The Christian Habits Podcast

When trials and hard times come into our lives, we can find ourselves questioning God and becoming bitter. On today's episode of The Christian Habits Podcast (links below), I talk with Daniel Fusco about how developing resilience during trials can actually be a path to fruitfulness and growth in our lives, and also about his new book, You're Gonna Make It. What We Discussed on the Podcast What is resilience? How hope and grit factor into the resilience equation How to submit to God's will, no matter what Discovering the fruit that comes from hard times in our lives Learning to walk through trials open-hearted Dispelling the "life is easy" myth The profound growth that happens during trials in our lives Building resilience before the hardship Making space to cultivate hope How the Body of Christ is at its best when our lives are at their worst Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Daniel's new book: You're Gonna Make It About Daniel Fusco Daniel Fusco is an author, a church planter, and the lead pastor of Crossroads Community Church in Vancouver, Washington. His radio program, Jesus Is Real Radio, is broadcast across the country, and his TV show, Real with Daniel Fusco, airs across the globe. He also hosts the popular You're Gonna Make It podcast and is the author of Crazy Happy, and You're Gonna Make It. He has written numerous articles for CBN.com, PreachingToday.com, and Relevant. Fusco and his wife, Lynn, have three children and reside in southwest Washington How to Listen to the Podcast To listen or subscribe on Google Podcasts: click here To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here To listen or subscribe on Android: click here To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, "Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast."

Do you find yourself looking to other people or things to satisfy you? Are you tempted to doubt that Jesus alone really does offer a life of joy, peace and contentment? On today's episode of the Christian Habits Podcast (links down below), I visit with Jennifer Slattery about nine common idols we are tempted to worship and how to resist them. What We Discussed on the Podcast What is an idol? Nine common things we are tempted to worship instead of God How idols can hurt our relationships How an inner-angst is an indicator that we may have an idol The process associated with giving up an idol Jennifer's own struggles with an eating disorder as she struggled with a food idol Wisdom for overcoming idols A great question to ask when deciding to give up an idol Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating Pre-Order bonuses for Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating Jennifer's website, jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com About Jennifer Slattery Jennifer Slattery is an author, speaker, and ministry leader passionate about helping God's children reach their full potential and live fully surrendered to Christ. Find her online at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com. How to Listen to the Podcast To listen or subscribe on Google Podcasts: click here To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here To listen or subscribe on Android: click here To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, "Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast."

Do you feel overwhelmed by the task of getting organized? Does a simple glance around your home or office tell you that clutter is taking over your life? If so, my podcast interview with Dana K. White from A Slob Comes Clean (links below) will offer helpful advice about how to tackle these projects without stress. What We Discussed on the Podcast Coming to terms with our own unique clutter threshold The Container Concept Accepting the reality of the limited space we have How decluttering and cleaning are not the same things What the layers of a clean house are How Dana's method is different than minimalism How to change our goals about our spaces The Visibility Rule How decluttering is a lifelong process Resources We Talked About on the Podcast James Bible Study Dana's new book: Organizing for the Rest of Us Another of Dana's books: Decluttering at the Speed of Life Dana's website: aslobcomesclean.com About Dana K. White Dana K. White is a Wallstreet Journal bestselling author, blogger, podcaster, speaker, and (much to her own surprise) a decluttering expert. In an attempt to get her home under control, Dana started blogging as "Nony" (short for anonymous) at A Slob Comes Clean. Dana soon realized she was not alone in her housekeeping struggles and in her feelings of shame. Today, Dana shares realistic home management strategies with her signature humor and a message of hope for the hopelessly messy through her blog, weekly podcasts, and videos. Dana lives with her husband and three kids just outside of Dallas, Texas. Learn more at www.aslobcomesclean.com. How to Listen to the Podcast To listen or subscribe on Google Podcasts: click here To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here To listen or subscribe on Android: click here To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, "Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast."

