The Jesus Storybook Bible Podcast

Inspired by the many beautiful stories of hope and joy and grace which readers have shared in the 15 years since The Jesus Storybook Bible was published, the podcast will be a platform where Sally invites people from of all walks of life to share about the life-transforming power of God’s love in their lives. We hope you will be as encouraged by these stories of hope and joy as we have been. And be reminded that God loves you—with a Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.

169. Our Home Is Found in Who God Says We Are: Rev. Chris Lee 11/28/2024

169. Our Home Is Found in Who God Says We Are: Rev. Chris Lee 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 looking for authenticity. That's what I try to do—give an authentic message that's hitting me at the moment and use that to immediately speak it online. Maybe it's about hope, or fear, or love, or about God's justice, mercy, or His grace—and I just come out with it.” - Rev. Chris Lee “I think one of the things that I noticed in culture is [that] we're starving to be known and seen, and I think we're finding it in all the wrong places. I really wanted to teach and tell people that the truth of where they really are searching is in who God says you are. He says, ‘You are my beloved, I love you.’” - Rev. Chris Lee “Your true self is good and loved by God. And yes, you will fall. Yes, you've got stuff wrong. Yes, you sin. But you are also deeply loved—and by a loving Father [who] has done all things for you to know Him.” - Rev. Chris Lee “I think the compass of our soul searches to find its home, and ultimately, our home is found in God and who God says we are. He says that we are His and that we are loved. I think to know ourselves—to be able to truly know who we are—we should know God.” - Rev. Chris Lee “Coming to a place of gratitude—of thanksgiving—for what you have, and being able to give thanks for your strengths, but also acknowledging that your weaknesses lead you to other lessons and other abilities to be taught, can strengthen you.” - Rev. Chris Lee “If we live a life that is a little bit more seeking to be thankful—seeking to be grateful for things—then the lens in which we view the world changes. It leads to humility which I think leads to greater peace in our lives.” - Rev. Chris Lee “When we know God's character, we are better able to know who we are, because we are made by Him and for Him.” - Rev. Chris Lee “Wherever you may be in your life—maybe you've wandered, maybe you've got it wrong—God isn't surprised. He's not shocked. He simply loves you. He wants to bring you home again and again.” - Rev. Chris Lee Guest’s Links Resources Mentioned in This Episode Seasonal Products Connect with Sally Lloyd-Jones *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* /episode/index/show/thejesusstorybookbiblepodcast/id/33902642

168. A Gift of Hope in the Midst of Fear: Peter Martin from Hope Lebedyn 11/21/2024

168. A Gift of Hope in the Midst of Fear: Peter Martin from Hope Lebedyn 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 went over to the outskirts of Moscow to hear 650 pastors from the underground church in the Soviet era share stories and how they wanted to see the church grow in the future. I was absolutely mesmerized by what was happening. The power of these stories that came across—they were just mind blowing, to be quite frank, and what people would do for the sake of the Christian cause. And I thought, Well, how can I help?” - Peter Martin “We give out aid. We go to orphanages. We've helped loads of refugees and particularly children. We planted the church there. We've even planted other satellite churches from there. We've built a brand new activity center which runs a bakery and it has had an amazing impact in these recent years.” - Peter Martin “We make sure that every child that comes to our center has a copy of the Jesus Storybook Bible. Since the start of the war, we have distributed around 2,500 to 3,000 and given them away for free. They've had a huge impact.” - Peter Martin “With everything we do, we share the love of Jesus and the Father with Bibles and scripture, through services, and through activities. We're seeing lots of young people hungry to study God's Word, which is incredible.” - Peter Martin “God, through His Son Jesus, will meet us in our time of need and He'll come into our hearts. I believe that's the same for us and these people that are struggling in the war [in Ukraine]. God will come back to them and restore them in due time.” - Peter Martin Guest’s Links Resources Mentioned in This Episode Seasonal Products Connect with Sally Lloyd-Jones *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* /episode/index/show/thejesusstorybookbiblepodcast/id/33902602

