Do you ever find it hard to let God work on your behalf? Are you tempted to trust in your own strength rather than let God work things out for you?
As believers, we have the most incredible opportunity to put our full trust and confidence in our heavenly Father. But, so often, we get caught in the trap of thinking “Surely I’m not the right person to do this” or “There’s too much against me for this to actually work out.”
Today on The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, Lynn Cowell will help us understand what it means to develop unshakable confidence built on Christ.
With today’s episode, you will…

• Grow your confidence in God as you hear references to stories in Scripture that show how He moved through others who trusted Him to do the impossible.
  
• Identify and address the fears that keep you stuck, and learn what practical steps to take to walk in your calling with confidence.
• Renew your passion to do what only you’ve been called to do, knowing it’s more important to please God than others.

Related Resources:

• Discover more about unshakable confidence with Lynn’s Bible study, Make Your Move. Purchase the Bible study and DVD set today from Proverbs 31 Ministries’ online store.
• Is there a tween in your life who needs a little encouragement as she makes the transition from being a little girl to becoming a teenager? Check out Lynn’s book, Brave Beauty: Finding the Fearless You, available on the Proverbs 31 Ministries’ online store.
• Plan your next church women’s event with the Proverbs 31 Ministries’ speaker team in mind! Click here to inquire about having speakers like Lynn Cowell, Chrysal Evans Hurst, Nicki Koziarz and more at your next event.

Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

Why is it so enticing to choose lesser things over lasting things?
Do you ever pick up your phone or watch a mindless show without thinking anything of it, but end up wondering where the day went when you lay down at night? Sometimes even the things that are entertaining and good can leave us feeling empty, lesser and lacking. So, how do we set healthy boundaries and train our minds to choose what’s best over what seems right in the moment?
Today on The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, we’re tackling distractions head-on with our friends Amanda Bacon and Anne-Renee Gumley of The Masterpiece Mom. Amanda and Anne-Renee will give a teaching based on their latest book, Shiny Things: Mothering on Purpose in a World of Distractions (and we promise it isn’t just for moms).
In this episode of the podcast, you will…

• Identify the areas where you’re most distracted by “shiny things” and create a priority list that you’re determined to live out, not just write out.
  
• Stop being distracted by comparing your life to someone else’s as you start focusing on the assignment that only you can do.
• Grow your desire to have a strong relationship with the Lord in order to develop the persistence you need to stick to your “lasting” list instead of the “lesser” things in life.

Related Resources:

• Learn more about how to choose lasting things over lesser things with Amanda and Anne-Renee’s book, Shiny Things. Purchase yours today from Proverbs 31 Ministries!
  
• Fill your social media feed with encouragement and uplifting content by following Proverbs 31 Ministries on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.
  
• Help us get The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast to even more listeners by leaving a review on iTunes!

Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

“Can God be good even when life is not?” It’s a question we’ve been wrestling through together as a ministry since Lysa TerKeurst released her book, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way.
Today on The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, we’re continuing the conversation on what to do when life doesn’t turn out the way you thought it would by giving you a sneak peek of the It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way Online Bible Study Teaching Series recorded earlier this year. You’ll hear a conversation between our Online Bible Studies team and Pastor Craig Groeschel from Life.Church. Pastor Craig has also been through his own season of hardship and wrote about it in his latest book, Hope in the Dark.
When you listen to this episode, you will…

• Find comfort in a season or moment of doubt by realizing that God won’t look down on you when you doubt, but will give you what you need to continue pressing on.
  
• Discover that breakthrough happens when you invite someone you trust into your struggle, even though opening up is often scary or hard.
• Stop comparing your dark moment or season to someone else’s, and gain compassion for others regardless of the level of their struggle.

Related Resources:

• Purchase the It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way Teaching Series from Proverbs 31 Ministries Online Bible Studies to hear more in-depth teaching and biblical wisdom from Lysa TerKeurst, Annie F. Downs and Angie Smith, plus two bonus episodes!
  
• Learn how to believe God is good even when life is not when you read Craig Groeschel’s latest book, Hope in the Dark. Click here to shop!
  
• Not sure what episodes of The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast to listen to next? Click here to easily see episodes categorized by topics!

Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

It’s easy to look back and think of all the things you’d do differently in your teenage years, isn’t it? Maybe there are some small things you’d change … you wouldn’t have worn so much makeup or pushed yourself to do better in math. Or perhaps the people you thought were your best friends led you to make decisions that now you’d do much differently.
As an adult, hindsight is 20/20. But what if we made the choice today to look back at the decisions we made and believe that although we can’t change them, God can use them?
In today’s episode of the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, author and speaker Chrystal Evans Hurst shares a message titled, “3 Things I’d Tell My Teenage Self.” In this episode, you will…

• Realize that you are loved as you are, and you don’t have to clean up your mistakes to receive God’s love.
  
• Find comfort in knowing the very struggle you face today is developing in you the strength you need for tomorrow’s battle.
• Stop believing the lie that at some point you will “arrive” and start believing that your journey will always be a process that requires time and trust.

Related Resources:

• Purchase Chrystal’s latest book for teenage girls called, “Show Up For Your Life” from Proverbs 31 Ministries. Every purchase you make from our online bookstore helps us fund ministry resources, just like this podcast!
• Subscribe to our Encouragement for Today devotions and receive relevant, biblical inspiration in your inbox every weekday.

Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

Today is a very special day on The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast because … (drum roll please) we’re celebrating our first birthday!
Over the past year, we’ve released 31 episodes — how fitting for Proverbs 31, right? But there’s more to celebrate than just the number of episodes we released. With every episode, we reached hearts and homes around the globe (literally!) with biblical truth for any girl in any season. We’re so thankful for the way the Lord has used this podcast above and beyond what we could have imagined!
So to help us celebrate, we invited Proverbs 31 Ministries' President, Lysa TerKeurst, to the show because there’s just no one who can share God’s Word quite like Lysa. In today’s episode of the podcast, you’ll hear a teaching called “3 Things to Consider Before Making that Decision.” We’re so thankful for Lysa’s wisdom and expertise on decision-making.
In this episode, Lysa will teach you:

• The “daily-ness” of decisions can make them seem small, but over time, even small decisions add up and make an impact.
  
