God Doesn't Just Tolerate You; He Delights In You

Be Opened: A Word for Weary Women

Are you at the end of your own comprehension, struggling to understand why a prayer hasn't been answered or why a healing hasn't come? In this episode, hosts Staci and Elizabeth camp out in the Gospels to unpack some of Jesus' most unusual miracles: the healing of a deaf man and the gradual healing of a blind man in the book of Mark. By digging into the Old Testament context using cross-references, they reveal why Jesus used spit and mud, what it means to truly "look intently" at the Healer, and how we can guard our hearts against the hardened, sign-seeking mentality of the Pharisees. Whether you are seeking physical, emotional, or spiritual healing, this episode is a powerful reminder to turn your unmet expectations into moments of deeper worship. In This Episode We Talk About: * The "Otherworldly" Nature of Scripture: Reflecting on the supernatural worldview of the biblical authors and how modern Western society often misses it. * The Mystery of the Spitting Miracles: A deep dive into Mark 7 and 8, exploring why Jesus used physical elements like saliva and dirt, and why one healing happened in stages. * Unlocking the Power of Cross-References: How a simple link between Mark and Ezekiel 12 completely changes our understanding of Jesus’ actions. * The Trap of a Hardened Heart: Recognizing the difference between seeking God out of true need versus testing Him for a "sign" like the Pharisees did. * Chiastic Structure in Mark: How Mark brackets the stories of the feedings and healings to build up to Peter’s life-changing declaration: "You are the Christ." * Our Responsibility to "Look Intently": Exploring the human element in spiritual restoration and why we must fix our eyes on Jesus rather than demanding He prove Himself on our terms. * A Word from Acts 11: Stacy shares a powerful personal moment of listening to the Holy Spirit and how God reminds us that His grace and the Gospel are for everyone. Key Scriptures Mentioned: * Mark 7:31–35 — The healing of the deaf man with an impediment in his speech. * Mark 8:11–21 — The Pharisees demand a sign, and Jesus warns His disciples about the leaven of the Pharisees. * Mark 8:22–26 — The two-stage healing of the blind man at Bethsaida. * Ezekiel 12:1–3, 6, 11 — The Old Testament prophetic context of being a physical "sign" to a rebellious house. * Acts 11:18 — Peter's realization that God has granted repentance leading to life to the Gentiles as well. Best Quote From the Episode: "When I come to the end of my comprehension, when it's incomprehensible to me, will I respond with a hardened heart, or will I respond bowing my knee to the one who holds it all, looking intently at him and worshiping?" Reflection Question: If you have been praying for healing—whether it is physical, emotional, or spiritual—and you haven't received it yet, have you allowed your heart to drift into a place of testing God? How can you practice "looking intently" at the character of the Healer this week, choosing worship over a demand for signs? * Challenge for the week: Put a pen in your passage, follow a cross-reference in your Bible, and see how the Holy Spirit connects the dots for you!   Savor Moment:  Chopped Kale, Prosciutto, Fig Salad:  https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chopped-kale-salad-prosciutto-and-figs [https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chopped-kale-salad-prosciutto-and-figs]

Discover the Excitement of the Bible

Ever hit a season where your Bible reading feels a bit dry, routine, or just plain boring? We’ve all been there—and this episode is the perfect antidote. Hosts Staci and Elizabeth are on a mission to ignite a fresh fire in your scripture reading by uncovering the "magical" (extraordinary, beautiful, and otherworldly) layers hidden beneath familiar stories. By taking a close look at the feeding of the 5,000 in John 6 and laying it side-by-side with the rest of the Gospels, Staci shares how a simple question mark in her own Bible led to a mind-blowing discovery. You'll learn how Jesus was doing far more than just filling hungry stomachs in Galilee—He was systematically revealing Himself as the ultimate fulfillment of the Passover and setting the stage for the Lord's Supper chapters before it ever took place. Grab your Bible, ditch the guilt over using commentaries, and get ready to see God’s Word come alive like never before! In This Episode We Talk About: * Redefining "Magical" Scripture: Embracing the true definition of magic: experiences so extraordinary and beautiful they seem otherworldly. * The Power of the Question Mark: Why you shouldn’t shy away from what you don’t understand, and the immense value of writing, "Why is this here?" directly in your margins. * Harmonizing the Gospels: An introduction to taking different perspectives of the same event—like Jesus walking on water—and overlaying them to build a richer, complete picture. * John Chapter 6 and the Passover Connection: Unpacking why John intentionally notes that the Passover feast was near right before Jesus multiplies the loaves. * The "Cheating" Myth of Commentaries: Pushing back against the idea that using study tools or books like Four Portraits, One Jesus is cheating, and how God uses human scholarship to illuminate His text. * Prophetic Foreshadowing: Exploring the striking, deep structural parallels between the language used in the feeding of the 5,000 and the Last Supper accounts in the other Gospels. * The Divine PR Nightmare: A humorous look at the disciples' reactions when Jesus started telling the massive crowds they needed to "eat His flesh and drink His blood" to have eternal life. Key Scriptures Mentioned: * Hebrews 4:12 — The reminder that the Word of God is alive, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword. * John 6:1–6 — Jesus tests Philip near the Sea of Galilee before feeding the multitude. * John 6:11 — Jesus taking the loaves, giving thanks, and distributing them to the seated crowd. * Luke 22 — The account of the Lord's Supper/Passover meal, showcasing the parallel language of sitting down, giving thanks, and breaking bread. * John 6:34–35 — Jesus declares explicitly, "I am the bread of life." * Jeremiah 15:16 — The inspiration to "devour" God's words and let them become a joy and the delight of our hearts. Best Quote From the Episode: "There are so many things that we read over and over sort of with goggles on... because we've heard the story so many times. But then God reveals something completely new and you're like, 'What?!' Mind blown." Reflection Question: Look back at your own Bible reading over the past few weeks. Have you been reading with "goggles on"—skimming past details because the story feels too familiar? What is one passage you can revisit this week with permission to slow down, write down an honest question mark, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the deeper layers? Savor Moment:  Healthy Snickers Bar: https://rachaelsgoodeats.com/5-ingredient-date-snickers/ [https://rachaelsgoodeats.com/5-ingredient-date-snickers/]   Connect with us: savorministries.org [http://savorministries.org] for more information, or just drop us a DM!   Loved this Episode? If this conversation encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who may need hope today.

