An Unfinished Life

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?

Stepping Over the Guardrail: Letting Go of Control and Surviving Egypt

Have you ever woken up, looked around at your life, and thought, "How in the world did I end up here?" In this episode, Lisa and Lori sit down for a raw, honest conversation about the tug-of-war between overthinking and impulsivity. Lisa confesses her struggle as an overthinker who feels safe only when following the rules—even when it means physically staying behind the guardrail and missing the view. Meanwhile, Lori opens up about her tendency to jump right over the boundaries just to feel like she's in control, only to find herself sitting in "Egypt." Together, they dive into what it truly means to offer our lives as a complete sacrifice, the unique heartaches of parenting adult children, and why we have to stop trying to "fix" everyone else's problems. If you struggle with anxiety, a need to know the future, or find yourself sitting in a hard season wondering what God is doing, this episode is a beautiful reminder that He has a plan for the plunder, even when the timeline makes no sense to us. Key Takeaways from this episode: ✔️ Safety vs. Control: The difference between looking at life through a safety lens and operating out of a need to control. ✔️ Lessons from the Plunder: Why the things you accumulate in your hardest seasons are exactly what God will use to build your next chapter. ✔️ Parenting Adult Children: Learning to step out of the way so your kids can experience God’s faithfulness and build their own testimonies. ✔️ The "I'm Sorry" Trap: Why Lori’s therapist told her to stop apologizing for things out of her hands, and how to transition from "fixer" to "disciple-maker."

An Unfinished Life

Have you ever wanted to quit when life didn’t go the way you expected? In this honest and heartfelt conversation, Lori and Lisa reflect on the story of Elijah and the moments when fear, disappointment, and exhaustion make us want to stop moving forward. From mountaintop victories to desert seasons, they explore what it means to trust God when the journey feels too long and the valley feels too deep. Together they discuss: ✨ Why we run from difficult situations✨ The danger of living in self-pity and unfinished business✨ Learning to hear God’s still, small voice✨ The importance of truth-tellers in our lives✨ Trusting God one step at a time, even when we can’t see the whole path ahead Sometimes the miracle isn’t in the whirlwind—it’s in the simple obedience of taking the next step. If you’ve ever felt stuck, discouraged, or tempted to give up, this episode is a reminder that your story isn’t over yet. The desert is not the destination.