167. Ordinary People Becoming Extraordinary Believers: Dandi Daley Mackall 11/14/2024

166. You’re Never Too Far Gone for God: Molly Stillman 11/07/2024

166. You’re Never Too Far Gone for God: Molly Stillman Author and speaker Molly Stillman was raised by a Vietnam veteran Army nurse, who acted as the hands and feet of Jesus when chaos and pain and terror were all around. As Molly grew up, she watched her mom trailblaze for veteran’s rights, so when she passed away, Molly was devastated and confused and hurt. As she spiraled into a deep, dark place, she found herself looking for hope—and she realized that no one is ever so far gone that God’s love can’t bring them back. Quotes “My mom's death, in a lot of ways, was the catalyst for the rest of my life. Growing up the daughter of this woman who was a trailblazer, full of life and love, but also watching her face an incredibly difficult and dark battle—I really struggled. I didn't have a faith foundation to guide me, and I was in a pretty dark place pretty quickly.” - Molly Stillman “In a lot of ways, I was very angry with God, because I saw this woman who so fiercely loved others and fought so hard. I saw her pray and a lot of times I questioned, Why would God let something like this happen?” - Molly Stillman “I created this kind of facade that, If I make everything look great on the outside, then I'll actually be that way on the inside, even though I had all this pent up grief and all of these root issues that I had never dealt with after the death of my mom.” - Molly Stillman “God had to continue to strip away everything I had placed my faith in. I had to get to a place where I was at an emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical rock bottom in order to really understand my need for God.” - Molly Stillman “I stepped foot in that church that day desperate—desperate for change, desperate for something different. I heard the gospel for the first time. I heard that there was a God in heaven who loved me, who created me on purpose, with a purpose, and for a purpose, and that there was no part of my story that was too far gone or too broken. I left that church that day with hope, and when you give hope to a hopeless person, that's a really, really powerful, powerful thing.” - Molly Stillman Guest’s Links Resources Mentioned in This Episode Seasonal Products Connect with Sally Lloyd-Jones *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* /episode/index/show/thejesusstorybookbiblepodcast/id/33671157

165. The Difference Between Happiness & True Joy: Tara Dew 10/31/2024

164. Deep Learning and Deep Faith: Homeschool Mom Monica Swanson 10/24/2024

164. Deep Learning and Deep Faith: Homeschool Mom Monica Swanson At first, Monica Swanson wasn’t excited about the possibility of educating her kids at home. Sparked by her eldest son's request, Monica began to see the unique benefits of personalized education and how it has helped her sons flourish. She debunks some common myths about homeschoolers, and gives practical tips for parents considering this path. Quotes “Over time as you homeschool, the confidence builds. As you see their character developing and you see their faith growing, you start to realize this is so much more than just scratching things off a list that they would get if they went to a traditional school. This was building something really beautiful in all of us.” - Monica Swanson “My boys have really grown up with the ability to ask questions, dig in, and find the answers. I've seen my kids dig their roots even deeper, stand strong, and know what they believe because they had that time at home. They had the ability to really wrestle with things in their teenage years so that their faith was that much stronger when they went out into the world.” - Monica Swanson “As a homeschool mom, I think it kind of adds a special way of seeing God's love, because I get to see it in my children every day as they learn something new, as we overcome challenges and adversities, as we grow together, as I see those light bulb moments.” - Monica Swanson “God's in everything and everywhere, but I think it's easy to miss if we're too hectic, too busy, too distracted. It's that choice to slow down for me, to open God's Word, to get my kids to take the time to start their day with God's Word and prayer. His love is everywhere.” - Monica Swanson “I want to simply lead my children to Jesus. I want them to learn to sit at His feet, to understand His love for them and to just simply know that they're called to come to Jesus. Then as they grow up, as they develop more skills, as they understand God's Word, they'll be ready and equipped and prepared to go out into the world and make disciples.” - Monica Swanson Guest’s Links Connect with Sally Lloyd-Jones *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* /episode/index/show/thejesusstorybookbiblepodcast/id/33454682

