Gospel Spice | Awaken Delight in God through faith in Jesus Christ

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Stephanie just came back from her first trip to Israel, and it made Scripture come alive for her like never before! So, this season, she is bringing you fresh spices to experience Scripture as if you are walking through its pages. Specifically? We will be tagging along with Matthew, because he was the most Jewish-centric of all Gospel authors.Taste and see, indeed, that the Lord is GOOD! Make sure to sign up to receive value-packed monthly gifts straight in your inbox here. It is a GREAT idea to subscribe, because you will receive truly value-packed content and gifts exclusively for you every single month. Check out gospelspice.com for more content. And, if you enjoyed this podcast, please make sure to rate and review it, so more people can be encouraged through God’s word.Join us again next week for a new episode with your host, Stephanie Rousselle.Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit alongside Jesus and his initial audience? To experience the fresh spiritual flavors that the Messianic Jewish culture weaves into the four gospels? Well, that's exactly what we here aim to do through this original series, JESUS RABBI AND LORD. Stephanie invites you to dig deep into Scripture, unearthing raw diamonds that may need a little cleaning up, but will ultimately shine brightly.So get ready to embark on this enlightening and transformative journey with Gospel Spice. Prepare to encounter Jesus in a way that resonates with our modern world and discover the richness of the gospel through the lens of Jewish culture. Let's dig deep, uncover the hidden spices, and experience the beauty of the Scriptures together. Welcome to Gospel Spice!Grab your headphones, hit play, and let Gospel Spice be the catalyst for encountering Jesus in a way you've never experienced before!Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogIdentity in the battle | Ephesianshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/Malachi: Messenger to Messiahhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/Wisdom from the Book of Proverbshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/324347/link/Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebratedhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/309956/link/Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice 3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address [email protected]. It is our privilege to pray for you!So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:1- signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to l

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Bonjour! Stephanie here. I just had the most fun and delightful, enthusiastic, encouraging conversation with my dear friend Jenny Cote. She has been on Gospel Spice before, but that was over 3 years ago, and I thought it was high time to invite her back because I believe she creates some of the very top resources we can use in our Christian walk – us, and kids of all ages! Jenny write historical fiction with a touch of delightful fantasy. I never have time to read fiction, which is one of the great sadness of my life! But I want to always make time for Jenny’s books. Her writing is deeply Biblical, and she will make you fall in love with Jesus more. And even though she writes for kids of all ages, I think I want to include myself in that bracket of kids of all ages – all of us grown ups have much to enjoy in her books. Like so many of her readers, I initially picked up her book for my son. But then I started reading… and I was hooked! You will be too. it’s still early to talk about Christmas, but I think this should make your list for your kids, grandkids, cousins, nieces and nephews – just don’t forget to read it for yourself first.MORE ABOUT "THE MARQUIS, THE ESCAPE AND THE FOX"Escape through a maze of deception, betrayal, and death is the key to survival for thirteen rebellious colonies that dare to fight against tyranny and win their independence. Powerful forces seek to cut off the head of their Don’t Tread on Me snake by assassinating General George Washington as the unstoppable British fleet sails into New York Harbor. The Epic Order of the Seven must identify and stop the assassin, or the epic Battle of New York will be over before it even begins. The Declaration of Independence rallies patriots to tear down the statue of King George III, but will its words be worth dying for? The Howe Brothers chase Washington and his dwindling Continental Army across New Jersey until he learns how to outfox them and lives to fight another day at Trenton and Princeton. The animal team knows those small victories won’t be enough to win a war and must convince France to covertly join the fight. They must help France’s wealthy Marquis de Lafayette sail for America to fight alongside Washington, but first he must escape King Louis XVI who has other plans for the reluctant courtier.The third installment in the Epic Revolutionary saga, The Marquis, the Escape, and the Fox covers events from April 1776 to April 1777.MORE ABOUT JENNY COTEAward-winning author and speaker Jenny L. Cote, who developed an early passion for God, history, and young people, beautifully blends these three passions in her two fantasy fiction series, The Amazing Tales of Max and Liz® and Epic Order of the Seven®. Likened to C. S. Lewis by readers and book reviewers alike, she speaks on creative writing to schools, universities and conferences around the world. Jenny has a passion for making history fun for kids of all ages, instilling in them a desire to discover their part in HIStory. Her love for research has taken her to most Revolutionary sites in the U.S., to London (with unprecedented access to Handel House Museum to write in Handel’s composing room), Oxford (to stay in the home of C. S. Lewis, ‘the Kilns’, and interview Lewis’ secretary, Walter Hooper at the Inklings’ famed The Eagle and Child Pub), Paris, Normandy, Rome, Israel, and Egypt. She partnered with the National Park Service to produce Epic Patriot Camp, a summer writing camp at Revolutionary parks to excite kids about history, research and writing. Jenny’s books are available online and in stores around the world, as well as in multiple e-book formats. Jenny holds two marketing degrees from the University of Georgia and Georgia State University. A Virginia native, Jenny now lives with her husband, Jock and Liz in Roswell, Georgia.Find more at https://www.epicorderoftheseven.n

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!In this final episode in our REST series, Stephanie invites us to examine the importance of not settling for anything less than the best when it comes to our relationship with God. Our hearts are designed to find true delight and worship in Him alone.Stephanie reflects on Jesus' analogy of a snake and a stone, highlighting the dangers of settling for lesser things and the significance of choosing to love, worship, and find delight solely in God. Our restless souls are often a sign that God is inviting us into deeper intimacy and delight with Him.Throughout the episode, Stephanie passionately explores the idea of true rest and how it goes hand in hand with finding delight in the glory of God. She shares practical insights on how our hearts can align with God's purpose for us, bringing peace and contentment even in the midst of life's challenges. She discusses the dangers of our culture's focus on self and how it hinders our ability to cling to God. She emphasizes the importance of cultivating intimacy with Him, surrendering ourselves entirely and experiencing the powerful love that He lavishes upon us.If you are longing for a deeper connection with God and others, beyond the routines of organized Christianity, this episode is a must-listen. Join us as we journey together towards a restful soul that finds true delight in the presence of our Heavenly Father.Remember, you can tune in to the Gospel Spice podcast on your favorite podcast platforms. Be sure to share this episode with friends, family, or anyone who may need a spiritual pick-me-up.Stay connected with us on social media (@gospelspicelife) to receive updates, encouragements, and additional resources. We are grateful to have you as part of our Gospel Spice community.Our prayer is that you may you find rest and delight in God's loving presence this week! Amen.GOOD TO KNOW!This is the sixth of 6 episodes on rest. Stephanie initially taught keynotes at several distinct events and, surprisingly, the event organizers asked her to speak on the topic of rest. They didn't know they were all asking for the same theme. Stephanie crafted unique talks for each event, and wondered how this serendipitous convergence on the theme of rest might apply to you, our beloved Podcast audience. So, here are the keynotes she gave on the topic of dwelling in the presence of God, and delighting in His glory, as the essence, goal and means of rest. We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogIdentity in the battle | Ephesianshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/Malachi: Messenger to Messiahhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/Wisdom from the Book of Proverbshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/324347/link/Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebratedhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/309956/link/THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY!First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact.Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast. And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us!NEW!Another way to partner wit

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Bonjour! Stephanie here. Welcome to today’s conversation! It’s an unusual one – I thought we’d start this new format every few weeks, where we are inviting you to join us for an informal chat about what is going on in our lives, and here at Gospel Spice. So today I am joined by Ros – some of you may remember that she has been on the show before! She will tell us a bit about her, and then our goal is to settle in, the way good friends do, with a cup of tea and maybe a bite to eat, to chat about what has been happening in our lives. We’ll also talk about things we are celebrating, and what is going on here behind the scenes at Gospel Spice.One thing we do want to remind you of, is that we really do want to lavish you with free gifts throughout the year, and that means that you need to sign up for our newsletter! It’s free, and that’s how you get the best of Gospel Spice each month in your inbox. Our goal is to include a free, valuable gift each month for you. And I really don’t want you to miss out, so go to https://www.gospelspice.com/signup to sign up today!Ros and I celebrate that this week is the 4th anniversary of Gospel Spice – it started very humbly in the fall of 2019 and has belonged to God from the first. So, we go down memory lane a little, and invite you to do the same! How has God met you the last 4 years?We chat about two exciting upcoming studies – the first is an online Bible Study, “In the Footsteps of Jesus.” It is not too late to join! Check out https://www.gospelspice.com/footsteps for the details.Our new podcast series starts next week with “Jesus, Rabbi and Lord” where we tackle the first century Jewish culture to provide precious context to our reading of Scripture. This has got to be one of my favorite topics ever, so I look forward to meeting our precious Lord there. He will not “show up” – He is already there in fullness of Presence because He is everywhere! The question is, will WE show up?So, join us for this unusual episode – make sure to put the kettle on, or to brew yourself a cup of your favorite dark roast. It’s pumpkin spice season, and I cannot say I am sorry for it! Pumpkin spice is one of the greatest achievements of the American culture- and that is saying a lot.Can’t wait to share that time with you today! And as always, please let us know how we can be praying for you. We take this very, very seriously as a high calling and a privilege. So, email us at [email protected] or DM us on social media (we hang out on Insta and Facebook a lot).Praying the Name of the Father over you – His holiness, His kingdom, and His will. In the mighty power of our unmatched Lord!Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit alongside Jesus and his initial audience? To experience the fresh spiritual flavors that the Messianic Jewish culture weaves into the four gospels? Well, that's exactly what we here aim to do through this original series, JESUS RABBI AND LORD. Stephanie invites you to dig deep into Scripture, unearthing raw diamonds that may need a little cleaning up, but will ultimately shine brightly.So get ready to embark on this enlightening and transformative journey with Gospel Spice. Prepare to encounter Jesus in a way that resonates with our modern world and discover the richness of the gospel through the lens of Jewish culture. Let's dig deep, uncover the hidden spices, and experience the beauty of the Scriptures together. Welcome to Gospel Spice!Grab your headphones, hit play, and let Gospel Spice be the catalyst for encountering Jesus in a way you've never experienced before!Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.Go to gospelspice

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Stephanie continues to unpack the concept of contentment in the context of rest, and how it relates to our restless souls. She begins by sharing a heartwarming story about her beloved grandmother’s endearing habit of leaving a bit of chocolate on their baguette, calling it the "Chocolate Queen" or, in French, "La Reine en chocolat." It is the little things like this that remind us of the simple joys in life and the importance of celebration.Stephanie then delves into the transformation of our hearts and minds, emphasizing that the shape of our hearts and minds determines our perception and experience of contentment or discontent. Through her personal reflections and biblical insights, she invites us to allow God's transformative power to shape our lives, leading to inner contentment and rest for our souls, even amidst the challenges we face.Stephanie questions why we often strive for achievement before finding rest and contentment. She reminds us that true contentment can be found in Christ's presence, without the need for conquest. The war has already been won! She invites us to examine our own restlessness and discontentment, urging us to find joy in what fits us and see it as enough. She shares practical tips on dealing with restlessness caused by discontent and emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and addressing our pain.Stephanie highlights the deeper spiritual rest that can be found in God's presence, beyond just physical rest. She explores the concept of settling for the wrong "Promised Lands" in our lives and encourages us to identify and prioritize the right places where we can practice for Heaven.GOOD TO KNOW!This is the fifth of 6 episodes on rest. Stephanie initially taught keynotes at several distinct events and, surprisingly, the event organizers asked her to speak on the topic of rest. They didn't know they were all asking for the same theme. Stephanie crafted unique talks for each event, and wondered how this serendipitous convergence on the theme of rest might apply to you, our beloved Podcast audience. So, here are the keynotes she gave on the topic of dwelling in the presence of God, and delighting in His glory, as the essence, goal and means of rest. Experience the peace and presence of Jesus like never before, by walking in His footsteps on this virtual, highly personable tour of first-century Israel! Sign up today at gospelspice.com/footsteps for all the details.DATES | anytime!LOCATION | Online! Life is busy, and full of worry, anxiety, and stress. What if what we needed was a solid reminder of Jesus’ very real presence in our lives? What if walking in His footsteps for a few weeks might prove the cure to our endless challenges, so that we may view our life as He does?It’s said that a visit to Israel will forever change your experience of Scripture. That statement is right. But more than that, it will forever change your experience of Jesus.Here at Gospel Spice, our goal is to know Jesus more. It means deepening our theology, for sure, but what about discovering the little things Jesus enjoyed? Think of your best friends, or deeply loved ones. You know their favorite color, food, and scent. Not because it’s life-changing, but because it is about intimacy, and knowing one another well. So, how about discovering one of Jesus’ favorite childhood smells, or the Galilee skyline He woke up to every morning? It may not alter your theology, but it will help you know Him more.Do you need a full measure of His peace and comfort? Do you need to be reminded of His love for you? Do you need His guidance to navigate your life right now? Stephanie just returned from the Holy Land and invites you to walk in the footsteps of Jesus on this virtual tour of first-century Israel from the comfort of your own home. We will be journeying through Scripture together to meet Jesus where He walked, t

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Stephanie welcomes pastor and author Jared C. Wilson for an intriguing conversation about what a true, authentic friendship with Jesus feels and tastes like. They talk about how it will transform your life, and your very identity. It is about knowing Christ, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship in His sufferings – as Paul tells us in Philippians 3:10, which is Stephanie’s favorite verse and lifelong quest! So, you are invited to join this conversation to embrace friendship with Christ in ways that will take you deeper than any other relationship on earth.Stephanie and Jared talk about what friendship is – what is has been historically, and what our modern technologies have turned it into. They discuss the importance of a lifelong quest for humility as the key to ever-deepening intimacy with Christ. They talk about the danger and reality of staleness with Him and how to remedy. They talk about that “holy heartburn” the disciples on the way to Emmaus experienced when Christ gave them the greatest, most comprehensive Bible study ever – and how we can join in on the experience. Jared touches on the importance of suffering in the midst of life as a touchpoint towards Christ – much as we would rather avoid it.Stephanie reads all the books whose authors she welcomes here at Gospel Spice (yes, that is a LOT of reading). But once in a while, a book draws her in so deeply, and resonates with her own longing so closely, that she finds herself lingering within its pages and relishing its flavors. So it was with Jared’s book, “Friendship with the Friend of sinners.” So, listen in, and then consider grabbing your own copy – for yourself and for a friend! Stephanie suspects you will be glad you did.MORE ABOUT JARED C. WILSONJared C. Wilson is Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Author in Residence at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a pastor and Director of The Pastoral Training Center at Liberty Baptist Church in Kansas City, MO. An award-winning author of over 20 books, Jared also hosts the For The Church Podcast and co-hosts The Art of Pastoring Podcast, which is published by Christianity Today.Jared is not a catalytic "agent of change" or a visionary anything. He is a failed church planter and once made a mess of his marriage. He likes food too much and worries way too much about what people think, and he's definitely not all that he's cracked up to be. After nearly 30 years of ministry, he's mainly learned that he's kind of a nincompoop. But he knows Jesus loves him.Find more at https://www.jaredcwilson.com/MORE ABOUT “FRIENDSHIP WITH THE FRIEND OF SINNERS”Are you longing for true connection? The Bible calls Jesus the friend of sinners, but it’s hard to imagine what friendship with Jesus really looks like. How are we supposed to feel that close to a holy, perfect, and invisible God? How do we see Jesus as the real person he is? And how do we experience true friendship with him when we struggle to maintain true friendship on earth?Join author Jared C. Wilson as he explores what it means to be a friend of Jesus. Through candid personal stories and insights into the Gospels, Wilson uncovers easily overlooked details of the close relationship Jesus had with his followers. He reveals the ways we often hold Jesus at arm’s length and shows how to draw close to him through radical honesty, consistent communication, and unconditional love.DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries.In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God.In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation.