• When you look at the big picture of where you are and where you want to be, the path can seem complicated and scary! But the way you get there is one day at a time, through choosing wisely every day.
• Wisdom is earned through the combination of gaining knowledge, access to the Holy Spirit and living out what you know to be true.

Related Resources:

• If the Lord has used The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast to help you in your walk with Him, please share it with us! Simply visit us on iTunes and leave a review. Leaving a review helps others discover the podcast, so thank you for helping us!
• Are you subscribed to The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast? Never miss an episode! We’ve made it easy for you because we’re available on iTunes and Spotify.
• Be sure to grab a copy of Lysa TerKeurst’s book, The Best Yes, and learn how to start making wiser decisions today.

Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

Do you ever find yourself fighting the temptation to focus on what you don’t have instead of what you’ve already been given? When we are actively pursuing God’s calling on our lives, I think we’ve all been tempted to focus on what someone else has or is experiencing, and feel disqualified because of what we lack. It’s so easy to think, I’m not as talented, bold, smart or outgoing as she is. I can’t write, speak or lead. I don’t know how to do _______. I just can’t.

Sweet friend, we don’t know what your calling looks like, but we do know that we serve a God who’s still in charge and doesn’t leave everything up to us! Today on The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, you’ll hear a special message from Suzie Eller that will inspire you and empower you to trust God with your calling.
In this episode, Suzie will teach you…

• Being called out of your comfort zone and called into a new assignment is never easy, but it’s also never about you, and that's a good thing!
  
• Consistently coming before the Lord with what’s on your mind will help you know what you need to keep saying yes to, and what you may need to stop doing.
• Embracing God’s anointing on your life IS the confidence you need to step into the assignment He’s asked you to do!

Related Resources:

• Do you feel called to write, speak or lead? It’s time to step into your assignment! At Proverbs 31 Ministries, we have an annual conference called She Speaks where we equip writers, speakers and leaders with the practical tools and biblical training they need to take the next right step in their calling. This year for the first time ever, you can join us online from the comfort of your home! Click here to check out our She Speaks livestream packages.
• Connect with Suzie Eller on her blog and through Proverbs 31 Ministries’ Encouragement for Today daily devotions.

Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

It seems like every opportunity that comes our way is often followed by opposition. So ... how do you really know if it’s God who is really telling you to keep pursuing that opportunity when you face a giant roadblock? What do you do when you’ve lost all confidence to do what you think He’s called you to do?
In today’s podcast episode, Katy McCown, one of our First 5 mobile app writers, will give a teaching from our First 5 study titled Opposition and Opportunity, based on the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. You’ll learn that if you’re only looking for opportunities and not expecting opposition with them, it’s easy to get confused about what you thought you were supposed to do. Or worse, you might even think you’ve misheard God or taken a wrong step, because if God really wanted you to make a move … why would something get in the way?
In this episode, you’ll…

• Gain clarity on the calling you believe God is asking you to follow by understanding the difference between an opportunity from God and opposition from the enemy.
  
• Identify common tactics of the enemy — confusion, doubt and fear — and how to train your eyes to look away from the opposition you see and focus on the opportunity in front of you.
• Claim your identity in Christ and speak Truth to combat the enemy’s lies while trusting God to go before you in every battle you face.

Related Resources:

• Discover more about Opposition and Opportunity by doing our study in the First 5 app! All you need to do is download the FREE First 5 mobile app (available for Apple and Android devices) and go to the “Plans” section in the app. Just search for the title Opposition and Opportunity and start the study!
  
• Take your study of Opposition and Opportunity further by purchasing the accompanying Experience Guide, available at p31bookstore.com. All of our Experience Guides are designed to take you deeper into Scripture with questions to help you apply God’s Word to your life.
  
• Access more teachings just like the one you heard today through the First 5 app each weekend. Simply make sure you have the app downloaded, and there will be a fresh audio teaching each weekend available to help you apply what you’re learning during the week to your life!
  

Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

Pause for a moment and think about your relationships … your spouse, children, friends, co-workers, neighbors. You can probably name some highs and lows of each relationship because, well, humans are human. And humans mess up!
Our relationship with the church is no different. When a body of believers (who are by nature sinners) come together, things aren’t always a beautiful picture of a happy community without conflict. Whether or not you’re new to the Christian community, a phrase that you’ll likely hear is “church hurt.” At Proverbs 31 Ministries, we don’t want to just talk about church hurt; we want to dig into God’s Word and understand what He says about the Church (the body of believers). Using the first church in the book of Acts as an example, Whitney Capps will lead us through a Scripture-based conversation on church hurt and how to navigate it in our own lives.
In this episode, it’s our hope that you’ll …

• Understand the relationship between the church and its members as outlined in Scripture and find your place in a community of believers.
  
• Acknowledge the hurt you’re facing and find a way to forgive those who’ve hurt you through the lens of Scripture.
  
• Develop empathy for those who have been hurt by the church and discover ways you can reach out to help someone close to you take the next step toward healing.
  

Related Resources:

• Stay rooted in God’s Word by giving Him the first five minutes of your day with our free First 5 mobile app! Download it today for your Apple or Android device.
  
• With Whitney Capps’ newest book, Sick of Me, you’ll take the next steps on your faith journey to look more like Jesus today than you did yesterday. Purchase your copy today from Proverbs 31 Ministries!
• Visit whitneycapps.com to download a free resource on how to walk through specific situations of church hurt and how to process the hurt you’re facing today.

Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

“Why should I fast?” … is a real question that often goes unanswered. You might hear your pastor, ministry leader or friend talk about fasting and wonder what the purpose of depriving yourself of something really is. After all, why fast when you could simply pray, right?

