Embracing Brokenness: Prayer, Hope, and Movement in Hard Seasons | with Jenn Tucker

Embracing Brokenness: Prayer, Hope, and Movement in Hard Seasons | with Jenn Tucker

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE: I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself! So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord. **If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight [http://gospelspice.com/awakendelight] and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at contact@gospelspice.com [contact@gospelspice.com%20] ** Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him! Jennifer Tucker joins Stephanie Rousselle to share her journey with prayer, mental health, and the integration of body, soul, and spirit. Jenn Tucker’s story, interwoven through her three books—Breath as Prayer, Present in Prayer, and Prayer in Motion—offers practical wisdom for deepening connection with God amid life’s hardships. NOTE! We’re giving away a full set of Jenn’s 3 books (Breath as Prayer, Present in Prayer, and Prayer in Motion) as well as 2 copies of “Prayer in Motion”. To enter, it’s simple! Go to gospelspice.com/jenntucker [http://gospelspice.com/jenntucker] and follow the simple prompt. Jenn begins by describing her upbringing in faith, where prayer was a checklist item—something to do in order to be a “good Christian”. When life became dark and difficult, this formulaic approach unraveled. Even with faithful churchgoing, parental duties, and ticking all the boxes, Jenn struggled with anxiety and depression, compounded by shame for feeling that way. She slowly discovered that faith is not about perfect performance or checking off tasks, but about honest, vulnerable communion with God. Freedom begins with releasing the guilt and shame attached to struggles with anxiety, fear, or broken expectations. When her daughter faced severe anxiety and panic attacks, Jenn  was forced to confront her own pain. The loss of control and the inability to “fix” things broke down years of self-sufficiency. Through “breath prayers”—simple, repeated prayers aligned with breathing—she found tethering to God possible even in crisis, when no other words would come. When you’re overwhelmed, practice breath prayers or silent contemplation. Let your prayers be honest expressions of pain, confusion, and need. God’s invitation is to commune with Him, not perform for Him. After enduring trauma and depression, Jenn discovered that both stillness and movement were vital for healing. He book Present in Prayer explores deep stillness and meditation on Scripture, fostering rootedness in God’s presence. Yet, healing also required physical movement. Jenn learned to listen to her body, recognizing that gentle motion—walking, stretching—helped lift depression’s weight, reconnecting her to hope. We are body, soul, and spirit. Movement can be prayerful—a way to invite God into every step, reminding us of His presence and goodness. Attending to your physical, emotional, and spiritual needs honors God’s holistic design. Jenn details simple grounding practices using the senses for moments of anxiety or distress: naming things you can see, hear, touch, smell, and taste. These help anchor us in the present and open us to God’s nearness. Even when bodies fail or senses are lost, God’s presence remains, and hope is available—sometimes through pivoting to find new joys in brokenness. Use your senses to regain awareness of God’s gifts, even in difficulty. Hunt for glimpses of goodness, fix your gaze on hope, and trust that your wholeness in Christ is not limited by present suffering. Jenn’s journey teaches that prayer is communion, not performance; that movement and stillness are both sacred; and that hope is sustained by trusting God’s presence through all circumstances. Every breath, every step, every struggle, and every joy can become a prayer—reminding us that God is with us, always. Remember! We’re giving away a full set of Jenn’s 3 books (Breath as Prayer, Present in Prayer, and Prayer in Motion) as well as 2 copies of “Prayer in Motion”. To enter, it’s simple! Go to gospelspice.com/jenntucker [http://gospelspice.com/jenntucker] and follow the simple prompt. MORE ABOUT “PRAYER IN MOTION” Move Your Body. Quiet Your Mind. Reconnect with God. What if prayer felt less like a routine and more like a rhythm—something that flows through all the moments of your day and movements of your body? In Prayer in Motion, author and artist Jennifer Tucker invites you to experience prayer in a fresh, embodied way—where movement becomes worship, and your physical self is embraced as part of your spiritual journey. With warmth and gentle wisdom, Jennifer offers a path to deeper peace, joy, and connection through simple practices that unite body and soul. You’ll be encouraged to slow down, create sacred space, and engage in meaningful somatic movement—from stretching and breathing to dancing, drawing, and resting. Prayer in Motion offers: ·         Thoughtful reflections on the biblical connection between body and spirit ·         Helpful guides for creating daily prayer rhythms that keep you anchored to God as you move through your day ·         Practical tools for mindful movement and embodied prayer ·         Creative somatic exercises that promote rest, release, and restoration ·         Encouragement to embrace your body as a beautiful, God-created gift Whether you're feeling disconnected, stressed, or just longing to experience God in a new way, Prayer in Motion gently leads you toward wholeness—helping you reclaim joy, deepen faith, and find peace one intentional movement at a time. Let this be your invitation to move with purpose, pray with presence, and worship God with your whole being. Support us on Gospel Spice [https://www.gospelspice.com/donate], PayPal [https://www.paypal.com/biz/fund?id=U9CFSXW2XCWCL] and Venmo [https://account.venmo.com/u/gospelspice]!