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Have you ever wondered about God's love for you? Before time even began, Jesus chose to adopt us into His family. It is a comforting truth to rest in, knowing that before we even existed, He looked forward to delighting in us. Moreover, this profound love extends beyond our actions and abilities – there is nothing we can do to deserve His approval.The builders of Notre Dame Cathedral recognized the significance of Scripture, incorporating its symbolism into their architectural marvel. Discover how access to Scripture reveals God's identity, His actions, and our own identity and purpose. Jesus, the Son of God, humbled Himself to become a servant and died on a cross.By recognizing God as the center of the universe, we find rest and shift the focus away from ourselves. Christ's ascension to heaven opened the door for all of us in Him to be filled with the living water of the Spirit. This abundant and infinite supply of water is available to each and every one of us who has placed our faith and trust in Him alone.Once we receive the Holy Spirit, rest is modeled after Christ with childlike faith and a lifetime of faithfulness. Imagine the stunning sculptures adorning the hidden side of the stones that held up the ceilings of Notre Dame. Carved as an offering of worship to God, those sculptures remained unseen by human eyes but were known to God alone. Let us consider how we can present our lives as works of art in worship to God.Adoption plays a significant role in understanding our identity in Christ. With three witnesses – the angelic realm, the world of humans, and our own hearts – we are marvelously adopted into God's family. In this new kingdom where Jesus reigns, we gain a new authority and embrace a new inheritance as sons and daughters of God.Drawing from Paul's teachings in Romans, we explore the profound concept of adoption in contrast to Roman cultural practices. We invite you to ponder the transformative power of God's rest and satisfaction, as exemplified in the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well.Stephanie gently but firmly challenges us not to overlook the deep spiritual truths we may have heard many times before. Let us guard against spiritual restlessness and find true rest in the richness of God's Word.We hope you find this episode inspiring and thought-provoking. As always, if you're hungry for more spiritual nourishment, consider inviting Stephanie and the Gospel Spice team to speak at your church or women's ministry event. They bring a feast of practical, biblical truth, and genuine love and concern.Our prayer is that this episode serve as a reminder of God's unwavering love for you, and invite you to explore the depths of rest that can only be found in Him. Amen!GOOD TO KNOW!This is the fourth of 6 episodes on rest. Stephanie initially taught keynotes at several distinct events and, surprisingly, the event organizers asked her to speak on the topic of rest. They didn't know they were all asking for the same theme. Stephanie crafted unique talks for each event, and wondered how this serendipitous convergence on the theme of rest might apply to you, our beloved Podcast audience. So, here are the keynotes she gave on the topic of dwelling in the presence of God, and delighting in His glory, as the essence, goal and means of rest. We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogIdentity in the battle | Ephesianshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/Malachi: Messenger to Messiahhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/Wisdom from the Book of Proverbshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/324347/link/Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Bonjour! Stephanie here. You know how sometimes we love to have Christmas in July? Or, in this case, maybe in September? Today was such a special day for me. I just had the most delightful conversation with Max Lucado about the power of honesty and the grace of God. Here is what Max has to tell you: “Could you use a fresh reminder of God's grace? Do you need to be told, maybe for the first time, God never gives up on you? If so, join Stephanie and me for a delightful conversation about God's grace, about the beautiful city of Paris, about life in a world where forgiveness is abundant. Join us, please, on Gospel Spice.”And, yes, we also did talk about Paris, about good food and all sorts of other fun things. And I'm honestly still processing the richness of our conversation. I cannot wait to share it with you. We're going to talk about the dangers of manipulation, and the hope that honesty brings into our lives. You're going to find yourself probably agreeing with us on the unmatched, though often misunderstood power of grace in Christ. We're laughing and we're almost crying together from sheer gratitude over God's goodness for us. And I'm sure you can relate. Have you ever wondered if you've had one too many stumbles for God to use someone like you? Or, have you asked if you could benefit from an encounter with God's unending, unbending, unswerving love and freedom? That is what Max talked about with me today—through the lens of Jacob’s life. And if your answer is yes, like Jacob, then Max invites you to see how God's grace transformed Jacob's life. Now, I really wish I couldn't relate to Jacob as much as I do because he's not the perfect hero by any means. If anything, he's quite the anti-hero. He's a manipulative cheat, and he doesn't understand grace until God literally smacks him with it, disabling his hip in the process. And so Max Lucado and I talked about that – and we invite you to join the conversation right now!MORE ABOUT “GOD NEVER GIVES UP ON YOU.”Ever wonder if you’ve had one too many stumbles for God to use someone like you? Could you benefit from an encounter with God’s unending, unbending, unswerving love and devotion?If your answer is yes, it’s time for you to see how God’s grace transformed Jacob’s life. And if you feel undeserving of God’s grace, this book will serve as a refresher course on God’s perfect plan to use imperfect people to do great things.God Never Gives Up on You is for the strugglers among us and the fumbler within us. For those of us who are part saint, part scoundrel; we mean well, but we don’t always do well. We have breakthroughs and breakdowns, often in the same hour. We need no reminder of our failures, but we could always use a refresher course on God’s perfect plan to use imperfect people to do great things. But where can we find examples of God’s steadfast grace?No one is more suited to help assure you of God’s grace than Jacob. He was less a prodigy and more a prodigal. Strong on savvy. Weak on conscience. Jacob took advantage of his famished brother and pulled the wool over the eyes of his dying father, yet God never turned his back on Jacob. And he won’t turn his back on you. If you are ready to start counting on God’s grace and believe he never gives up on you, this book is for you.Jacob’s story invites us to believe in a God who sticks beside the unworthy and underachievers and leads us safely home. If God can use Jacob to further his kingdom, he can use us too.Buy the book HERE.MORE ABOUT MAX LUCADOMax Lucado is a pastor, speaker, and best-selling author who, in his own words, “writes books for people who don’t read books.” He serves the people of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, and his message is for the hurting, the guilty, the lonely, and the discouraged: God loves you; let him.As a writer, Max is known for combining poetic storytelling and

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Stephanie is on a mission to guide us closer to God through a unique blend of biblical flavors and French culture. In this season of Gospel Spice, she explores the theme of rest, inviting us to discover the profound joy and peace that comes from abiding in Christ. Stephanie encourages us to experience rest not merely as a physical break, but as a deep, life-altering encounter with the Living God.In this particular episode, Stephanie shares her insights and personal discoveries on the crucial topic of experiential heart knowledge of Christ. She draws inspiration from the Apostle Paul, who wholeheartedly embraced the path of surrender and sacrifice for the sake of knowing and having fellowship with Christ. Stephanie reminds us that true righteousness stems from faith in Christ, unleashing the boundless wellspring of rest that He offers.Stephanie references the pivotal passage in Romans 8:1-8. This Scripture serves as a guiding light in exploring the transformative power of rest in our lives.In the upcoming weeks, you don't want to miss the next four episodes that revolve around a weekend retreat where Stephanie was a keynote speaker. During this powerful event, she delved into the essence of rest, sharing her knowledge and experiences with eager participants. Stephanie extends a heartfelt invitation to all listeners to join her in practicing rest, as she leads us on an inspirational journey to encounter the restorative presence of our mighty God.Stephanie discusses the incredible concept of dwelling in God's presence and finding delight in His glory. She challenges us to examine why we often feel the need to fill ourselves up, reminding us that we have unlimited access to the infinite supply within us through Christ. Stephanie compassionately explores the struggle of believing that God provides only a limited supply when He promises us an abundance that knows no bounds.Stephanie encourages us to bridge the gap between what we say we believe and what we truly believe. She shares her unique perspective as a bilingual individual, highlighting the richness of the French language that possesses two distinct words for "know." This linguistic nuance inspires us to pursue a deeper, more intimate knowledge of Christ, one that goes beyond mere intellectual understanding.Rest is not a one-time event; rather, it is a continuous process of surrendering to God's will. Stephanie gently reminds us that when we find ourselves aligned with the perfect will of God, true happiness and peace fill our hearts. However, she acknowledges the challenges inherent in surrendering to God's will, even when we know it is ultimately what is best for us.Drawing from Romans 8:26-28, Stephanie emphasizes the indispensable role of the Holy Spirit in helping us pray when we are at a loss for words. She invites us to tap into the wellspring of the Holy Spirit within us. This endless source of refreshment and guidance sustains and nourishes us on our journey of rest.Let us embrace the life-giving rest found in Christ and strive to reduce the gap between what we claim to believe and what our lives genuinely reflect.Before we conclude, we want to give a special shoutout to the Gospel Spice community. Your support and engagement have been a tremendous source of encouragement for Stephanie and the entire team. If you wish to dig deeper into the themes explored in Gospel Spice or are interested in booking Stephanie as a speaker for your next event, visit our website for more information or reach out to us directly.Thank you for being a part of the Gospel Spice family. May this season of rest bring about a transformative encounter with God's presence, allowing you to experience true rest in your everyday life.GOOD TO KNOW!This is the third of 6 episodes on rest. Stephanie initially taught keynotes at several distinct events and, surprisingly, the

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!How well can you articulate your Christian belief system? How can you spot false theology? Who are trusted resources to interpret Scripture? The Nicene Creed is a fundamental element to understand and experience our faith and live out a high Christology. So, today Stephanie welcomes university professor and author Phillip Cary to discuss the significance of the Nicene Creed in Christian tradition. Phillip recently released a new book, The Nicene Creed: An introduction, which is one of Stephanie’s favorite reads this year- and this is saying a lot!In the second half of the conversation today, Phillip and Stephanie touch on the Nicene Creed’s widespread usage among different denominations, how it serves as a boundary and center for the faith, how it was written to combat heresy about who Jesus is, and how it has served as a unifying factor for different Christian traditions.this episode is part 2 of the conversation. Make sure you listened to part one, episode 235: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/243538/link/They dive into what a creed is, with the Nicene Creed being the most widely used and recited by about a billion Christians every Sunday during liturgies. They explore the Creed's significance, how it establishes boundaries and centers our faith, and how it powerfully anchors our belief in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The conversation also delves into the infinite depth of the Christian faith, as well as more topics such as the significance of Mary's role in the birth of Jesus, the role of Pontius Pilate, who are both mentioned in the Creed, and the topic of who teaches the truth about Jesus Christ and how the Creed is the litmus test of sound Christian doctrine. This episode will anchor your faith in a proper high Christology in simple terms and offers important insights into the significance of the Nicene Creed for Christians of all traditions. If you're interested in the history and importance of Christian creeds, this episode is definitely worth a listen!MORE ABOUT THE BOOK, THE NICENE CREED: AN INTRODUCTIONUnderstand and celebrate what we believe! For centuries, the Nicene Creed has been central to the church’s confession. The Nicene Creed: An Introduction by Phillip Cary explores the Creed’s riches with simplicity and clarity. Cary explains the history of the Creed and walks through its meaning line by line. Far from being abstract or irrelevant, the words of the Creed carefully express what God has done in Christ and through the Spirit. The Nicene Creed gives us the gospel. It gives biblical Christians the words for what we already believe. And when we profess the Creed, we join the global church throughout history in declaring the name and work of the one God—Father, Son, and Spirit. Gain a fresh appreciation for the ancient confession with Phillip Cary’s help.Buy the book (Stephanie could not recommend it strongly enough!) here: https://lexhampress.com/product/224267/the-nicene-creed-an-introduction MEET PHILLIP CARYPhillip Cary is a prolific writer of courses and books, professor of philosophy at Eastern University near Philadelphia. He is also the editor of Pro Ecclesia, a theology journal for Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox churches. Phillip has a doctorate in philosophy from Yale University, where he studied St. Augustine, one of the great church fathers. His favorite theologian is Martin Luther, and he writes about Luther's ideas. Phillip loves The Nicene Creed because it summarizes what Luther means by gospel - the story of who Jesus Christ is and what God has done in Christ for us and our salvation. He has been working on a book about this topic for a long time, so we gladly celebrate The Nicene Creed: An Introduction today.NEW | GO DEEPER WITH THESE QUESTIONS, ALONE OR WITH A FRIEND!1. How important is the Nicene Creed to your faith and why?2. What is your experience with diff

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Following up on our previous episode (make sure to tune in!), Stephanie dives deep into the art and mystery of contentment, as discussed by the Puritans. They recognized that true contentment is an elusive concept, often misunderstood by a world that seeks fulfillment in the accumulation of material possessions and worldly success.Stephanie explores how our discontent and restlessness can arise from striving for more, whether it be popularity, wealth, or approval. Drawing from the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11, she highlights the dangers of self-promotion and seeking to make a name for ourselves. Instead, rest lies in surrendering to God's plan and finding delight in Him. Stephanie unpacks the powerful message of Matthew 11 in relation to finding rest and highlights the need for repentance, rest, quietness, and trust in our journey of salvation and strength. Throughout, she reminds us of the transformative power of delighting in God, especially in times of hardship and affliction.Stephanie leads us on a journey to experience a fresh measure of rest and a deeper revelation of God's goodness. Discover how delighting in God, even in the midst of challenges, can bring true strength and victory.GOOD TO KNOW!This is the second of 6 episodes on rest. Stephanie initially taught keynotes at several distinct events and, surprisingly, the event organizers asked her to speak on the topic of rest. They didn't know they were all asking for the same theme. Stephanie crafted unique talks for each event, and wondered how this serendipitous convergence on the theme of rest might apply to you, our beloved Podcast audience. So, here are the keynotes she gave on the topic of dwelling in the presence of God, and delighting in His glory, as the essence, goal and means of rest. We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogIdentity in the battle | Ephesianshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/Malachi: Messenger to Messiahhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/Wisdom from the Book of Proverbshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/324347/link/Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebratedhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/309956/link/Experience the peace and presence of Jesus like never before, by walking in His footsteps on this virtual, highly personable tour of first-century Israel! Sign up today at gospelspice.com/footsteps for all the details.DATES | anytime!LOCATION | Online! Life is busy, and full of worry, anxiety, and stress. What if what we needed was a solid reminder of Jesus’ very real presence in our lives? What if walking in His footsteps for a few weeks might prove the cure to our endless challenges, so that we may view our life as He does?It’s said that a visit to Israel will forever change your experience of Scripture. That statement is right. But more than that, it will forever change your experience of Jesus.Here at Gospel Spice, our goal is to know Jesus more. It means deepening our theology, for sure, but what about discovering the little things Jesus enjoyed? Think of your best friends, or deeply loved ones. You know their favorite color, food, and scent. Not because it’s life-changing, but because it is about intimacy, and knowing one another well. So, how about discovering one of Jesus’ favorite childhood smells, or the Galilee skyline He woke up to every morning? It may not alter your theology, but it will help you know Him more.Do you need a full measure of His peace and comfort? Do you need to be reminded of His love for you? Do you need His guidance to navigate your life right now? Stephanie just returned from the Holy Land and invites you to walk in t