Throughout Scripture, you’ll discover fasting mentioned from Daniel to Elisha to Paul, and most commonly known, Jesus’ 40-day fast in the wilderness. In today’s teaching, you’ll hear Proverbs 31 Ministries' Director of Theology, Joel Muddamalle, discuss the real reason we should fast and answer the question you might’ve always wanted to understand.
In this episode, you will …

• Learn about fasting in context of Scripture and understand how it can apply to your life today.
  
• Understand how fasting is part of many spiritual disciplines that are outlined in Scripture to help us look more like Christ.
  

• Discover how going “without” can help you reposition your heart and mind toward God through your ultimate need for Him.

Related Resources:

• Although we want to ensure fasting is a private event between you and God, we do want to encourage you to anonymously share how we can pray for you on our prayer wall. At Proverbs 31 Ministries, our staff and volunteers pray over each prayer request submitted, and we would love to pray for you! Click here to visit our prayer wall.
  
• If you’re interested in learning more about spiritual foundations or knowing God, check out our free resource library! This is a great place to start if you’re looking to dig deeper into Scripture and want more insight on questions you have about your personal faith journey.

Click here to download the transcript for this episode

A note from Proverbs 31 Ministries: This podcast contains content that might not be suitable for young children, and may serve as a trigger due to circumstances in your past. Please see the Related Resources section at the bottom of this page if you need help finding a counselor.
When hurtful circumstances happen, we wonder, “How will I ever get over this?”
Lysa TerKeurst deeply understands that feeling. Since the release of her latest book, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, she’s received hundreds of emails, direct messages on social media and inquiries from people asking her how she got through one of the hardest seasons of her life.
Over the next few weeks on The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, we’re taking a break from our regularly scheduled programming to introduce a 6-week series called Therapy & Theology: How Do I Get Through This? Our goal is to meet you in the middle of your hurt and give you biblical answers on how to move through it.
In the last episode of the series, you’ll hear Lysa dive deep into conversation with her personal, licensed professional counselor, Jim Cress, as well as Proverbs 31 Ministries director of theology, Joel Muddamalle. Together, they will unpack the topic of boundaries and address specific instances where healthy boundaries are necessary, and what to do when a boundary line is crossed.
In this series, you’ll learn how to …

• Overcome the feeling that you’ll never get over the hurt you’re facing by recognizing small steps you can take to get through the hurt, little by little.
  
• Replace the negative stigma of “therapy” by gaining a healthy, biblical view of counseling for your situation.
  
• Move toward healing today by discovering the two distinct and necessary parts of forgiveness and how to live them out.
• Find hope in the midst of devastating circumstances by seeking restoration for yourself through prayer and proven exercises to help you process your pain.

Related Resources:

• If you’ve ever wished you had a friend who understands deep hurt and heartbreak to walk with you through the healing process, purchase Lysa TerKeurst’s latest book, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, at p31bookstore.com!
• Ready to take the next step in finding a Christian counselor? Here’s a good place to find the right fit for you and your circumstances: American Association of Christian Counselors.
• Click here to learn more about how Integrity Redeemed Workshops help men, women and couples who need healing from sexual addiction.

Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

A note from Proverbs 31 Ministries: This podcast contains content that might not be suitable for young children, and may serve as a trigger due to circumstances in your past. Please see the Related Resources section at the bottom of this page if you need help finding a counselor.
When hurtful circumstances happen, we wonder, “How will I ever get over this?”
Lysa TerKeurst deeply understands that feeling. Since the release of her latest book, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, she’s received hundreds of emails, direct messages on social media and inquiries from people asking her how she got through one of the hardest seasons of her life.
Over the next few weeks on The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, we’re taking a break from our regularly scheduled programming to introduce a 6-week series called Therapy & Theology: How Do I Get Through This? Our goal is to meet you in the middle of your hurt and give you biblical answers on how to move through it.
In the fifth episode of the series, you’ll hear a conversation between Lysa TerKeurst and her personal, licensed professional counselor, Jim Cress, as well as Proverbs 31 Ministries director of theology, Joel Muddamalle. Together they will unpack depression and anxiety, help you identify triggers and learn how to combat anxiety in a healthy way.
In this series, you’ll learn how to …

• Overcome the feeling that you’ll never get over the hurt you’re facing by recognizing small steps you can take to get through the hurt, little by little.
• Replace the negative stigma of “therapy” by gaining a healthy, biblical view of counseling for your situation.
• Move toward healing today by discovering the two distinct and necessary parts of forgiveness and how to live them out.
• Find hope in the midst of devastating circumstances by seeking restoration for yourself through prayer and proven exercises to help you process your pain.

Related Resources:

• If you’ve ever wished you had a friend who understands deep hurt and heartbreak to walk with you through the healing process, purchase Lysa TerKeurst’s latest book, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, at p31bookstore.com!
  
• Help your child overcome anxiety with Lysa TerKeurst’s children’s book, It Will Be Okay: Trusting God Through Fear and Change, available in the Proverbs 31 Ministries bookstore.
  
• Ready to take the next step in finding a Christian counselor? Here’s a good place to find the right fit for you and your circumstances: American Association of Christian Counselors.
  

To download the transcript for this episode, click here.

A note from Proverbs 31 Ministries: This podcast contains content that might not be suitable for young children, and may serve as a trigger due to circumstances in your past. Please see the Related Resources section at the bottom of this page if you need help finding a counselor.
When hurtful circumstances happen, we wonder, “How will I ever get over this?”
Lysa TerKeurst deeply understands that feeling. Since the release of her latest book, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, she’s received hundreds of emails, direct messages on social media and inquiries from people asking her how she got through one of the hardest seasons of her life.
Over the next few weeks on The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, we’re taking a break from our regularly scheduled programming to introduce a 6-week series called Therapy & Theology: How Do I Get Through This? Our goal is to meet you in the middle of your hurt and give you biblical answers for how to move through it.
In the fourth episode of the series, you’ll hear a conversation between Lysa TerKeurst and her personal, licensed professional counselor Jim Cress, as well as Proverbs 31 Ministries director of theology, Joel Muddamalle. Together, they will unpack what it looked like for Lysa to restore her broken marriage. They’ll also talk about how tough times and hard relationship situations — not just marriage — bring about brokenness, and how to seek God for personal restoration.
In this series, you’ll learn how to ...

