Beyond the Top 5 Ways: Trading Someone Else's Blueprint for Your Own

Beyond the Top 5 Ways: Trading Someone Else's Blueprint for Your Own

Ever feel like a "crappy believer" because you can’t seem to stick to a 5:00 AM prayer routine, or because your mind wanders the second you close your eyes? You are definitely not alone. In this episode, Lori and Lisa dive into the heavy burden of trying to live out someone else’s spiritual blueprint. From the trap of short-form "top 5 ways" videos to the pressure of checking off a perfect spiritual checklist, we discuss how easy it is to treat faith like a performance rather than a relationship. Pulling from the story of Moses and a beautiful reminder from Psalm 90, we talk about giving ourselves grace, embracing the "level" we are currently on, and discovering how God uniquely speaks to us—even if it's not at the crack of dawn. What we talk about: 💛 The exhaustion of living on borrowed faith and borrowed plans. 💛 Why a "Level 2" faith is exactly where you're supposed to be if you're just starting out. 💛 Breaking free from the pressure of the 5:00 AM quiet hour. 💛 Learning to ask questions, handle the "trips and falls" of life, and grow at your own speed. Let's walk this journey together. If this conversation gave you a little more breathing room today, hit Follow to join our community. Sharing this episode with a friend who needs a reminder of God's grace is the best way to support the show!

Living on Borrowed Trust : When We Choose Comfort Over God's Word

Are you living on God's truth...or just someone else's interpretation of it? It's easy to build a faith that sounds biblical without ever digging into Scripture for yourself. In a culture built on quick answers and short clips, many of us have settled for borrowed convictions instead of a personal relationship with God's Word. In this episode, Lisa and Lori talk about what it looks like to move beyond the simplified Bible stories many of us grew up with any begin pursuing the deeper truths Scripture actually teaches. They discuss how small compromises can quietly shape our lives, why no one else's relationship with God can sustain your own, and why spiritual maturity requires intentional time in God's Word. In this episode: ✨ Why a childhood understanding of Scripture isn't meant to be where your faith stays. ✨ How "micro-sins" slowly become major strongholds. ✨ Why your faith can't be borrowed from your pastor, parents, favorite author, or influencer. ✨ What it really looks like to study Scripture instead of simply consuming Christian content. If this conversation encouraged you, be sure to follow the podcast, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who wants to grow deeper in their walk with Christ.

250 Years and the Monuments We Forget

As America celebrates a monumental milestone—250 years as a nation—it’s easy to look back at our history with a mix of patriotism and reflection. But as the fireworks fade, a bigger question remains: How good are we at remembering where we came from? In this episode, Lisa and Lori dive into 1 Samuel 7 to explore the story of the "Ebenezer stone"—a physical monument built by Samuel to declare, "Thus far the Lord has helped us." Join us as we look at why human nature naturally drifts toward control, why we become numb to day-to-day victories, and how we can start building personal "monuments of remembrance" in our own lives to celebrate surrender instead of staying stuck in our struggles. In This Episode, We Discuss: * America’s 250th Milestone: Reflecting on the foundation of our country and where we’ve drifted. * The Story of the Ebenezer Stone: How a discombobulating thunderstorm led to a monumental victory for Israel. * The Idol of Control: Why we constantly want to "see around the curve" of life (and Lori’s moving car headlight metaphor!). * Leveling Up in Faith: Why parenting and spiritual maturity are a lot like a video game. * Practicing Surrender: Shifting our focus from beating ourselves up over our mess-ups to celebrating the moments we actually let go.

The Truth About Repentance: How Old Habits Recontaminate Our Lives

Have you ever worked incredibly hard to clean up an area of your life, only to accidentally invite an old habit right back in? In this episode, Lori shares a painful—yet hilarious—lesson from her backyard pool. After spending the entire season keeping the water crystal clear, a single, forgotten pool float from the garage brought back the dreaded red algae overnight. It turns out, the bacteria wasn’t dead; it was just dormant, waiting for the right environment to reactivate. We often do the exact same thing with our faith. We try to bring pieces of our past along for the ride, only to find ourselves self-sabotaging and recontaminating our lives. Join us as we break down what true, deep repentance actually looks like. We explore: * The Mirror of the Laver: Moving past quick, "numb" prayers of confession and learning to honestly examine the gravity of our choices. * The "Best Bud" vs. "Sovereign Lord" Pendulum: How swinging between complacency and condemnation keeps us from a healthy reverence for God. * The Honesty Challenge: Why real transformation requires digging deep and "hashing it out" with God instead of just hitting the high points. If you are tired of fighting the same old cycles and are ready for the kind of honesty that actually changes everything, this conversation is for you.

Switching Lanes: The Difference Between Surrender and Obedience

Why do we try to mimic someone else’s journey when God gave us our own lane? After a chaotic morning commute into downtown Birmingham, Lori had a sudden realization during her morning quiet time: “I don’t have a problem with surrender. I have a problem with obedience.” In this episode, Lori and Lisa break down the distinct difference between surrendering your path to God and practicing daily obedience. Using the unexpected (and intense) moment in Exodus 4 where Moses faces the consequences of partial obedience, as well as Peter’s classic "what about him?" moment of comparison in John 21, they look at how easily we try to copy the stories we tell ourselves about others instead of listening directly to God. From parenting and career to the everyday traps of comparison, they get honest about the comfort of holding onto "favorite" sins and why the narrow path offers a peace that the crowded road never can. Key highlights in this episode: * The Traffic Analogy: Why switching lanes to get ahead usually sets us paces back. * Moses & Partial Obedience: Learning from the hidden, sobering truths in Exodus 3 and 4. * The Comparison Trap: Why Peter looked at John, why we look at high-profile leaders, and how Jesus answers us: "What is that to you? You follow me." * The "Shoulder" of the Narrow Road: Why trying to just sit on the sidelines of the wide path always pulls us in. Connect with us:Leave a review and let us know: Are you struggling with surrender, or is it obedience?