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!How well can you articulate your Christian belief system? How can you spot false theology? Who are trusted resources to interpret Scripture? The Nicene Creed is a fundamental element to understand and experience our faith and live out a high Christology. So, today Stephanie welcomes university professor and author Phillip Cary to discuss the significance of the Nicene Creed in Christian tradition. Phillip recently released a new book, The Nicene Creed: An introduction, which is one of Stephanie’s favorite reads this year- and this is saying a lot!Over the course of two episodes (235 today and 237 in a few days), Phillip and Stephanie touch on the Nicene Creed’s widespread usage among different denominations, how it serves as a boundary and center for the faith, how it was written to combat heresy about who Jesus is, and how it has served as a unifying factor for different Christian traditions. They dive into what a creed is, with the Nicene Creed being the most widely used and recited by about a billion Christians every Sunday during liturgies. They explore the Creed's significance, how it establishes boundaries and centers our faith, and how it powerfully anchors our belief in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The conversation also delves into the infinite depth of the Christian faith, as well as more topics such as the significance of Mary's role in the birth of Jesus, the role of Pontius Pilate, who are both mentioned in the Creed, and the topic of who teaches the truth about Jesus Christ and how the Creed is the litmus test of sound Christian doctrine. This episode will anchor your faith in a proper high Christology in simple terms and offers important insights into the significance of the Nicene Creed for Christians of all traditions. If you're interested in the history and importance of Christian creeds, this episode is definitely worth a listen!MORE ABOUT THE BOOK, THE NICENE CREED: AN INTRODUCTIONUnderstand and celebrate what we believe! For centuries, the Nicene Creed has been central to the church’s confession. The Nicene Creed: An Introduction by Phillip Cary explores the Creed’s riches with simplicity and clarity. Cary explains the history of the Creed and walks through its meaning line by line. Far from being abstract or irrelevant, the words of the Creed carefully express what God has done in Christ and through the Spirit. The Nicene Creed gives us the gospel. It gives biblical Christians the words for what we already believe. And when we profess the Creed, we join the global church throughout history in declaring the name and work of the one God—Father, Son, and Spirit. Gain a fresh appreciation for the ancient confession with Phillip Cary’s help.Buy the book (Stephanie could not recommend it strongly enough!) here: https://lexhampress.com/product/224267/the-nicene-creed-an-introduction MEET PHILLIP CARYPhillip Cary is a prolific writer of courses and books, professor of philosophy at Eastern University near Philadelphia. He is also the editor of Pro Ecclesia, a theology journal for Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox churches. Phillip has a doctorate in philosophy from Yale University, where he studied St. Augustine, one of the great church fathers. His favorite theologian is Martin Luther, and he writes about Luther's ideas. Phillip loves The Nicene Creed because it summarizes what Luther means by gospel - the story of who Jesus Christ is and what God has done in Christ for us and our salvation. He has been working on a book about this topic for a long time, so we gladly celebrate The Nicene Creed: An Introduction today.NEW | GO DEEPER WITH THESE QUESTIONS, ALONE OR WITH A FRIEND!1. How important is the Nicene Creed to your faith and why?2. What is your experience with different types of Christian churches and how has it influenced your faith?3. How do you think the Nicene Creed serves as

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Today, we want to address a topic that is all too familiar to many of us: weariness. Stephanie vulnerably shares her own experience of a recent, literal, physical nervous breakdown, caused by years of chronic pain and the wrongly placed belief that with enough faith, she could do it all. She warns against believing this lie, which can lead to shame and guilt. True faith is not about relying on our own abilities but placing our trust in God. Understanding our limits can help us truly understand what it means to have faith.This is the first of 6 episodes on rest. Stephanie initially taught keynotes at several distinct events and, surprisingly, the event organizers asked her to speak on the topic of rest. They didn't know they were all asking for the same theme. Stephanie crafted unique talks for each event, and wondered how this serendipitous convergence on the theme of rest might apply to you, our beloved Podcast audience. So, here are the keynotes she gave on the topic of dwelling in the presence of God, and delighting in His glory, as the essence, goal and means of rest. We dive deep into the concept of weariness and how it affects our lives. Did you know that the word "weary" in Greek is closely related to "hard work"? Stephanie shares her personal journey of coming to Jesus for rest. She explains how weariness is not just physical exhaustion but also the accumulation of pain and anxiety. When we allow long-term stress to take hold, it can lead to snapping over small things and narrow our ability to cope with situations or people.Stephanie reminds us that God has infinite strength, and He does not need us to carry the burdens of life in our own strength. Jesus, though He came in weakness, is the fullness of God and has no weakness. We are encouraged to bring our weaknesses to God, as they are the one thing He does not possess.Worry and anxiety often stem from not fully embracing the truth that Jesus is in control. Stephanie shares powerful insights about how distractions like fear, shame, guilt, approval, expectations, and comparison can burden us and rob us of finding true rest. It's a timely message for our culture, where discontent seems to be prevalent.Aside from the wisdom shared, we want to highlight Stephanie's availability for speaking engagements. If you're looking for a dynamic speaker to address various topics related to scripture study and seasonal events, make sure to check out Stephanie's page at gospelspice.com/speaking. Her passion for the gospel shines through in her speaking engagements, inspiring others to explore the rich depths of God's Word.Just as Jesus condemned the Pharisees for putting heavy burdens on others without carrying them themselves, we aim to offer a fresh perspective on Matthew 11, where Jesus invites us to come to Him for rest.Scripture challenges us to take this invitation to rest seriously. We pray that the Holy Spirit will bring transformative rest into your life. Our desire is for you to experience the peace and freedom that comes from surrendering your burdens to Jesus.If you're currently facing restlessness, discontent, or anxiety, don't fret or worry. Remember that God is in control, and He is not surprised by whatever challenges you face. Trust in Him and find rest in His love and provision.Experience the peace and presence of Jesus like never before, by walking in His footsteps on this virtual, highly personable tour of first-century Israel! Sign up today at gospelspice.com/footsteps for all the details.DATES | anytime!LOCATION | Online! Life is busy, and full of worry, anxiety, and stress. What if what we needed was a solid reminder of Jesus’ very real presence in our lives? What if walking in His footsteps for a few weeks might prove the cure to our endless challenges, so that we may view our life as He does?It’s said that a visit to Israel will forev

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Stephanie welcomes Benjamin Windle for a conversation about making sense of pain, affliction, and suffering. Is God allowing it in your life? Why? Is He punishing you? Is He enjoying inflicting pain? Seasons of difficulties will come to all of us - and our faith is no shield against pain. Our faith can however inform our approach and understanding of pain and suffering. Harder still, when our loved ones go through seasons of pain. How can we encourage them, help them see God at work, and not serve them cliched platitude that offer no relief from the agony? How can we have a God-centered approach to suffering?Loss of a loved one, of a dream or of a meaningful relationship. Physical pain. Depression. Loneliness. Shame. Affliction. Mental illness. Job loss. Grief is your reality today, in one form or another. And if it isn't, it might be, tomorrow. Benjamin Windle offers fresh insights to those who are experiencing pain and affliction today. Stephanie recommends his new book, Good Catastrophe, to Christians who seek an understanding of pain through the lens of faith, especially if they are relatively new to the Christian faith. MEET BENJAMIN WINDLEAs a Pastor for over 20 years, Benjamin Windle has walked with many people through the dark shadows and valleys of the human experience. He has dedicated his life to helping people overcome life’s challenges by growing deeper in their faith and reaching higher in life. Benjamin is a new-generation content creator for some of the most respected Christian brands in the world. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Cindi, and they have three sons. He has a Bachelor of Theology, an MBA from Deakin University, and Executive Education at Stanford University and the MIT Sloan School of Management.more at https://www.benjaminwindle.com/ get the book: https://www.goodcatastrophe.com/ We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogIdentity in the battle | Ephesianshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/Malachi: Messenger to Messiahhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/Wisdom from the Book of Proverbshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/324347/link/Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebratedhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/309956/link/We are spending one whole month having conversations with inspiring guests about parenting at different stages of life - from newborns to adult children, and every stage in between! And then, we spend another whole month discussing essentials of physical, mental, and emotional wellness with a wide range of Christ-centered experts. Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him! This series is an invitation to immerse yourself in the various ways God communicates to us, and us to Him. So pay attention, He is here and willing to whisper in your ear.A word of caution: don’t come to Scripture with the agenda of finding yourself there. Right now we are going to take Scripture in. Like breathing, like eating, like smelling a flower. Don’t come to Scripture with the agenda of finding yourself there. Come with the firm intention of discovering God instead. And then Scripture will never disappoint. God promises to be found in the places where He dwells – His Word especially. And in the process, you will undoubtedly find yourself as you find Him. So as we enter the hallowed pages of Scripture together, through a humble doorway and a very simple story, ask yourself: what is this telling me about Jesus?THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY!First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact.Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast. And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us!NEW!Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example, - a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours. - a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours.MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY:Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status.Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support.We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum.Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170.We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you!Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogThe perfect gift for everyone - apparel, drinkware, stickers and more for all the women, men and kids in your life!https://www.gospelspice.com/merchGo to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogDo you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening a

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!On this episode of Gospel Spice, Stephanie welcomes Laura Acuña to dive deep into the world of body image issues. They discuss Laura's personal story of how God set her free from her negative relationship with food, negative body image, and a pattern of yo-yo dieting. They also explore how the accumulation of little traumas can have a significant impact on a person's life. The episode emphasizes the importance of stewarding our bodies well, self-compassion, and allowing God's grace to come into our lives. Laura affirms that shame doesn't come from God and offers a prayer for listeners, asking God to help them understand their true relationship with their bodies, remove shame from their lives, and replace lies about beauty and body image with truth.Stephanie and Laura talk about:- Laura's own story of gaining one hundred pounds as an eleven-year-old and finally being set free fifty years later.- How to re-think your thinking regarding food, body image and dieting through the lens of self-compassion, God’s grace and His word.- The surprising truth that you can be free from food and body image issues before ever losing a pound.- Why so many women who struggle with these strongholds need to recover their voice.- The importance of to learning to show up as your true female self and being comfortable in your own skin.- How to walk away from what has never worked and embrace the important mind-shift of accepting you need God’s healing instead of relying on dieting to fix what is broken inside.- Why rejecting shame in all of its forms is crucial for healing and peace.- The importance of stopping legalism (fire the food police!) regarding what you eat and how you treat your body.- Our culture’s negative view of a woman’s aging body and how, as Christians, we can resist falling for this toxic and impossible standard.In her 31-day devotional, Still Becoming, Laura shares her personal experience of struggling with body image and dieting for almost 50 years until she found freedom. We learn about how disordered eating and body image issues are often responses to the broken parts inside us, and people often use food to numb, distract, or hide their emotions. We also address how the dieting mindset can lead to shame and legalism. Laura emphasizes the importance of giving ourselves self-compassion and allowing God's grace to come into our lives. Additionally, we discuss the importance of stewarding our bodies well for maintaining mobility and allowing us to do the things we want to do, regardless of our physical appearance. We also dive into the cultural obsession with youth and beauty, and how Christians can embrace aging as a virtue. So sit back and enjoy as we explore how to overcome body image issues with God's help.BONUS - QUESTIONS TO GO DEEPER (ON YOUR OWN OR WITH A FRIEND)1. How does Laura Acuna's personal story impact the way you view body image and dieting?2. Do you believe that emotional eating and body image issues are often responses to broken parts within us? Why or why not?3. What are some of the traumas in your life that you might have been using food to numb, distract, or hide?4. Have you ever struggled with legalism or shame when it comes to dieting or fitness? How can you break free from that mindset?5. What are some small steps that you can take to take better care of your body on a day-to-day basis?6. Do you believe that the aging process is an underestimated virtue in our culture? Why or why not?7. How can we as a society work to shift the focus away from the physical appearance and towards other qualities like wisdom and character?8. In what ways can we show love to others regardless of their physical appearance or status?9. How does scripture help us replace lies about beauty and body image with truth from God's word?10. How can we support the men in our lives who may not understand or know ho

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!As Stephanie invites you to continue your exploration of reading and interpreting the Scriptures correctly, we delve into the importance of seeking Jesus in the Bible and warn against misinterpreting the Scriptures. We are continuing our exploration of Jesus’ question, “Have you not read the Scriptures” with a focus on personal application.Come and learn about the dangers of seeking to find ourselves in the Bible rather than seeking Jesus. Together, we also highlight how the Holy Spirit guides us to see Jesus in the Old Testament. For example, Stephanie suggests that you randomly flip open the Bible and let the Holy Spirit guide you to a passage where you will sit until the Holy Spirit shows you Jesus through the words on the page. We invite you to glorify the Father through the Son! So, today, pursue the beauty of finding Jesus in the Old Testament!As always, the Gospel Spice podcast infuses deep biblical teachings with a dash of French culture to help listeners grow in their relationship with God and taste the different spices the Gospel has to offer.TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE1. The importance of discipline in reading and interpreting the Scriptures- Three levels of misinterpreting the Scriptures: ignorance, unbelief, and rebellion- Rebellion as the worst sin because it is a conscious decision to reject God- Role of the Holy Spirit in interpreting Scripture and convicting us of our sin2. Seeking Jesus in the Bible rather than just ourselves- If we approach the Scriptures to find ourselves, we will miss Jesus- If we seek Jesus, we will find ourselves in the process- Pursuing the beauty of finding Jesus in the Old Testament- Recommending randomly flipping open the Bible and asking the Holy Spirit to guide to a passage where they can see Jesus- The goal of glorifying the Father through the Son by allowing the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to see the goodness of the Lord in our lives through the pages of ScriptureNEW BONUS | QUESTIONS TO GO DEEPER ON YOUR OWN OR WITH A FRIEND1. Why is it important to approach the Scriptures from a perspective of seeking Jesus instead of just finding ourselves?2. What role does the Holy Spirit play in understanding and interpreting Scripture?3. How can we avoid the sin of rebellion in our interpretation of the Scriptures?4. What are some practical ways to seek and find Jesus in the Old Testament?5. How can we cultivate discipline in our daily reading and study of the Bible?6. Have you ever randomly opened the Bible and the pages led you to a specific passage that spoke to your current situation? Share your experience.7. Do you agree with Stephanie’s assertion that rebellion is worse than ignorance or unbelief? Why or why not?8. What can we do to ensure that we are not using the Scriptures to justify our own desires or agendas?9. How can we balance knowledge and faith when studying Scripture?10. Can you share a Bible passage that has recently impacted your life? How did it affect you?This series is an invitation to immerse yourself in the various ways God communicates to us, and us to Him. So pay attention, He is here and willing to whisper in your ear.A word of caution: don’t come to Scripture with the agenda of finding yourself there. Right now we are going to take Scripture in. Like breathing, like eating, like smelling a flower. Don’t come to Scripture with the agenda of finding yourself there. Come with the firm intention of discovering God instead. And then Scripture will never disappoint. God promises to be found in the places where He dwells – His Word especially. And in the process, you will undoubtedly find yourself as you find Him. So as we enter the hallowed pages of Scripture together, through a humble doorway and a very simple story, ask yourself: what is this telling me about Jesus?DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Stephanie welcomes Rebecca George to discuss the power of embracing weakness as part of our Gospel Spice Wellness series. They share their experience with the “curse of the capable woman”, as Stephanie calls it, and how surrendering our weaknesses to God allows Him to turn them into His strengths. They discuss the tension between achieving for God's glory while avoiding self-sufficiency and how we can open our hands and offer ourselves to God. The conversation shifts to the ultimate calling of a Christ follower to make disciples, and the importance of surrendering one's life to God. The episode also touches on the dangers of constantly doing and the importance of trusting God's timing. Together Stephanie and Rebecca emphasize that embracing weakness is the path to success and encourage YOU to focus on God in moments of brokenness. Rebecca shares her personal experiences with being an overachiever and how surrendering our weaknesses to God can transform them into strengths. Rebecca also talks about the importance of balancing grace and self-discipline in our lives and the ultimate calling of a Christ follower to make disciples wherever we are and in whatever season we are in. They also discuss the Great Commission and the ongoing behavior of making disciples without striving or burnout. Tune in to gain valuable insights on living a life of surrender and obedience to God!Some key takeaways for this conversation include,- We can feel like we have to rely on our own strength to get things done.- Weakness is what God wants from us, because He already has plenty of strength!- Surrendering our weaknesses to God allows Him to turn it into His strength. That is the goal!- Embracing weakness is actually the path to success, because we learn to trust Him.Stephanie and Rebecca invite you to focus on God:- Have an eternal perspective- Fix your eyes on Jesus and worship Him for His character- In moments of struggle and brokenness, invite God into our weaknesses and ask Him to transform them into strengths.- The outcome belongs to God, and the obedience belongs to humans.They also inspire you to balance grace and self-discipline with the following:- Strive to do everything with excellence for the glory of God;- Hold both grace and self-discipline closely and not see them as opposing forces.Making disciples is the ultimate calling of a Christ follower. Together, they add:- a calling is not necessarily to have a public ministry.- We can make disciples wherever we are and in whatever season we are in.- Making disciples is an ongoing behavior, not a one-time task or something to be added to a to-do list.- Striving to make disciples all the time can lead to burnout.- Different seasons may require a shift in our time and capacity, and it is important to have ongoing conversations about where we feel called to spend our time.To conclude, surrender to God is the key! You have heard it before, but it is important to remember:- Surrendering one's life to God on a regular basis is important.- It means not producing results on one's own strength or measuring one's own performance.- True freedom comes from allowing God's spirit to produce the fruit.NEW! GO DEEPER WITH QUESTIONS, ON YOUR OWN OR WITH A FRIEND:1. How do you relate to the “curse of the capable woman,” (even if you are a man!) and how have you experienced it in your life?2. Do you struggle with self-sufficiency or overachievement? How does this conversation resonate with you?3. What is your view on grace and self-discipline, and how do you balance the two in your life?4. How do you feel about the importance to fight striving? Do you agree with her stance against “Girl Wash Your Face”?5. Have you ever experienced a moment of surrender to God in your weakness? How did that change your perspective?6. What does it mean to you to make disciples as you go about your daily

