The Deep Dish

Melissa and Courtney discuss how to cultivate discernment when seeking advice. They talk about how sometimes we think we need information when what we really need is relationship. They discuss what kind of advice they like to get from the internet or Chat GPT, why they don’t recommend it for wisdom issues such as marriage and parenting, and why we should not let advice from AI or influencers replace wise counsel from the body of Christ.

Resource Mentioned:

Kitchen Table Counseling Within Your Local Church

Related Resources:

• Let’s Talk: Finding a Mentor and Being a Mentor
• Want to Grow in Wisdom? You Need Gospel Friends.
• Why AI Parenting Advice Falls Short
• Don’t Treat AI as Your Pastor

Discussion Questions:

1. When you face a difficult decision or struggle, where do you typically turn for advice?

2. How do you discern whether online advice is helpful or unwise?

3. What makes advice offered within a personal relationship different from advice taken from an online blog, influencer, or generated by AI?

4. How might repeated exposure to ideas about marriage, parenting, or relationships on social media influence our thinking without us being aware of it?

5. What do we lose when we turn to online sources for counsel instead of investing in relationships with people who know and love us?

6. Who in your life knows you well enough to speak honestly into your decisions and loves you enough to do so? How can you cultivate those kinds of relationships?

7. How would you like to grow in your ability to offer wise counsel to others?

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Melissa and Courtney talk with Randy Alcorn about what we can and can’t know about the life to come. They talk about the importance of understanding the new earth and its continuity with this world and they discuss what we know about the state of those who die in Christ before they receive resurrected bodies. Randy explains why he wrote a whole book about animals in heaven, and why questions about animals bring into focus key aspects of the new creation.

Resources Mentioned:

• Heaven by Randy Alcorn
• All God’s Creatures by Randy Alcorn

Related Resources:

• Will You Be Bored in Heaven?
• Heaven and the New Earth
• Where Is God When Your Dog Dies?

Discussion Questions:

1. Prior to listening to this episode, what did you tend to picture when you thought about heaven? What has influenced your understanding of what heaven will be like?

2. What surprised you in this conversation? Is there anything about heaven that you find difficult to understand or believe?

3. What are some things in this life that you deeply enjoy? How does your enjoyment of those things make you long for a renewed creation?

4. How does the promise of a renewed creation give you hope when confronted with aspects of this world that feel broken?

5. How does spending time thinking about the life to come help us live more faithfully today?

6. What aspect of the new heavens and earth are you most looking forward to, and why?

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In this live recording from TGCW26, Courtney and Melissa talk with Nancy Guthrie and Jen Wilkin about how to persevere in faith for the rest of your life.They make the point that we shouldn’t give up on something just because it is hard, and they discuss how to cling to faith through suffering, prosperity, and even when our Christian heroes fail. Listen to and be encouraged by the Bible promises that keep these four women anchored in the faith.

Resources Mentioned:

• Revelation(Bible Study) by Jen Wilkin
• Nancy Guthrie and the Reformation of Women’s Ministry
• 12 Faithful Women

Verses to Anchor Endurance:

• 2 Corinthians 12:9
• Isaiah 58:11
• Romans 8:32
• 1 Corinthians 10:13

Discussion Questions:

1. Share a time when you had to persevere through something difficult. What helped you keep going?

2. When you think about following Christ for the long haul, what encourages you? What intimidates you?

3. How is enduring in seasons of comfort or prosperity different from enduring through suffering or hardship?

4. Who are the people God has placed in your life to help you endure? Or who might be encouraged by your faithfulness?

5. Have you ever started to become cynical because of disappointment, suffering, or watching other Christians fail? What helped you resist that temptation?

6. What do you think it means to move from simply praying for something to praying into a situation—bringing every part of it before the Lord while learning to trust his will?

7. What promises from Scripture have anchored your faith during difficult seasons?

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Melissa and Courtney talk with Jen Wilkin about their mutual love of children’s books and why reading to children can be a key part of discipleship (as well as a delight!). They talk about what books they loved as children as well as the ones they read to their own kids. They consider the benefits and limitations of children’s Bibles, and discuss why they’ve written books for kids.

