437. Don’t Die in the Desert: How to Live the Life God Intended
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
Release Date: 07/31/2026
459. You're Growing More Than You Think | Before You Quit, Day 13
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
You're Growing More Than You Think | Before You Quit, Day 13 Have you ever wondered why you're not further along in your relationship with God? You've been a Christian for years. You know what the Bible teaches. You've set spiritual goals. You've tried to change. But you're still struggling with some of the same weaknesses, habits, and temptations. And you start asking yourself: “Why am I not growing as I should?” In Day 13 of Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done, Rob Skinner addresses the discouragement that comes when our spiritual growth doesn't match our expectations....
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458. Are You Faking Your Faith? It's Time to Take Off the Mask | Before You Quit #12
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
Are You Faking Your Faith? It's Time to Take Off the Mask | Before You Quit #12 Have you ever looked like a strong Christian on the outside while feeling spiritually empty on the inside? You still attend church. You smile. You give hugs. You say the right things. People may even look up to you as a mature, faithful disciple. But deep down, something has changed. Your prayers have become inconsistent. You've stopped spending time in God's Word. You're struggling with sin, carrying guilt, or feeling ashamed of what's happening in your life. And instead of telling someone, you keep pretending...
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457. Feeling Lonely at Church? Don’t Walk Away Yet | Before You Quit #11
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
Feeling Lonely at Church? Don’t Walk Away Yet | Before You Quit #11 Have you ever stood in a crowded church and felt completely alone? Everyone else seems to have their people. Their conversations. Their plans. Their friend group. Meanwhile, you're standing there wondering: “Does anyone even see me?” In Day 11 of Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done, Rob Skinner addresses one of the biggest reasons people quietly consider walking away from church: Loneliness and isolation. Last summer, Rob and Pam met a young woman who had recently moved to Boston and joined the church....
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456. Retirement, Faith, and 2,200 Miles: Phil and Robbyn's Appalachian Trail Adventure
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
Retirement, Faith, and 2,200 Miles: Phil and Robbyn's Appalachian Trail Adventure What would you do if you retired and suddenly had the freedom to pursue a really big dream? Most people picture retirement as a time to slow down, relax, and take it easy. Not Phil and Robbyn Paradis. After more than four decades of following Jesus, Phil retired from his career in civil engineering and decided to take on one of America's most demanding hiking adventures: the nearly 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail. There was just one problem. He had never backpacked before. And he was already dealing with serious...
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455. When God Doesn’t Come Through the Way You Hoped | Before You Quit #10
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
When God Doesn’t Come Through the Way You Hoped | Before You Quit #10 What do you do when you've prayed for something good—and God doesn't come through the way you hoped? In Day 10 of Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done, Rob Skinner tackles one of the most painful sources of spiritual discouragement: Disappointment with God. When COVID hit, Rob's church in Tucson was averaging around 200 people on Sundays. Like churches around the world, they temporarily moved online. When they finally gathered again, a little more than 100 people remained. Rob wondered: Where did...
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454. You’ve Got One Job: Stay Connected to Jesus
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
You’ve Got One Job: Stay Connected to Jesus There are a thousand things competing for your attention every day. Your career. Your marriage. Your kids. Your health. Your finances. Your goals. Your phone. Even your ministry. But according to Jesus, there's one thing you absolutely cannot neglect: Your connection with him. In John 15, Jesus gives one of the simplest and most powerful pictures of the Christian life: “I am the vine; you are the branches.” In this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast, Rob explores why successful people can be especially vulnerable to spiritual self-reliance, why...
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453. When Following Jesus Costs You Something Real | Before You Quit #9
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
When Following Jesus Costs You Something Real | Before You Quit #9 What happens when following Jesus costs you something—or someone—you genuinely love? In Day 9 of Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done, Rob Skinner talks about a part of Christianity that can be painful to accept: Obedience can cost you something real. When Rob became a Christian during his junior year of college, one of the first people he wanted to tell was his best friend from high school. This was someone Rob could completely be himself around. They had taken road trips together. Made memories...