163. Connecting People to Hope: Christopher Beth 10/17/2024

162. God Will Give You Strength In The Storms: Jay Hewitt 10/10/2024

162. God Will Give You Strength In The Storms: Jay Hewitt Jay Hewitt is a pastor, author, and motivational speaker. At the age of thirty-seven, he was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, but despite the prognosis, he drew strength from his faith in God and embraced his calling as a storyteller—sharing his remarkable journey of striving to participate in the Ironman Triathlon while fighting cancer. Together with his wife and daughter, he continues to inspire others with his resilience, unwavering faith, and empowering messages, reminding us of the limitless strength we possess. Quotes “I've always used story as a driving force in my preaching and as a storyteller. God has given me a pretty remarkable story to tell.” - Jay Hewitt “All of these waves of life were just crashing all around me, and Jesus spoke to my soul and said, ‘Be still.’ And it obeyed him, and the grace that that was for me was unbelievable.” - Jay Hewitt “I now move forward in life knowing whatever I face—because I still have a terminal disease, there are still so many scary things that I'm facing—I know that if God is with me and if He's displaying His strength through my weakness, I can still accomplish the callings that He has put on my life.” - Jay Hewitt “Every time that I prayed for God to give me strength and to help me, He sent me one of His people. Now when I'm really struggling and I pray the one word prayer, ‘Help,’ I look around to see who God is sending to help me. I also hope that God will use me and will send me to help others.” - Jay Hewitt “I am strong because I want to help people learn to not only bear others' burdens, but to allow people to bear their burdens, to find a way to admit how weak they are so that they can become strong. Not only will they experience God's strength, they'll also experience God's love.” - Jay Hewitt “God's going to put dreams in your heart and a calling on your life. Do not be surprised when the enemy tries to steal those dreams and calling and kill your faith. Hold on to the hope of Jesus in His power. Get up, stay strong, and press on. I promise you, you will experience and see that nothing is impossible for God.” - Jay Hewitt Guest’s Links Resources Mentioned in This Episode Connect with Sally Lloyd-Jones *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* /episode/index/show/thejesusstorybookbiblepodcast/id/33288642

161. We All Have Opportunities to Change the World: Tim Ross 10/03/2024

160. Holding Sorrow and Joy Together: Gabe and Keely Scott 09/26/2024

159. The Thread That Connects Us All: The Arcadian Wild 09/19/2024

159. The Thread That Connects Us All: The Arcadian Wild Lincoln, Isaac, and Bailey from the band The Arcadian Wild share how music can be a collective experience that draws us all together—no matter our backgrounds, beliefs, or experiences. The trio shares their unique process in leaving space in their songs so that people can bring their own stories and insert themselves into it, creating beautiful, grace-filled moments. Quotes “I learned early on that there's something beautiful about taking a step back and looking at something as a whole—it's the sum of its parts that are making it really special. After we've all kind of put our fingerprints on the song, it's going to be so much better and so much more beautiful than anything that I could have done alone.” - Isaac Horn “Whenever we're hit with an idea to write a song, it's a very, very personal thing. Whenever we put it out into the world, we kind of let go of what we intended it to be, and we kind of open it up so the song becomes a new song every time a new person hears it. They meet the song with their own stories.” - Isaac Horn “I think that there's a certain degree of responsibility as a songwriter to make sure that there is space in the song and in the story for someone to insert themselves into it. That's when I really feel wrapped up in something that's bigger than myself.” - Isaac Horn “As the performers, we bring something different to the table each night. Maybe we've had a great day, maybe our tanks are really full, or maybe it's really close to empty. Everyone who is in the room with us brings something really unique to the table, too. But all of that kind of comes together and sings in a really, really beautiful way.” - Lincoln Mick “I think we're just trying to be awake to the unique things that God is doing in those little moments—knowing that we've never experienced them before and we'll never experience them quite that way again.” - Lincoln Mick Guest’s Links Resources Mentioned in This Episode Connect with Sally Lloyd-Jones *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* /episode/index/show/thejesusstorybookbiblepodcast/id/32894622