Books Mentioned:

• The Book of Virtues
• The Chronicles of Narnia
• Are You My Mother?
• Go, Dog, Go!
• The Little Rabbit Who Wanted Red Wings
• Arlo Takes Off
• Caddie Woodlawn
• B is for Betsy
• Betsy-Tacy Books
• Chronicles of Pydain (Includes Black Cauldron)
• The Dark is Rising Sequence
• Hannah Coulter
• The Jesus Storybook Bible
• Andy and His Big Question: A Story About How God’s Love Always Comes First
• Made Like Me: A True Story from the Beginning of Everything
• His Grace Is Enough
• Count It All Joy

Related Resources:

• How Storytime Shapes Your Children
• Parents: Use Children’s Literature to Point Toward Christ
• Classic Christian Picture Books Every Family Should Read
• A Complete Classical Christian School Reading List: Grades 1-8

Discussion Questions:

1. What was a favorite book you remember reading as a child? Why did you enjoy it, and how did it influence you?

2. We often think of books as a source of entertainment or education. How can they also be a form of discipleship?

3. What are some books you've enjoyed reading with the children in your life? What virtues have you seen those stories promote or cultivate?

4. How can we prioritize reading with the children in our lives, even after they become independent readers? Why is reading together so important relationally?

5. When choosing books for your children (or yourself), what do you tend to prioritize (educational value, enjoyment, literary quality, or something else)?

6. With so many books available, how do you find quality options for your family (and yourself) and discern what’s worth spending your time reading?

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Courtney and Melissa talk to Blair Linne about her struggle with anxiety and panic attacks and the tools that have helped her to fight anxiety. They discuss the mind/body/spirit complexities of anxiety, when anxiety becomes sinful, and how to listen with compassion and wisdom to others who are struggling. Blaire’s story and wisdom provide great encouragement and hope for any Christian walking through anxiety.

Resources Mentioned:

• Made to Tremble by Blair Linne
• A Practical Treatise of Fearby John Flavel

Related Resources:

• Rightly Ordered . . . Anxiety?
• Take Your Anxiety to Church
• Understanding Adolescent Anxiety, Depression, and Mental Health

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What situations and subjects trigger feelings of anxiety for you? Are there patterns you've noticed?

2. When you're anxious, where are you most tempted to look for control or reassurance?

3. What are ways God has used past seasons of uncertainty or anxiety to deepen your faith or dependence on him?

4. Are there particular Scriptures you return to when you’re afraid or overwhelmed? What do those passages remind you about God?

5. What are ways we might unintentionally make someone's anxiety worse when we're trying to help?

6. How might experiencing our own weakness change the way we respond to others who are struggling?

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Courtney and Melissa talk to Tara-Leigh Cobble about how she got over her lack of desire to read the Bible, and how, over time, reading the Bible made her fall in love with its author. They talk about the transformative impact that can come from giving just 20 minutes to Bible reading each day, and they recommend free tools to help readers understand difficult parts of the Bible.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Bible Recap (Podcast)
• The Bible Recap (Book)
• ESV Study Bible
• Free Tools for Studying the Bible:

• Faithlife Study Bible
• The Bible Project
• Blue Letter Bible
• TGC Bible Commentary
• Desiring God Sermon Archive
• Look at the Book

Related Resources:

• Read the Bible
• My Favorite Bible in a Year Reading Plan
• Easy Schedule for Bible-in-a-Year Rookies

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What has your relationship with Bible reading looked like over the years? Has it changed in different seasons of life?

2. What would it look like to pursue consistency in Bible reading without making perfection the goal?

3. What habits, practices, or resources have helped you stay engaged in God's Word?

4. What benefits of reading and studying God's Word with other believers have you experienced?

5. Can you remember a time when God's Word met you in a particular need? What did you learn about him?

6. How does remembering that the Bible reveals God's character (not just information) change the way you approach difficult passages?

7. What is one practical step you want to take toward spending more meaningful time in God's Word this week?

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Courtney and Melissa discuss why Christians should not be quick to take offense and how we should live in a world of people who are. They talk about how to resist a victim mentality by getting your eyes off yourself. They commend overlooking and absorbing offenses when possible. They discuss why we must boldly hold to Christian doctrines that the world finds offensive, but that it’s possible to hold and even articulate offensive views in a way that communicates love and grace.

Related Resources:

• How to Find Peace When You Feel Offended
• We’re Hurt, and Healed, in Community
• Recognizing Our Own Marks of Righteousness

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. When you're offended, what’s your first instinct—to overlook it, confront it, replay it in your mind, or tell someone else? Why do you think that is?

2. What kinds of comments or situations are most likely to offend you? What might that reveal about what you value?

3. The Bible describes people in the last days as "lovers of self" (2 Tim. 3:2). How might a self-focused culture make us more easily offended?

4. Can you think of a time when someone graciously overlooked an offense from you? How did that affect your relationship?

