Eagle Brook Church Podcast

Are we in the "end times?" Certainly the world feels a bit more chaotic these days. What does that mean when we consider Jesus' return? We can watch, and we can wait—but no one knows when. Next week or next century, what will it look like, and how do we prepare?

Loss is part of life, and the grief that comes along with it can feel impossible to handle. It can be tempting to fall back into what's comfortable, leaning on old habits to avoid the painful feelings. But what if you leaned into those feelings…and found hope within your grief?

Do you think there's a "right" way to live? In the words of millennials, is "living your best life" #goals? What does that even look like as a Jesus follower? It’s a complex series of questions to which the Bible holds a simple set of answers.

What's your "thing?" Maybe it's, "He’s hilarious," or "She really likes Star Wars." As Christians, there are some characteristics we should be known for, like forgiveness, love, grace…we aren't always good at those things—and it's something the church in Thessalonica was trying to get better at, too.

The funny thing about drifting is: It's easy. It takes little to no effort. You're just along for the ride, moving with the tide. But tiny shifts over time create quite a great divide. If this sounds like you and your relationship with God, it's time to stop the drift—set your course toward what matters most.

In a world of "live your truth," it's become difficult to trust the existence of "truth" at all. How does this apply to faith? And…is the Bible true? Having confidence in your answer can really impact your faith—and your life.

Sometimes, a major hurdle in faith is the other people involved. If you've been hurt by the church, you're not alone. While many Christians give, serve, and love well—that's not always the case. But don't let your disappointment in people cause you to lose your faith in Jesus.

Have you ever prayed to God for a miracle…only to feel totally let down? Times like that can really shake your faith. How do you hold on to faith when you're not convinced it “works”? You might be tempted to walk away, but maybe it’s time to lean into your disappointment—before you lose your faith.

Easter—it’s the story of victory that no one saw coming. The impossible resolution to death and hopelessness. The conclusion of a battle you don’t have to fight. The start of a life of freedom you get to claim. All because Jesus claimed victory over death. And that victory applies to your marriage, anxiety, impatience, addiction—any of your "stuff." It all starts with Easter. And for that, let's celebrate!

Have you ever done something you’re not proud of? Getting stuck in a cycle of shame or guilt can leave you feeling unfit to be in church or undeserving of God’s love. But Jesus didn’t come to condemn you. He came to help you find forgiveness, experience grace, and live free from your past.

Being rejected is not fun. Over time, it can convince you that you're just not enough, and there's nothing you can do about it. But being accepted? That changes things. The striving goes away—you're free. Jesus offers acceptance no matter your past or the mistakes you've made. So don’t let your history hold you back from your future with Jesus—fully known, fully loved, fully accepted.

We all have moments we wish we could undo, and feelings of shame can make us want to hide. Maybe you even think that God wants nothing to do with you—you're just not deserving. But there's no need to hide from the One who knows everything about you and loves you anyway.

Getting picked last in gym class—not a good feeling. We all want to be chosen, accepted, noticed. Now, swap high school for adulthood, and you still feel ordinary, like everyone else is going places except you. Thing is, God chose you and placed you on this planet for a purpose…but you have to choose him, too.

How you feeling? Are you content—happy with the way your life is going? Or are you exhausted, sick, tense, hurting—your soul longing for things to be better? If you don't want to get well, then keep doing exactly what you're doing. But if you do…you might have to take a step of faith and lean into the healing Jesus has to offer.

From snowstorms to hurricanes to earthquakes—storms are nothing to mess with. We can't avoid or ignore them, just like we can't avoid or ignore the storms of life. Bad things happen, and that can be scary. And so, we look to Jesus, notice how he acted in the face of storms, and place our fear at his feet.

You might be surprised to know that most (if not all) Christians have experienced doubt in their faith. No one is immune to it. So, what keeps people in it for the long haul? Can doubts and faith coexist?

Who is Jesus to you? Not to your parents, not to your grandparents, not to your pastor or group leader or spouse. Who do YOU say he is—how does that impact your day-to-day? Maybe you don’t know how to answer, or your answer feels complicated—but engaging with tough questions like this could change your life.

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the needs you see around you? The homeless population in your city is growing—how do you help? The war in Ukraine is growing more intense—what can you do? While working to make a difference on your own is good, working to make a difference together is better. So…what can WE do? Let's find out.

Two individuals with two different upbringings and personalities committing to each other for life…what could go wrong?! Sometimes the best things in life can be the most complicated. Yes, we're talking about marriage—it’s never too late to build a stronger one.

Maybe you want to get away, but you can't just drop everything and head to Fiji. And you can't force the things around you to change either. The only thing you can control? Yourself. So, start with the man (or woman) in the mirror—because building a life you don't want to escape starts with you.

You're stressed. And there's about an 80% chance that we're right about that. Most of us walk around "stressed out," even though modern research shows the negative impact on our health and longevity. So how do you get from stress to peace—more like the life Jesus lived?

How's your life? And when we say life, we mean your work life, home life, prayer life, exercise life, family life, self-care life…busy life. Your schedule doesn't need to run things. You can start now to build a life—and a schedule—you don't want to escape.

Hey, are you missing Christmas? You might be thinking, "No definitely not—the tree is up, presents are wrapped, Christmas music on repeat…" Pause. Feeling festive is fun, but don't let it become a distraction from what's true: "this is the night of our dear Savior's birth." If you look away, you might miss it—so look up instead.

Bitterness. Sounds like something your grumpy neighbor struggles with, right? But what about you? (It sounds like you might be harboring bitterness toward that grumpy neighbor...) Time to let it go—it'll lead to healing in you and your relationships.

Little white lie or major fib—dishonesty can happen to the best of us. But if lying is your pattern, it’s most certainly hurting your relationships—with the people in your life and with God.