In this interview with Asheritah CiuCiu, we discuss how to grow a prayer habit using the REST method from her new book, Prayers of Rest: 365 Prompts to Hear God's Voice. If you find yourself struggling to make prayer a daily habit, Asheritah offers many helpful ways to cultivate this powerful discipline in this episode of the Christian Habits Podcast (links below). What We Discussed on the Podcast How to make a prayer habit stick by learning, fostering and practicing it Praying through hard emotions How distracting thoughts can actually become prompts in prayer How developing intimacy with God takes time How what we believe about God influences our prayers Written prayers vs. spontaneous prayers How to stop talking and begin listening in prayer The REST prayer method: Recite God's goodness, Express your neediness, Seek His Stillness, and Trusting God's faithfulness Praying through scripture Resources Discussed on the Podcast My previous interview with Asheritah: Overcoming Food Fixation Asheritah's newest book: Prayers of Rest: 365 Prompts to Hear God's Voice App that Barb referenced: Reimagining the Examen (free app available on both Google and Apple app stores) Asheritah's books: Full: Food, Jesus and the Battle for Satisfaction, and Bible and Breakfast About Asheritah CiuCiu Asheritah Ciuciu is a bestselling author, national speaker, and host of the Prayers of REST podcast. She is the founder of One Thing Alone Ministries, an online ministry that helps women all over the world find joy in Jesus through creative and consistent time in God's word. Asheritah grew up in Romania as a missionary kid and studied English and Women's Ministry at Cedarville University. She is married to her high school sweetheart and together they raise their three spunky kids in NE Ohio. Asheritah is the author of several books, including the best-selling Advent devotional Unwrapping the Names of Jesus. Her writing and speaking has been featured on Focus on the Family, Revive Our Hearts, Moody Radio, Relevant Magazine, Proverbs 31, and MOPS International. For more information about Asheritah, her books, and writing/speaking ministry, visit www.asheritah.com. How to Listen to the Podcast To listen or subscribe on Google Podcasts: click here To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here To listen or subscribe on Android: click here To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, "Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast."

Do you find yourself always pursuing happiness but rarely finding it? Does your life feel cluttered and unsatisfying? If so, today's episode of the Christian Habits Podcast (links below) will offer a remedy for a selfish and unhappy life. I speak with Joshua Becker, founder of Becoming Minimalist, about his new book: Things that Matter. Things We Discussed on the Podcast How removing distractions from our lives enables us to realize our fullest potential How the pursuit of money, possessions, accolades, leisure, fear, and past mistakes hold us back Two types of distractions: internal and external The specific distractions of leisure and the pursuit of personal happiness How the principles of the Bible are effective for all people, even non-Christians How "serving others is the only way to overcome the victim mentality" The idea of retirement is found nowhere in the Bible How to transition from lives of self-centeredness to lives of service Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Things that Matter: Overcoming Distractions to Pursue a More Meaningful Life by Joshua Becker James Bible Study - My newest book is a 20-lesson Bible study for individuals, one-on-ones, or small groups who know each other well (or want to know each other well). It is also a great study for discipleship and mentoring relationships. About Joshua Becker Joshua Becker, author of Things That Matter: Overcoming Distractions to Pursue a More Meaningful Life (WaterBrook; on-sale 4/19/22), is also the bestselling author of The More of Less, The Minimalist Home, and founder of Becoming Minimalist, a website dedicated to inspiring others to find more life by owning less. The website welcomes over 1.5 million readers each month and has inspired millions around the world to consider the practical benefits of owning fewer possessions. He is also the creator of Simplify magazine and founder of The Hope Effect, a nonprofit organization changing how the world cares for orphans. He's a contributing writer to Forbes and has appeared in dozens of media outlets including the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CBS Evening News, Christian Science Monitor and "The Drew Barrymore Show." Joshua and his family live near Phoenix, Arizona. For more information, visit BecomingMinimalist.com (2.75M social media followers) How to Listen to the Podcast To listen or subscribe on Google Podcasts: click here To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here To listen or subscribe on Android: click here To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, "Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast."