5. Before addressing an offense, what questions might be helpful to ask yourself?

6. How does knowing that God is our Defender free us from needing to defend ourselves all the time?

7. Who in your life demonstrates the kind of patience, humility, and long-suffering described in Scripture? What have you learned from his or her example?

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Courtney Doctor talks with Rory Shiner and Kyle Worley about the difference the doctrine of union with Christ makes in how we understand our relationship to God and how we live our lives day to day. They provide analogies to help us understand this seemingly abstract concept as well as examples of the practical difference this truth makes in their own lives.

If you’ve struggled to understand why union with Christ is a big deal, or struggled with doubts about your relationship with God, this conversation is for you.

Resources Mentioned:

• One Forever: The Transforming Power of Being in Christ by Rory Shiner
• Home with God by Kyle Worley

Related Resources:

• Union with Christ (Overview Essay)
• Union with Christ Fills Our Deepest Longings
• Union with Christ: A Key Doctrine for Global Partnerships

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Before listening to this episode, how would you have explained what it means to be "in Christ"? Has your understanding changed?

2. What are you most tempted to find your identity in besides Christ (accomplishments, relationships, struggles, failures, etc.)?

3. Why do you think Scripture so often describes believers as being "in Christ"? What does that communicate about salvation?

4. How does knowing that your union with Christ is secure change the way you approach communion with God through prayer, worship, or confession?

5. How might the truth of union with Christ encourage someone struggling with shame, anxiety, or depression?

6. Union with Christ means we’re united not only to Christ but also to his people. How should that shape the way we view the church and other believers?

7. In what area of your life or current struggle do you most need to be reminded of your union with Christ? How can your discussion partners pray for you?

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Courtney and Melissa discuss how to apply biblical discernment to the question of when to prioritize wise self-care and when to put aside your needs for the sake of others. They emphasize the need to know yourself and whether you naturally tend to protect yourself or to allow your own needs to go unmet. They discuss how to set wise boundaries while showing Christlike love, and they emphasize that our goal should be to move beyond thinking so much about ourselves to turning our eyes to Jesus.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Future Tenses of the Blessed Life by F. B. Meyer

Related Resources:

• Self-Care or Soul-Care? Yes
• Sabbath Is More than Self-Care
• Does ‘Turn the Other Cheek’ Mean ‘Get Walked All Over’?
• Think Biblically About Relational Boundaries

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. When you hear the phrase “self-care,” what ideas come to mind? What forms of self-care are most attractive to you?

2. Which extreme do you tend to drift toward more naturally: prioritizing your own comfort or neglecting your own needs? Why do you think that is?

3. What are some ordinary, everyday ways Christians are called to deny themselves?

4. How can self-sacrifice become unhealthy if disconnected from abiding in Christ?

5. When you’re tired or discouraged, where do you instinctively turn for comfort? What might that reveal about your heart?

6. How can Sabbath rest help reshape our understanding of both work and self-care?

7. How does the gospel free us from both self-indulgence and self-reliance?

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Melissa talks with Amy Gannett and Laura Wifler about how to parent in a way that passes on the Christian faith. They talk about the atmosphere in their own homes growing up and the importance of passing on—in addition to knowledge—a delight in the things of God. They encourage moms who might feel awkward talking to their kids about their own faith, and they share some favorite resources they’ve used with their own children.

Resources Mentioned:

• Barna study on church attendance in childhood
• First Catechism
• Teaching Theology to Young Children (Melissa’s thoughts on teaching the catechism)
• Slugs and Bugs, Sing the Bible
• Tiny Theologians
• Long Story Short: Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to Godby Marty Machowski
• Dispatches from the Front

Related Resources:

• Parenting with Hope in an Anxious Age
• A Theological Vision for Discipling the Next Generation
• Redeem the Drive Time: Audio Resources for Families
• The Good News Family Devotional by Mike and Melissa Kruger

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. When you think back on your own childhood or spiritual upbringing, what particular people God used to shape your faith?

2. In busy seasons of life, what tends to crowd out intentional spiritual conversations in the home?

3. What are some realistic ways families can pursue spiritual rhythms without feeling pressured to do everything perfectly?

4. How has parenting, or investing in the next generation, revealed your own need for dependence on the Lord?

5. How can admitting our failures actually strengthen our witness to those we shepherd?

6. Whether or not you have children of your own, how might God be calling you to invest in the next generation spiritually?