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Stephanie dives into the question asked by Jesus, "Have you not read the Scriptures?" and how it emphasizes the importance of looking for Jesus in every passage of the Old Testament. She invites you to take an in-depth look at all five instances where Jesus asks this question in the Gospel of Matthew and encourages you to find Jesus in the Old Testament. The episode highlights how Jesus used the Old Testament to point to himself as the answer to all things, with specific examples of his interactions with the Pharisees, chief priests, and the Sadducees. Look for Jesus in every passage and discover how even the Pharisees, who were highly familiar with the Scriptures, failed to see the significance of Jesus' statement. Tune in for a quiet and centered experience with in-depth biblical flavors, along with a touch of French culture.COMING UP SOON!Stephanie mentions our two upcoming series: Starting soon, we will dive deep into the meaning and practice of REST. Then, in October, we will enter the Gospel of Matthew through the lens of the first century Jewish culture. You will be invited to experience fresh flavors for a spiritual explosion of delight in Christ! Stay tuned and make sure to follow and subscribe to access every new episode.GO DEEPER AND STUDY ON YOUR OWN | ADDRESSES AND REFERENCES STEPHANIE USES IN THIS EPISODEMatthew 12:3 and 5 - referencing 1 Samuel 21:1-6 - also described in luke 6:3Matthew 19:4 - quoting Genesis 2:24Matthew 21:16 - quoting Psalm 8:2Matthew 21:42 - quoting Psalm 118:22-23 - also described in Mark 12:10Matthew 22:31 - quoting Exodus 6, 15-16 - also described in Mark 12:26NEW BONUS | QUESTIONS TO GO DEEPER ON YOUR OWN OR WITH A FRIEND1. How can we train ourselves to see Jesus in every passage of the Old Testament?2. What was the significance of Jesus asking the Pharisees "Have you not read the Scriptures?" What did it reveal about them and their understanding of Scripture?3. How does understanding the Old Testament better help us understand and appreciate the New Testament?4. How can we use Scripture to point to Jesus like he did in his interactions with the Pharisees, chief priests, and the Sadducees?5. How does understanding marriage as a human analogy help us understand our relationship with God?6. Are there other human analogies we can use to help us understand our relationship with God?7. How can we make sure we are reading Scripture through the lens of Jesus' teachings and example?8. Can you share a personal experience of when reading the Old Testament helped you better understand the teachings of Jesus?9. What is the significance of the question "Have you not read the Scriptures?" in Matthew's Gospel as a whole?10. How can we continue to deepen our understanding of Scripture and our relationship with God beyond the fall series focused on the Gospel of Matthew?This series is an invitation to immerse yourself in the various ways God communicates to us, and us to Him. So pay attention, He is here and willing to whisper in your ear.A word of caution: don’t come to Scripture with the agenda of finding yourself there. Right now we are going to take Scripture in. Like breathing, like eating, like smelling a flower. Don’t come to Scripture with the agenda of finding yourself there. Come with the firm intention of discovering God instead. And then Scripture will never disappoint. God promises to be found in the places where He dwells – His Word especially. And in the process, you will undoubtedly find yourself as you find Him. So as we enter the hallowed pages of Scripture together, through a humble doorway and a very simple story, ask yourself: what is this telling me about Jesus?THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY!First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forw

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!A serious diagnosis took Lori Ann Wood on a faith detour she never saw coming. As a lifelong believer, she felt profound disappointment in the God she thought she knew. Wanting answers, but more than anything, needing permission to ask the questions, she took the risky decision to embrace those difficult questions. She shares her hard-won insights today on Gospel Spice.Lori Ann was raised by a mother who strongly believed in God, but she didn't initially feel the same conviction towards faith. Lori Ann compared faith to how people have different tastes and preferences with cilantro, with some believing without a doubt, while others may come to faith through questioning. Lori Ann embraced her unique perspective and believes that God does not think less of her for it.Lori Ann’s journey towards faith began after she was diagnosed with heart failure. She was given a journal to write out questions and complaints to God during uncertain and difficult times, and it eventually turned into a blog where she started sharing spiritual content. People related to her spiritual struggles, and Lori Ann saw a connection between her questions and Jesus' temptations in the desert, which helped frame the content of her book, Divine Detours, into three questions to deepen one's faith.During the episode, Lori Ann discussed three important questions related to faith: the question of worry, the question of doubt, and the question of control. She admitted to struggling with the latter due to her natural tendency towards planning and control. However, she believes that Jesus is the perfect companion, friend, savior, and God who can help us through our unbelief.Lori Ann also reflected on the value of asking questions and how they wish they had instilled this value in their younger self and their own children. Lori Ann believes that questions are an important part of their faith journey, referencing how Jesus used questions in his teachings.BONUS | GO DEEPER WITH QUESTIONS, ALONE OR WITH A FRIEND.Lori Ann invites us to ask deep questions fearlessly. Here are a few to come alongside your own journey!1. What was your biggest takeaway from Lori Ann Wood's story?2. Do you relate more to the idea of faith coming easily or through questioning? Why?3. How do you think Lori Ann’s struggle with illness impacted her faith journey?4. Have you ever struggled with any of the three questions Lori Ann posed (worry, doubt, control)? How did you overcome them?5. What do you think it means to "ask questions" in relation to faith? How can questioning faith strengthen it?6. What insights did you gain from Lori Ann’s reflections on her book and her journey as an author?7. How do you feel about the comparison between faith and cilantro? Do you see any parallels between the two?8. Have you ever felt like the woman who touched Jesus's cloak and was healed? What parallels do you see between that story and your own faith journey?9. Do you agree with the idea that asking for healing (spiritual, emotional, relational, or physical) is important and that God is not afraid of people's questions?10. In what ways can we cultivate a closer relationship with God and deepen our faith? How do you plan to do this?DISCOVER LORI ANN’S BOOK, DIVINE DETOURWHAT – Divine Detour is a book of relatable essays that gently guides the reader to confront the three most important questions of her life—the three questions every life must answer.WHEN – Divine Detour is an invitation to explore the questions of worry, doubt, and control that always surface when a Christian finds himself on a path he didn’t choose.WHO – Divine Detour is for the believer who hits a snag in her careful life plan and starts to wonder if her faith is any good at all: the career has evaporated overnight, the adult child has turned his back on his family, the marriage vows have worn paper thin.WHY – Heart

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Do you feel restless, anxious, overwhelmed, stressed, fearful, ashamed? Are you currently traversing a desert of despair? Or, are you in a season of plenty, joy, fullness and harvest? Whenever we experience life crises and difficulties, we can choose to pursue God deeper, or the relentless drift of events will cause us to move away from Him. It's a matter of perspective. Knowing Jesus is the only way to survive life. He invites us to experience Him in seasons of rest, summer, and plenty - where we hope you find yourself today - as well as in seasons of loneliness, desert, hardship and failure - where we have all been, and where we will probably find ourselves again at some point. Stephanie invites you to consider another angle to your pain and suffering during your pilgrimage on earth: what if seeking deeper intimacy with God was the secret to living life to the fullest? And, if you have heard this a million times and it sounds stale to you, what if this episode rekindled your perspective on your current life today?We need to learn how to cling to Jesus, because He alone can carry us through the inevitable hardships of life. The presence of God is the reason why we seek to know Jesus, and the way we experience Him in our lives. God created us to experience intimacy with Him, and to enjoy Him. So, today, Stephanie invites us to ponder Moses' statement, "Show me Your glory" as an unexpected answer to Jesus' question, "Who touched Me?" which we experienced in our previous episode (see episode 224). Stephanie uses several insights from C.S. Lewis to draw us into deeper understanding of ourselves, our world, and ultimately, God Himself. We are living in the "shadowlands" and Jesus invites us, through Him, to get a glimpse of "real life" as defined by Heaven. We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogIdentity in the battle | Ephesianshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/Malachi: Messenger to Messiahhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/Wisdom from the Book of Proverbshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/324347/link/Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebratedhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/309956/link/GOD'S GLORY, OUR DELIGHT | THE GOSPEL SPICE SERIESDelighting in the glory of God. Does this concept strike you as reserved for spiritual contemplatives? What if, instead, it proved the highly practical, deeply foundational perspective you need right now?Why does God’s glory even matter in our day and age? How can we learn from Jesus to make His glory our true North and lifelong quest? What keeps us from fully stepping into this God-ordained purpose for our life? How do we kindle delight for God on a daily basis? And, once we have embraced God’s glory as our heart’s true delight, how can we then come alongside others?Join us to cultivate a sincere delight for God’s glory, rooted in an honest, hard look at the depth of our need, and in the much deeper Reality of His grace. Trace the glory of God through Scripture and in your own life. Behold the exact radiance of God’s glory, revealed in Jesus. Learn to see yourself as Christ does—through the lens of the Father’s love at the cross. Jesus offers to overwhelm our deadly self-centeredness with His resurrection power. He carries us every step of the way, even as He calls us to true humility on the path to glory.Who has time to cultivate the delight that comes from pondering the glory of God? And yet, nothing could be more urgent today. Marthas and Marys, Peters and Johns—we are all invited to dare to dream of a lifestyle of God-centered delight. Nothing could be more practical.Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go esp

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Do you feel like other moms have it all together, while you struggle silently? Are you really enjoying the journey of parenthood… or are you just trying to survive? You are not alone! You want so much to be a "good" mom. Yet, you're afraid you aren't. There's hope. You are on the right track. Alli Worthington joins Stephanie today to address the mom who is ready to live a life outside the unachievable cliche of “Supermom” – regardless of the season of life you are in. This is NOT a conversation about parenting – this is a conversation about your personal wellbeing as you navigate motherhood. It is about your own wellness, so that you can love others well. It is about embracing a healthy mom mindset.So, whether you are considering starting a family, or whether your adult children are now raising their own babies, this conversation is for you! Also, this conversation will be eye-opening to all the men who want to understand how the moms in their lives struggle to hold it all together. Do you have a sister, daughter, or wife who is a mom too? This is for you!If you’ve forgotten what it means to care for yourself while caring for others, this conversation is for you.If you want to feel energized by motherhood, this conversation is for you.If you constantly feel weighed down by mom guilt, this conversation is for you.If you can’t stop comparing yourself to other moms, this conversation is for you.If you’re looking for ways to protect your emotional, spiritual, and physical health, this conversation is for you.If you can’t break the cycle of pleasing others, this conversation is for you.If you crave more meaningful relationships with your children, this conversation is for you.Alli tells us, “Drop the “good mom” myths that have been stealing your happiness. Rediscover the beautiful, joy-filled, sacred and secret art of confident motherhood.” If you’re ready to rewrite the parts of motherhood that are stressful and exhausting so you can raise your little–or not-so-little–humans with a healthy mom mindset, it’s time to discover the secret art of confident motherhood.MORE ABOUT “REMAINING YOU WHILE RAISING THEM”You’re allowed to enjoy motherhood- and pursue it in your own unique way.Remaining You While Raising Them will give you tools and a framework you can return to over and over as you pursue a life you love while raising children you love.Alli says, “I know you want to be a wonderful mother. And you're worried you aren't. Whether you arrived at motherhood by birth, adoption, or marriage, you want to get it right. Me too. I spent too many years caught in the trap of lies that surround modern motherhood. I want more for you than that. You're worth it! This book will reassure you that you ARE worth it and give you the tools to enjoy motherhood more! Remaining You While Raising Them, may just change your life.”PREORDER TODAY FOR ALL SORTS OF BONUS CONTENTMore at https://alliworthington.com/remaining-you-while-raising-themBONUS | QUESTIONS TO GO DEEPER, ON YOUR OWN OR WITH A FRIEND1. Have you ever felt overwhelmed or guilty after reading parenting books? How did it affect your parenting approach?2. How do you think our own emotional and spiritual health as mothers impacts our relationship with our children?3. Have you ever felt pressure to live up to societal expectations as a mother? How did you navigate through that pressure?4. What have been some of the challenges and joys you've experienced as your children have grown older?5. How do you define "mom guilt" and why do you think so many mothers experience it? How can we combat mom guilt in our own lives?6. What are some ways that we unintentionally hinder our children's development by trying to do everything for them?7. How can we find a balance between being a supportive parent and allowing our children to experience their own struggles and failures?8. Alli