158. Finding Harmony When You Live For Others: Jess Ray 09/12/2024

158. Finding Harmony When You Live For Others: Jess Ray Through 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 Resources Mentioned in This Episode Connect with Sally Lloyd-Jones *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* /episode/index/show/thejesusstorybookbiblepodcast/id/32894602

157. Relighting the Spark of Your Imagination: Liz Marie Galvan 09/05/2024

156. We’re All Part of a Bigger Song: Ben Shive 08/29/2024

155. Crafting Connections in a Disconnected World: Nell O' Leary 08/22/2024

154. Bringing Jesus to the Streets: KB 08/15/2024

154. Bringing Jesus to the Streets: KB Dove award-winning rapper KB shares about his teenage life growing up without a father in southside St. Petersburg, and how he tried to emulate people in powerful positions in an attempt to curb the despair and darkness he felt. Through that confusing time, KB found solace in his music, and began to feel an overwhelming sense that God had not left him behind. Quotes “Who were people that were feared? Who were the people who had money? I began to look up to those folks. The more I tried to emulate these individuals, the deeper I found myself in a pit of despair and darkness. All of that was in disarray, which made me a very confused kid, and there’s no doubt in my mind that those are the things that made me ripe for a Savior.” - KB “I trusted Jesus, and that gave me a path forward in discipleship.” - KB “People were coming to Jesus, and it had something on it that wasn't me. I kind of just started to put two and two together and said, ‘Lord, it looks like this is what you want me to do.’” - KB “Imagine being at the beach with a metal detector and you're looking for something, then all of a sudden the metal detector starts going crazy. I think that's kind of what the gospel was for me. I started to see the season of digging, and I'm trying to unearth what it was that my soul had detected in the gospel. The deeper I got, I just started pulling out gems, hidden treasure, purpose, and value.” - KB “God will oftentimes respond to my doubt of His activity, my doubt in His commitment to me. He will respond to that doubt with overwhelming evidence of His presence.” - KB “He responds to my doubt with evidence of His presence, He responds to my drawing back by drawing near. It is in those moments that I am just reminded of and convinced afresh of how much He loves me and has not forgotten about me.” - KB Guest’s Links Resources Mentioned in This Episode Connect with Sally Lloyd-Jones *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* /episode/index/show/thejesusstorybookbiblepodcast/id/32260702

153. Is God Still There When My World Has Shattered?: Jordan Rice 08/08/2024

152. Making God The Champion of Your Life: Olympian Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone 08/01/2024

152. Making God The Champion of Your Life: Olympian Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone As a record breaking hurdler and sprinter who won an Olympic Gold medal in her sport, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has been trained to win. But when the losses do come, Sydney tries to use those moments to transform her heart and perspective, strengthening her resolve and trust that God will be there when it’s time to cross the finish line. Quotes “I ran my first race and I was so terrified to do it. But once I actually started and the gun went off, I just felt so free.” - Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone “I think every athlete trains to reach a certain goal, or point, or whatever it is that they've set their minds on—whether it be winning a medal at the Junior Olympics, the college National Championship, a gold medal at the Olympics, or the world record. I think when that's always your dream and aspiration for so long, that when it comes to fruition, it truly is just like a jaw-dropping moment.” - Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone “Being able to cross the line, and just know that the Lord was still with me, that He had a plan for my life, and as an athlete, you didn't win, but [you’re] still intact… As hard of a time as that was, I'm grateful for it because I don't think I would have realized my need for God without it.” - Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone “I think being able to show that even in losses, I'm satisfied in the Lord and His plan for me is the best thing I could do because it shows people that I'm not relying on winning to be okay. And I think that honesty is actually the best way to share the gospel, because it shows that even someone who has world records and gold medals still needs the Lord.” - Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone “I can show up to the track every day and understand that this is a gift He's given me—that win, lose, or draw, it's an opportunity to glorify Him. My value is already secure in Christ, so there's no fear of not being enough and everything I need is found in Him.” - Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone Guest’s Links Resources Mentioned in This Episode Connect with Sally Lloyd-Jones *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* /episode/index/show/thejesusstorybookbiblepodcast/id/32262312

