesus cured this man of his affliction, and how it was the faith of the man and his community that helped get him there. Just like the man whose illness was cured, face your challenges with strength and faith, and surround yourself with folks who will support you. How Can We Apply This to Our Lives? When faced with challenges in life, instead of wallowing in how you feel about them, embrace them as faith-building situations Surround yourself with family,...
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One of the most powerful things we can do as humans on this earth is to show love and compassion to the people around us through our actions. When we have blessings in our lives, nothing can bring us closer to God than to share those blessings with those who are experiencing times of need. In this episode, Donald gets into how to properly give alms without being self-interested and offers some ideas on how you can show love in your community. What does it mean to “give alms”? Historically, this has meant giving money or food to poor people. Now, we use it to mean charitable...
info_outlineActs of service help bring us closer to God. Through selfless acts of kindness and care, we become more Christ-like in our ways and help those around us feel the power of God. Not only that, but when we serve God’s children, we serve God as well. In this episode, Donald shares a story about a time when he participated in an act of service with his congregation.
Serving Dixie Brown and the Florida Keys
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In 2017, Hurricane Irma hit the Keys in South Florida, destroying the homes of many communities
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His team received a work order to help a community member named Dixie Brown, and he selflessly sent the crew to support his neighbor, who had a tree fall on her house
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Years later, Donald’s son found a video of Dixie Brown on Donald’s phone, which inspired Donald to check in on Dixie Brown
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Through this act of service, a deeper human connection was built and can continue to provide support through the years
“If we are helping God’s children… we are going to have the Spirit be with us. It’s not for self-aggrandizement or self-accolade, we’re doing it because we really care and we want to help other people, and the Spirit of the Lord is able to be present.” - Donald Kelly
What acts of service have you been a part of lately? If you know someone who could connect with this message, send them this episode and encourage them to subscribe. If you liked what you heard, leave us a rating or review on iTunes. If you need someone to talk to and you’d like to reach out to Donald, e-mail [email protected], or find him on Twitter or Instagram.