Faith and fortitude through failure: growing our emotional endurance | with Leslie Bosserman

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE: I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself! So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord. **If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight [http://gospelspice.com/awakendelight] and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at contact@gospelspice.com [contact@gospelspice.com%20] ** Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him! Leslie Bosserman shares powerful insights drawn from her new book, "Emotional Endurance." With Stephanie, she explores her personal journey, the necessity of emotional endurance, and practical strategies for developing this crucial skill set from a Christian perspective.   NOTE | We are giving away 3 copies of Leslie's book, "Emotional Endurance." Sign up at https://www.gospelspice.com/lesliebossermangiveaway [https://www.gospelspice.com/lesliebossermangiveaway] today!  Leslie Bosserman defines emotional endurance as a “dynamic inner capacity to keep going and rise above your circumstances as you deal with life’s stresses and challenges”. It is not a one-size-fits-all solution but a set of skills and tools that can be developed and customized to each person’s needs, rooted deeply in faith, self-awareness, and lived experience. Emotional endurance is a lifelong journey—dynamic, adaptable, and deeply rooted in our walk with God. Leslie offers a hopeful, practical, and theologically rich path for us to develop greater endurance in the face of life’s challenges. Leslie’s journey began with a drastic life change: after only four weeks of marriage, Leslie and her husband moved to the Middle East to serve with a non-profit—an experience that profoundly shaped her understanding of endurance, faith, and the necessity of resilience in unfamiliar and challenging environments. Through cultural adaptation, crisis, and change, she learned the importance of inner strength, flexibility, and spiritual grounding. Leslie organizes emotional endurance into six alliterative principles, each with actionable skills: 1.      Fortitude to Fail: Embracing failure as a necessary step in growth; learning that God has designed us for recovery and redemption, not perfection. 2.      Resilience to Rise: Applying the science of resilience to rise above difficulties, using setbacks as opportunities for persistence and learning. 3.      Hope to Heal: Building sustainable hope, even in times of discouragement, by integrating psychological research and Christian theology. 4.      Courage to Change: Leaning into bravery to accept the need for change and transformation in alignment with God’s purposes. 5.      Energy to Engage: Managing one’s energy—both physical and spiritual—to avoid burnout and remain engaged in life’s calling. 6.      Purpose to Persevere: Connecting daily actions to a deeper sense of purpose and legacy, fueling perseverance in long-term challenges. Leslie Bosserman breaks each principle into three actionable skills, allowing for a customized, non-linear journey. This approach encourages small, manageable steps rather than overwhelming change. For example, an essential first step Leslie Bosserman recommends is developing margin—the space between your “load” (responsibilities and stresses) and your “power” (resources and capacity). When margin is lacking, growth and endurance become even more difficult. Cultivating healthy margins means intentionally reducing overload and creating space for God’s work in and through us. Another example is the key difference between a fixed mindset (believing abilities and circumstances are static) and a growth mindset (seeing challenges as opportunities to learn). As Stephanie says, we are “half-baked masterpieces”—in progress, growing, and continually shaped by God. By focusing on small, intentional steps and embracing both faith and self-awareness, anyone can begin building the resilience necessary to live out their God-given purpose. MORE ABOUT “EMOTIONAL ENDURANCE” Learn how to come back stronger and keep going when you experience setbacks and disappointment. Why do some people bounce back from adversity while others stay stuck? We all face stress and setbacks, but not everyone recovers the same way. What makes the difference? Executive leadership coach, educator, and TEDx speaker Leslie M. Bosserman has spent decades helping people answer that question. Through research, experience, and her own personal journey, she’s identified the key: emotional