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A real, relevant, and relatable Christian podcast dedicated to growing your faith like the strength and durability of trees. Your host Allison breaks down theological topics, analyzes cultural trends, and provides everyday insight from a biblical lens. New episodes every Sunday.
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Happy Mother’s Day! Today, we bring you a special episode about the biblical beauty of motherhood, including a critique of culture’s common standpoint on motherhood and the family. As Christians, we dare to be countercultural and challenge the worldview that motherhood hinders a whole, beautiful, and fulfilled life. We reject the world’s wisdom, wh…
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Are environmentalism and eco-friendliness noble pursuits from a biblical perspective? Should Christians care or make efforts to contribute toward this ever-growing movement? And what did the secular humanists get wrong about environmental conservation? We answer all these questions and more today in a sincere endeavor to understand how we can honor…
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In February, Asbury University in Kentucky took the news by storm with its spontaneous and continuous worship service, which continued for over two weeks after a routine chapel service should have ended. What are we to make of spiritual revivals? Should we be joyful, cautious, or both? Are spiritual revivals even biblical? The scroll of Nehemiah ha…
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The podcast is back and better than ever! After a two-month hiatus, Allison returns with a (belated) Holy Week meditation on the Christian calling to approach death with the resolve, love, service, obedience, and humility of Jesus. What would compel someone to sacrifice himself for others willingly? We will explore that today! Scriptures Ecclesiast…
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Have you ever wished you could hear from God about something you’re experiencing? Maybe what job to pursue, if you should date that person, how you should handle conflict, or feeling like you’re at a crossroads with something in your life? Wouldn’t it be nice if the sky opened up, the clouds parted, and you heard a voice telling you exactly what to…
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Did you know how much David’s life can convict you about sin in your life and your need for a perfect, holy Savior? Have you ever wondered if David’s story has more to offer than a trivialized message about a sling, a stone, and a giant? We’ve shaped many conceptions about King David by imposing our culture on him and our desire to cherry-pick stor…
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Eschatology (the study of the end times) is an incredibly broad and challenging topic in the Bible. What should we think of final judgment, the end of the world, armageddon, the new heaven and earth? What about the troubling images of the beast, dragon, lamb, and other spiritual beings? Today, we skip the drama and debates about when certain events…
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Today’s episode is all about the spiritual beings (the Elohim) we encounter in the Bible – angels, demons, and the Satan (the Adversary). Spiritual beings are somewhat of a mystery to us, but Scripture is very clear about some aspects of spiritual beings. In this episode, we will dive into their characteristics, abilities, and their position with t…
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Welcome to our three-part series on spiritual warfare. What is spiritual warfare, and where did it come from? Where is it mentioned in Scripture, and what does it look like? How can we identify and fight the reality of spiritual warfare in our world today? Tune in for answers to these questions and more. Thank you for joining us! Below, you can fin…
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Prayer is a sometimes baffling part of our journey and lives as Christians. How do we know we’re doing it right? How do we hear back from God? How often should we pray? What is the purpose of prayer, anyway? In this episode, we welcome the new year and answer all these questions – and more! Thank you for joining us! Below, you can find the informat…
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Merry Christmas! Welcome to the fifth and final installment of Advent with Allison. Today, we’re having a casual conversation about hearing from God, feeling restless and unsettled during the holiday season, and why we need to stop pursuing happiness and “self-love” as the highest good in our lives. (Also, a quick correction on my John 16 commentar…
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Welcome back to Advent with Allison, a five-part series where we anticipate the annual commemoration of Jesus’s birth. This episode is part four, covering the perfect forgiveness that Jesus modeled in his birth, life, death, and resurrection. Our almighty God extends salvation, freedom from sin, and eternal security to those who accept it. Tune in …
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Welcome back to Advent with Allison, a five-part series where we anticipate the annual commemoration of Jesus’s birth. This episode is part three, covering humility and meekness. We will examine humility from the example set by Joseph, Jesus’s father. Tune in to discover the richness of humility and why Christ’s followers must also pursue humility.…
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Welcome to Advent with Allison, a five-part series where we anticipate the annual commemoration of Jesus’s birth. This episode is part two, covering the Messianic prophecies God gifted to humanity to signal Jesus’s birth, life, death, and resurrection. There are over 300 prophecies, and we will explore just four of them, including their fulfillment…
