Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

Our first guest, Patsy Clairmont, is a renowned author, speaker, and one of the founding speakers for Women of Faith. Patsy’s early years were marked by severe anxiety and depression. Whispering prayers of desperation for anything to help her through this time, she was surprised by the small, simple steps God gave her that helped her emerge from the darkness. The surprises would continue to come as she moved from barely being able to leave the house to speaking to millions of people—inspiring them with her humor, wisdom, and stories of overcoming.

Later in the epis...

In this week’s episode, we have the opportunity to listen to John Michael Talbot, a legendary musician and founder of the monastic community Brothers and Sisters of Charity. He shares the intense evolution of his faith: from expressing himself through music, to finding his community in Catholicism, to a moment in a hospital room where he experienced a forgiveness so deep it changed him forever. 

Later in the episode, we’ll hear from John Andrew Bryant, a chaplain and author. Bryant shares his battle with a mental health condition that not only revealed the inner workings of hi...

This week, we’ll visit with two musicians who found their love for music early on, but took some devastating detours along the way to their dreams of full-time music careers.

Darren Mulligan is songwriter and lead singer for the Dove Award-winning Christian music group We Are Messengers. Early in his music pursuits, Darren found himself indulging in other things that caused damage to himself and to those he loved—admitting that he was, “manipulative and just very broken.” He shares the story of attending a little church in his hometown in Monaghan, Ireland, and what happened that alt...

In this week’s episode, we delve into the remarkable journey of Ricky Dickson, a man whose faith has guided him through a fulfilling career and the trials of leadership. Throughout his forty-three years with Blue Bell Creameries, the beloved ice cream maker, Ricky rose to become the president and CEO, navigating the company through both successful and challenging times.

Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Mark Tappan, a police officer whose life took an unexpected turn through his bond with a remarkable police dog named Mattis. Mark shares how his lifelong connection to dogs has...

Old habits can be hard to break, whether it’s the foods we eat, the media we consume, or any pattern that may not serve us in the way that gets us where we want to be. Our guests this week took a look at their lives and found that doing the hard work of change was key to breaking unhealthy patterns and through faith and prayer, they kept at it, which ultimately produced lasting and rewarding results. 

Our first guest, Erin Loechner, discusses how we can reverse engineer some of the ways that social media and tec...

On this episode of Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer, we’ll hear from comedian Chonda Pierce. Chonda’s ability to bring laughter to others is renowned, but as we know, life’s circumstances can threaten to steal our joy. The loss of Chonda’s sisters and then her husband were crushing blows, but through prayer, therapy and the support of others, she shares how she was able to find light again after facing the worst kind of darkness. 

 

Guest’s Links
Chonda’s Facebook: @chondapierce

Chonda’s Twitter: @chondapierce

Chonda’s Instagram: @chon...

When kindness is shown to us—whether it’s as small as a smile from a stranger, or as big as someone meeting a need at a desperate time in our lives—we see and feel goodness that is often unexplainable. If we look for them, we can find these divine kindnesses each day, those big and little nods from God that bring us hope and comfort, even in the darkest of hours. These moments are powerful reminders of the sustaining force of divine kindness and the enduring faith it nurtures. 

Founders of the ministry Bottle of Tears C...

When we face self-doubt, we may find ourselves not believing in our own innate abilities, or we might even decide to turn away from our aspirations in the belief that we’re not “good enough” to get where we want to be. When we willfully stop listening to the voices that tell us we can’t do it, and replace our fears with faith, a transformative effect takes place that allows us to believe in ourselves again and realize that our dreams are worth chasing. 

Our first guest is the multi-talented Taraji P. Henson. Taraji is not only a re...

The most valuable life lessons often emerge from our most difficult circumstances. While these experiences give us insight into our own lives, they also provide meaningful stories to share with others and point them towards God, who can ultimately give them comfort through their darkest moments. 

This week, we’ll hear from Jesse Hutch, a Canadian-born American film and television actor, who recalls how a near-death experience taught him the peace that comes from fully trusting in God’s control and the importance of using scripture and prayer to ground your beliefs. Later in the episode, we’ll hear...

There is an intricate dance between the difficulty of making changes in our lives and a profound trust in God to guide us through. When we have to make the decision to leave something behind and start anew, there is an emotional toll and a fear of the unknown. However, there is much to be learned from endings and new beginnings, and how sometimes we end up finding peace in the midst of our turmoil. 

Emily P. Freeman is a spiritual director and author who hosts The Next Right Thing Podcast. Emily shares practical thoughts on how t...