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Stephanie invites you to explore a fascinating question posed by Jesus: "Who touched Me?" She discusses the importance of physical touch and using the five senses to bridge theory and reality. Starting with the healing of the woman who touched Jesus' garment to heal herself, Stephanie invites us to ponder the ramifications of this woman’s state when she subsequently found herself being questioned by Him as to who had touched Him.Stephanie invites you into a life that emphasizes the power of faith in Christ, drawing a connection between the shame linked to the woman's blood discharge and the shame Jesus endured on the cross while his blood was poured out for the many. She encourages you to build public declaration of faith, to place faith in the right person, namely, Christ, and to not oversimplify the issue of faith and healing. She discusses how not everyone is healed and how Jesus forced the woman seeking healing to publicly acknowledge herself, which is related to the healing process and overcoming shame. The symbolic significance of Jewish garments is also highlighted, especially the iconic tassels that Jewish men still wear today at the four corners of their garment. What does it tell us about God, heaven, and ourselves in Christ?NEW BONUS | QUESTIONS TO GO DEEPER ON YOUR OWN OR WITH A FRIEND1. What role does Jesus' question "who touched me?" play in the story?2. How does the woman’s act of touching the hem of Jesus’ garment demonstrate her faith?3. What do the tassels on Jewish garments symbolize in the context of this story?4. What is the significance of public acknowledgement and confession in relation to healing and overcoming shame?5. How does physical touch play a role in the healing process?6. Why do you think not everyone is healed?7. What does placing faith in the right person mean in the context of this story?8. In what ways can our five senses help us bridge the gap between theory and reality in our faith journey?9. What is the connection between the woman’s healing and receiving the Holy Spirit?10. How can we apply the lessons from this story to our own lives and experiences with faith and healing? This series is an invitation to immerse yourself in the various ways God communicates to us, and us to Him. So pay attention, He is here and willing to whisper in your ear.A word of caution: don’t come to Scripture with the agenda of finding yourself there. Right now we are going to take Scripture in. Like breathing, like eating, like smelling a flower. Don’t come to Scripture with the agenda of finding yourself there. Come with the firm intention of discovering God instead. And then Scripture will never disappoint. God promises to be found in the places where He dwells – His Word especially. And in the process, you will undoubtedly find yourself as you find Him. So as we enter the hallowed pages of Scripture together, through a humble doorway and a very simple story, ask yourself: what is this telling me about Jesus?We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogIdentity in the battle | Ephesianshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/Malachi: Messenger to Messiahhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/Wisdom from the Book of Proverbshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/324347/link/Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebratedhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/309956/link/Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Stephanie welcomes Catherine Larson to discuss how we can learn from children to nurture a sense of wonder in our own lives, a Christlike childlikeness, even amidst the busy lives of parenting and everyday life with children. This conversation invites all of us, whether we have young children at home or not, to cultivate the wonder that will allow us to enter deeper in intimacy with God every day.A busy author, homemaker, and mother of six young boys, Catherine invites us to enjoy how children use their five senses to enter their appreciation for God's creation. She challenges us to use playfulness to enter the world as children, focusing on positive moments instead of frustrations. She shares her own tips to nurture wonder in our kids and in ourselves, like for example the creation of personal space for children to experience quiet time, and taking a Sabbath day for rest and renewal. She reminds us of our God-given need for church community and connection, and the paradoxical use of technology in connecting and isolating people.BONUS | QUESTIONS TO GO DEEPER, ON YOUR OWN OR WITH A FRIEND1. What are some ways in which children can help us grow in our faith and relationship with God?2. How can play and experiencing the world through a child's eyes help us release our worries and be more present in the moment?3. What is your opinion on taking a Sabbath day for rest and renewal as suggested by the speaker?4. In what ways has technology both isolated and connected you with others, and which of these have you found to be more helpful?5. How has COVID-19 impacted your sense of community and the importance of fellowship?6. In what ways do you intentionally seek out opportunities to connect with others and build relationships?7. Have you ever considered journaling and recording prayers and love notes for your child during pregnancy or the first year of their life? Why or why not?8. How do you intentionally cultivate wonder in your daily life and with those around you?9. What does it mean to you to be childlike rather than childish, and how can you practice this in your relationships and daily life?10. Have you read any books or used resources that have been particularly helpful in your spiritual journey as a mother or caretaker? If so, which ones and how have they impacted you?MEET CATHERINE LARSON“Hi! I’m Catherine, lover of dappled light, and Blue Ridge hues, of closing my days nestled in my husband’s prayers, and of mornings which bud with baby coos and the voices of my sweet boys calling for mama (that name I wondered if I’d ever get to wear). I’m a collector of words, a cataloger of wonders, and a curator of grace stories. Once upon a time (how can a few years ago seem like a lifetime?) I worked full-time writing, but these days you can find me vrooming toy cars across the red rug, slathering peanut butter and jelly on wheat, and carrying baby boy close to my heart. Once bedtime prayers are aloft, I cozy up with my laptop and labor in love to exalt the One who is the most important part of my life. Because if I could tell you only one thing about me I’d want you to know how passionately I seek to love a nail-scarred and risen Savior. It’s this love that leads me here, hoping for you, expecting you. Because here’s the thing; you matter. You matter so much more than you know. His eyes light up at the thought of you. And He loves you enough that He will not leave you where you are. And no matter where you are, He beckons. We live expectantly. Expecting grace, expecting mercy, and yes, expecting trials, pain, and suffering. But we also expect that evil will not have the final say, but that love will prevail, transforming even the bitterest moments into sweetest grace. We live expecting His presence, one day His appearing, and ultimately His absolute reign.”Meet Catherine at catherineclairelarson.com MORE ABO

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!"Here I am, Lord." These are familiar words. We have heard them from the lips of ancient heroes of the faith -- Abraham, Moses, Samuel, and more. But what did they really mean? What do WE mean when we dare speak them? Or do we know them to be so dangerous, we are not sure we are ready to whisper them under our breath, to the One who listens?Stephanie guides us through Scripture to find the geographical, emotional and mental places where these words are spoken. She then takes us to modern-day Hebrew language and religious culture through the Hebrew word for "here I am" -- heenani. It means more than catches the eye, and points to Jesus. Of course, it does - it is part and parcel of Scripture, the Word who points to the One. This episode is an invitation to experience Jewish insights into Messiah that only make sense in Christ. It is an invitation to worship afresh the One who is our King, our God, our Savior, our Intercessor, our Friend - the One who, ultimately, comes to us, saying, "Here I am." NEW BONUS | QUESTIONS TO GO DEEPER ON YOUR OWN OR WITH A FRIEND1. What can we learn from the story of Samuel's calling and how can we apply it in our lives?2. How did Abraham's response of "Here I am" to God's call change the course of his life and what can we learn from it?3. What is the significance of the Hinani prayer in Jewish Orthodox theology and how does it relate to our Christian faith?4. How can we practice humility and acknowledge our unworthiness before God, as expressed in the Hinani prayer?5. How does the role of a worship leader, such as a Chazan, differ between Jewish Orthodox and Christian communities?6. How can we love God and others with both Agape and Phileo love, as discussed in the episode?7. How does the concept of communal prayer in Judaism compare to what we see in Christian worship services?8. How can we ensure that our own inadequacies don't hinder the prayers we offer on behalf of others?9. How can we respond with "Here I am" to Jesus's call to love and follow him?10. In what ways can we grow in intimacy with God through our own research and study of Scripture?This series is an invitation to immerse yourself in the various ways God communicates to us, and us to Him. So pay attention, He is here and willing to whisper in your ear.A word of caution: don’t come to Scripture with the agenda of finding yourself there. Right now we are going to take Scripture in. Like breathing, like eating, like smelling a flower. Don’t come to Scripture with the agenda of finding yourself there. Come with the firm intention of discovering God instead. And then Scripture will never disappoint. God promises to be found in the places where He dwells – His Word especially. And in the process, you will undoubtedly find yourself as you find Him. So as we enter the hallowed pages of Scripture together, through a humble doorway and a very simple story, ask yourself: what is this telling me about Jesus?THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY!First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact.Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast. And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us!NEW!Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Dare to dream about living a big life for the glory of God! That is our theme today, through seemingly mundane examples of daily faithfulness and stewardship. Today, Stephanie welcomes Janell Wood, who was inspired to host exchange students and turn it into a ministry. Hosting these students has not only impacted their lives but has also transformed Janell's life in the process. Stephanie was a foreign exchange student from France when she was 17 (30 years ago this year!) and, as you may know, she gave her life to Jesus at the end of her year there. She is a living proof example of the power of faithfulness when a family welcomes a student in their home and shares Christ faithfully--albeit imperfectly. Being real and authentic is what matters. Janell therefore encourages us to be authentic and to ask God for guidance in making decisions that might affect our lives. Together, Stephanie and Janell talk about faith and daring to trust God to live a big life for His glory. Janell also discusses the importance of exposing her kids to different worldviews and traditions through hosting exchange students. In her ministry, Janell interviews young women who have questions about God and belief, and they speak with various Christian apologists to address these questions. Janell emphasizes the importance of being faithful in one's spiritual walk, and of loving God and our neighbors.BONUS | QUESTIONS TO GO DEEPER1. How has Janell's experience hosting exchange students challenged and transformed her faith in God?2. Janell talks about embracing change and stepping out in faith. What are some examples of where you see this in your own life?3. Janell emphasizes the importance of being authentic and seeking God's guidance. How do you remain authentic in your relationships and life experiences?4. How has apologetics helped you to address your own doubts and uncertainties about faith?5. What can we learn from Janell's approach to sharing her faith with others she meets in her work?6. How has traveling and experiencing different cultures impacted your worldview and faith?7. Janell's family intentionally exposes their children to different worldviews. Have you had conversations with your own family, friends, or colleagues about faith differences and how to love others well through those differences?8. What can we do to "offer our lives" to God and be obedient to His call in our lives, even when we don't necessarily see the results?9. How do you handle fear or doubt when stepping out in faith to do something new or challenging?10. How can we seek God's guidance in making decisions that might impact our lives or the lives of those around us?MEET JANELL WOODJanell Wood is a devoted wife and mother of four children who grew up in a Christian household and gave her life to Christ at an early stage. Although she experienced her own doubts and struggles with faith, she felt a nudge to go all-in for the Lord after reading Francis Chan's book, Crazy Love. Fueled by this call to action, Janell and her husband decided to do something extraordinary and ended up hosting exchange students from different parts of the world. Starting from the Netherlands, they now have hosted five exchange students and hope to host more! The experience has been life-changing for Janell, who now views this ministry as a way of opening her heart up to young women from different backgrounds who have never known someone who deeply loves the Lord. The journey has not been without its challenges, but Janell has found that God has been working in her life along the way.Find Janell at https://www.janellmwood.com/If you want more info about hosting foreign exchange students, go to www.efexchangeyear.org If you want to get connected with Janell directly on this topic, meet her at https://efexchangeyear.org/iec/janell-wood/ or email her at [email protected] We i

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!We are so glad to welcome you for this latest episode! Stephanie is in France this summer so make sure to follow her on social to stay up to date. Enjoy todays episode!also… there is a long musical pause at the beginning - a technical error that Stephanie can’t fix from France… please excuse us!NEW BONUS! REFLECTION QUESTIONS TO GO DEEPER, ALONE OR WITH A FRIEND1. How does the understanding of the commandment to love God and love neighbor as yourself impact our daily lives?2. How do you interpret the repeated questioning of Peter's love by Jesus in the Gospel of John?3. How can we use our weaknesses to become stronger in our faith?4. How can we share the love of Christ with others around us?6. What does the passage in John 21 teach us about our calling to serve God?7. What can we learn about loving and serving God from Peter's journey?8. How can we practically apply Micah 6:8 in our daily lives?9. What are some examples of ways we can tend to God's sheep today?10. What are some effective ways we can share our faith with those who don't know Jesus?THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY!First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact.Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast. And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us!NEW!Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example, - a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours. - a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours.MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY:Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status.Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support.We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum.Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170.We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you!Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogSupport us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!On this episode of Gospel Spice, Elizabeth Urbanowicz joins us for a discussion on equipping children with a biblical worldview. She shares about her organization, Foundation Worldview, which provides resources for parents and Christian leaders to teach children how to evaluate ideas through the lens of Scripture. We discuss the importance of discipleship within the home, stewardship of time and activities, and how to find a local church. Elizabeth also shares about her new curriculum, Attributes of God, for kids 4 and up, as well as the importance of teaching children to think well and critically. She and Stephanie talk about on the importance of role modeling rest and balance, and teaching children the gospel from an early age. The episode ends with an emphasis on the importance of investing in what matters and assessing how we invest our time and activities. Tune in to discover how you can help equip the next generation to follow God's plan and resist cultural pressures.Children are constantly exposed to false ideas. They are constantly bombarded with content from various sources, shaping their young minds in a rapidly changing world. As a parent or any Christian working with kids, it's essential to equip them to pursue truth and embrace a biblical worldview. Does the child in your care know how to discern what is true and what is false? Today, Stephanie welcomes Elizabeth Urbanowicz, founder of Foundation Worldview, to discuss the essential role of adults in raising children with the tools to critically approach the surrounding culture. Elizabeth helps Christian parents equip their children to think biblically and to carefully evaluate every idea they encounter. Foundation Worldview serves children as young as 4 years, and until they reach High School.This month, Gospel Spice offers a parenting series for all adults who have children in their lives – as parents, aunts and uncles, family members and friends, as well as youth group leaders, children ministry leaders, and more. With each episode, we tackle a different aspect of the essential stewardship of the children in our lives so that we will equip the next generation with the right tools to embrace fullness of faith in a changing world. Join us as we explore practical ways to raise children to have a strong foundation in Christ and be equipped to evaluate ideas that come their way.The interview covers topics such as the importance of fulfilling the command to be fruitful and multiply, how to role model rest, and the importance of giving children a firm foundation in the gospel. Elizabeth shares her own journey starting from an afterschool class for third through sixth graders and how Foundation Worldview grew from there. Listeners are encouraged to invest in what really matters, practice biblical hospitality, and assess how they invest their time.Discover Foundation Worldview: https://foundationworldview.com/aboutBONUS | QUESTIONS TO GO DEEPER (ALONE OR WITH A FRIEND!)1. What are some of the biblical promises that Elizabeth and Stephanie reference that can help alleviate the fear associated with raising children?2. How can raising children be seen as fulfilling God's mission, and what are some of the risks and rewards involved?3. What are some of the key attributes of God that Elizabeth Urbanowicz's curriculum for kids focuses on? Why do you think these are essential?4. Why is it important to introduce children to the gospel at a young age, and how can parents and influencers of children help them think critically from Scripture?5. What are some of the challenges associated with discipling children in today's culture, and how can families prioritize discipleship across other activities or entertainment?6. Why is commitment to a local church important, and how can families foster unity within the church through hospitality and community involvem

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Children are constantly exposed to false ideas. They are constantly bombarded with content from various sources, shaping their young minds in a rapidly changing world. As a parent or any Christian working with kids, it's essential to equip them to pursue truth and embrace a biblical worldview. Does the child in your care know how to discern what is true and what is false? Today, Stephanie welcomes Elizabeth Urbanowicz, founder of Foundation Worldview, to discuss the essential role of adults in raising children with the tools to critically approach the surrounding culture. Elizabeth helps Christian parents equip their children to think biblically and to carefully evaluate every idea they encounter. Foundation Worldview serves children as young as 4 years, and until they reach High School.This month, Gospel Spice offers a parenting series for all adults who have children in their lives – as parents, aunts and uncles, family members and friends, as well as youth group leaders, children ministry leaders, and more. With each episode, we tackle a different aspect of the essential stewardship of the children in our lives so that we will equip the next generation with the right tools to embrace fullness of faith in a changing world.Discover Foundation Worldview: https://foundationworldview.com/aboutMEET ELIZABETH URBANOWICZElizabeth Urbanowicz is a follower of Jesus Christ who is passionate about equipping kids to understand the truth of the Christian worldview.She holds a B.S. from Gordon College in Elementary Education and Spanish, an M.S.Ed. from Northern Illinois University in Literacy Education, and an M.A. in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. Elizabeth began her professional career as an elementary teacher in a Christian school.Several years into her teaching experience, Elizabeth realized that despite being raised in Christian homes, attending a Christian school, and being active in church, her students thought more like the culture than like Christ. Elizabeth began searching for curricular materials that would equip her students to think critically, helping them discover that Christianity is the worldview that lines up with reality. After not finding any materials that met this need, she began creating a curriculum for her students.Elizabeth first taught Foundation Comparative Worldview Curriculum as an after-school class for third through fifth graders, and the results were incredible! Students were transformed from passive recipients of information to active evaluators of every message they receive. Parents and teachers alike noticed the impact these materials had on students’ media consumption, academic achievement, and everyday habits. This transformation lasted beyond the elementary years and guided students’ thinking in junior high and beyond.Elizabeth now works full-time on developing comparative worldview and apologetics resources for children. Her goal is to prepare the next generation to be lifelong critical thinkers and, most importantly, lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ.We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogIdentity in the battle | Ephesianshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/Malachi: Messenger to Messiahhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/Wisdom from the Book of Proverbshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/324347/link/Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebratedhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/309956/link/We are spending one whole month having conversations with inspiring guests about parenting at different stages of life - from newborns to adult children, and every stage in between! And then, we spend another whole month