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Melissa Kruger and Courtney Doctor talk about how to seek out the counsel of wise friends and how to respond well when friends seek your counsel. They discuss how to ask good questions, how to deliver a gentle rebuke when necessary, how to follow up on requests for accountability, and how to point someone to Scripture without treating it like a Bible Band-Aid. Listen prayerfully to prepare yourself for opportunities that arise to bear one another’s burdens.

Recommended Resources:

• I’m Praying for You by Nancy Guthrie
• Count It All Joy by Helen Roseveare

Related Content:

• 7 Things to Say to a Hurting Loved One
• Why Mentoring Is Better Than Asking Alexa
• The Neglected Ministry of Asking Questions

Discussion Questions:

1. Considering examples of people who have supported you in difficult seasons, what qualities do you appreciate most in them?

2. In what ways have you struggled to balance extending both grace and truth in your own “kitchen-table counseling”?

3. How can we ensure any necessary rebukes we deliver are given with gentleness?

4. What helps you determine whether someone is “safe” to confess a burden or sin to?

5. In what ways could you make yourself a more approachable and available source of counsel for those who need your support?

6. How can your discussion partners pray for you as you point others to God in difficult situations?

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Courtney and Melissa discuss the importance of pursuing spiritual growth during the summer, despite disrupted routines. They talk about practices and strategies that have helped them grow during the summer and on vacation. They recommend lots of resources for summer drop-in Bible studies and encourage listeners to consider living missionally by hosting a study or discussion group in their homes with their neighbors.

Resources Mentioned:

• Disciplines of Devotions series
• Navigators Topical Memory System
• Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood by Melissa B. Kruger
• Remember Your Joy: A Bible Study of Salvation Stories in the Old Testament
• Fruitful: Cultivating a Spiritual Harvest That Won't Leave You Empty
• Turn Your Eyes: A Bible Study on the Psalms
• In View of God's Mercies: The Gift of the Gospel in Romansby Courtney Doctor
• Growing Togetherby Melissa B. Kruger
• The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer

Related Resources:

• Summer Vacation Is No Sabbath
• Scroll Less, Stroll More: A Summer Challenge to Leave Your Phone at Home
• The Benefits of Going to Church on Vacation

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What tends to happen to your routines for spiritual disciplines during the more relaxed summer months or in vacation seasons? Why do you think that is?

2. What distractions most often compete for your attention during the summer?

3. How have relationships with other believers helped sustain your faith during times when your own spiritual disciplines felt inconsistent?

4. How can women’s ministry leaders or churches help people remain connected and spiritually encouraged during less structured seasons like summer?

5. How can we pursue spiritual growth from a place of delight in Christ rather than guilt or pressure?

6. What opportunities will you have (in your neighborhood, while traveling, through hospitality, or in everyday conversations) to invite others into spiritual conversations or Christian community?

7. What is one step you want to take this summer to cultivate deeper communion with God?

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Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

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Melissa Kruger and Courtney Doctor talk with Michael Graham about what Christians should know about artificial intelligence.

They discuss the benefits it could bring to society and how they personally use it. They consider theological categories and questions for how to evaluate which uses are helpful and which are dangerous. Finally, Graham explains the Christian Benchmark project and how it exposes the inherent biases in AI platforms.

Key Terms:

• Generative AI: Large language models (LLM) that can simulate conversation and create audio, video, and text based on prompts (ChatGPT, Anthropic, Claude, and Grok).
• Agentic AI: Systems that are semi- or fully autonomous and thus able toperceive, reason, and act on their own.

Resources Mentioned:

• What Is Tri-perspectivalism? by John Frame
• Mindset by Carol S. Dweck
• AI Christian Benchmark Project

Related Resources:

• ‘Not a Child-Safe Technology’
• 3 Questions to Evaluate AI Use
• Can You Rely on AI for Theology?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Before listening to this episode, what was your view of AI (benefit, threat, or neutral)? Has that perspective changed?

2. What are some ways AI can be used for good in work, ministry, or everyday life?

3. Are there certain uses of AI that concern you? Why?

4. Why is it important to realize that AI isn’t a neutral source? How does that shape the way you interact with it?

5. How can we help younger generations develop discernment in addition to skills when it comes to AI?

6. What does it look like to trust God’s sovereignty in times of rapid cultural and technological change?

7. What’s one step you would like to take in using technology intentionally and faithfully?

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Courtney Doctor talks with Wendy Alsup and Vaneetha Rendall Risner about their experiences of divorce. They share the Scripture passages that helped them keep going and talk honestly about what to say (and what not to say) to someone going through a divorce. They explain why it can be hard for a newly divorced Christian to go to church and why it’s vital to go anyway.