• Overcome the feeling that you’ll never get over the hurt you’re facing by recognizing small steps you can take to get through the hurt, little by little.
• Replace the negative stigma of “therapy” by gaining a healthy, biblical view of counseling for your situation.
• Move toward healing today by discovering the two distinct and necessary parts of forgiveness and how to live them out.
• Find hope in the midst of devastating circumstances by seeking restoration for yourself through prayer and proven exercises to help you process your pain.

Related Resources:

• If you’ve ever wished you had a friend who understands deep hurt and heartbreak to walk with you through the healing process, purchase Lysa TerKeurst’s latest book, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, at p31bookstore.com!
  
• Ready to take the next step in finding a Christian counselor? Here’s a good place to find the right fit for you and your circumstances: American Association of Christian Counselors.
  
• Click here to learn more about how Integrity Redeemed Workshops help men, women and couples who need healing from sexual addiction.
  

To download the transcript for this episode, click here.

A note from Proverbs 31 Ministries: This podcast contains content that might not be suitable for young children, and may serve as a trigger due to circumstances in your past. Please see the Related Resources section at the bottom of this page if you need help finding a counselor.
When hurtful circumstances happen, we wonder, “How will I ever get over this?”
Lysa TerKeurst deeply understands that feeling. Since the release of her latest book, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, she’s received hundreds of emails, direct messages on social media and inquiries from people asking her how she got through one of the hardest seasons of her life.
Over the next few weeks on the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, we’re taking a break from our regularly scheduled programming to introduce a 6-week series called Therapy & Theology: How Do I Get Through This?Our goal is to meet you in the middle of your hurt and give you biblical answers on how to move through it.
In the third episode of the series, you’ll hear a conversation between Lysa TerKeurst and her personal, licensed professional counselor, Jim Cress, as well as Proverbs 31 Ministries director of theology, Joel Muddamalle. Together, they will unpack when reconciliation is not possible because of death, divorce or when the other person in the relationship refuses to reconcile. This series will help you to:

• Overcome the feeling that you’ll never get over the hurt you’re facing by recognizing small steps you can take to get through the hurt, little by little.
  
• Replace the negative stigma of “therapy” by gaining a healthy, biblical view of counseling for your situation.
  
• Move toward healing today by discovering the two distinct and necessary parts of forgiveness and how to live them out.
  
• Find hope in the midst of devastating circumstances by seeking restoration for yourself through prayer and proven exercises to help you process your pain.

To read the transcript for this episode click here.

Related Resources

• If you’ve ever wished you had a friend who understands deep hurt and heartbreak to walk with you through the healing process, purchase Lysa TerKeurst’s latest book, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, at p31bookstore.com!
  
• Ready to take the next step in finding a Christian counselor? Here’s a good place to find the right fit for you and your circumstances: American Association of Christian Counselors.

A note from Proverbs 31 Ministries: This podcast contains content that might not be suitable for young children, and may serve as a trigger due to circumstances in your past. Please see the related resources section at the bottom of this page if you need help finding a counselor.
When hurtful circumstances happen, we wonder, “How will I ever get over this?”
Lysa TerKeurst deeply understands that feeling. Since the release of her latest book, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, she’s received hundreds of emails, direct messages on social media and inquiries from people asking her how she got through one of the hardest seasons of her life.
Over the next few weeks on the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, we’re taking a break from our regularly scheduled programming to introduce a 6-week series called Therapy & Theology: How Do I Get Through This? Our goal is to meet you in the middle of your hurt and give you biblical answers on how to move through it.
In the second episode of the series, you’ll hear a conversation between Lysa TerKeurst and her personal, licensed professional counselor Jim Cress, as well as Proverbs 31 Ministries director of theology Joel Muddamalle. Together, they will unpack forgiveness and the difference between reconciliation and redemption.
In this series, you’ll learn how to…

• Overcome the feeling that you’ll never get over the hurt you’re facing by recognizing small steps you can take to get through the hurt, little by little.
  
• Replace the negative stigma of “therapy” by gaining a healthy, biblical view of counseling for your situation.
  
• Move toward healing today by discovering the two distinct and necessary parts of forgiveness and how to live them out.
  
• Find hope in the midst of devastating circumstances by seeking restoration for yourself through prayer and proven exercises to help you process your pain.

Related Resources:

• If you’ve ever wished you had a friend who understands deep hurt and heartbreak to walk with you through the healing process, purchase Lysa TerKeurst’s latest book, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way at p31bookstore.com!
  
• Listen to “6 Practical Steps to Forgive” on the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast for more information on this topic.
  
• Ready to take the next step in finding a Christian counselor? Here’s a good place to find the right fit for you and your circumstances: American Association of Christian Counselors.

To read the transcript for this episode click here.
*In this episode you'll hear an incorrect reference to Ephesians 4:13. The reference should've been Ephesians 4:31-32.

A note from Proverbs 31 Ministries: This podcast contains content that might not be suitable for young children, and may serve as a trigger due to circumstances in your past. Please see the related resources section at the bottom of this page if you need help finding a counselor.
When hurtful circumstances happen, we wonder, “How will I ever get over this?”
Lysa TerKeurst deeply understands that feeling. Since the release of her latest book, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, she’s received hundreds of emails, direct messages on social media and inquiries from people asking her how she got through one of the hardest seasons of her life.
Over the next few weeks on the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, we’re taking a break from our regularly scheduled programming to introduce a 6-week series called Therapy & Theology: How Do I Get Through This? Our goal is to meet you in the middle of your hurt and give you biblical answers on how to move through it.
In this introductory episode, you’ll hear Lysa dive deep into conversation with her personal, licensed professional counselor Jim Cress, as well as Proverbs 31 Ministries director of theology, Joel Muddamalle.
In this series, you’ll learn how to…

• Overcome the feeling that you’ll never get over the hurt you’re facing by recognizing small steps you can take to get through the hurt, little by little.
  