God Doesn't Just Tolerate You; He Delights In You

🎧 Episode Summary Have you ever fallen into the trap of thinking God only loves you when you perform well? In this episode, Staci and Elizabeth tackle the heavy burden of "performance-based love" and offer beautiful, tangible proof that God truly takes great delight in you—exactly as you are. Beginning with a hilarious and chaotic travel mishap involving a wrong rental car company, a forgotten studio sign, and incoming Atlanta tornadoes, the girls share how a stressful situation shifted into an overwhelming moment of grace. They detail an unbelievable, ice cream-filled "wink" from God at a recent conference that proved just how deeply He cares about making His children smile. Diving into the Old Testament, they unpack the powerful context of Zephaniah 3 to show that God's love isn't dependent on our perfection. If you are struggling with self-criticism, apathetic seasons, or past mistakes, this episode is a gentle, urgent reminder to look up, stop striving, and let your Heavenly Father delight over you. 📝 In This Episode We Talk About: * The Rental Car Chronicles: The chaotic backstory of why the Saver sign was left behind in a Louisville rental car, and the internal shame spiral that minor mistakes can trigger. * The Graeter's Ice Cream Miracle: How God went above and beyond to deliver Cincinnati’s famous Black Raspberry Chip ice cream directly to Staci and Elizabeth at a conference in New Albany, Indiana—blessing 500 other people in the process! * The Trap of Performance Love: Breaking down the legalistic mindset that tells us God only affirms us when we do good, and rejects us when we fail. * The Biblical Definition of a Remnant: Understanding how God protects, forgives, and preserves those who acknowledge Him, regardless of their past moral failures. * Modern-Day Idols: Shifting our dependence away from the modern "gods" of Netflix, social media, and perfectionism, and back to the living God. * Savoring God's Delight: A weekly challenge to intentionally look for the little ways God is showing His affection for you in your day-to-day life. 📖 Key Scriptures Mentioned Zephaniah 3:1 "Woe, judgment is coming to her who is rebellious and defiled... the tyrannical city, Jerusalem!" Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV) "The Lord your God is with you, the mighty warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17 (Amplified Bible Context) Unpacking what it means for God to be "quiet in his love"—meaning He makes absolutely no mention of your past sins. Other Passages Referenced: * 1 John 1:9 (Faithful and just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness) * Isaiah 1:18 (Though your sins are red as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow) ✨ Favorite Quote From This Episode "Stop naval gazing and begin looking up to God, the creator of heaven and earth, who wants to lift your face and say, 'You are my daughter. I take great delight in you.' Let your heavenly father speak that over you this week. That will change your day. It will change your life." — Staci (quoting Pastor Matt Chandler) 🤔 Reflection Question "Are you serving the god of perfectionism or the God of grace? What is one small, sweet detail in your life this week—whether it’s a surprise treat, a perfectly timed green light, or a moment of peace—where you can actively see your Heavenly Father whispering that He delights in you?" Savor Moment: Try these incredible, sumptuous cinnamon rolls! https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/best-cinnamon-rolls/ [https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/best-cinnamon-rolls/]   Connect with us: savorministries.org [http://savorministries.org] for more information, or just drop us a DM! Loved this Episode? If this conversation encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who may need hope today.

Why Four Different Gospels?