151. Dance As An Expression of Worship: Silas Farley 07/25/2024

151. Dance As An Expression of Worship: Silas Farley Former New York City ballet dancer, Silas Farley, first learned about dance in the context of worship at his church—a perspective that would stick with him through grueling training at the School of American Ballet and through his professional career. Silas shares the nerve-wracking story of taking a leap of faith towards dance over other paths, how he got to see a unique and beautiful dream come to life on stage and help others realize their dreams too, and how he got to embody his love for the Lord through movement. Quotes “My first encounter with dance was dance as worship, not dance as performance, and that really resonated with me.” - Silas Farley “Getting to dance in the New York City Ballet was like someone who wanted to be an astronaut and actually got to go to the moon. The days were long, hard, and deeply rewarding, beginning with morning classes, rehearsing all day, and then performing most nights of most weeks of the year. That pace of work was relentless, but it was also deeply gratifying.” - Silas Farley “It was kind of an embodied form of prayer to get to come into the theater and to work in this beautifully embodied art form and to do it for the glory of my King Jesus—kind of offering to the Lord through performing and working. I feel incredibly close to God when I dance.” - Silas Farley “I always think about how Jesus is God made man, that He is the incarnation of God. He has a body, and in His resurrection, He shows us the glorious potential and future for the body.” - Silas Farley “In my final year in the company, there were more dancers of color than had ever been in the history of the company. That felt really, really special and really significant—a beautiful shift in the evolution of the art form. I thought it a great privilege and joy to be at the New York City Ballet at a point in the institution's story when part of that original vision was starting to be realized.” - Silas Farley “I hope I get to spend the rest of my life dancing, laughing, singing, and thanking God for His great, great grace and love.” - Silas Farley Resources Mentioned in This Episode Connect with Sally Lloyd-Jones *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* /episode/index/show/thejesusstorybookbiblepodcast/id/32246432

150. Life Lessons From Unchartered Waters: Steve Jamison 07/18/2024

150. Life Lessons From Unchartered Waters: Steve Jamison When Steve Jamison was growing up, he got the adventure of a lifetime out at sea with his dad, a commercial fisherman. The lessons he learned as a member of a halibut fishing crew in Alaska would stick with him throughout his life, and it’s that perseverance, dedication, and determination that led Steve to become a pastor. Quotes “My dad would always take me into his state room where you would see the charts, and he would always remind me that we're going to sea because this is how God provides for our family. It's a very dangerous profession, and he would say, ‘Let's just reach up here and put our hands on this chart where we're going to go and ask God to watch over us. Let's ask God to provide for our family and let's ask God to bring us home safe.’” - Steve Jamison “Being able to have that opportunity to grow up out on the ocean in the situations of life, [my dad] just gave me a living example of what the Word was all about, and I will never forget it.” - Steve Jamison “[God] had just called me to be faithful. He had just called me to trust Him and to redirect my path and follow what He had for me. And the truth is, God had so much more than I could have imagined.” - Steve Jamison “When it's difficult, when it's painful, when you want to quit, you just say, ‘Lord, I just need you to help me through this.’ With God's help, you can press through and you can see amazing miracles and amazing blessings in your life.” - Steve Jamison “God put His hand upon my life, and yet, I was a lot like Jonah for a period of time. I just wanted to go the opposite direction. I can tell you myself, like Jonah, our plans are nothing compared to how great the plans are that God has for us.” - Steve Jamison Guest’s Links Resources Mentioned in This Episode Connect with Sally Lloyd-Jones *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* /episode/index/show/thejesusstorybookbiblepodcast/id/32054417

