224: God Cares For Us In Ways We Rarely Consider
You Were Made for This
I’ve been reflecting more and more lately about how much God cares about us. When we hurt he hurts. Today’s episode is about how God responds to the dark times we go through, and what he models for us in relating to the hurting people in our lives. But before we begin, I’m John Certalic, and you’re listening to episode 224 of You Were Made for This, the podcast about the joy of relationships we were made for. Those that reflect the character and image of God in the unique way he made each of us. Today’s episode is an example of how this works An unwanted anniversary I’ve been...
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223: A Christmas in July Story
You Were Made for This
As I’m recording this, Christmas is almost six months away. I recall last Christmas, when I heard a few people say they wished we could have the Christmas spirit all year long. We can if we reflect the image and character of God. And I have a Christmas in July story for you today that shows us how. Welcome to episode 223 of You Were Made for This, the podcast about finding joy in being the person God created each of us to be. Namely, someone who reflects the character, image, and likeness of God in all our relationships. It’s the THIS, we were made for. ————————————...
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222: “I Want to Hear Your Story”
You Were Made for This
I’ve come to learn that relating with people through the lens of “I want to hear your story” is a great way to live. It enriches our lives in more ways than you can imagine. I started thinking more deeply about this principle when Janet and I visited William Shakespeare's hometown of Stratford-on-Avon in England. Several years later, during a trip to Savannah, Georgia, I witnessed “I want to hear your story” play out in real-time. And more recently, I saw it demonstrated in a church service, where a 20-something law school student shared a story he experienced. So that’s what I...
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221: An Act of Kindness Remembered Decades Later
You Were Made for This
You never know how an act of kindness will be remembered with fondness many decades later. It reminds us that when we are kind, it’s because God made us that way. Today’s episode is an example of how this works. Welcome to You Were Made for This But first - I’m John Certalic and you are listening to episode 221 of You Were Made for This, the podcast about reflecting the character, image, and likeness of God. It’s what enables us to enjoy being the unique person he created each of us to be. In today’s show we pick up where we left off last time in episode 220. In that episode I...
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220: A Podcast You and I Want to Listen To
You Were Made for This
Have you noticed how everyone seems to have a podcast these days? Most of them just don’t appeal to me. So, in 2018, I created one that does— a podcast I want to listen to and one you’ll want to listen to as well. I’m going to give you an example of what I mean shortly. Welcome to Season Nine and episode 220 But first, I’m John Certalic and you are listening to episode 220 of You Were Made for This, a podcast about … well, … stick with me and you’ll soon find out soon. It’s been quite a number of months since I recorded any new episodes on a regular basis. It’s not been...
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219: The Christmas Story for 2024
You Were Made for This
On that first Christmas Day, Mary treasured all its details and thought about them often. May we do the same with the Christmas story in 2024. So here's the original story told in Luke's Gospel, just as it happened: At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there...
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218: It’s Better to Listen Than to Talk
You Were Made for This
Today’s episode, #218, brings to a close Season 8 of our You Were Made for This podcast. If you’ve been listening for any length of time, I hope you’ve come to appreciate the high value we place on the skill of listening as a way to enrich our lives. As we wrap up Season 8 today, I’m going to share a story that illustrates why it’s better to listen than to talk. But before we get into today’s episode, here’s what this podcast is all about. Welcome to You Were Made for This If you find yourself wanting more from your relationships, you’ve come to the right...
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217: God Will Surprise Us
You Were Made for This
In the past dew episodes I’ve been talking about how I tracked down my birth father and met him for the first… and last time in my life. You’ll find links to those episodes at the bottom of the show notes. Today’s show concludes this painful chapter in my life by focusing on a larger relational and spiritual principle that applies to all of us. Namely, sometimes in our difficulties God will surprise us in unusual ways to remind us he is still working for our good and for his glory. But before we get into today’s episode, here’s what this podcast is all about. Welcome to...
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216: Our Past Helps Us Understand Our Present
You Were Made for This
Hello everyone. If you haven’t listened to episode 215, “Searching for my Birth Father,” I suggest listening to that episode before continuing with this one. Just go to . Today’s episode, #216, continues with the theme of how understanding our past helps us understand our present when we see how God began shaping us early on to find joy in being the person he created us to be. Before we get into this I need to tell you that Carol, our announcer and executive director on vacation this week. Filling in for her is the latest addition to our staff, our chaplain and family cat, Father...
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215: Searching for My Birth Father
You Were Made for This
One of the more popular topics from past episodes has been the story of Gail Rohde who was adopted as an infant, and her search as an adult for her birth mother. Then several years after finding her, she searched for her birth father - and found him, too. I’ll have links to those episodes at the bottom of the show notes. It can be a relational minefield in dealing with the dynamics of adoptees wanting to know where they’ve come from, especially when it’s been hidden from them. I have a similar story about searching for my birth father that I wrote about in my book, THEM. ...
info_outlineOn that first Christmas Day, Mary treasured all its details and thought about them often. May we do the same with the Christmas story in 2024.
So here's the original story told in Luke's Gospel, just as it happened:
At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census.
And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.
She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified,
but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said.
“I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of
David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.
“Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.
All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.
The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.
~ Luke 2: 1-20 (NIV)
There you have it. The Christmas Story for 2024.
Merry Christmas, everyone.
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I hope you enjoyed hearing or reading the Christmas Story one more time. Here are other episodes about Christmas from our podcast library you may listen to or read.
The Gift of Joy - Part 2, episode 6
Make it a Merry Christmas This Year episode 136
Christmas with a Good Man Brings Joy episode 135
A Christmas Gift of Silence, episode 80
The Christmas Gift of Deep Personal Connection, episode 81
A Christmas Gift of Anticipation, episode 82
The Best Christmas Gift - Be With People in Community, episode 83