Do you ever have a hard time making yourself read your Bible? Or do you start out reading, only to find yourself reading the same passage over and over again because you can't make yourself concentrate? Today we'll talk about 9 tips you can use to develop a Bible reading habit.

Are you in the middle of a big life change? Or still adjusting to an old life change? Change can be difficult, even when it's positive. Yet so many life changes don't feel one bit positive. Here are just a few of the life changes we go through: A move Change of occupation: new job, loss of old job, career change, beginning college, etc. Engagement or marriage Divorce or separation Natural disasters and pandemics such as Covid Death of a loved one Serious illness, disease, or injury Children leaving home Retirement of yourself or a spouse Since I'm experiencing my own life change at the moment (my husband just became a travel physical therapist and we've left our home of 30 years to travel around the country), I thought it might be helpful to do a podcast/blog post on how to navigate major life change. Following are a few things I'm trying as I enter this new season of life. 10 Tips to Navigate Life Change Well Recognize that it's hard. So often we say things like, "I shouldn't be feeling this way," or "Buck up, Buttercup!" And while I'm a big fan of that latter phrase, it's helpful to realize that it's not surprising that we're struggling. Even a happy occasion like marriage can cause adjustment problems. We'll do better if we admit to ourselves that yes, this is an adjustment, and yes, it's hard. Have realistic expectations for the process and give yourself grace. If you recognize it's hard, you'll be more likely to give yourself grace. Beating yourself up for not adjusting quickly enough isn't helpful. I've found that if I have realistic expectations for how long something takes—whether it's a task on my to-do list or an adjustment to a new situation—I'll be less likely to get worried, depressed, or beat myself up. Work on making this new life the best life possible—put time and effort into it. Often, we complain about how hard life is, but we do nothing to change it. Instead, we expect it to get better over time. While this does sometimes happen, we'll have much more success if we put some effort into making it better. The rest of these tips will give you ideas of how to make the best possible life. Brainstorm ideas to make life better. When you're in a new situation, you're not an expert at that situation. Instead, you need to learn how to be joyful in this new life. Take a list and brainstorm different ways to make it better. Talk to a friend, mentor, or loved one. Visit with someone who's been in this situation to see how they handled it. Then circle a few things from the list to try. Join a support group or get involved in a community ASAP. When we moved to our first travel assignment in Santa Fe, the first thing we did was to find a church. We tried two churches in one day and found one we loved. We visited with people in the church, and I mentioned that it was hard to leave our community in Hamilton, Montana. This led to one couple inviting us to a home group and now we have instant community--a group of wonderful people to fellowship with. If your life change is traumatic, look for a support group in your area of others who are going through a similar trial. Dwell on the good. My tendency is to dwell on the good of the old life and the bad of the new life! This is not helpful! It's easier to dwell on the good if you have a positive life change, but it can be incredibly difficult with a traumatic life change. That said, God can bring good from any situation. A bad situation is a perfect "opportunity" to develop a thankfulness habit, grow closer to God, and practice dwelling on the good. Lean on God and expect Him to teach you new lessons. Trusting God isn't just a trite phrase. It's an active event where we spend time with Him, time in His Word, time in prayer. The closer we get to God, the happier we'll be. In fact, in some situations, this may be our only chance for happiness, at least in the beginning. Romans 5:3-5 and James 1:2-4 tell us that hard times are opportunities for growth. Our new pastor in Santa Fe said in a recent sermon that hard times can make us bitter, battered, or better. Leaning on God (rather than the way life used to be) will help them to be better. Recognize that you'll have bad days. That said, expect to have bad days. It's a process. One day you might think, I have this new life down pat! I can handle it now! And then the next day might be a disaster. That's normal! It takes time to adjust to a new life. Don't despair and don't beat yourself up. Instead, trust that God will be by your side to help. Renew when upset. If I didn't already have an established renewing habit, my current life would be much worse. As I write this post, we're only three weeks into our new life. I went from being super depressed the first day here to being positive, hopeful, and excited about this life now. This happened through employing all the previous tips but this last tip was most helpful. Renewing is what helped me to see this experience from a biblical perspective, and more than anything,