149. Stepping Out of the Boat of Success to Embrace What Matters Most: Colton Dixon 07/11/2024

148. Tapping Into Capital “P” Peace: Aaron Shust 07/04/2024

147. Pointing People Toward Freedom: Carlos Whittaker 06/27/2024

146. The Resurrection of Lost Dreams: Monster Jam Driver Bryce Kenny 06/20/2024

145. Making a Difference, Right Where You Are: Danielle Coke Balfour 06/13/2024

145. Making a Difference, Right Where You Are: Danielle Coke Balfour Illustrator and activist Danielle Coke Balfour, is dedicated to delving deep into fostering greater empathy, kindness, and compassion for one another. Through her eloquent words and captivating illustrations, she skillfully draws attention to places we can be doing good in the world, even in small ways–because any step towards positive change makes a difference. Quotes “I view art as a means to an end. I think my overarching goal is to share these concepts of justice, equality, and empathy in a way that will help it land for the everyday person.” - Danielle Coke Balfour “People tend to disqualify themselves when conversations get a little bit more tricky, a little bit more heavy, or have a lot more implications. I think our natural bend often is to say, ‘I'm leaving it for the people who dedicate their whole lives to this or have degrees in this.’ We fail to realize that a lot of the responsibility lies on us in the way we live our day-to-day lives.” - Danielle Coke Balfour “I think the key for widespread change is each individual person recognizing that they have a part to play in the larger story of justice, empathy, equality, and love.” - Danielle Coke Balfour “The conversations around the dinner table matter so much because these are the people we do life with. We want to align as much as we can with the people in our lives with these ideas because it's the way we spread good and the way we make change.” - Danielle Coke Balfour “I want people to understand that when you choose to not just do good deeds, but to really embody the values that matter the most to you, you're reaching people that I will never reach.” - Danielle Coke Balfour “I truly believe that remembering God's love for us frees us from the grasp of perfectionism and is a reminder that whether I do this or not, whether I finish this to-do list or not, whether I have this conversation perfectly or not, I am loved—period.” - Danielle Coke Balfour Guest’s Links Connect with Sally Lloyd-Jones *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* /episode/index/show/thejesusstorybookbiblepodcast/id/31596112

144. May We Be Known By Our Love: Dr. Robert Smith Jr. 06/06/2024

143. Nothing Can Separate Us From God: Victoria Robb Powers & Cameron Mason Vickrey 05/30/2024

143. Nothing Can Separate Us From God: Victoria Robb Powers & Cameron Mason Vickrey When we’re facing hardships or sorrow, it can be hard to see where God is working in our lives. Creators of Reverend Mamas, Victoria Robb Powers and Cameron Mason Vickrey, encourage us that God is around us whether we feel Him or not: in the wind, in the song of little birds, or in a child’s laughter–and they talk about teaching children how to recognize that God is always near. Quotes “As parents, I think sometimes we put this pressure on ourselves to have all the answers for our children. I'm learning more and more how appropriate and helpful it is to actually tell your children the truth about the things that you don't know, particularly when it comes to faith.” - Victoria Robb Powers “Faith isn't necessarily about a right set of beliefs, but is about surrendering our trust in a God that we believe is good and faithful.” - Victoria Robb Powers “I think it's really important that we understand and embrace the fact that faith evolves. That will help us, so as our children's faith evolves, we don't panic. Let's celebrate that they're thinking and being thoughtful about who God is and the way God works in the world. In a lot of ways, that's a sign of faithful engagement.” - Victoria Robb Powers “It's really natural to kind of ask, ‘Where is God in this? Where is God in this experience that I'm going through, and these emotions that I'm feeling, in the suffering in the world? Where is God?’” - Cameron Mason Vickrey “No matter what you go through, no matter where you are, no matter what you've done, God is with you. So this persistent presence of God in the world, in the midst of your struggles and all of your feelings, is something that you can never get away from and something that you can always rely on.” - Cameron Mason Vickrey “When you start noticing and start recognizing and naming that God's presence is in all these things around you and all the people around you, you'll see God everywhere.” - Cameron Mason Vickrey Guest’s Links Resources Mentioned in This Episode Connect with Sally Lloyd-Jones *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* /episode/index/show/thejesusstorybookbiblepodcast/id/31459227