endurance. In Emotional Endurance, you’ll develop the mindset and skills to face life’s hardest moments and come out stronger, wiser, and more grounded. Based in psychological research and biblical truth, this practical and hope-filled guide offers a framework for building resilience that lasts. Soon you won’t just survive adversity; you’ll bounce back stronger with the skills to keep going. Emotional Endurance offers practical tools and transformational results, including how to develop inner strength and grit through six core principles and eighteen actionable skills; recover from failure, turn it into a source of strength, and use it to fuel your growth; build resilience that lasts beyond a single crisis; access hope to heal from emotional wounds; replace fear and paralysis with courage and clarity; learn to manage your energy by anticipating what drains you and making space for what restores you; and find strength to endure challenges by standing firm in your clearly defined purpose. This book is a perfect gift for anyone going through a difficult season, friends facing burnout or transition, graduates stepping into uncertain futures, small groups or book clubs focused on personal growth, or leadership retreats and team-building sessions. Real strength isn’t about avoiding hard things. It’s about moving forward with emotional steadiness when life gets tough. Emotional Endurance equips you with the mindset and resilience to keep going, keep growing, and come out stronger on the other side. Your bounce-back starts here. MORE ABOUT LESLIE BOSSERMAN Leslie M. Bosserman, M.Ed., CPCC is an Executive Coach and Lifestyle Strategist for innovators and creative professionals leading dynamic and diverse teams. After working for a decade in higher education and student development, Leslie launched Lead With Intention® – a boutique coaching and consulting practice that specializes in leadership coaching, customized training, and organizational strategy for clients and their teams around the world. She collaborates with a range of creative professionals from entrepreneurs launching their startups to executive leaders at Fortune 500 Companies. Leslie is committed to enhancing her local community and co-created and launched The Makers Place™ with her husband, Joel. As the regions first coworking space with onsite childcare, this innovative multi-use space supports parents who need a professional workspace along with flexible childcare options. She also currently works as the Director and Site Supervisor of Mini Makers™ Preschool. Leslie has also served locally on the leadership team for TEDxSacramento as the Event Coordinator and volunteered as a coach for emerging female leaders through The Women's Impact Alliance (formerly The Coaching Fellowship). She has been a featured speaker at TEDxEustis with over 1.3 million views! Before becoming a Professional Coach, Leslie worked at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she taught leadership and diversity classes as well as ran a campus-wide Leadership Certificate Program for over 500 students, faculty, and staff members. She also has worked professionally in residential life and academic research at UCLA and in Public Affairs at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under the U.S. Department of Energy. Before becoming a Professional Coach, Leslie worked at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she taught leadership and diversity classes as well as ran a campus-wide Leadership Certificate Program for over 500 students, faculty, and staff members. She also has worked professionally in residential life and academic research at UCLA and in Public Affairs at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under the U.S. Department of Energy. Leslie loves to travel and explore new places and has visited over 30 countries as well as living abroad in the Middle East for a year where she volunteered at local schools with her husband, Joel. She is an avid artist who also enjoys karaoke, cooking ethnic food, supporting local coffee shops, and practicing yoga. Leslie lives in Northern California with her husband and three children, and travels internationally for coaching, organizational trainings, and retreat facilitation. https://www.lesliembosserman.com/ [https://www.lesliembosserman.com/]  https://leadwithintention.com/ [https://leadwithintention.com/]  Support us on Gospel Spice [https://www.gospelspice.com/donate], PayPal [https://www.paypal.com/biz/fund?id=U9CFSXW2XCWCL] and Venmo [https://account.venmo.com/u/gospelspice]!