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Stephanie delves deeper into Jesus' question of "Have you here anything to eat?" and how it invites us to perceive and know Him more deeply. One possible answer to His question is today's statement, "I believe, Lord, overcome my unbelief!" Stephanie reflects on the challenge of waiting for answers in prayer and the power of true, humble prayer. She tackles deep topics like self-awareness, humility, and weakness, reflecting on her own experiences with chronic pain and broken relationships. Together, she invites us to emphasize the importance of acknowledging weakness and surrendering to God. Additionally, she provides insight on Tim Keller's famous statement that it is better to have a weak faith in a strong Christ than a strong faith in a weak Christ, and how true faith comes from God's invitation to grow within us. She also discusses the power of true prayer and how it requires confession, humility, and surrender to God.In this episode, we cover the following topics, and more:- The true meaning of Jesus' question "Have you here anything to eat?"- Perception and knowing Jesus more truly- The density and reality of Jesus' glorified body- Overcoming unbelief with self-awareness, humility, and ambition- Acknowledging weakness to allow God to make Himself strong through us- The challenge of waiting for answers in prayer- Power of true prayer: confession, repentance, humility, and surrender to God- Importance of having a weak faith in a strong Christ- True faith coming from God's intervention to plant, water, and grow the seed of faith in us- Daring to disassociate from public opinion and choose Jesus, trusting Him to sort out mixed motivesBONUS CONTENT | QUESTIONS TO GO DEEPER, on your own or with a friend1. How does Stephanie Rousselle relate to the story of the desperate father seeking a miracle for his sick child?2. In what ways do you struggle with belief and doubt, and how have you sought to overcome your unbelief?3. How can acknowledging our weakness help us to draw closer to God and experience His strength in our lives?4. What are some of the challenges of waiting for answers in prayer, and how can we maintain faith and hope during these times?5. Why is prayer important, and what are some of the key elements of true prayer that Stephanie emphasizes?6. How might we cultivate humility, vulnerability, and honesty in our relationship with God through prayer?7. What are some of the benefits of choosing Jesus even when we have mixed motives or face opposition from others?8. What role does self-awareness and ambition play in nurturing our faith and relationship with God?9. How might we apply the concept of faith being a seed that God plants, waters, and grows in our own lives?10. What steps might we take to live out our faith in a way that invites the world around us to experience the love and truth of Jesus? This series is an invitation to immerse yourself in the various ways God communicates to us, and us to Him. So pay attention, He is here and willing to whisper in your ear.A word of caution: don’t come to Scripture with the agenda of finding yourself there. Right now we are going to take Scripture in. Like breathing, like eating, like smelling a flower. Don’t come to Scripture with the agenda of finding yourself there. Come with the firm intention of discovering God instead. And then Scripture will never disappoint. God promises to be found in the places where He dwells – His Word especially. And in the process, you will undoubtedly find yourself as you find Him. So as we enter the hallowed pages of Scripture together, through a humble doorway and a very simple story, ask yourself: what is this telling me about Jesus?THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY!First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You c

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!"Have you here anything to eat?" Jesus asks of His disciples on Resurrection Sunday, late in the evening of that glorious first day. Such an unexpected question! Did He need food? Or rather, how were they in need of beholding His glorified body ingesting a simple piece of broiled fish? How are we in need of the revelation that comes from pondering the extent of His question?Stephanie invites us to cozy up to the eleven disciples who "disbelieved with joy" when they first saw their risen Lord on that glorious evening, shut in as they were behind closed doors. He walked through walls of stone and doors of solid wood. He ate fish, and later even cooked some for them! Fully God and fully Man, and never more than in this moment of intimate self-disclosure. So scoot on in, there is a seat for you by the fire.This series is an invitation to immerse yourself in the various ways God communicates to us, and us to Him. So pay attention, He is here and willing to whisper in your ear.A word of caution: don’t come to Scripture with the agenda of finding yourself there. Right now we are going to take Scripture in. Like breathing, like eating, like smelling a flower. Don’t come to Scripture with the agenda of finding yourself there. Come with the firm intention of discovering God instead. And then Scripture will never disappoint. God promises to be found in the places where He dwells – His Word especially. And in the process, you will undoubtedly find yourself as you find Him. So as we enter the hallowed pages of Scripture together, through a humble doorway and a very simple story, ask yourself: what is this telling me about Jesus?The perfect gift for everyone - apparel, drinkware, stickers and more for all the women, men and kids in your life!https://www.gospelspice.com/merchGo to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogSupport us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!On this episode of Gospel Spice, join Stephanie Rousselle in part two of her conversation with Professor Nancy Pearcey about toxic masculinity and the decline of the secular script for men. They explore Pearcey's book and discuss the cultural shifts and societal pressures that affect men today. They also share insightful research on the positive impact of Christianity on family dynamics and gender roles around the world. Finally, they discuss practical solutions for workplaces to promote better work-life balance for fathers and mothers alike. Listen in to learn more!Nancy Pearcey is an author and speaker who focuses on cultural, philosophical, and religious issues. She believes that toxic behavior in men can be reduced with better fathers. This is because the father-son relationship is crucial to the development of healthy masculinity, and currently, 40% of children in the United States are growing up without their natural fathers. Pearcey also explains that fathers are often mocked and ridiculed in the media, leading to a decline in men's motivation to become fathers. The Industrial Revolution disrupted the male-female and father-child relationships since fathers had to follow their work out of the home. This led to fathers being portrayed as irrelevant and incompetent parents. Pearcey suggests that practical solutions could involve tweaking the workplace to allow men to work from home more. During the pandemic, many fathers got closer to their children and discovered they enjoyed working from home, leading them to desire more balance between work and home life. Pearcey indicates through anecdotes that finding alternatives to the traditional industrial work situation is possible and necessary to achieve this balance.It has become socially acceptable to express open hostility against men even in respected media outlets. "Why Can't We Hate Men?" asks the Washington Post. Almost half of American men agree with the statement, “These days society seems to punish men just for acting like men.” In her new book, the bestselling author of LOVE THY BODY Nancy R. Pearcey explains how secularism has villainized the concept of masculinity.Toxic masculinity. You have heard the term. Where does it come from? What does it mean? What is the Biblical framework we need today as Christian men and women to tackle this hot button in our culture wars? Stephanie welcomes Professor Nancy Pearcey to discuss the history, context, and biblical solutions for our generation. One of Stephanie’s favorite quotes from Professor Pearcey is found in the book they are discussing today: “Christians should read with their worldview antennae poised to pick up underlying messages.”Stephanie welcomes Professor Pearcey in a two-part interview and, together they discuss topics that Stephanie chose from the book, and from Nancy’s whole message throughout her many books:1. How have the roles of men and women have fluctuated throughout human history? How is this essential context to understand where we are today?2. Scientific Darwinism is mostly discredited today. How about social Darwinism? How is this generation equipped to handle it?3. How is the history of fatherhood relevant to the ruse of toxic versions of masculinity?4. What did men lose through the industrial revolution that they have not yet regained? What about women?5. How much do you think that your analysis applies to cultures outside the framework of Western thought?6. Tell us about the role of the workplace in making men more present fathers.7. How did culture occasionally take men “off the hook” and demand of women to “tame” them? How is this influential today?8. What about the response of the church in centuries past, and today?MORE ABOUT THE BOOKPurchase the book here: The Toxic War on MasculinityIn three parts, “The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexe

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Toxic masculinity. You have heard the term. Where does it come from? What does it mean? What is the Biblical framework we need today as Christian men and women to tackle this hot button in our culture wars? Stephanie welcomes Professor Nancy Pearcey to discuss the history, context, and biblical solutions for our generation. One of Stephanie’s favorite quotes from Professor Pearcey is found in the book they are discussing today: “Christians should read with their worldview antennae poised to pick up underlying messages.”On this episode of Gospel Spice, host Stephanie Rousselle interviews best-selling author and speaker Nancy Pearcey about her upcoming book, "The Toxic War on Masculinity." Pearcey shares her personal journey from questioning her faith in high school to becoming a Christian through Schaefer's cultural apologetics approach. They explore the impact of Darwinism on our concepts of masculinity, the importance of understanding the worldview expressed in literature, and the value of a biblical approach to apologetics. Pearcey's writing focuses on cultural apologetics to address questions and provide answers for young people today, and her upcoming book provides insightful theological answers to the issue of toxic behavior in men. This episode is full of thought-provoking insights that will challenge listeners to think deeply about their faith and the culture around them.It has become socially acceptable to express open hostility against men even in respected media outlets. "Why Can't We Hate Men?" asks the Washington Post. Almost half of American men agree with the statement, “These days society seems to punish men just for acting like men.” In her new book, the bestselling author of LOVE THY BODY Nancy R. Pearcey explains how secularism has villainized the concept of masculinity.Stephanie welcomes Professor Pearcey in a two-part interview and, together they discuss topics that Stephanie chose from the book, and from Nancy’s whole message throughout her many books:1. How have the roles of men and women have fluctuated throughout human history? How is this essential context to understand where we are today?2. Scientific Darwinism is mostly discredited today. How about social Darwinism? How is this generation equipped to handle it?3. How is the history of fatherhood relevant to the ruse of toxic versions of masculinity?4. What did men lose through the industrial revolution that they have not yet regained? What about women?5. How much do you think that your analysis applies to cultures outside the framework of Western thought?6. Tell us about the role of the workplace in making men more present fathers.7. How did culture occasionally take men “off the hook” and demand of women to “tame” them? How is this influential today?8. What about the response of the church in centuries past, and today?MORE ABOUT THE BOOKPurchase the book here: The Toxic War on MasculinityIn three parts, “The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes” reveals the surprising answers to questions such as:• Where did the idea come from that masculinity is “toxic”?• What impact did secularism have on the script for masculinity?• How do Christian men shatter the negative stereotypes?Let’s face it: When people complain that masculinity is toxic, they often point to evangelical men as their prime example. But findings from the social sciences debunk those charges. Research shows that committed Christian men who attend church regularly test out as the most loving and engaged husbands and fathers.These facts show that Christianity has the power to overcome toxic behavior in men and reconcile the sexes—an unexpected finding that has stood up to rigorous empirical testing. We should be bold in bringing it into the public square.“Masculine traits are not intrinsically toxic. They are good when directed to virtuous

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Stephanie shares what happened as she researched for this episode: "Let me tell you. I was NOT expecting what happened when I did my research. I think the Lord kindly likes to surprise us with glimpses of glory when we don’t expect them. So let’s say I wasn’t expecting to find myself in tears, flat on my face in my dining room, and almost breathless in awe of who Jesus is, as I saw Him through the research I did around this statement, "Behold the Lamb." I discovered fresh from the familiar pages of the New Testament an angle, a new depth that took my breath away. And I want to share the holiness of this moment with you today." Stephanie aims today to show us that, when we proclaim Jesus as the Lamb of God, from the standpoint of the New Testament, we proclaim his glory as the Lamb of God that will be revealed in the future. There is a future dimension that is clearly stated, but somehow overlooked. And it is glorious. So, let's dig together into Scripture for fresh tastes of glory!What do you think of when you hear the statement, “Behold the Lamb of God”? If you are somewhat familiar with the Old Testament and the history of Scripture, you know it’s a reference to the Passover lamb that was sacrificed annually as a covering for sins. Since they exited Egypt in about 1600BC, Moses and the Israelites were commanded by God to remember His salvation which He made happen by protecting all the people who had the blood of a freshly killed lamb on the door of their house. If there was blood on your door that night, the angel of death would pass over your house – thus the name “pass-over” – and would not come in to kill the firstborn male of your household. If you didn’t have that blood, then the firstborn male was killed. It didn’t make sense except by faith because God said so. And God did so.We love to remember that Jesus is the Lamb of God – meaning at least two things. First, He is fully God. And second, He willingly, voluntarily did this. God the Father didn’t force God the Son in some kind of cosmic tyranny to suffer for us. This was a decision that the Son made in full knowledge, and full power and love for us. “For the JOY set before Him He endured the cross” – that’s Hebrews 12:2. This is true power. Only absolute, ultimate power that has nothing to prove can so excruciatingly disrobe itself of power and become a helpless lamb. Philippians 2:5-8 tells us that He humbled Himself by going from heights of power we cannot even begin to remotely have a faint wisp of an idea of, to depths of humility that, similarly, we just cannot fathom because these depths are literally fathomless, bottomless, infinite – only an infinite being can go from infinite height to infinite depth and retain His wholeness. That is Christ. That is the Lamb of God. And it is glorious. And that is where we usually stop. For most of us, this is the meaning of the Lamb of God. And it is awesome and should cause us to fall in worship, to be sure. But there is more.Stephanie adds, "my most sincere prayer is that I can somehow convey what I saw and that you too will find yourself worshipping. I usually have it as a rule to never ever hype a lesson, so here is me breaking my own rules but then it’s not about me, it’s about you and the very Spirit of God at work in you to reveal to you unspeakable beauties about the One He delights in, the Son of God, our very precious Lord."We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogIdentity in the battle | Ephesianshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/Malachi: Messenger to Messiahhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/Wisdom from the Book of Proverbshttps://www.