• Replace the negative stigma of “therapy” by gaining a healthy, biblical view of counseling for your situation.
  
• Move toward healing today by discovering the two distinct and necessary parts of forgiveness and how to live them out.
  
• Find hope in the midst of devastating circumstances by seeking restoration for yourself through prayer and proven exercises to help you process your pain.
  

To read the transcript for this episode click here.

Related Resources:

• If you’ve ever wished you had a friend who understands deep hurt and heartbreak to walk with you through the healing process, purchase Lysa TerKeurst’s latest book, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way at p31bookstore.com!
  
• Ready to take the next step in finding a Christian counselor? Here’s a good place to find the right fit for you and your circumstances: American Association of Christian Counselors.

Social media and television make it incredibly easy to compare our behind-the-scenes to someone else’s highlight reel… especially in our marriages. We turn on the TV, and then we’re turned off because it seems everyone else has a happier, more exciting and more romantic marriage than we do.
We all bring our brokenness into our marriage covenant and it doesn’t take long for that to surface. When conflict does arise, are we extending the grace Jesus extends to us or are we letting our broken selves break our relationship?
In today’s episode of the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, Karen Ehman gives a teaching based on her new book, Keep Showing Up: How to Stay Crazy in Love When Your Love Drives You Crazy. You’ll discover…

• The three threads that can tangle your marriage — emotional baggage, unmet expectations and untrue perceptions — and how to have healthy conversations around them.
  
• You can honor your spouse by taking time to slow down, breathe and collect your thoughts before you enter into a hard conversation about unmet expectations.
  

Your marriage is a message, and people are watching you preach!

To read the transcript for this episode click here.

Related Resources

• Purchase Karen Ehman’s latest book, Keep Showing Up: How to Stay Crazy In Love When Your Love Drives You Crazy from Proverbs 31 Ministries.
  
• Register for the FREE Keep Showing Up Online Bible Study that starts on April 1, 2019. All you need is the book!

Do you ever wonder if all the things you do for your children is even making an impact? If the wisdom we try to impart actually sticks or if we’re really cut out for this “mothering” job after all? Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” As parents, this Scripture sounds promising, but being in the “thick of it” is tough!

Lysa TerKeurst deeply understands this feeling! In this podcast episode, she invites you in on a conversation between her and her three adult daughters where you'll hear a raw, honest, family conversation about raising children and what it was like being raised in the TerKeurst home.

To read the transcript for this episode click here.
You’ll discover…

• A bad parenting moment today doesn’t make you a bad parent forever.
  
• Creating an environment in your home for conversations that have a gentle balance of grace and truth will help your children be more open to sharing.
  
• Keeping your children talking, connected and reminded about God throughout the small things every day will help you raise up not only a good child, but a God-honoring adult.
  

Related Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE Encouragement for Today devotions filled with daily, biblical encouragement to help you filter life through God’s Word.
  
• Purchase Am I Messing Up My Kids? by Lysa TerKeurst through Proverbs 31 Ministries. Full of practical ideas, short Bible studies and plenty of encouragement, this inspiring resource will help moms to realize that — with God’s wisdom and mercy — they can experience peace and satisfaction while raising their kids.

If you were to walk through your home and make a stack of all the “advice” books you own, there’s a good chance that stack would be pretty tall! There is a book available for every subject you could ever need: time management, pregnancy, parenting, relationships, dieting, exercising, overcoming anxiety… the list goes on! But where do you find real wisdom for living?
It’s easy to want a simple formula that leads to a quick fix. For example, if we were to read the dieting book and closely follow the instructions, then the outcome should be to lose weight, right? But if we are really honest with ourselves, we often take the same approach to God’s Word when it comes to seeking wisdom in a specific area of life.
In this week’s episode of the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, Karen McNary shares how to gain wisdom by being connected to the giver of all wisdom… our Heavenly Father!
You’ll discover…

Wisdom doesn’t mean that you’ll always know how to make the right decision. But, “wise” is what you become when you stay connected with God and apply His Word to every area of life.

How to determine if, and when, you should seek wise counsel from a trusted friend by first going to the Lord for guidance first.
Seeking wisdom and principles for life doesn’t have to start and stop with the book of Proverbs, but can be found starting with Genesis and ending with Revelation.

To read the transcript for this episode click here.

Related Resources

• Find a place to process what you’re learning each day as you discover how to apply godly wisdom to your everyday life. Study the book of Proverbs with us in our FREE First 5 mobile app! All you need to do is download the app on iTunes or Google Play to get started.
  

• Take your study of the book of Proverbs a little deeper by purchasing our Experience Guide. Each Experience Guide includes daily study questions and historical context to help you unpack Scripture. Purchase your copy today!

How do we embrace what seems so glaringly imperfect in the process of becoming more like Jesus? In Lysa TerKeurst’s new book, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, she says “Anytime we feel not good enough we deny the powerful truth that we are a glorious work of God in progress.”
In this episode of the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, you’ll have the opportunity to listen to one of our favorite chapters, "Paintings and People," from Lysa’s newest book. In this chapter Lysa takes us through her own experience of feeling not good enough, and teaches us how to trust God with our imperfections on this side of eternity.
You’ll discover…

• Sometimes you might be expecting a perfection from yourself or others that even God Himself doesn’t expect.
  
• Time spent showing up and bringing compassion to a friend is never wasted time.
  

• Being honest with yourself and your friends (rather than trying to cover up your imperfections) will strengthen the way you see yourself and your relationships.

To read the transcript for this episode click here.

Related Resources:

• Purchase your copy of It's Not Supposed to Be This Way: Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered today!
  
• Sign up for the FREE It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way Online Bible Study hosted by Proverbs 31 Ministries and journey through the book with a solid community to support you.
  

