158. Finding Harmony When You Live For Others: Jess Ray
The Jesus Storybook Bible Podcast
Release Date: 09/12/2024
The Jesus Storybook Bible Podcast
In this special bonus episode, illustrator of The Jesus Storybook Bible and Jesus, Our True Friend Jago Silver shares his journey to becoming an artist, and the impact of his work on generations of children. Quotes “I just think it’s a beautiful thing when the words and the pictures can work together. It’s a lovely partnership that I’ve had with Jago all these years.” - Sally Lloyd-Jones “In this new book [Jesus, Our True Friend] both my writing and Jago’s art has changed quite a bit, but you can still see traces of what we were, what we were doing when our first...
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In this special bonus episode of The Jesus Storybook Bible Podcast, author Sally Lloyd-Jones gives listeners an inside look at her writing process and her hopes for “Jesus, Our True Friend.” Sally shares how she aims to paint a portrait of Jesus through these seven stories to show that it’s not about being good enough, it’s about the rescuer who’s come to love us. Plus, join Sally for a special reading of one of the new stories! Quotes “Children look to us for everything, but when it comes to their devotional life, I think we sometimes forget to give them hope.” -...
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In a special bonus episode, author Sally Lloyd-Jones and voice actor Sir David Suchet offer a behind-the-scenes look at their collaboration on “Jesus, Our True Friend.” They delve into their individual approaches to portraying biblical figures, emphasizing the importance of simplifying stories for children without oversimplifying them. The episode also highlights their shared anticipation of hearing Jesus’ laugh and their conviction that everything they know about God points to love. Quotes “Sometimes I think in all that we give children, we forget to give them hope, and we are...
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Sally Lloyd-Jones and Team Jesus Storybook Bible have loved connecting with listeners the last three plus years on The Jesus Storybook Bible Podcast, a place for us to share thoughts and stories from guests who give us a peek inside their everyday lives—often giving us a glimpse into the extraordinary circumstances they’ve experienced in their faith. In this episode, Sally shares a personal, special message of thanks for our listeners and recaps some of our most notable guest stories—including a never-before-shared reading from the Jesus Storybook Bible. Starting in January 2025, the...
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Author and mom of three boys Christie Thomas knows that when it comes to building faith in the lives of our children, there are three golden rules: keep it short and simple, keep it real, and make it playful. She shares how instilling small habits with a dose of fun can be the spark that lights a growing faith for the whole family. Quotes “There are so many spots in the Bible where we just offer something really little. God is the one that takes it and makes it into something big and beautiful. When we focus on these little tiny things that we can do in our lives—following...
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Maurice F. Martin is a best-selling author, award-winning vocalist, and a life coach. Early in Maurice’s life, he found his identity came from how many accolades he could collect, but when it all came crashing down, he sadly realized there wasn’t much else keeping him going. After sinking to the lowest point in his life, Maurice turned to the real source of his identity, and the truth that he was “fearfully and wonderfully made” by God. Transformed by that truth, Maurice’s goal became to help others overcome their self-limiting beliefs and find their worth in the light of God’s...
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Reverend Chris Lee unexpectedly found himself with an online platform where he shares short, encouraging messages that authentically reflect what he’s facing in any given moment. The messages have resonated with thousands, bolstering Chris’s belief that people are longing for an understanding of their identity and who God says they are. Quotes “I felt just the whisper of God say, ‘I want you to be on this platform and give a message of the gospel to a younger generation—to young people who were searching.’” - Rev. Chris Lee “I think a lot of people online are...
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Hope Lebedyn is a nonprofit organization in Ukraine providing aid and hope during a time of war, chaos, fear, and uncertainty. Co-founder Peter Martin shares the realities of what Ukrainian families are currently facing, and how God’s love has shown up as a lifeline. Quotes “My family hasn’t been asked to leave their home because a bomb might come through their roof. I haven't had to abandon all my things. So I see love in the blessing of God, in the things that I have around me, which so often I take for granted.” - Peter Martin “About twenty-five years ago, I...
info_outlineThrough the ups and downs of working in the music industry, singer/songwriter Jess Ray has seen God’s grace most exemplified to her in other people who’ve lent her a hand along the way. By choosing to take a people-centered approach to life, Jess has found how friendships can open doors and how they also inspire a truer and deeper aspect to her music.
Quotes
“Music and my relationship with God was very intertwined.” - Jess Ray
“It's really the kindness of so many people over a long time, giving me a shot, getting to learn from them, and honing my craft—learning from people who are so good and have walked this road in front of me.” - Jess Ray
“At this point, I'm just continuing to try to make art that is compelling to me, that feels true and authentic, and that's not afraid to push against the boundaries of what we might say. I see God in everything.” - Jess Ray
“I realize literally there is no greater job than our part to play here. I'm like, I don't want to be playing for thousands of people. I would rather be writing music for people to play on their very worst days and helping them get through that.” - Jess Ray
“When it comes to seeing God's love in the things around me, it normally starts with accepting today as a gift and not being in such a hurry with my own plan that I'm only frustrated when things don't go the way I want—instead having this heart that is open to what God will bring into my day.” - Jess Ray
“Honestly, a big shift for me the past few years has been a change to being people-centered, to shape my life around caring for people and what they need is something that does not necessarily come naturally for me. But when I've shifted my heart around that, I'm flooded with the love of God in the people around me.” - Jess Ray
Guest’s Links
Jess Ray’s website
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Connect with Sally Lloyd-Jones
Jesus Storybook Bible Facebook
Jesus Storybook Bible Instagram
*Episode produced by Four Eyes Media*