Our hearts are deceitful and in this age of technology, it is easier than ever to begin sharing your thoughts and deep feelings with someone other than your spouse. If we aren't careful, we can begin to become emotionally dependent on someone outside of our marriage. In today's podcast, Barb visits with her friend, Trish, about how to avoid (or end) an emotional affair. What We Discussed on the Podcast What exactly is an emotional affair? How an innocent friendship can morph into something more Questions to ask ourselves about interactions with the opposite sex Tips for setting boundaries about your relationships with others Tips for how to avoid getting into an emotional affair Helpful ideas about how to end an emotional affair Resources We Talked About on the Podcast Barb's upcoming James Bible study How to Listen to the Podcast To listen or subscribe on Google Podcasts: click here To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here To listen or subscribe on Android: click here To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, "Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast."

Happy New Year, everyone! Well it's this time of year that many of us are focused on starting or stopping habits and setting goals. On today's podcast, I'll visit with Melanie Wilson, author, blogger, podcaster, and we will be discussing several tips about how to achieve your goals this year! Tips to Help You Achieve Your Goals Develop a routine. Make it easy. Make a plan for dealing with obstacles. Find ways to make it fun Keep your why in front of you. Let go of perfectionism. Be a good coach to yourself. Renew your mind when necessary. Gain support. Conquer procrastination. Resources We Talked About on the Podcast Melanie's blog: homeschoolsanity.com Melanie's podcast: The Homeschool Sanity Show Melanie's book: A Year of Living Productively 45 Bible Verses for Procrastination 10 Tips to Help You Stop Procrastinating Freedom from Procrastination How to Listen to the Podcast To listen or subscribe on Google Podcasts: click here To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here To listen or subscribe on Android: click here To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, "Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast."