When things don’t go the way we want and life doesn’t turn out the way we thought it should, it’s easy to wonder why. In Mark 14, Jesus prays “Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Those words read well, but they’re hard to live out.
In this episode, Lysa TerKeurst will teach us what it really means to exchange our will for God’s will and builds off her last episode titled, “The Birthplace of Disappointment.” We already learned that the human heart was created in the context of the perfection of the Garden of Eden. Today, we’ll discover that there’s a physical reality we see, and at the same time, there’s the miraculous God is working.
You’ll learn…

• Because God is working in the midst of your hurt, you can trust that your hurt will someday be made right.
  
• When God leads you to something hard, He will also lead you through something hard because He won’t leave you.
  
• Trading your will for God’s will isn’t a one-time decision; it’s a daily surrender.
  

To read the transcript for this episode click here.

Related resources:

• Click here to listen to Lysa’s teaching titled, “The Birthplace of Disappointment.”
  
• Purchase your copy of Lysa’s latest book, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way and learn what it means to find unexpected strength when life’s disappointments leave you shattered.
  
• Make a donation to Proverbs 31 Ministries today to help us continue to provide free resources (just like this podcast) for women around the world to connect with God’s Truth on a daily basis.

The hymn, “It Is Well With My Soul” was first published almost 150 years ago. Those words are often sung in church or hung on the walls in our homes ... but if we were really honest with ourselves, could we say they’re absolutely true?
Every day we get to decide what we let in our minds and what we keep out, how we spend our time, and what we give our attention to. In today’s episode of the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, author and First 5 writer Nicki Koziarz tackles the topic of dealing with comparison and what we can do to be able to respond, “Yes ... my soul is well.”
In this episode you’ll learn…

• When you’re trying to please someone, the end goal will always be hard to reach.
  
• Your human heart ultimately desires a relationship with God, and to fill that desire with lesser things will make your soul unwell.
  
• The temptation to compare yourself to someone else on this side of eternity may never go away, but you can take practical steps to avoid falling into the temptation today!

To read the transcript for this episode click here.

Related Resources:

• Follow along with Nicki’s ministry and Fixer-Upper Farm journey on Instagram at @NickiKoziarz.
  
• Purchase Nicki’s book Why Her?: 6 Truths We Need to Hear When Measuring Up Leaves Us Falling Behind and learn practical steps you can take as you tackle comparison in your own life.
  
• Like what you’re hearing? Leave the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast a review on iTunes so other women will be exposed to the Truth of God’s Word!

Have you ever set out to do something you knew you were supposed to do, only to find it wasn’t as easy as you thought it would be? Perhaps you think you’re not good enough, or that there’s no room for you because there’s someone else already doing what you feel led to do.
If you feel like your opportunities are shrinking, or if you’ve gotten a “sign” that you should quit because you’ve messed up too much for God to use you — this episode is for you. Glynnis Whitwer, Proverbs 31 Ministries' Executive Director of Communications, gives a message on the three things you need to know before you give up on your calling.
You will discover…

• God isn’t in the business of dividing opportunities; He’s in the business of multiplying them.
  
• “Success” in God’s Kingdom is based on obedience, and “failure” is quitting before God tells you to quit.
  
• Your pain will be your biggest platform because it’s the place where you experienced God’s greatest power.
  

To read the transcript for this episode click here.

Related Resources:

• Take the next step in your calling to write by becoming a member of our COMPEL Writer's Training program. Click here to learn more!
  
• If you feel called to speak, write or lead, but don’t know where to start, find out more about our She Speaks Conference. Registration isn’t open yet, so sign up for the interest list to be notified as soon as registration opens in 2019!

If you were to have a conversation with a friend right now, would you be able to say that everything in your life has turned out the way you expected it would? Probably not. Life happens, and even though your expectations might have been realistic, your reality lends you to wonder...
Why this? Why now? Why me?
So, where does disappointment come from? And why, as God’s children, do we wonder if our God really is a good God with good plans for our life?
In this episode of the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, Lysa TerKeurst gives a message on this hard topic based on her newest book, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way: Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered.
Whether you’re in the middle of a disappointment, or fearing one is lurking right around the corner, you’ll discover…

• Trusting God with the outcome of your story is a crucial lesson to learn in order to navigate disappointments.

• When you keep your eyes on Him, your joy doesn’t have to depend on a person, place or circumstances being made right.
  

• If your story isn’t turning out the way you thought it would, God will show you an even more glorious story that can be written.
  

To read the transcript for this episode click here.

Related Resources:

• It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way by Lysa TerKeurst is available now wherever books are sold! Purchase your copy today at p31bookstore.com.

• Check out our exclusive It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way resources to use as a reminder of finding unexpected strength in your everyday life.

Have you ever sat down and opened your Bible, only to find you don’t really know where to start? Perhaps you read a chapter and then just move on, not knowing what would come next in actually studying the passage? Or, maybe there are passages in the Bible that are confusing, so you just keep go back to the same familiar ones?
What if there were just four simple steps to having a deep personal Bible study, every time?
In today’s episode of the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, our Director of Theology, Joel Muddamalle, teaches four simple steps that will enable you to have a great personal Bible study. Using Mark 6 as a guide, Joel will help you dive deep into Scripture in a fresh, relevant way that you can apply to any passage in the Bible.
You’ll discover…

• You don’t have to be a theology expert to learn what God’s Word means; you just need to start with where you are!
  

• Identifying key themes, common elements, characters and locations in each passage you read will help you connect the dots from Genesis to Revelation.
  

• Taking the crucial step to imagine yourself in the passage you read will help you connect to Scripture emotionally, just like you would in any other book!

To read the transcript for this episode click here.

Related Resources:

• Ready to start studying the Bible in a fresh way? Download our FREE First 5 mobile app and join us each weekday for a relevant, but challenging teaching on one chapter of the Bible at a time.

• Take your Bible study and personal application to the next level by purchasing one of our First 5 Experience Guides. Each Experience Guide is written by one of our First 5 writers or staff members and includes exclusive charts, maps and study questions to help you dig deeper into Scripture.

