73 | Once...But Now

73 | Once...But Now

The gospel is a story of transformation.  Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly reminds His people of who they once were compared to who they have now become because of His grace. Once dead... but now alive. Once slaves... but now free. Once far away... but now brought near. Once in darkness... but now in the Light in the Lord.  In this episode of Sermons on the Side, Richard and Brad explore one of the Bible's most beautiful recurring themes: the "once... but now" passages that reveal the transforming power of Christ. Walking through passages like Ephesians 2, Romans 6 and 7, Galatians 4, and Ephesians 5, they unpack how our identity has fundamentally changed - not because of our effort, but because of God's redeeming work.  The conversation culminates in the powerful imagery of Ezekiel 36, where God promises to restore what was once desolate until people can only marvel at what He has done. It's a fitting picture of every believer's testimony.  No matter your past, your failures, or your present struggles, the gospel declares that God is still in the business of writing "once... but now" stories. Scripture Referenced: * Ephesians 2:19 * Romans 6:13 * Romans 6:17-18 * Romans 7:5-6 * Galatians 4:7 * Ephesians 5:8 * Ezekiel 36:33-35 Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2372827/fan_mail/new] Sermons on the Side Bible Readings [https://gmail.us17.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=274c7054c3468fdeba876877a&id=2d41226b65] Connect with us on our FACEBOOK [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573067220837] page Connect with us on INSTAGRAM @sermons_on_the_side_podcast Check out our website HERE [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2372827] Love the show? If you’re enjoying the stories, laughs, and conversations we share here, we’d be so grateful if you’d consider “buying us a cup of coffee” to help keep things brewing. It’s a simple way to show your support and keep the podcast going strong! Here’s the link: buymeacoffee.com/sermonsontheside Thank you for being part of the journey with us!

72 | The Road to Lynchburg

Sometimes God leads us down roads we've never traveled before. Other times, He takes us back down roads we know by heart.  In this episode, Richard reflects on a recent trip to Lynchburg, Virginia - a journey that unexpectedly began with a detour through Birmingham, Alabama. While the route from Columbus to Lynchburg has become familiar over the last thirteen years, the road from Birmingham to Lynchburg was one he hadn't traveled in a very long time.  As the miles passed, so did memories.  The familiar highways became a backdrop for reflecting on a pivotal season of life - one filled with both incredible highs and painful lows. Along the way, Richard found himself considering just how much God has done: in his relationship with the Lord, in his relationship with his children, and in the countless ways God's faithfulness has been evident through the years. Sometimes God intentionally brings us back to places we've been before - not to relive the past, but to help us see how far He has brought us.  Maybe there's a road (our route) in your life that you've traveled before. A season, a memory, a place. What if God is inviting you to look back, not with regret, but with gratitude?  Join us as we reflect on the roads behind us, the grace that carried us through them, and the faithfulness that continues to lead us forward. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2372827/fan_mail/new] Sermons on the Side Bible Readings [https://gmail.us17.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=274c7054c3468fdeba876877a&id=2d41226b65] Connect with us on our FACEBOOK [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573067220837] page Connect with us on INSTAGRAM @sermons_on_the_side_podcast Check out our website HERE [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2372827] Love the show? If you’re enjoying the stories, laughs, and conversations we share here, we’d be so grateful if you’d consider “buying us a cup of coffee” to help keep things brewing. It’s a simple way to show your support and keep the podcast going strong! Here’s the link: buymeacoffee.com/sermonsontheside Thank you for being part of the journey with us!