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Before we get much further in our Advent series, we encourage you to slow down and live with more intention. The holiday season’s tendency to be all “hustle-and-bustle” can be an insidious distraction from God’s presence in our lives. God commands your awareness of him, observation of his handiwork, and participation in his Kingdom work. In this ep…
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Welcome to Advent with Allison, a five-part series where we anticipate the annual commemoration of Jesus’s birth. This episode is part one, covering the picturesque universe God created. From the overflow of love, God creates humans to enjoy his good world and work the earth for its prosperity. But this perfect relationship is shattered when humans…
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Happy Thanksgiving! Gratitude practices are often shallow and surface-level. People will say, “Keep a gratitude journal!” where you are meant to write down a list of all your circumstantially “good” things. The problem with this gratitude approach is that circumstances outside your control define it. Thus, gratitude ebbs and flows with how you feel…
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Identity is an essential facet of our lives. Everything we believe is rooted in our view of God and ourselves. When we operate with warped “realities” about who God is or who we are, the burden of seeking security, satisfaction, and significance falls on us. However, when we build our lives upon the foundation of Christ, not even the worst storms o…
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Some of us have had great experiences with women’s ministries, and some have not. Allison and Liv have had less-than-ideal experiences with women’s ministries since they lacked theological depth, biblical accuracy, and discipleship. Biblical truth is edifying, constructive, and challenging. In this episode, we will share our personal experiences an…
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Should Christians celebrate Halloween? Today, we wade into the deep waters of controversy! Join us as we compare Halloween’s dark history with its modern context, discuss our personal convictions on the spooky autumn holiday, and warn Christians from passing judgment on each other for their choices. Thank you for joining us! Below, you can find the…
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Nominal Christianity is a plague that has infected religious circles since the first century. Nominal Christians maintain the Christ-follower label without any heart transformation and radical lifestyle changes accompanying the title. During his earthly ministry, Jesus criticized those who led religious lives outwardly while harboring evil patterns…
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Gnosticism is hard to define, but its principles have been deceiving people since the first century. Heresy may not be something you’ve studied in your life, but the truth is that Gnosticism and its principles still permeate our culture today – just in ways you don’t see. This episode will explain Gnosticism and how it threatens Christians today. T…
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Money management is a touchy subject for many of us and something that feels personal and private to each person. In this episode, Allison explores some foundational biblical principles for financial stewardship and shares practical tips to help you apply those principles in your life. Tune in to find out how Christians should view and handle money…
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We live in a culture that heavily emphasizes our career accomplishments and vocational status. For some of us, this obsession with “what you do” sows disappointment when our expectations remain unmet, despite our efforts to improve – or escape – our circumstances. When our identities and sense of self-worth are connected to our jobs, we can easily …
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Creating and maintaining healthy friendships is a challenge much easier said than done. The Bible warns us that friendships can build us up or tear us down. While a strong, Christian friendship can bolster us and sharpen us like iron, Proverbs warns us that “companion of fools will suffer harm” (Proverbs 13:20). In this episode, we talk about all t…
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This episode is very casual, so grab a cup of coffee, snack, and settle in! After a brief hiatus from the podcast, Allison and Liv catch you up to speed on some life updates and spiritual lessons they’ve been learning within the last few weeks. Join for all things on book recommendations, career/education updates, spiritual life lessons, learning t…
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Dating and relationships make us scratch our heads sometimes. We may feel adrift on cultural whims or others’ opinions when it comes to approaching our dating life. In this episode, we provide foundational advice for approaching dating and relationships based on our life experiences, covering everything from the good to the bad and the “meh.” Times…
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Adoption and foster care can be challenging topics to discuss because we either don’t know where to start or have a deeply personal connection to them. However, the conversation surrounding adoption and foster care can be beneficial rather than discouraging and scary. In this episode, we provide a biblical perspective on the gift of adoption and sh…
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Haggai, with its brief 38 verses, is very easy to miss as it usually only takes up two pages in our Bibles. However, this prophecy book is packed with wisdom applicable to our daily lives. This book convicts us, asking us where our priorities lie and if we are using our lives to build something eternal. Don’t miss out on the wisdom of Haggai! Times…