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!“Who do YOU say that I am?” Jesus asks this powerful question to His disciples in Matthew 16. It is the most important question any of us is called to answer - and make no mistake. We are all to answer it. The question unpacks a lot about who we are, and how we define our lives. We do not get to tell Jesus who He is -only acknowledge it. But He defines us. That is true freedom. Stephanie shares, "He doesn’t need to know who he is to you. And he surely doesn’t need us to tell him who he is. So, How do you feel, knowing he is actively seeking out your very own personal answer? Does it feel like it’s a quiz? Is this a test of your theology? Is this a test of your bible knowledge or your relationship with Him? Is this a test you may fail? Or could it be more like an invitation to unearth one of the most meaningful treasures in the world?"Jesus told a parable one day. Matthew records it just a few paragraphs before this question, in chapter 13. Here is what Jesus says. “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” Our understanding of Jesus’ identity is like that treasure. It will change our lives.Let’s go back to the context in the original text. First he asked what others were saying about him. Again, obviously he knew. He wasn’t seeking information. He was seeking relationship – as always. Being Jewish through and through, he asks questions to enter into relationship, into dialogue. Who do others say He is? The disciples can answer this one easily, there is nothing personal. And the answer is rather positive, it tells us about the people’s perception of who Jesus was at that point in his ministry. But you can quickly tell, this is not Jesus’ goal. He is only getting started. Then he asks the real question – the other one was just a primer. Who do YOU say that I am? Now that is completely different. Now they are in the spotlight. Now it’s their turn.Who we understand Jesus to be, determines who we are. Please hear this. Knowing who Jesus is, will determine the course of your life on earth, in heaven, and every moment spent here and there. Knowing who Jesus is tells you who you are. Jesus’ identity defines your identity – and this cannot be said of any one else. He alone claims this level of power, authority, and utter allegiance.Who your kids are doesn’t determine who you are. Who your parents or husband or best friend is, doesn’t determine who you are. Your enemies or your friends or your colleagues or your neighbors or your boss don’t define you.Jesus defines you.Where you were born, where you live, your ethnicity or your nationality, your income or your health, your size or your looks – these don’t define you.Jesus defines you.You don’t define yourself. If you are His disciple, then you have effectively renounced the right to define yourself. It means you don’t get to choose the criteria that define you. None of the above.Jesus defines you.This is truly the most freeing thing anyone can tell you.Who Jesus is defines who you are, because you are IN Christ. You cannot be apart from Him. That is the whole purpose of relationship.If Jesus is truly the King of all kings, and the God of the universe who can hold everything you can see and touch and feel, and everything you can’t, just by the power of His word, then being defined by Him is the most glorious thing and the highest possible calling.It is not reductive. It is enlarging. It is not confining. It is freeing. It is not limiting. It is boundless.You are who you are, because Jesus is who He is. And who He is to you, determines who you are.Ground yourself in Him. The greatest

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Amanda Jenkins shares about the 25th wedding anniversary she and Dallas are celebrating TODAY, JUNE 13, 2023! Happy anniversary to one of our favorite couples out there. Twenty-five years is a beautiful milestone and a testament to God's faithfulness through and in you! We love you and honor the Lord alongside you.Amanda and Stephanie talk about the crucible of suffering as the unavoidable process which our gentle Lord uses to refine us and keep us closely tied to His side, for our protection and growth. She explains how recent intense pain has led her to write the Bible Study that will soon release alongside season 4 of the show. She explains how she has discovered how God's goodness truly can eclipse our suffering - not in a pollyanna way at all, but through the pain and the daily releasing to Him who is more than able to bear it. We can only endure suffering when we are deeply rooted in who God is. As Amanda shares some of the recent personal struggles and sufferings she and her family have endured, she reveals how they have grown in the Lord through it, and what she has learned about herself and, more essentially, about God.Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ziOcbz1ny9UIn our previous episode with Amanda, she talked with Stephanie about discovering new dimensions of relationship with Jesus, and the importance of experiential knowledge and resting in Him. Amanda told us how her family is faring through seasons of The Chosen, with a focus on discipling older children. She and Dallas have four children, aged 22, 20, 18 and 16. How are they parenting through the show, and towards intimacy with Christ? Amanda shared the power of intentionality and the necessity of embracing mistakes to grow from them. She told Stephanie how she and Dallas have nurtured a family culture for open conversations and for making God the center of their daily lives. She shared what it looks like to surrender your children to God at every age.We also invite you to watch this conversation on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice DISCOVER THE CHOSENBest show of the century. Everything is at https://new.thechosen.tv/We cannot recommend Amanda's Bible Studies enough. Get all of them today at https://new.thechosen.tv/collections/books NEW BONUS! GO DEEPER WITH OUR REFLECTION QUESTIONS ON THIS EPISODE1. What does it mean to abide in Christ? How does this look different for each individual?2. How can we grow our relationships with our children and disciple them as they grow older?3. How do different families approach nightly devotionals or Bible study time?4. What can we learn from David's practice of turning his attention to God's character in times of lament? How can we apply this to our own lives?5. How does suffering impact our relationship with God? Can it draw us closer to Him or drive us away?6. How can we release control and trust God with our children's emotional development and spiritual growth?7. What are some natural challenges to reentry after a spouse has been away, and how can intentional conversations help with the transition back to normalcy?8. In what ways can we seek God when things are going smoothly and not get complacent in our faith?9. How can we avoid the temptation to seek validation from people instead of God? What are some practical ways to focus on abiding in Christ instead of looking to others for approval?10. How have our standards and priorities changed as we have matured in our relationship with God? What helps us to recognize what is worth fighting for and what is not? DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries.In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God.In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geogr

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Amanda Jenkins returns on the Gospel Spice Podcast today for a deep dive into what it means to abide in Christ in ever-growing ways. She talks with Stephanie about discovering new dimensions of relationship with Jesus, and the importance of experiential knowledge and resting in Him. Amanda tells us how her family is faring through seasons of The Chosen, with a focus on discipling older children. She and Dallas have four children, aged 22, 20, 18 and 16. How are they parenting through the show, and towards intimacy with Christ? Amanda shares the power of intentionality and the necessity of embracing mistakes to grow from them. She tells us how she and Dallas have nurtured a family culture for open conversations and for making God the center of their daily lives. She shares what it looks like to surrender your children to God at every age. She also shares with us, in a fun, whimsical ways, what plans she and Dallas have to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary this week!We also invite you to watch this conversation on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/i7fB68uKG_8?feature=oembedIn the second half of the conversation, which will air as our next episode, Amanda shares some of the recent personal struggles and sufferings she and her family have endured, how they have grown in the Lord through it, and what she has learned about herself and, more essentially, about God.DISCOVER THE CHOSENBest show of the century. Everything is at https://new.thechosen.tv/We cannot recommend Amanda's Bible Studies enough. Get all of them today at https://new.thechosen.tv/collections/books NEW BONUS! GO DEEPER WITH OUR REFLECTION QUESTIONS ON THIS EPISODE1. What does it mean to abide in Christ? How does this look different for each individual?2. How can we grow our relationships with our children and disciple them as they grow older?3. How do different families approach nightly devotionals or Bible study time?4. What can we learn from David's practice of turning his attention to God's character in times of lament? How can we apply this to our own lives?5. How does suffering impact our relationship with God? Can it draw us closer to Him or drive us away?6. How can we release control and trust God with our children's emotional development and spiritual growth?7. What are some natural challenges to reentry after a spouse has been away, and how can intentional conversations help with the transition back to normalcy?8. In what ways can we seek God when things are going smoothly and not get complacent in our faith?9. How can we avoid the temptation to seek validation from people instead of God? What are some practical ways to focus on abiding in Christ instead of looking to others for approval?10. How have our standards and priorities changed as we have matured in our relationship with God? What helps us to recognize what is worth fighting for and what is not? Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!"Lord, teach us to pray." The disciples came to Jesus with this humble, bold statement. Let's unpack it and appropriate it for ourselves today. Let's look at what it says about them, about Jesus, and about us. Stephanie invites you to ponder questions Jesus asks, and some statements that believers made throughout Scripture, that are really prayers in disguise, and an invitation for us to ponder the deeper things of the spirit and to invite Him to shape us into who He created us to become. Now you know that Stephanie loves to find unexpected connections in Scripture, so that we may experience afresh what might otherwise be stale and feel like microwaved leftovers, spiritually speaking. So today, let's sprinkle our time in Scripture with a dash of spice - Gospel Spice 🙂 In our previous episode we pondered the depth of Jesus' question in several settings: "What do you want?" Stephanie invites us to connect this question to another very familiar passage -- when the disciples come to Jesus, after watching Him pray in solitude, and tell Him, "Lord, teach us to pray." In this context, Jesus provides what we know as the Lord's prayer. This is as relevant as ever. What if we came to Jesus with the same statement - "teach us to pray." What would it reveal about our hearts and our lives? How would Jesus answer? How can we emulate the disciples? This series is an invitation to immerse yourself in the various ways God communicates to us, and us to Him. So pay attention, He is here and willing to whisper in your ear.A word of caution: don’t come to Scripture with the agenda of finding yourself there. Right now we are going to take Scripture in. Like breathing, like eating, like smelling a flower. Don’t come to Scripture with the agenda of finding yourself there. Come with the firm intention of discovering God instead. And then Scripture will never disappoint. God promises to be found in the places where He dwells – His Word especially. And in the process, you will undoubtedly find yourself as you find Him. So as we enter the hallowed pages of Scripture together, through a humble doorway and a very simple story, ask yourself: what is this telling me about Jesus?We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogIdentity in the battle | Ephesianshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/Malachi: Messenger to Messiahhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/Wisdom from the Book of Proverbshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/324347/link/Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebratedhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/309956/link/The perfect gift for everyone - apparel, drinkware, stickers and more for all the women, men and kids in your life!https://www.gospelspice.com/merchGo to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogSupport us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!“What do you want?” Jesus asks this powerful question on several occasions.What do YOU want? If Jesus asked you this, how would you answer? How would you feel?In the Greek and Hebrew, to “want” is a multifaceted word that speaks to the heart, the mind and the body. In Psalm 23 when we read, The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want” it means I am made whole, complete, so that I have no more need or unmet longing. It is the state of heaven – and, occasionally, heaven on earth.“What do you want?” Jesus asks.Stephanie takes us deep in Scripture through three powerful Greek words today. God is inviting you to capture your imagination, heart, soul and spirit through a deeper longing for Him. It is an intellectual search, a deep desire for Him, and also a need of our body. We will connect the dots and find that Jesus gives us the blueprint to answer this question the way the Father would invite us to. Let’s embrace Jesus’ invitation to ask, seek and knock – only to receive, find and have the door be opened. It is the same trio of Greek words, and it will inspire us to answer His question in the way that will bring us delight, for His glory.Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Stephanie is joined by Sheila Wray Gregoire to discuss how to raise girls to resist toxic Christian teachings about sex, self, and speaking up. This conversation aims to serve parents of girls (and boys too!) from pre-teen years all to way to young adulthood.Sheila and Stephanie have an hour-long conversation of which today’s episode is the second part (episode 206 was the first half, accessible here: https://www.podcastics.com/episode/237258/link/ or on your favorite listening platform)Parents want their daughters to thrive--to be strong, confident, and equipped to step into the life God has for them. Sheila asks, “What if the church is setting our daughters up to be small? What if the most common teachings girls hear in youth group make them more likely to marry an abuser? Less likely to understand consent? And more likely to blame themselves if they are assaulted?”Armed with data from an all-new survey of more than 7,000 women, the authors of The Great Sex Rescue, Sheila Wray Gregoire, Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach, and Joanna Sawatsky, reveal how experiences in church as teens affect women's self-esteem and relationships today in their new book “She Deserves Better.”They expose common evangelical teachings that can backfire: the purity emphasis that can cause shame rather than good choices, the dating rules that can prime girls for abuse, and the one overarching belief that can keep them from setting healthy boundaries.This book tackles tough topics like:- The dating rule that works best—except when it doesn’t (and why we need nuance)- How we can talk about clothing choices without causing body image issues or blaming girls for boys’ thoughts- How to talk about saving sex without idolizing virginity or creating sexual anxiety- How we can protect our daughters from a church hurt that could send them fleeing the faithAnd so much more."Sheila, Rebecca, and Joanna are an all-star team, confronting the harm done to our daughters in both the church and the world,” said Aimee Byrd, author of The Sexual Reformation. “The title says it all. Full stop. Our daughters deserve better! This book is full of thorough research, refreshingly commonsense biblical wisdom, and practical help on how to talk with our daughters and prepare them for confidence and maturity."MEET SHEILA WRAY GREGOIRESheila Wray Gregoire is the face behind BareMarrige.com, the largest single-blogger marriage blog. She's also an award-winning author of nine books, including The Great Sex Rescue, and a sought-after speaker. With her humorous, no-nonsense approach, Sheila is passionate about changing the evangelical conversation about sex and marriage to line up with kingdom principles. She lives in Ontario, Canada, with her husband. They have two adult daughters and two grandbabies.Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Stephanie is joined by Sheila Wray Gregoire to discuss how to raise girls to resist toxic Christian teachings about sex, self, and speaking up. This conversation aims to serve parents of girls (and boys too!) from pre-teen years all to way to young adulthood.Parents want their daughters to thrive--to be strong, confident, and equipped to step into the life God has for them. Sheila asks, “What if the church is setting our daughters up to be small? What if the most common teachings girls hear in youth group make them more likely to marry an abuser? Less likely to understand consent? And more likely to blame themselves if they are assaulted?”Sheila and Stephanie have an hour-long conversation of which today’s episode is the first part (episode 207 will be the sequel, and will publish a few days later).Armed with data from an all-new survey of more than 7,000 women, the authors of The Great Sex Rescue, Sheila Wray Gregoire, Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach, and Joanna Sawatsky, reveal how experiences in church as teens affect women's self-esteem and relationships today in their new book “She Deserves Better.”They expose common evangelical teachings that can backfire: the purity emphasis that can cause shame rather than good choices, the dating rules that can prime girls for abuse, and the one overarching belief that can keep them from setting healthy boundaries.This book tackles tough topics like:- The dating rule that works best—except when it doesn’t (and why we need nuance)- How we can talk about clothing choices without causing body image issues or blaming girls for boys’ thoughts- How to talk about saving sex without idolizing virginity or creating sexual anxiety- How we can protect our daughters from a church hurt that could send them fleeing the faithAnd so much more."Sheila, Rebecca, and Joanna are an all-star team, confronting the harm done to our daughters in both the church and the world,” said Aimee Byrd, author of The Sexual Reformation. “The title says it all. Full stop. Our daughters deserve better! This book is full of thorough research, refreshingly commonsense biblical wisdom, and practical help on how to talk with our daughters and prepare them for confidence and maturity."MEET SHEILA WRAY GREGOIRESheila Wray Gregoire is the face behind BareMarrige.com, the largest single-blogger marriage blog. She's also an award-winning author of nine books, including The Great Sex Rescue, and a sought-after speaker. With her humorous, no-nonsense approach, Sheila is passionate about changing the evangelical conversation about sex and marriage to line up with kingdom principles. She lives in Ontario, Canada, with her husband. They have two adult daughters and two grandbabies.Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Stephanie invites you to ponder questions Jesus asks, and some statements that believers made throughout Scripture, that are really prayers in disguise, and an invitation for us to ponder the deeper things of the spirit and to invite Him to shape us into who He created us to become. Now you know that Stephanie loves to find unexpected connections in Scripture, so that we may experience afresh what might otherwise be stale and feel like microwaved leftovers, spiritually speaking. So today, let's sprinkle our time in Scripture with a dash of spice - Gospel Spice 🙂 In our previous episode we pondered the depth of Jesus' question to the invalid at Bethesda: "Would you like to get well?" Stephanie invites us to connect this question to another very familiar passage -- when Jesus calls Simon Peter to become a fisher of man, on the heels of the miracle of the fish catch on the seashore of Galilee. Simon says, "I am a sinner. Get away from me, Lord." Let's dive deep.This series is an invitation to immerse yourself in the various ways God communicates to us, and us to Him. So pay attention, He is here and willing to whisper in your ear.A word of caution: don’t come to Scripture with the agenda of finding yourself there. Right now we are going to take Scripture in. Like breathing, like eating, like smelling a flower. Don’t come to Scripture with the agenda of finding yourself there. Come with the firm intention of discovering God instead. And then Scripture will never disappoint. God promises to be found in the places where He dwells – His Word especially. And in the process, you will undoubtedly find yourself as you find Him. So as we enter the hallowed pages of Scripture together, through a humble doorway and a very simple story, ask yourself: what is this telling me about Jesus?DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries.In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God.In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus.PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family.PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with!PAY IT FORWARD!! Would you consider supporting this show today to help others enjoy it for free? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce, and we want to keep putting it in the ears of people!Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. All donations above our minimal operating costs go to Christian organizations fighting human trafficking.Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog(*ListenNotes ranking, 2023)The perfect gift for everyone - apparel, drinkware, stickers and more for all the women, men and kids in your life!https://www.gospelspice.com/merchGo to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogSupport us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Stephanie invites you to ponder questions Jesus asks, and some statements that believers made throughout Scripture, that are really prayers in disguise, and an invitation for us to ponder the deeper things of the spirit and to invite Him to shape us into who He created us to become.Today we welcome Jesus' question to the invalid at the pool of Bethesda: Would you like to get well? A simple question, begging for a seemingly obvious answer. But let's go deeper. And let's see how we would answer this question for ourselves today. This is about physical, spiritual, emotional, and psychological healing. This is about restoring intimacy with the One who made us body, soul and spirit. It is, ultimately, an invitation to worship and trust. How will you answer?This series is an invitation to immerse yourself in the various ways God communicates to us, and us to Him. So pay attention, He is here and willing to whisper in your ear.A word of caution: don’t come to Scripture with the agenda of finding yourself there. Right now we are going to take Scripture in. Like breathing, like eating, like smelling a flower. Don’t come to Scripture with the agenda of finding yourself there. Come with the firm intention of discovering God instead. And then Scripture will never disappoint. God promises to be found in the places where He dwells – His Word especially. And in the process, you will undoubtedly find yourself as you find Him. So as we enter the hallowed pages of Scripture together, through a humble doorway and a very simple story, ask yourself: what is this telling me about Jesus?DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries.In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God.In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus.PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family.PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with!PAY IT FORWARD!! Would you consider supporting this show today to help others enjoy it for free? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce, and we want to keep putting it in the ears of people!Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. All donations above our minimal operating costs go to Christian organizations fighting human trafficking.Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog(*ListenNotes ranking, 2023)THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY!First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact.Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast. And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Stephanie takes us to that very first effusion of the Holy Spirit on the believers gathered in obedience to Jesus' command to wait for the Spirit to come upon them. Have you ever wondered who the Holy Spirit is, especially in relation to God the Father and Christ the Son? How about who He is in relation to us? We are told that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit at salvation. What does it mean, and what does it entail?We're looking at the nature and goal of a seal in the ancient world--and it takes you much deeper than a dusty history lesson!It's the most glorious of promises, and frankly, one of the most misunderstood ones. So today, peel the veil back and dive deep into the glory of the Holy Spirit. You may leave wet from head to toe--drenched in the guarantee of your inheritance, until you take full possession of it!Have you ever pondered that Pentecost is what makes us superior to the angels? Take a listen today!ANNOUNCEMENT | We are switching to 2 episodes a week this season! Love it? Hate it? Please let us know by filling out this one-question survey. YOUR OPINION MATTERS! thank you! Stephanie mentions one of her favorite books, Chosen but free by Norman Geisler. At the date of the release of this episode, the paperback is listed for less than $10 on Amazon... you owe it to yourself to get it! Other resources are listed here: https://www.gospelspice.com/resources THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY!First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact.Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast. And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us!NEW!Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example, - a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours. - a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours.MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY:Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status.Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support.We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum.Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170.We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you!Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogThe perfect gift for everyone - apparel, drinkware, stickers and more for all the women, men and kids in your li