To give advice or not to give advice? That is the question. In the past I used to answer that with, Of course I should give advice! Why wouldn't I give advice?! Well, I have since learned a few reasons why I shouldn't! For starters, too much advice can hurt relationships. On our end, we think we're giving wise advice to help people be safe and happy. But on their end, they often feel like we're trying to fix them. This makes them annoyed with us and hurts relationships. Another way unsolicited advice hurts relationships is that it can make the recipient feel unloved. We're usually worried about something they're doing. And we're trying to keep them happy, safe, and close to God. They on the other hand can feel like we're focusing on something negative in them. And that we will only love them if they're perfect. Unsolicited advice also hurts relationships when we give the same advice over and over. This makes people not want to be with us because they're tired of getting advice! Finally, unsolicited advice can hurt relationships with our adult children because it's seen as a lack of respect. We think, I need to tell them this so they don't make the same mistakes I made! They think, Mom (or Dad) doesn't realize I'm an adult! So how do we break free from giving too much advice when it's something we just do without thinking? Well, let me give you some advice about that ... How to Decide if You Should Give Advice or Not Unfortunately, I have often been the person giving unasked for advice and hurting people in the process. But in this blog post (and podcast episode), I want to share an acronym I've made that's helping me know when to give or not give advice. And I'll warn you ahead of time, usually I decide I shouldn't give advice after asking the questions! I call the acronym SPIKER. Think of a person standing at the volleyball net, jumping high to shove the ball down the other side of the net and take out the opponent. That's how advice often feels to the advice-receiver. We think we're giving a nice gentle lob over the fence to help them have a better life, but they think we're pounding them with advice. This acronym will help you evaluate what you have to say so see if it's worth giving. With the holidays coming up, it seemed like the perfect time to share this acronym as many of us will be surrounded by people we want to give advice to! 6 Questions to Ask First Before Giving Advice Most rules are in the form of statements: commands to tell you how to live life. But in the spirit of this blog post (don't give advice!), I decided to list the rules in the form of questions. Ask these questions before you give advice. If you had adult kids coming home for the holidays, think about what kind of advice you may want to give them while they're here (yes, I know it's already running through your mind!) and ask yourself these questions before they get home. Or better yet, each morning they're home before they wake up! S - Sure - Are you sure you're giving the right advice or is there a possibility you're wrong or you'll find out one day that this was bad advice? P - Profitable - Will it be profitable? In other words, how likely are they to consider taking your advice? (This is especially helpful to think about for unsolicited advice.) I - Important - Is it important? Or are you wasting your advice-giving-currency on things that aren't that important? K - Knowledge - Do they already know this? E - Edifying - Is it edifying? Will this build them up or make them feel like you think they need to be fixed and that there is something wrong with them? R - Repeat - Have you said this before? How many times? (Most people don't want to hear the same advice more than once or twice.) If you'd like to hear some examples of this acronym in action, check out the podcast episode. (Scroll down for links to listen to the podcast or click the player at the top of this post.) How to Give Advice: 6 Rules Okay, in this section, I will give a few rules. These rules are helpful whether you're giving advice that has been asked for or unsolicited. Be respectful. You will have a far better chance of them listening if you're respectful. Before you give advice, try thinking of five things this person is doing well or five things you like and respect about this person. This will help you be respectful. Consider asking them for permission first. Since so many people don't like unsolicited advice, it may be helpful to ask before you give advice. Just remember they may say no, and be respectful if they do. Which means no advice! (And no little comments about how they need advice!) Choose the right time and place. Try to choose a time outside the heat of the moment, but also not when they're relaxing and having fun. It may even be helpful to tell them you have something to talk about and ask them what a good time would be (if they have time). Build people up with your words. In Colossians 4:29, Paul tells us to use words that edify others. He also t

Do you struggle with productivity? At the end of each day, do you wind up feeling discouraged that you didn't achieve more? Do you find that you often have trouble getting through your to-do list? If so, you'll want to listen to today's episode of the Christian Habits Podcast, where I interview Polly Payne, the CEO of Horacio Printing and the creator of the Dream Planner. Polly shares many helpful tips so that we can productively focus our energy on what matters most each day and finally conquer that to-do list! Things We Discussed on the Podcast How to win the day rather than letting the day defeat you How to simplify your focus by using the "Top 3" strategy The importance of planning your "Top 3" the night before Two phone tips to help get things done The Five Block System A helpful tip to transition from your morning routine to work block How remembering your "why" is so helpful to your productivity The "Planning Fallacy" Start small and give yourself the win Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Dream Planning Podcast with Polly Payne Shop at Horacio Printing 2022 Dream Planner Soap Bible Study Systemize Your Life Podcast with Chelsi Jo The Pomodoro Method Finish by Jon Acuff Polly Payne is a southern girl from Alabama who moved to NYC to pursue her dreams. She left her successful career in advertising to run Horacio Printing and share her Dream Planner with the world. She has sold over 35,000 Dream Planners around the world and raised over $65,000 to fight human trafficking through her partnership with A21. Last year, she hosted the Dreamers Summit which featured Christine Caine, Alli Worthington and DawnChere Wilkerson as guest speakers! Polly now lives in Chattanooga, TN with her husband and daughter and has a little baby boy on the way coming New Year's Day! How to Listen to the Podcast To listen or subscribe on Google Podcasts: click here To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here To listen or subscribe on Android: click here To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, "Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast."