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Many of us have heard from Galatians, “let us not grow weary of doing good,” but this is often easier said than done. Life can sometimes feel like a meaningless pattern of tasks, or we can be thrown through a rollercoaster of emotions, never able to catch our breath. In this episode, we chat about finding meaning in daily life, pursuing intentional…
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Now more than ever, we need clarity on masculinity. It seems everyone has a different idea of what a man is and how his role should be lived out. In this episode, we discuss the hallmarks of biblical masculinity, the characteristics of toxic masculinity, and common pitfalls in our theology. Join us for this special guest episode with Liv’s husband …
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Yeshua was a Jewish man born in Bethlehem in the first century. From a young age, he amazed people with his wisdom and knowledge of the Torah. He grew into a man who healed miraculously, commanded nature’s elements, criticized Jewish religious leaders, and claimed to be God incarnate. Eventually, the Roman Empire crucified him at the demand of his …
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We have witnessed a great emigration of people from the Church who have walked away from God and the Christian faith. In this episode, we share our testimonies about watching friends leave the faith and offer recommendations for how we can retain, equip, and disciple people in the Word. Thank you for joining us! Below, you can find the information …
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Mental health is perhaps one of the hottest button issues today. We are inundated by social media and outside influences with advice for handling our experiences and thought patterns. Join us today for a fresh view of mental health and the Church’s history of handling mental health. Thank you for joining us! Below, you can find the information we s…
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Lost loved ones, unmet expectations, and shattered dreams. In this episode, we study grief and why loss hurts so deeply. Through the lens of the original language, we will explore biblical examples and discuss how God heals our brokenness. Thank you for joining us! Below, you can find the information we studied for this episode. Scriptures Deuteron…
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Does reading the Bible seems like a chore some days? Are you feeling disconnected from the Scriptures or unsure of where to start? In this episode, Allison offers some tips and pointers for reconnecting with God and engaging with the Scriptures. Thank you for joining us! Below, you can find the information we studied for this episode. Scriptures Ex…
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Are you single and wondering how you can make the most of your time? In this episode, we break down and address the messages that seek to undermine the value of contentment in singleness. Below, you can find the information we studied for this episode. Scriptures Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 1 Corinthians 7:25-40 Philippians 4:11–13 James 1:2-4 Resources ESV…
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Now that we’ve uncovered layers of deceit from society and the church about sex, we dedicate time to discussing God’s beautiful design for covenant marriage and marital roles. We’ll be traveling from the first through the final book of the Bible today. We hope you’ll come along with us! Below, you can find the information we studied for this episod…
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What is postmodernism, and why should we care? In this bonus episode, Allison will define and respond to it, explain how it relates to sexual liberalism, and offer insight into the church’s responsibility to reach today’s unbelievers. Below, you can find the information we studied for this episode. Scriptures Psalm 119:11, 119:105 Jeremiah 17:9 Joh…
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Welcome back to our three-part exploration of the biblical ethic for sexual faithfulness. In part two, we are exposing the insidious nature of sexual liberalism. Sexual liberalism strives to subvert the gospel and seeks to sabotage you. Let’s tell you how. Below, you can find the information we studied for this episode. Scriptures Genesis 1:26–31 J…
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Welcome to our first series! In this initial episode, we discuss the false message of purity culture. Next week, we will uncover the dangers of sexual liberalism. Finally, we will conclude the third week by unpacking God’s design for sex and marriage. Below, you can find the information we studied for this episode. Scriptures Psalm 103:8-13, 119:9 …
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Have you ever wondered what names God goes by? Elohim, El-Shaddai, Yahweh, Jehovah, and Adonai…the list goes on and on. Join us for episode two, where we unpack all these names (and more!) and discuss what it means to honor God’s name. Below, you can find the information we studied for this episode. Scriptures Exodus 34:6-7 Leviticus 16:2 Numbers 2…
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In our first episode, we will be answering the question, “Who is God?” and discussing ways we try to reduce God into someone he is not. Below, you can find the information we studied for this episode. Scriptures Genesis 1:1-2 Numbers 23:19 Deuteronomy 32:4 John 1:1, 1:14, 14:26 Romans 3:23, 7:15-20 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 2 Corinthians 3:17 2 Timothy…
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