From birth to glory | an epilogue (12th lesson from Luke)

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE: I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself! So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord. **If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight [http://gospelspice.com/awakendelight] and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at contact@gospelspice.com [contact@gospelspice.com%20] ** Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him! The Gospel of Luke reads like a carefully composed symphony—each movement swelling toward the unveiling of the One who enters history in vulnerability and moves inexorably toward glory. If Matthew emphasizes fulfillment and Mark pushes us into urgency, Luke invites us into wonder. His narrative carries the pulse of a journey: from manger to mountain, from obscurity to acclaim, from rejection to radiant triumph. Luke places Christ before us not as an idea or an abstraction but as the God who steps into time, wrapping divine majesty in mortal frailty so that human beings might step into the life of God. Christianity is not good advice but good news—news of a God who does for us what we could never do for ourselves. Luke gives us that news with astonishing clarity. So, in this final episode in our series "from birth to glory" rooted in the Gospel of Luke, Stephanie gives us a wider-lens perspective on the entire book. MORE ABOUT THIS GOSPEL The Gospel of Luke is the story of a God who steps into His own world and walks its roads from the vulnerability of birth to the radiance of resurrection. Luke writes with a historian’s care and a pastor’s imagination, drawing us into a journey where every scene glints with the surprising ways God works: glory wrapped in humility, authority expressed through compassion, victory accomplished through sacrifice. The story opens in obscurity—an elderly couple awaiting a child, a young girl in an unnoticed village, shepherds startled by angels. These early chapters announce the pattern that will shape the entire Gospel: God approaches the lowly to raise them, and nothing in His kingdom moves according to human rank. Jesus’ ministry unfolds as a kingdom breaking into the present. He proclaims freedom, heals the broken, and welcomes the estranged. His parables expose the heart; His miracles reveal a power that restores rather than destroys. Yet even as crowds gather, He sets His face toward Jerusalem, showing that His mission does not culminate in applause but in a cross. Luke follows Jesus into that final week—into confrontation, betrayal, agony, and an execution that paradoxically becomes the moment of enthronement. The crucified King forgives His enemies, welcomes a dying criminal, and bears judgment so His people may know peace. But death does not end His story. On the third day, Jesus rises, walks with the disillusioned, opens Scripture with burning clarity, and reveals a kingdom that cannot be contained by tombs. Luke closes with ascension, not farewell—Christ lifted in blessing, reigning in glory, sending His people into the world with news of forgiveness and hope. This Gospel invites you into that journey: to see the world remade through the One who descended for us and now reigns for us. ---- DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES BEHIND THIS EPISODE If you enjoyed this episode, we invite you to discover more about how God is at work at Gospel Spice Ministries, and even to join in His work! There are 3 easy ways to do that: PLAY IT FORWARD [https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/38/link/] by SHARING the show with friends and family: https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/38/link/ [https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/38/link/] PAY IT FORWARD [http://gospelspice.com/payitforward]by supporting us financially: gospelspice.com/payitforward [http://gospelspice.com/payitforward] PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with! Go to gospelspice.com [http://gospelspice.com%20]for more info about Gospel Spice Ministries, the umbrella ministry over the podcast. You will discover our partners and the various services we offer, such as in-depth Bible studies with interactive conversation groups, a couple of times a year.  Go to gospel-spice.com [http://gospel-spice.com%20](with a "dash"!) to join the Gospel Spice Podcast community and interact with us! Contact us on the website or at contact@gospelspice.com to send us your prayer requests (we pray for you as a team every week!) and let us know how we can come alongside you. We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com [http://%20gospelspice.com%20]for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast [http://gospelspice.com/podcast] to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog [http://gospelspice.com/blog] Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/ [https://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/] Malachi: Messenger to Messiah https://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/ [https://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/] Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs https://www.podcastics.com/episode/324347/link/ [https://www.podcastics.com/episode/324347/link/] Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebrated https://www.podcastics.com/episode/309956/link/ [https://www.podcastics.com/episode/309956/link/] Support us on Gospel Spice [https://www.gospelspice.com/donate], PayPal [https://www.paypal.com/biz/fund?id=U9CFSXW2XCWCL] and Venmo [https://account.venmo.com/u/gospelspice]!