Whether you are a student, a wife, a mother or a caretaker of aging parents, we all want to fulfill that special calling God has placed on our lives. But how do you do that in the midst of running errands, caring for your loved ones and fulfilling the role your current season requires?
In this episode of the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, Lisa Allen answers that question by giving a practical teaching on making room for the assignment God has for you. You’ll discover...

• Making time for your connection to God results in a heart-posture that spills over into your role each day.
• Creating margin in your schedule by not living deadline-to-deadline, allows you to react to life’s surprises without becoming overwhelmed.
• Being fully present in a hands-on season of life (even if it means your calling starts to simmer) is okay because that season won’t last forever.
• God is equipping and developing your character in the midst of your season right now.
  

To read the transcript for this episode, click here.

Related Resources

• If you feel called to speak, write or lead, but don’t know where to start, find out more about our She Speaks Conference. Registration isn’t open yet, so sign up for the interest list to be notified as soon as registration opens in 2019!
  
• Take the next step in your calling to write by becoming a member of our Compel Writer's Training program. Click here to learn more!

When you read about Solomon’s life in 1 Kings 3:3 it says, “Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.”
Except.
The word “except” means that Solomon’s affections weren’t fully placed on the Lord. Instead, some of his affections were placed on things of this world that were idols. In today’s episode, Lysa TerKeurst and friends dive deep into their own misplaced affections to help you understand that although today’s idols are different than Old Testament idols, the struggle is still the same.
You’ll discover…

• When our needs are met somewhere else other than within our relationship with the Lord, there are consequences.

• Waiting on the Lord to heal your wounds or provide for you in your time of need will be hard, but His timing and provision are better than any quick fix.

• You’re never too far from God to choose to give all of your affection to the Lord.
  

To read the transcript for this episode, click here.

Related Resources:

• Pre-order Lysa TerKeurst’s newest book, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, and receive the first three chapters immediately to get started reading today!
• Download the FREE First 5 app and start giving your first five minutes of each day to the Lord.
• Are these messages making an impact on your life? Leave us a review on iTunes and tell us about it!

When you look for examples of worship in the Bible, you’ll find everything from songs sung in corporate worship to deep prayers uttered in the midst of hard circumstances. Today, most of us relate worship to attending church and singing songs together. But what if worship is something we can do every day in the seemingly insignificant moments of life?
In today’s episode Meredith and Kaley talk with two special guests: Mack Brock, a worship leader and songwriter, and Joel Muddamalle, the Director of Theology at Proverbs 31 Ministries. You’ll hear both Mack and Joel’s perspective on worship and learn practical ways to worship in your day-to-day life.
Through this conversation on worship, you’ll discover…

• Breakthrough happens when you bring all of who you are — your hurt, frustration, joy and celebration — to the One who stands above it all.
• You’ve been called and appointed to a specific assignment on this earth, and the way you live your life is a form of worship.
• God is in every moment, and every moment can be worshipful if you remember to point your attention back to Him.

To read the transcript for this episode, click here.

Related Resources:

• Whatever you’re experiencing today, you can turn to the book of Psalms for reassurance that you’re not alone, and learn how to process your emotions in the steadiness of His presence. Purchase our First 5 Experience Guide, When Words Fail, in our online bookstore!
• Purchase Mack Brock’s new album, Greater Things, available now on all music platforms.

Have you had a recent disagreement in a relationship, which you can’t quite find the cause of? It might be because of your expectations! One of the quickest ways to frustrate and fracture a relationship is to try and hold someone accountable for expectations that are either unrealistic or uncommunicated.
In today’s episode of the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, Lysa TerKeurst shares practical ways to navigate the conversation on expectations that will help you and your spouse, friend, or even co-worker, have a better relationship. You’re going to want to take notes for this one as Lysa helps you...

• Determine the difference between realistic and unrealistic expectations, and how to make peace with those that aren’t realistic.
  
• Understand that putting off the conversation about any kind of unmet expectation will create a wedge between you and the other person.
  

• Make the choice to choose the relationship over the uncertainty of uncommunicated expectations today.
  

Download the transcript for this episode here.

Related Resources:

• Pre-order Lysa TerKeurst’s newest book titled It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way releasing in November 2018!
• Connect with Lysa TerKeurst on Facebook and Instagram
• Sign up for Proverbs 31 Ministries’ FREE Encouragement for Today daily devotions delivered straight to your inbox.

When you see the word “ministry,” it’s easy to think about people or organizations making big moves for God — feeding hungry children, rescuing those in slavery or speaking in front of thousands of people. But what’s so easy to overlook are life’s greatest ministry opportunities packaged in everyday moments.
In today’s episode, speaker and author Whitney Capps shares her own personal struggle with turning ministry into “me-nistry” — making ministry and even your everyday routine all about “me.” Whatever your assignment is today, you’ll discover that every call is magnificent because it comes from the Magnificent One.
You’ll learn…

• The mess you want to run from is the very ministry moment God wants you in right now.
  
• Anything you tie yourself to, besides God, will ultimately weigh you down.
  
• Being known by the famous and omniscient One is the only validation you’ll ever need.

Click here to download the transcript for today’s episode.

Related Resources:

• Are you a writer, speaker or leader? Click here to sign up for the interest list for Proverbs 31 Ministries’ She Speaks Conference.
• Download our First 5 mobile app to make the first five minutes of your morning count each day.

What kind of woman is God calling you to be today? A woman everyone likes, or a woman who is obedient no matter the cost, and humble no matter what others may think?
Oftentimes the steps of obedience God asks of you might not be popular with the “in” crowd. He might ask you to go out of your way to love someone completely unlovable or stand up for someone who isn’t popular. He might even ask you to not move forward when you could so easily take matters into your own hands.
But what do you do when others are looking? You have to make the choice between doing what you know is right, or doing what makes you look good right now.
In today’s episode of The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, you’ll hear Meredith Brock give a fresh, applicable message on how the Lord is changing her heart to be obedient no matter the cost. You’ll learn…

• The choice to be obedient to God will last far longer than the approval of others.
  