🎧 Episode Summary Have you ever wondered why the New Testament begins with four separate books detailing the life of Jesus? If you’ve read them, you know many of the same stories are repeated. In this episode, Staci and Elizabeth dive into why we have four unique portraits of Jesus instead of just one. Using the movie Vantage Point as an illustration, we discuss how four different writers offer four distinct perspectives to give us a full, accurate, and beautiful portrait of Christ. We also give a quick overview of the "Synoptic Gospels" (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), explain why understanding biblical literature matters, and break down the central theme of each Gospel into a simple takeaway you can use in your daily reading. In This Episode We Talk About: * The Power of Perspective: Why four unique viewpoints are better than one when it comes to understanding the life of Jesus. * The Synoptic Gospels: What Matthew, Mark, and Luke have in common, and why John stands out as uniquely different (with only about 5% overlap!). * Reading Scripture as Literature: Why recognizing historical narratives, plot development, and target audiences completely changes how you experience the text. * The Old Testament "Plot" Winner: A fun piece of trivia about why the Book of Ruth is historically considered the best example of perfect plot development. * The Four Themes: * Matthew: Jesus as the Promised Messiah and King. * Mark: Jesus as the Concise, Fast-Moving Suffering Servant. * Luke: Jesus as the Savior of All Humanity (regardless of status, gender, or race). * John: Jesus as the Artsy, Divine, Pre-existent Word of God. Key Scriptures Mentioned: * Matthew 1:1 – "This is the genealogy of Jesus, the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham." * Matthew 3:3 – "For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah..." * Mark 1:15 – "The time has come. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news." * Mark 10:45 – "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." * Luke 2:32 – "...a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel." * Luke 19:10 – "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." * John 1:1 – "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." * John 20:31 – "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." Favorite Quote From This Episode: "The Bible was not written to us, but it was written for our benefit." Reflection Question: Which Gospel theme resonates most with where you are in your faith journey right now? This week, try picking one Gospel (maybe the short and concise Mark, or the creative and deep John) and read it entirely through the lens of its specific theme. Notice how much richer the stories become! Resources Mentioned: * Four Portraits, One Jesus by Mark Strauss (Highly recommended textbook with full-color photos and charts—find it on Amazon!) P.S. If you borrowed Staci's copy of Four Portraits, One Jesus... please give it back! 😉 EDIT: SHE FOUND IT…on her bookshelf!  * Savor Moment Recipe: Why making a good Sweet Pea Risotto takes time—just like digging deep into God's Word—but the result is incredibly sweet. https://www.foodandwine.com/risi-e-bisi-green-pea-risotto-11928428 [https://www.foodandwine.com/risi-e-bisi-green-pea-risotto-11928428] Connect with us: savorministries.org [http://savorministries.org] for more information, or just drop us a DM! Loved this Episode? If this conversation encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who may need hope today.

Cheap Grace | Don't Settle

Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession". The Cost of Discipleship by Bonhoffere Apostle Paul: What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become [a]united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be [b]in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old [c]self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be [d]done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is [e]freed from sin. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting [g]the members of your body to sin as [h]instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as [i]instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Romans 6:1-15 The age old question a "fire insurance" policy to avoid hell, rather than a life of following Jesus. Also remember what Jesus said in Matthew 9 He did not come for the righteous but for sinners But that is not an excuse to continue to sin Pitfalls of cheap grace 1. It minimizes repentance Cheap grace treats forgiveness as automatic, without a changed heart. Luke 13:3 – “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Biblical issue: Without repentance, grace is misunderstood as permission rather than rescue. 2. It separates faith from obedience It claims belief in Christ without following Him. James 2:17 – “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” Biblical issue: True faith produces action; cheap grace produces complacency. 3. It ignores the cost of discipleship Jesus consistently taught that following Him requires surrender. Luke 9:23 – “Take up your cross daily and follow me.” Biblical issue: Cheap grace avoids sacrifice, while biblical grace calls for daily surrender. 4. It abuses God’s grace as a license to sin It assumes grace covers ongoing, willful sin without conviction. Romans 6:1-2 – “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!” Biblical issue: Grace is meant to free us from sin, not excuse it. 5. It resists transformation Cheap grace keeps people spiritually stagnant. 2 Corinthians 5:17 – “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” Biblical issue: Genuine grace changes identity and direction. 6. It neglects holiness Scripture calls believers to a distinct, set-apart life. 1 Peter 1:15-16 – “Be holy in all you do.” Biblical issue: Cheap grace tolerates what God calls us to leave behind. 7. It risks self-deception It creates a false sense of security without true relationship with Christ. Matthew 7:21 – “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom.” Biblical issue: Verbal belief without obedience can lead to spiritual deception. 8. It diminishes the cross Cheap grace forgets the cost of salvation. 1 Corinthians 6:20 – “You were bought at a price.” Biblical issue: Grace is free to us, but never cheap—Christ paid fully. In short: Cheap grace distorts the gospel by offering comfort without transformation, forgiveness without repentance, and belief without discipleship. Biblically, grace is not just pardon—it is power that leads to a changed life. Savor Moment Allow God’s mercy soak into every aspect of your life so that you will be tender to the conviction of the Spirit Don’t settle for cheap grace or dry meatballs Soaking breadcrumbs in milk (creating a "panade") creates tender, moist meatballs by preventing the proteins from over-tightening. Combine equal parts breadcrumbs and milk (e.g., 1/2 cup each), let it sit for 5–15 minutes until a thick paste forms, and then gently mix this paste into the meat mixture. This method works with both fresh or dry breadcrumbs and, traditionally, stale bread. Great Meatballs [https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-meatballs-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-108048]