Most all of us have the desire to grow in God, but we often don't know how to begin. My guest on the Christian Habits Podcast today, Darryl Dash, has written a great new book on this topic called 8 Habits for Growth: A Simple Guide to Becoming More Like Christ. Darryl discusses the habits in his book and gives helpful advice for the Christian desiring to go deeper in their faith walk. Things We Discussed on the Episode What Christian growth is Strategies for growth both for the individual and for the church Sharing life with someone as an effective means of discipleship How caring for your physical body is actually an important part of Christian growth Tips for beginning habits God's deep compassion for us when we are trying to grow and we fail How consistency is more important than perfection About Darryl Dash DARRYL DASH is pastor of Liberty Grace Church in Toronto. He is also cofounder of Gospel for Life, and director of Advance Church Planting Institute. He has a Doctor of Ministry degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and has over 25 years of ministry experience. Darryl is married to Charlene, and has two adult children, Christy and Josiah. You can find Darryl online at DashHouse.com. Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Darryl's new book 8 Habits for Growth Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg How to Listen to the Podcast To listen or subscribe on Google Podcasts: click here To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here To listen or subscribe on Android: click here To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, "Alexa, play the Christian Habits Podcast."

Do you ever get irritated with friends who believe differently than you do about politics or Covid? Do you get annoyed with the faults of a spouse or family member? Do you get frustrated with people who drive at a different speed than you drive? If so, today's post and podcast will help. We'll be discussing how to stop being angry. Before we do that, though, let's look at what anger is. What is anger? When I first started helping people let go of anger, I discovered people have different definitions for anger. Many picture anger as the person who is yelling and swearing, but anger is more than that. It also includes resentment, irritation, annoyance, and frustration. Often we stuff feelings of anger because we feel bad about it. But if you stuff those emotions for too long, you may not even know you're angry. How do you know you're angry? If you're used to stuffing or denying your anger, it will be hard to spot it in the beginning. Look for times when you feel out of sorts. Then think back to the last few hours. Did something just happen to upset you? Did you read something on the news? A post on social media? Did someone say something hurtful? Ask yourself, "What emotion am I feeling?" This will help you begin to recognize your emotions. Anger, resentment, irritation, frustration, and bitterness all fall into the category of anger. Judgement and pride are accompanying emotions. What causes anger? Have you ever been in a situation where you were angry and your friend wasn't? Even though you were both witnessing the same thing happening? We all get angry at different things because of our different life experiences, beliefs, and personalities. If we know why we're angry, it will be easier to stop being angry. Begin by asking yourself, "Why am I angry?" Here are a few reasons we get angry, irritated, annoyed, or resentful: We think we're right–and get mad at all those wrong people out there. We think others need to make us happy–and get mad when they don't. We think life should be easy–and get frustrated when it's not. We think we shouldn't have to suffer–and get mad when people expect us to do things that are hard. We compare our strengths to other's faults–and get mad when they're not more like us. We care too much about what others think–and get mad when they don't give us enough praise or affirmation. People we love do scary things–and our fear comes out as anger. People we love say and do things to hurt us–and our pain comes out as anger. Politicians do things we think will harm people or destroy our way of life–and our fear comes out as anger toward both the politicians and all the people who follow them. Is anger bad? Any time I teach on anger in a Bible study, I'll always have at least one person in the room bring up righteous anger. The idea is that there are good forms of anger and bad forms of anger. The problem is that even if there are good forms of anger, we engage in the bad form 95% of the time. So rather than defend ourselves for the 5%, we're better off if we work on the 95% of unrighteous anger! It's true that God is angry in the Bible at times and since we know God never sins, we know it's possible to be angry and not sin. But Romans 3:10 tells us that "none is righteous, no not one." So my question is, can an unrighteous person have righteous anger? That question is up for debate and people will answer it in different ways. One of the ways people answer it is to point out how you need righteous anger to right all the wrongs in the world–to help save the innocent from their abusers, for example. My question is, could you help the innocent with a motive of love rather than an emotion of anger? When Jesus died on the cross, I don't think he was angry. Jesus appears to be angry in the temple when he is overturning tables and it's possible he was–but if you look at those passages, it doesn't actually say he was. Although if he was, He would be another example of God--who is 100% righteous--being angry. I think you could make a biblical case for both points of view, so I usually try to avoid this part of the anger topic. But since it's a topic that always comes up, I thought I should at least mention it. What does the Bible say about anger? If you look up anger in the Bible, you'll find some examples of God being angry and all kinds of verses telling us not to be angry. The only passage that seems like it's saying we can be angry is Ephesians 4:26-27: "Be angry and yet do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity." Here's the interesting thing, though. In the Greek, the verb for "be angry" can either be translated "be angry" or "you are being angry." The reason for this is that the imperative 2nd person plural form (be angry) is the same as the present active indicative 2nd person plural form (you are continually being angry) in the Greek. (See pages 12 and 111 in Essentials of New Testament Greek by Ray Summers, Broadman Press, 1950.) But even