Art, Hospitality, and Seeing Like Jesus: the secret to the beautiful life | with Jennifer Trafton

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE: I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself! So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord. **If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight [http://gospelspice.com/awakendelight] and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at contact@gospelspice.com [contact@gospelspice.com%20] ** Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him! Lilias Trotter was a woman who did not fit the mold of her Victorian era. Born in 1853 into upper-class England, she was an exceptionally gifted artist mentored by John Ruskin, one of the most prominent art critics of her time. Yet, rather than pursuing conventional success and artistic fame, she chose a path of surrender—one that blended beauty, compassion, and deep spiritual vocation. She has much to teach us about a life of joyful surrender to God’s gentle leading. Did you know? Lilias Trotter inspired the famous hymn, Fix Your Eyes Upon Jesus – yes, so that “all things will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” Stephanie welcomes Jennifer Trafton, who just released “If only we could see”, a wonderful new biography of Lilias Trotter. Jennifer explains how she became captivated with Lilias, whose “adventurous, interesting, fascinating life” radiated with childlike delight, generosity, and profound love for God. Victorian artist and missionary Lilias Trotter teaches us much about the practice of “seeing”—both literally and spiritually— and how it transforms us and the world around us. Lilias’s training as an artist under Ruskin taught her to “see well”—not just the details of nature, but the overlooked people in her society. She moved from painting to working with the most impoverished communities in London, especially young women vulnerable in the city. In partnership with movements like the YWCA and revivalist preacher D.L. Moody, Lilias dedicated herself to listening, serving, and providing safety and practical help for working-class girls and women subject to exploitation and trafficking. Her artistry was inseparable from her love for people. This “way of seeing”—attentive, joyful, and present—became her creative and spiritual calling. Lilias’s vision challenges us to integrate our gifts and passions into practical love for others. A key metaphor for Lilias’s life is the dandelion—“full face to the sun” (representing Christ), then surrendered as seeds blown by the wind of the Holy Spirit to places and purposes beyond our control. Lilias did not chase worldly success. Lilias believed in offering her life freely to God, trusting Him to use every skill, experience, or seeming detour for His glory. The measure of a “successful life” is not accomplishment or recognition, but faithfulness and openness to the Spirit. The lesson of Lilias’s life is that we are all called to both see others as Christ sees them, and to rest in the assurance that we ourselves are fully seen and loved by God. Her legacy is less about artistic fame and more about the deep creative, transformative hospitality she brought to every relationship. Lilias Trotter’s “beautiful life” continues to inspire because she shows that to be fully present, fully surrendered, and fully attentive is to live in step with God’s purposes. Whether you’re an artist or not, her story invites you to open your eyes and your life, so that God’s glory and gladness shine out through you, in Christ Jesus. Next Steps for You! ·         Practice seeing: Pay attention—to beauty, to overlooked people, to God’s presence in the present moment. ·         Surrender your gifts: Offer your unique talents, passions, and opportunities to God without demanding a particular outcome. ·         Root yourself in your belovedness through Christ: Know that, like Lilias, your worth is secure in being seen by God—which frees you to serve, love, and see others anew. ·         Let your life be scattered as seed, trusting Christ’s Holy Spirit to bear fruit, however and whenever God chooses. MORE ABOUT “IF ONLY WE COULD SEE” “God only knows the endless possibilities that lie enfolded in each of us.” – Lilias Trotter In the late 19th century, Lilias Trotter stood at the threshold of artistic fame, her extraordinary talent praised by the renowned critic John Ruskin. Yet, at the height of her promise, she made a radical choice that would define the course of her life. Turning away from worldly recognition and social convention, she forged her own path—one that led her through the roughest streets of London and, ultimately, to the deserts of North Africa. There, her artistic and spiritual journeys intertwined as she expanded the many-colored canvas of her creativity to embrace not only the sweeping vistas of the Sahara, but also the lives of the Arab people she loved. Blending biography, personal engagement, and theological reflection, Trafton takes readers on an intimate journey with Lily as her friends knew her – a visionary who saw the world with an artist’s eye and a missionary’s heart, and whose imaginative empathy and creative compassion transformed the lives of those she encountered. More than the story of one remarkable woman, this book is an invitation to experience the beauty of creation with fresh wonder, to look at our neighbors through new lenses, and to discover what “beautiful possible life” awaits each one of us as we follow the call of the Divine Artist. MORE ABOUT JENNIFER TRAFTON Jennifer Trafton is a storyteller and artist with a passion for exploring the intersections of faith, creativity, and the arts. She studied church history and theology at Wake Forest University, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and Duke University, focusing on the 19th-century writer George MacDonald and his influence on Christian views of the imagination. After serving as managing editor of Christian History & Biography magazine and a curriculum writer and editor for the StoneWorks Global Arts Initiative, she has been a regular conference speaker, writer, teacher, editor, and illustrator for the Nashville-based Rabbit Room creative community for over a decade. Her first two novels for children, The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic and Henry and the Chalk Dragon, received starred reviews and multiple award nominations, and she has since collaborated on or contributed to a wide array of projects including The Wingfeather Tales, The Lost Tales of Sir Galahad, Every Moment Holy, Vol. III: The Work of the People, and J. R. R. Tolkien and the Arts: A Theology of Subcreation. She recently illustrated Glad and Golden Hours: A Companion for Advent and Christmastide by Lanier Ivester (Rabbit Room Press, 2024). Support us on Gospel Spice [https://www.gospelspice.com/donate], PayPal [https://www.paypal.com/biz/fund?id=U9CFSXW2XCWCL] and Venmo [https://account.venmo.com/u/gospelspice]!