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!God the Father could simply not wait to welcome Jesus back in Heaven after Easter. So much so, that He told us about the welcome party hundreds of years before it happened! It is a foretaste of the party that awaits YOU when you enter heaven. This is the sure hope that is the foundation of our faith. In our current uncertain times, we can rest assured that if we are in Christ, we will have quite the welcome party in Heaven. Did someone you know and love recently reach the pearly gates? That is their reality today too!We look at the richness of the symbolism of the Ascension, but only because it is the precursor to one of the greatest celebrations for the believers: the gift of the Holy Spirit, the full indwelling of God Himself in the believers, given at Pentecost. We will delve deep into Pentecost in our next episode, but this is a glimpse into glory today!ANNOUNCEMENT | We are switching to 2 episodes a week this season! Love it? Hate it? Please let us know by filling out this one-question survey. YOUR OPINION MATTERS! thank you!DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries.In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God.In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus.PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family.PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with!PAY IT FORWARD!! Would you consider supporting this show today to help others enjoy it for free? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce, and we want to keep putting it in the ears of people!Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. All donations above our minimal operating costs go to Christian organizations fighting human trafficking.Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog(*ListenNotes ranking, 2023)Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice 3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address [email protected]. It is our privilege to pray for you!So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:1- signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Christie Purifoy is Stephanie’s near-neighbor and dear, dear friend. They invite you in the conversation to deepen our relationship with God through simple ways to add beauty to your home through flowers, year round. What does gardening teach us about intimacy with Him? How do flowers invite us to trust Him through the seasons of life – the seasons of abundance, or growth, but also of winter, wilderness, and waiting?Through enchanting prose and delightful activities, avid writer, gardener and place-maker Christie Purifoy invites you to capture the curious magic of the garden and bring its life and joy into your home this season. A flower garden is a place where endless possibilities are contemplated (and celebrated), where reason bows to beauty, and practicality gives way to whimsy. It’s where we sink our roots deep, lean into the rhythms of each season, and wish for beautiful things to grow.Stephanie has been labelled a “black thumb” as a child – meaning, she is more apt to kill a plant, than to give it the environment to thrive! Can she cultivate a home in bloom? Christie brings hope to this helpless flower-killer who constantly seeks beauty in all areas of her life.Christie and Stephanie had initially met a few weeks before they recorded Christie’s first guest appearance on Gospel Spice, back in 2022. And now they are together again to discuss Christie’s latest book, A home in bloom, and its deep ramifications in our spiritual lives and our relationships with one another.MORE ABOUT A HOME IN BLOOMA HOME IN BLOOM is the second book in the trilogy that started with GARDEN MAKER. They go so well together, both visually and thematically, that it would be a shame not to own both of them! They make the perfect Mother’s day gift, among many other gift occasions.This fully photographed guide shows you how to enjoy the many gifts the garden offers inside your own home, transforming your living spaces into places filled with warmth and wonder. Each season, Christie shares her notes on what to plant and walks you through easy projects that will surely become lifelong practices that help you bring the outdoors in.Learn how to grow your house into a home in bloom.Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Home-Bloom-Enchanted-Seasons-Flowers/dp/0736982167A Home in Bloom is now available online and in local stores everywhere!MORE ABOUT CHRISTIE PURIFOYChristie is a writer and avid gardener. She earned a PhD in English Literature from the University of Chicago and has taught literature and composition at the undergraduate level. Her books include Garden Maker: Growing a Life of Beauty and Wonder with Flowers, Roots and Sky: A Journey Home in Four Seasons, and Placemaker: Cultivating Places of Comfort, Beauty, and Peace. She explores her love of gardening and all things beautiful at her Victorian farmhouse in southeastern Pennsylvania.Meet Christie at https://www.christiepurifoy.com/We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogIdentity in the battle | Ephesianshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/Malachi: Messenger to Messiahhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/Wisdom from the Book of Proverbshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/324347/link/Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebratedhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/309956/link/Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!God has been truly faithful to each one of us in this communal Gospel Spice journey. You, our beloved listener, is the reason why we started, the reason why we keep doing this week after week. Walking alongside you in your journey of faith, finding God at work in the every day and in the grand moments, and praising Him. Seeking Him and finding Him, delighting in Him and beholding His glory - that is the essence of life. It is meant to be a life lived in community - you and me, you and us, together. So, with humble gratitude, a heartfelt thank-you to you who are reading these lines and listening to (or watching) this episode. The best celebrations in life take place when we are surrounded with family and loved ones. So, today we are celebrating God's enduring faithfulness over 200 episodes by digging behind the scenes and spending quality time with Him through three very special women who have profoundly shaped Gospel Spice - each one in her own God-given way. Linda invites us to embrace the love that comes from God. Angel challenges us to stay on mission for the Kingdom. Lindsay reminds us to trust God for deeper things. Linda, Angel and Lindsay have done more to serve you, than you might know! So today Stephanie spends time with them and invites you to pull up a chair, put the kettle on for some tea or coffee, or maybe take us on a walk or on the road today with you. Scoot in, there is a place for you right here with us. We pray these conversations uplift you and encourage you to keep delighting in the glory of God today, tomorrow and every day! THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY!First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact.Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast. And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us!NEW!Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example, - a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours. - a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours.MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY:Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status.Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support.We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum.Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170.We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you!Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjo

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Stephanie is delighted to welcome Richard Foster, the author of one of the most influential books in her life, Celebration of Discipline. Today, Richard, with Brenda Quinn, talk about the power of learning humility. He tells Stephanie, “The practice of humility has made me playful and free.” In our culture of raging narcissism, Richard calls humility the "vanishing virtue." He says that practicing humility has been "playful, freeing, fun, and freedom from [his] need to feel important." How wonderful!When Stephanie asks about how to learn humility, Richard answers, “We learn humility by taking up other tasks, like serving others.”Richard explains that humility is a secret gift that keeps on giving. He says, “one of the things we need to learn is to embrace and enjoy anonymity.”Richard encourages us to develop a passion for culture, encouraging each one if us to keep on living at the intersection of culture and Scripture here at Gospel Spice. He says, “look for the finger of God at work through every culture.” He adds, “in every culture there are things that are consonant with Scripture, and some that are dissonant. Our task is to discern among them.”In a society where raging narcissism dominates the moral landscape, the virtue of humility is often dismissed as irrelevant. Not only is humility vanishing from contemporary culture, but we are also witnessing how destructive a lack of humility has become among our churches and ministry leaders. And yet, Richard Foster, the founder of Renovare, insists that humility is central to the journey toward character formation and spiritual transformation. For this reason he decided to spend a year studying the virtue of humility.Using the Lakota calendar as a framework, Foster provides us with a look into the insights he gathered from sources ranging from Native American culture to Julian of Norwich to Scripture to personal friends. By engaging with both the spiritual classics and Foster's own experiences, Learning Humility provides profound insight into what humility can look like in our current cultural climate.Join Richard Foster on Gospel Spice today, and embrace the journey toward a life of humility, which he says leads us into "freedom, joy, and holy hilarity."MEET RICHARD FOSTERRichard Foster is founder, past pres­i­dent and cur­rent team mem­ber of Ren­o­varé. Hav­ing stud­ied at George Fox and Fuller The­o­log­i­cal Sem­i­nary, Fos­ter has served as a pas­tor and taught world­wide on spir­i­tu­al for­ma­tion. Author of dozens of arti­cles and six books, includ­ing Cel­e­bra­tion of Dis­ci­pline, Richard con­tin­ues to write on the spir­i­tu­al life. He and his wife, Car­olynn, have two grown chil­dren, Joel and Nathan, nine grand­chil­dren, and live near Den­ver, Colorado.Discover more at https://renovare.org/MEET BRENDA QUINNBrenda Quinn is a pastor of spiritual formation in the Foursquare church and a writer of many years. She is also the author of the character profiles in the Life with God Bible. Brenda Quinn, former staff editor for Serendipity House and editorial coordinator for MOPS International, Inc., is cowriter of study guides for both "The Jesus I Never Knew" and "What’s So Amazing About Grace?" She coauthored the devotional "Meet the Bible" with Philip Yancey. Brenda lives with her husband and son in Colorado.We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogIdentity in the battle | Ephesianshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/Malachi: Messenger to Messiahhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/Wisdom from the Book of Proverbshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/324347/link/Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Stephanie welcomes fellow Gospel Spice team member Ros Evans for an in-depth conversation about taking Easter throughout the whole year. Easter is the most significant event of the Christian calendar--indeed of the world! How do we carry the meaning of Easter into all the other seasons of life? Why do we need the transformational power of Easter for 365 days a year, not just in March or April each year? How can we keep Easter fresh and new, and prevent the old stale flavors of Easters past to creep up in our passion for Christ?Ros has become an "everyday theologian," someone who is passionate to discover who God is and to enter ever more into deeper relationship with Him. But she was not always so. She shares her story of faith, from liturgical South African roots to vibrant American faith. She inspires us to never stop learning and growing, and role-models humble teachability. She explains how she used to think her faith was whole and full, only to discover there is so much more to fullness of life with Christ than she had ever dreamed to imagine. She chose to embrace the fullness of relationship with God over the last six years of her life, after a lifetime of real but lukewarm faith. She tells us how God met her, and how He is still today transforming her, by the power of His Spirit, into the person He created her to become. Ros invites us all to embrace our inner theologian and to dare to become more than we can imagine.In the course of the conversation, Stephanie shares a couple of illustrations to help us understand what it means to have the fullness of the infinite Spirit of Christ in us. Join us today!We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogIdentity in the battle | Ephesianshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/Malachi: Messenger to Messiahhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/Wisdom from the Book of Proverbshttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/324347/link/Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebratedhttps://www.podcastics.com/episode/309956/link/The perfect gift for everyone - apparel, drinkware, stickers and more for all the women, men and kids in your life!https://www.gospelspice.com/merchGo to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blogSupport us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at [email protected] **Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Welcome to our final and deepest Easter episode. Today, we are going deep! This episode is released on Good Friday and so its theme bridges history from Eden to Easter. You can also view the video of this episode on YouTube at https://youtu.be/AN0Vkhnms_Q You know the story. God created the world and everything in it. Including a man, for whom God created a beautiful garden. The man was to tend the garden and enjoy its luscious produce, amidst unbroken fellowship with God and with all the animals. But something was missing… This is not a story primarily about genders or human relationships. This is the Easter story. It is the origins story of our identity, and it is completely wrapped up in the identity of our King.You have heard it said that Jesus is the second Adam. It is straight from several passages of the New Testament. And when we see the birth and core identity of Adam and Eve, we behold Jesus’ death. God caused Jesus to die. God created a bride for the man – God created a bride for Jesus. We are Eve. We are the bride. We have been taken from the heart of the Son of God. And, when Adam is brought to sleep to birth Eve, this is God drawing a stick figure to announce to us what He has already decided in the heavenly places before time was. He is announcing what will take place in future time but has been decided before Genesis 1:1. We have been taken out of the beating heart of Christ, our eternal Adam. The decision was made before the foundation of time. The stick figures were drawn by the Father in the garden, with Adam and Eve as the actors playing for us the scene that would truly take place later. And later came on the cross. It is the Easter story.It means that our deepest identity is that we are Eve. We are the beating heart of Christ, the rib that was taken from Him through death. His beloved whom He calls bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. There is nothing you can do to lose your identity in Christ, because you did nothing to earn it. It is the Easter story.All the Pauline passages about the roles of Adam and Eve suddenly shine with new depth when you consider this. Indeed, Christ is the head of the church, and that is symbolized in the way Adam was first and gave life to Eve. Christ preexisted the church – He preexisted humanity as a whole. Easter is the actual event to which this passage points. On the cross Jesus was put to sleep, so that the church could be born. On the cross His side was pierced. That is where the bride came from.The church has one name that echoes through the centuries as its most compelling identity. We are the body of Christ and the bride of Christ. Just like Eve is, literally, the body of Adam and the bride of Adam. When Jesus sees you, He sees the bone of his bones and the flesh of His flesh. He sees His bride, his beloved. Just like Adam knew that Eve had come from him, yet was different.It took the death of the Son to birth the fullness of the new creation, the fullness of what it means to be Imago Dei. This indeed is the Easter story.THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY!First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact.Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast. And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us!NEW!Another