142. We Need Each Other: Redeemer City to City’s Abraham Cho 05/23/2024

141. Navigating Disagreements with Grace: John Inazu 05/16/2024

141. Navigating Disagreements with Grace: John Inazu In a culture that’s often divisive and argumentative, Professor of Law and Religion John Inazu helps people find a way through disagreements: by truly listening. He shares his insights on how we can hold healthy conversations on complex topics using careful intention, empathy, and the examples from Jesus found in scripture. Quotes “One of the key pieces about being a lawyer is that you're not going to be any good unless you really understand the other side's arguments, and that means having the best possible case of that argument, the most empathetic version and construct of that argument, and understanding why someone who is smart and kind and decently good might have a different view of something than you do.” - John Inazu “I think actually core to Christian engagement in the world today is a willingness to not only ask hard questions, but be asked hard questions. The people we encounter want first to know that we care about them as human beings, that we take their ideas seriously, and that we're not so locked up in our own beliefs that we can't even listen to other people.” - John Inazu “We can be both very confident in our own beliefs, as Christians are called to be, and also recognize the differences of beliefs around us.” - John Inazu “When we work on [the fruits of the spirit] with people who aren't like us, it not only helps our own character and improvement, but it also helps us figure out how to relate better across disagreement.” - John Inazu “Leaning into grace means embracing humility, and in some ways, when we can see ourselves as the recipients of grace, that we're big players in this really big cosmic story, and what a gift it is to be a part of it—we can be less anxious, less fearful, less controlling, and know that we're being used in small ways for a much bigger story, and embrace that as the gift that it is.” - John Inazu Guest’s Links Resources Mentioned in This Episode Connect with Sally Lloyd-Jones *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* /episode/index/show/thejesusstorybookbiblepodcast/id/31290712

140. A Journey of Faith, Music, and Gratitude: Gordon Mote 05/09/2024

140. A Journey of Faith, Music, and Gratitude: Gordon Mote Gordon Mote, a piano player and musician who was blind from birth, shares with us the discovery of his astounding musical abilities at the age of three to being one of the first in the U.S. to enter the public school system as a blind student and overcoming all the unique challenges that would ultimately shape him into the musical legend he is today. With two Grammy Award nominations, twenty-one Academy of Country Music Award nominations, and three-time recipient of the Academy of Country Music Keyboard/Piano Player of the Year, Gordon has collaborated with renowned artists, including Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Martina McBride, Bob Seger, Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, Josh Turner, Darius Rucker, The Gaither Vocal Band, The Martins, Triumphant Quartet, and Alison Krauss. Despite his numerous accolades, Gordon shows no signs of slowing down from using his gifts to the fullest and also reflects on how his own faith and support from others have helped him along the way. Quotes “There I was, just a little bitty three year old, sitting on the piano, barely big enough to reach the keys, and I was playing ‘Jesus Loves Me’ with both hands. That's how you know it's a God thing—it's just a miracle. It's one of those things that God does that's totally unexplainable, and yet, He can do all the things. His ways are not our ways.” - Gordon Mote “Pretty much every day of my life, my morning routine is to get my cup of coffee, get in my office, and just start my day in the Word—trying to be open-minded, open hearted…just hear what God is saying to me.” - Gordon Mote “When you have the hope of Christ in your life, you're able to live that and share that with others—now more than ever.” - Gordon Mote “People say they love you all the time, but I don't know of anyone who proved it any more than Jesus did on the cross. So I'm very grateful for that and grateful that He allows me to share the gospel in all the ways that He does.” - Gordon Mote Guest’s Links Resources Mentioned in This Episode Connect with Sally Lloyd-Jones *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* /episode/index/show/thejesusstorybookbiblepodcast/id/31142783

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