How do we know that the resurrection actually happened? (11th lesson from Luke)

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE: I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It’s a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God’ goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself! So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It’s a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord. **If you’re interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight [http://gospelspice.com/awakendelight] and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at contact@gospelspice.com [contact@gospelspice.com%20] ** Together, let’s encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him! Many of us know the fact of Jesus’ resurrection from childhood, but familiarity can dull its impact. Stephanie challenges us to see how the resurrection should continually change us—and to recognize when we might be taking it for granted. In this final episode on the Gospel of Luke, Stephanie ponders how we ground our faith in reason and in miracles both. We tackle TEN REASONS that prove the resurrection true. From the anchoring in Jerusalem, to the disciples' testimonies--our humble prayer is that you will discover an angle that you have not yet considered, and that it will draw you deeper in worship of Christ as our true, risen Lord.  We invite you to look beyond familiarity with the Easter story and rediscover why the resurrection is truly “mind-blowing” and transformative. So, here are 10 reasons the Resurrection matters: 1. Rooted in Reality, Not Myth | Unlike legends, which are set “once upon a time in a land far away,” the resurrection whispers began in Jerusalem—among people who could verify or refute them. Myths lack dates and places; the resurrection is grounded in real time and space. 2. Grounded in Historical Time | The rumors of resurrection started immediately, on Easter morning, with eyewitness accounts such as the road to Emmaus (Luke 24). Truth claims have time-stamps; myths don’t. 3. The Empty Tomb | Both opponents and followers agreed the tomb was empty. The authorities couldn’t produce the body. If Jesus hadn’t physically risen, showing His corpse would have instantly silenced the movement. 4. The Unlikely Founders | The first Christians were devout Jews—least likely to start a new religion. Their culture fiercely protected their faith, but they radically shifted their weekly day of worship from Saturday to Sunday, honoring the risen Lord. 5. Martyrdom Without Collusion | The apostles died alone—often persecuted—refusing to recant their faith. Unlike cults that die together under peer pressure, these men faced solitary deaths, pressured by enemies to live if only they denied the resurrection. Yet each chose fidelity to truth over self-preservation. 6. Peter’s Radical Change | Peter, who denied Jesus even after witnessing the transfiguration, was transformed by the resurrection. Only after seeing the risen Lord did Peter become a bold leader, willing to die for his faith. 7. Paul’s Complete 180° | Paul, once a zealous persecutor of Christians, became their champion after encountering the risen Christ. He made it clear: If Christ had not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith ( from 1Corinthians 15). 8. Embarrassing Honesty | If early disciples were inventing a story, they would not have highlighted their failures—like Peter’s denial or the men’s fear and confusion. These accounts signal authenticity, as people rarely expose their own flaws unless they’re recounting truth. 9. Diversity of Witness Accounts | Multiple Gospel authors describe resurrection events differently, as eyewitnesses would. Perfect consistency signals collusion, not reality—historical truth is always a bit “messy” in its details. 10. Women as First Witnesses | Women, whose testimony carried little societal weight, are listed first as witnesses. A fabricated story in that culture would spotlight influential men. Instead, the Gospel places women—signaling a commitment to truth and reflecting Jesus’ radical affirmation of women. Conclusion and Challenge The resurrection isn’t just a spiritual metaphor. It’s anchored in credible history, powerful testimony, and unexpected inversion of cultural norms. Let its truth deepen your faith and transform your life—grounded both in reason and the miraculous love of God. Jesus is the Christ, our risen Lord, and is worthy of all our worship and adoration! Reflection Questions: ·         Which reason resonated most with you? ·         How does anchoring faith in the resurrection challenge or encourage you today? ·         Where might you need to ask God for deeper conviction or understanding of this truth? ---- DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES BEHIND THIS EPISODE If you enjoyed this episode, we invite you to discover more about how God is at work at Gospel Spice Ministries, and even to join in His work! 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