• The feeling of peace doesn’t always immediately follow the decision to be obedient.
  

• How to tell if there are some voices you’re giving too much authority to in your life, and that it’s okay to silence them.
  

The struggle to be obedient doesn’t get easier with age and brings new challenges with every season.
To read this episode’s transcript, click here.

Related Resources:

• Follow Proverbs 31 Ministries on Facebook and Instagram.
• Receive encouragement every weekday by subscribing to the Encouragement for Today devotions.
• Subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode!

Have you ever been so tangled up in making things perfect that you just want to give up? Maybe you think to yourself, It’s not going to turn out right, so I’d rather not waste my time on it, or Someone else already does it better than I’ll ever be able do it.

Getting caught in the trap of perfectionism is exhausting, and it’s a tool the enemy uses to convince us we can somehow earn our worth. In today’s episode of the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, Ashley TerKeurst Hodges walks you through her own struggle with perfectionism and the freedom she’s experienced over the past year through her walk with the Lord. You’ll discover …

• How to let go of the fear of failure and embrace your own ability to do your best.
• That God’s love for you isn’t based on your ability to perform well.
• There are four practical steps to overcome perfectionism you can apply to your life today.

To download the transcript, click here

Related Resources:

• Pre-order Lysa TerKeurst’s newest book, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way and receive the first three chapters immediately!
• Read Ashley’s original blog post “Perfection is My Enemy.”
• Subscribe to the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast on iTunes and never miss an episode!

In Philippians 4:6, Paul writes, “Do not be anxious about anything…” But in today’s world, it’s hard to hold true to that promise in God’s Word. We see violence, sickness, betrayal and evil in the world ... every day, multiple times a day. So how can we “not be anxious about anything”?

In this episode of the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast we’ll give you the answer: stay C.A.L.M.

This week’s guest is Melissa Taylor, Director of Online Bible Studies at Proverbs 31 Ministries. She led a group of over 51,000 people through Max Lucado’s book Anxious for Nothing, and it’s one of our largest online Bible studies to date!

Since then, Melissa has encountered her own battles and has continued to put the C.A.L.M. acronym, based on Philippians 4:4-8, to use in her everyday life. In today’s teaching you’ll discover...

• How to easily memorize the C.A.L.M. acronym and put it to use the next time anxiety starts to creep in.
• The presence of anxiety is unavoidable, but the prison of anxiety is optional.
• You might not be able to control your circumstances, but you can control your thoughts.

To download the transcript for this episode, click here.

Related Resources:

• Anxious for Nothing by Max Lucado
• Need prayer? Visit the Proverbs 31 Ministries prayer wall!
• Sign up for the next Online Bible Study!

Have you ever read about the woman described in Proverbs 31:10-31 and thought to yourself, I will never live up to those standards? At Proverbs 31 Ministries, we have those same thoughts!

If the “Proverbs 31 woman” were on social media today, she would probably be someone we all look to, but could never live up to. This woman does everything: wakes up early, makes her own clothes, owns property, doesn’t eat carbs (if you count the bread of idleness), takes care of her husband and kids and runs her household. No wonder some of us don’t flip to that chapter in the Bible!

In this episode of the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, staff member Lauren Oquist dives deep into what it really means to be a Proverbs 31 woman. You’ll discover…

• You don’t have to be meet the qualifications listed in Proverbs 31:10-31 to a “Proverbs 31 woman.”
• Our standard for living should not be found in a person; it should be found in Jesus.
• Your genuine desire from the core of who you are to please Him is what makes you a Proverbs 31 woman.

After all, Proverbs 31:10-31 is not a prescription for us to fulfill, but a testimony of how God is shaping us into His image.

Download the transcript for episode 3 here, click here.

Related Resources:

• Encouragement for Today devotions by Proverbs 31 Ministries
• Embraced by Lysa TerKeurst
• Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa TerKeurst

In the very first episode of the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, Lysa TerKeurst shared that when seasons change, it means it’s time to let something go. The thing we most often need to let go of is unforgiveness. We’ll spend time in Genesis reading Joseph’s story of forgiveness and apply it to our own lives, and learn that while we only see the heartache, God is up to something good.

“There’s always a ‘meanwhile’ to our troubles. There’s what we see, and then there’s what God is doing.” - Lysa TerKeurst

Lysa TerKeurst shares six practical steps you can take today in order to forgive. Although letting go is never easy, it’s an act of obedience that frees us of burdens we were never meant to carry. When we make the decision to forgive today, it stops a chain of events that could have a terrible impact down the road.

In today’s episode you’ll discover...

• Six practical steps to letting go of unforgiveness and how to apply them to a situation in your life today.
• That having compassion for someone who wronged you is necessary to find grounds for forgiveness.
• The decision to forgive is a one-time event, but the process of forgiveness is a progression.

To download this episode's transcript, click here

Related Resources:

• Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst
• Subscribe to the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast on iTunes
• New to Proverbs 31? Click here to discover all the resources we have available for FREE!

Make a donation to Proverbs 31 Ministries today!

Whether you’ve been hurt before, or you’ve inadvertently hurt someone else, this teaching on forgiveness will change the way you see yourself and others. After you listen to episode one of the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, you’ll learn that in order for the Lord to take you to a new season, you have to let go of unforgiveness.

To help you understand how to forgive and grow in your calling, Proverbs 31 Ministries President Lysa TerKeurst takes us through Joseph’s journey in the book of Genesis. You’ll discover…

• Forgiveness, or “letting go,” is directly tied to your ability to grow in your calling.
• Just because you feel offended doesn’t mean you have to live offended.
• What you see as a rejection is often God’s protection for the calling He has for your life.

To download the transcript for this episode, click here.

Related Resources

• Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst
• Connect with Lysa TerKeurst on Instagram at @lysaterkeurst
• Subscribe to the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast on iTunes
• New to Proverbs 31? Click here to discover all the resources we have available for FREE!

Biblical truth for any girl in any season. Because we all need to know the Truth and live the Truth.