Brad is an ordained minister with the Evangelical Free Church of America, and is a graduate of Columbia Biblical Seminary, with his Master of Divinity. He's a certified biblical counselor with ACBC (Assoc. of Certified Biblical Counselors), author of the book Gospel Treason: Betraying the Gospel with Hidden Idols, as well as a national conference speaker. He and his wife, Vicki, have been married since 1986 and have five adult children. Topics We Talked About on the Podcast: What is idolatry? Do you have idols? How do you know what your idols are? What are three questions you can ask to determine whether or not something is an idol? How does idolatry affect relationship and marriage? How do you break free from idolatry? How do you get to the point where you're willing to let things go? Resources We Talked About on the Podcast Gospel Treason: Betraying the Gospel with Hidden Idols Brad's website: bradbigney.com Brad's sermon series on Idolatry Lost in the Middle by Paul Tripp Other Resources for Breaking Free from Idolatry Counterfeit Gods, by Timothy Keller Motives: Why Do I do What I do?, by Ed Welch Barb's blog series on Idolatry How to Listen to the Podcast To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here To listen or subscribe on Android: click here To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here To listen or subscribe on Google Play: click here To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here

Do you ever agonize over decisions for days or even years? Do you wait until the last possible moment to make the decision so you can keep your options open? Do decisions stress you out? If so, today's episode of the Christian Habits Podcast will help. We'll be talking about how to make decisions without going crazy. This was originally aired as a Facebook Live in June of 2019. But I've also included four new tips and a chance to renew your mind at the end of the podcast for a decision you're currently struggling with. 11 Tips for Making Decisions Recognize that there are no perfect decisions. Often we head into a decision not just wanting to make a decision, but wanting to make the best decision possible: the perfect decision. Because there are no perfect decisions out there, we take forever to make the decision. After all, we're sure that if we just wait long enough the perfect solution will present itself. It's critical at the beginning of the decision making process to recognize that there are no perfect decisions. Each choice will have its advantages and disadvantages. That's why the next tip is so important. Limit your options. One of the reasons we have such a hard time making decisions is because we have too many options. If you can narrow down the choices, it will be easier to make the decision. For example, when my friend Lauren and I used to go over to each others house after grade school, one of us would choose three games to play. The other person would narrow it down to two, then the person who started would eliminate the other. It was an easy way to decide which game to play. Make a deadline for the decision and try to stick to the deadline. This is huge. Often we put off decisions for years that could easily be made much sooner. When we do that, we have constant low-grade stress hanging over us because the decision is always there in the background. If you don't want to make the decision now, just say, "I'm going to keep going as is and then revisit this decision in a year." Then don't think about it until next year. Which leads to the next tip. Set a timer and only think about the decision when the timer is running. Too often we wear ourselves out thinking about the decision for hours on end. To avoid this energy drain, set a timer. You have x number of minutes to think and pray about your decision. When the buzzer rings, time's up. No more thinking about the decision until your next decision-making session. Use helpful tools and ask friends or mentors for advice. Here are a few things you can do in your decision-making sessions: Make a pro and con chart. Answer the decision questions from the Renewing of the Mind Project. Ask some friends for advice. Ask yourself, "What's my gut feeling?" These are all helpful ways to gain input. You can also use the decision making template or problem solving worksheet that I often use, which you can find at this link: Resources from Freedom from