71 | Stewarding Your Scars with Special Guests: Tray & Shelley Lovvorn | Part 2

In Part Two of our conversation with Tray and Shelley Lovvorn, the spotlight turns to Shelley's remarkable story of faith, perseverance, and learning to steward life's deepest wounds.  As a wife, mother of six, health coach, and follower of Christ, Shelley shares candidly about grief, loss, relationships, family, and the challenges that inevitably shape every life. Rather than allowing pain to define her, she offers a powerful perspective on how God can redeem our scars and use them to bring healing, wisdom, and hope to others.  What makes this conversation especially meaningful is that, between the time this interview was recorded earlier this year and its release, Shelley was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer. With the blessing of both Tray and Shelley, we are releasing these episodes exactly as planned. Listening now, her words carry an added weight and beauty, reminding us that the truths she shares are not merely theoretical - they are being lived out in real time.  This episode is a moving reminder that faith is not the absence of suffering, but the willingness to trust God through it. Whether you're walking through loss, uncertainty, disappointment, or a season of waiting, Shelley's story points us back to the hope and faithfulness of Christ.  We are grateful to Tray and Shelley for their honesty, courage, and willingness to share their journey with us. You can follow Shelley's (@love_is777) health journey on CareBridge here [https://www.caringbridge.org/site/4b5fb66f-5496-11f1-9d1b-fd0442674ac9] Also to connect with Tray Lovvorn you can visit his website www.traylovvorn.com [https://traylovvorn.com/] Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2372827/fan_mail/new] Sermons on the Side Bible Readings [https://gmail.us17.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=274c7054c3468fdeba876877a&id=2d41226b65] Connect with us on our FACEBOOK [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573067220837] page Connect with us on INSTAGRAM @sermons_on_the_side_podcast Check out our website HERE [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2372827] Love the show? If you’re enjoying the stories, laughs, and conversations we share here, we’d be so grateful if you’d consider “buying us a cup of coffee” to help keep things brewing. It’s a simple way to show your support and keep the podcast going strong! Here’s the link: buymeacoffee.com/sermonsontheside Thank you for being part of the journey with us!

70 | Grace Looks Good On You with Special Guests: Tray & Shelley Lovvorn | Part 1

This week on Sermons on the Side, we begin a powerful two-part conversation with Tray and Shelley Lovvorn. For Richard, this interview is especially meaningful. Tray has been a mentor, friend, and influential voice in his recovery journey for nearly two decades. As the founder of a recovery ministry in Birmingham that helped shape Richard's early steps toward healing - and the same ministry model that continues today in Columbus (Route1520) - Tray's story is deeply woven into the fabric of Richard's own.  In Part 1, Tray shares his journey from childhood faith to personal brokenness, the consequences of sin, and the difficult road of recovery. Along the way, he offers honest reflections on what it means to be a sinner in need of grace, the challenges of rebuilding a life after failure, and the hope that can only be found in Christ.  Through every twist and turn, one truth remains: God's love never wavers, and there is still a Plan A for the Beloved Son.  This is a raw, vulnerable, and hope-filled conversation that reminds us no one is beyond the reach of redemption.  And trust us - you won't want to miss Part 2 next week, when Shelley joins the conversation to share her story and big updates from her own journey. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2372827/fan_mail/new] Sermons on the Side Bible Readings [https://gmail.us17.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=274c7054c3468fdeba876877a&id=2d41226b65] Connect with us on our FACEBOOK [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573067220837] page Connect with us on INSTAGRAM @sermons_on_the_side_podcast Check out our website HERE [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2372827] Love the show? If you’re enjoying the stories, laughs, and conversations we share here, we’d be so grateful if you’d consider “buying us a cup of coffee” to help keep things brewing. It’s a simple way to show your support and keep the podcast going strong! Here’s the link: buymeacoffee.com/sermonsontheside Thank you for being part of the journey with us!

69 | Echo of My Days

What started as a simple conversation about “echoes” with the 'Divine Miss B' years ago would later become something far more personal and powerful. In Episode 69, Echo of My Days, Richard reflects on a day that once felt impossible - sitting in the same church, on the same row, surrounded by family, honoring his sister at Liberty Church. This same church that served as a beacon of hope in some of Richard's darkest days, now played host to one of the brightest!  In this deeply heartfelt episode, Richard shares a journal entry written from that very day - a reflection on God’s faithfulness in the middle of suffering, the strange balance that comes from leaning into the struggle instead of running from it, and how pain can sometimes become both a teacher and a pathway to peace. Along the way, the conversation circles back to the lyric from the song King of My Heart: “You are the echo of my days.”  Our prayer is simple: that when the noise fades and the years pass, the echo left behind would be one of faith, perseverance, healing, and the steady goodness of God through every season. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2372827/fan_mail/new] Sermons on the Side Bible Readings [https://gmail.us17.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=274c7054c3468fdeba876877a&id=2d41226b65] Connect with us on our FACEBOOK [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573067220837] page Connect with us on INSTAGRAM @sermons_on_the_side_podcast Check out our website HERE [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2372827] Love the show? If you’re enjoying the stories, laughs, and conversations we share here, we’d be so grateful if you’d consider “buying us a cup of coffee” to help keep things brewing. It’s a simple way to show your support and keep the podcast going strong! Here’s the link: buymeacoffee.com/sermonsontheside Thank you for being part of the journey with us!