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452. God Loves You—But Do You Believe It? Is Your “Truster” Broken?
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
God Loves You—But Do You Believe It? Is Your “Truster” Broken? What if one of the biggest problems in your relationship with God isn't that God doesn't love you—but that you have trouble believing that he does? Years ago, two young children in Rob Skinner's extended family were adopted from Korea. Their new parents gave them a loving home, security, opportunities and a family that poured love into them. But the children struggled. There was anger. Mistrust. Rejection. As a young man watching from the outside, Rob couldn't understand it. Why couldn't they see how much they were loved?...
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451. Following Jesus Feels Too Hard? Don’t Quit Yet | Before You Quit #8
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
Following Jesus Feels Too Hard? Don’t Quit Yet | Before You Quit #8 What if one of the reasons you're thinking about quitting Christianity is something you rarely say out loud? “It's just too hard.” In Day 8 of Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done, Rob Skinner begins Week Two of the book: Why People Quit and Don't Say It Out Loud. People rarely walk away from their faith in one sudden moment. A disappointment here. A conflict there. An unanswered prayer. A broken relationship. Little by little, discouragement accumulates until someone quietly begins drifting away. And...
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450. Stop Saying “Not Yet”: It’s Not Too Late to Change
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
Stop Saying “Not Yet”: It’s Not Too Late to Change What have you gotten so used to that you don't even see it anymore? From 2004 to 2012, Rob Skinner worked as a realtor while planting a church in Ashland, Oregon. Whenever someone bought a fixer-upper, he gave them one piece of advice: Fix the problems right away. Why? Because human beings have an incredible ability to get used to almost anything. The cracked tile that drives you crazy when you first move in eventually becomes your cracked tile. You stop noticing it. Rob shares an unforgettable illustration from John Kotter and Dan...
info_outlineDon’t Die in the Desert: How to Live the Life God Intended
Have you ever wondered whether you are settling for less than the life God intended for you?
The Israelites witnessed miracles, crossed the Red Sea, ate manna from heaven, and experienced God’s power firsthand. Yet almost an entire generation died in the wilderness because fear kept them from stepping into God’s promises.
In this episode, adapted from a lesson Rob taught at a ministry training retreat in Spokane, Washington, Rob explores the life of Caleb and asks a challenging question:
What if the greatest danger is not failure—but living safely?
While most of his generation wandered in circles, Caleb remained faithful, courageous, mission-focused, and ready for his next adventure. At 85 years old, he was still dreaming, still fighting, and still asking God for more:
“Now give me this hill country.”
Rob shares seven principles for becoming a faithful adventurer—someone willing to go anywhere, do anything, and trust God enough to receive the life He intended.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
• Why it is possible to be forgiven and still miss much of God’s purpose for your life
• What Caleb saw that the other spies could not see
• Why faith does not deny reality—it adds God to the equation
• The power of following God wholeheartedly
• How Rob and Pam learned to keep saying yes to new adventures
• Why courage means taking action even when you feel afraid
• How to recognize and resist a “shadow mission”
• Why your career, education, and money are tools—not your ultimate mission
• The importance of staying physically and spiritually strong
• Why many people regret playing it safe more than taking meaningful risks
• Practical principles for reading, learning, saving, growing, and overcoming failure
• How to finish life with purpose instead of regret
The tragedy of Israel’s story was not a lack of opportunity. They saw the same land, heard the same promises, and witnessed the same miracles as Caleb.
Fear simply made their decisions.
Don’t allow fear to make decisions that faith should make.
Keep dreaming.
Keep growing.
Keep saying yes to God.
And when your opportunity comes, have the faith to say:
“Now give me this hill country.”
Find Rob’s books, podcast resources, and ways to support the ministry at RobSkinner.com.
To help support the program, visit here.
Rob’s goal is to inspire you to live a no-regrets life, make this life count, and multiply disciples, leaders, and churches.