Procrastination Bible Study. Pray for a set amount of time. If it's an important decision, you may want to make a commitment to pray about it for a few hours. I did this with the last book I wrote. I made a plan to pray for three hours before I chose the topic of the next book. I did this in 15 and 30 minute increments, often while walking. I felt far better about my decision than I usually do (and also didn't quit writing it halfway through like I often do) because I took so much time to pray about it. That said, it's possible you'll pray for three hours and still not have a feel for what God wants you to do. This leads to the next tip. Recognize that God doesn't always care what decision you make. God gave us free will at great sacrifice to Himself. Why? Because He knew we would use our free will to hurt others and ourselves. If He knew we'd use free will to hurt ourselves, and maybe even walk away from Him, why would He give it to us? I think He gave it to us because He didn't want us to be perpetual teenagers. He wanted us to be free to make our own decisions. Often He'll have some boundaries for us but will give us free will for us within those boundaries. So for example with marriage, He tells us not to marry an unbeliever (2 Corinthians 6:14), but He never tells us to make sure we marry the exact person He wants us to marry. I'll expound more on this in the podcast. Renew Your Mind: When we take the time to renew our mind, we're taking the time to see the situation from God's perspective. Doing that often helps us realize that it's really not that big of a deal what we decide. And for the important decisions, renewing helps us remember that life is about God--not about making perfect decisions. If you want some questions to help you see your decision from a biblical perspective, try the Decision Making and God's Will questions. (We'll be using these questions at the end of the podcast to renew.) Find out why you're so obsessed with the perfect decision. When I renew, I often find I'm caring more about some

Do you ever feel like you'd like to start a new habit but you just can't make yourself do it? In today's episode of the Christian Habits Podcast, I interview Ian Warner, an expert on habit stacking. Ian created a habit tracking app. Interestingly enough, the number one positive habit that people want to build is reading the Bible each morning.

Do you ever find yourself annoyed with your husband because of something he did--or didn't--do? Often we let those annoyances build up until we're super unhappy in our marriages. In today's episode of the Christian Habits Podcast, I'll explain how to use option charts to improve your chances of having a happy Christian marriage.

Many of us are exhausted because we're not just trying to love people well--we're trying to please them. Make them happy--and often at all costs. On today's podcast, we'll talk about how to break free from people pleasing. My guest is Olu Sobanjo, host of the Like Jesus Podcast with Olu Sobanjo, where she shares tips and stories to show others how to be set free from people pleasing to live and love like Jesus lived and loved. On today's episode of the Christian Habits Podcast, Olu and I discuss how people pleasing affects our work, relationships, and emotions. We'll also share tips about how to break free from it. If you struggle with people pleasing, I hope you'll join us for the discussion! Resources We Discussed on the Podcast Olu's podcast: Like Jesus Podcast with Olu Sobanjo Olu's website: olusobanjo.com Olu's quiet time guide

Do you ever find yourself setting boundaries for breaking a habit, and then ignoring those boundaries and going your merry way, breaking your habit right and left? If so, this episode of the Christian Habits Podcast will help. First, we'll talk about 7 lies that keep us from breaking a habit. Then we'll use the carelessness questions and Bible verses from the Renewing of the Mind Project to give you an opportunity to renew your mind while you listen to the podcast.

Do you ever find yourself worrying about your loved ones rather than praying for them? I know I do. A woman in one of my Bible studies once said that worry is the enemy's manipulation of prayer. In today's podcast, we'll be talking about how to pray for loved ones.

Do you ever wish you felt closer to God? In today's podcast we'll talk about 7 ways to get closer to God.