Resources Mentioned:

• Walking Through Fire: A Memoir of Loss and Redemption by Vaneetha Rendall Risner
• I Forgive You by Wendy Alsup

Related Resources:

• This Was Never the Plan: Walking with God Through the Heartache of Divorce by Vaneetha Rendall Risner
• Hope When Your Spouse Divorces You
• Why I’m Going Back to Church After My Divorce
• A Case for Being Honest with Your Elders
• When Shame Remains After Divorce

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. How has divorce affected your family or close friendships? What were the hardest spiritual or emotional struggles you or those close to you faced during that season?

2. What promises of God are especially important to remember when walking through deep disappointment or loss?

3. If you knew a friend was going through a divorce, what might hold you back from reaching out to her?

4. In what ways have you seen the church support women (and their children) walking through unwanted divorce well? In what ways could the church provide more support or encouragement to the marginalized or hurting?

5. What suggestions from this conversation helped you understand how to walk with friends or family navigating divorce?

6. In seasons when you cannot control outcomes for your family, what does it look like to trust God?

7. What does gospel hope look like in the aftermath of something as painful as divorce?

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Melissa and Courtney talk with Emily Jensen about how to broaden our understanding of worship to think of it as a response to God’s worth. Worship is more than singing on Sunday morning, but corporate worship is an essential part of the worship God desires. They talk about the role our feelings should play in how we think about worship and how to offer up the mundane moments of our lives to the glory of God.

Resources Mentioned:

• Worship (Disciplines of Devotion) by Emily A. Jensen
• “God Moves In a Mysterious Way”
• “Holy Forever”
• “We Rest on Thee”

Related Resources:

• A Biblical Theology of Worship
• Leading Worship Is Worship
• Gospel-Shaped Worship

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What is a hymn or worship song that has encouraged you recently?

2. Before listening to this episode, how would you have defined worship? How does the definition that worship is “our response to who God is and what he has done” expand or challenge your thinking?

3. What are some everyday moments in your life that could become opportunities for worship? What could that look like for you?

4. What’s the difference between using worship to change our feelings and worshiping because God is worthy, regardless of how we feel?

5. What has helped you approach worship, even when you feel anxious, distracted, or spiritually dry?

6. What modern-day idols compete for our worship?

7. How does the image of a child offering imperfect efforts to a loving parent shape the way you think about your own worship?

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Courtney and Melissa talk about how to recognize and repent of the ways we may be relying on self-righteousness rather than the righteousness of Christ. They talk about tribalism, what happens when debatable issues are treated as primary, and how, paradoxically, the areas where we feel despair may point to areas of pride or self-righteousness in our lives.

Related Resources:

• Finding the Right Hills to Die On by Gavin Ortlund
• The Sticky Sin of Always Being Right
• Self-Righteousness Wears Many Disguises

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What are some things that come to mind (such as good practices or habits) that can quietly become a source of pride?

2. In what ways do you notice self-righteousness creep into Christian community in subtle or socially acceptable ways?

3. Are there particular areas of obedience or conviction where you feel tempted to compare yourself with others? What might that reveal about your heart?

4. In Philippians 3:4–10, Paul calls his impressive spiritual résumé “rubbish” compared with knowing Christ. What does this passage teach us about the difference between our righteousness and Christ’s righteousness?

5. Why do you think it can be so easy to trust in our own efforts rather than resting in Christ’s righteousness?

6. What are some red flags in your thoughts, attitudes, or conversations that might signal self-righteousness creeping in?

7. How can Christian communities encourage holiness and obedience without creating an atmosphere of pride, comparison, or tribalism?

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Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at http://lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!

Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26!

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Courtney and Melissa talk with New Testament scholar (and Melissa’s husband) Mike Kruger about the excellent evidence that Jesus physically rose from the dead and the difference that makes for our lives.

Dr. Kruger points out that because Jesus predicted his own resurrection, it validates his claims to be the Son of God and the Messiah. Dr. Kruger highlights the resurrection's transformative effects on early Christians, including their willingness to be martyred for their faith.

Related Resources:

• Did the Resurrection Really Happen? (TGC Hard Questions) by Timothy Paul Jones
• 3 Reasons to Believe in the Resurrection
• Why Is the Resurrection Good News?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Why do you think the resurrection continues to be questioned or dismissed in our culture?

2. Why is the resurrection not just one doctrine among many but central to the Christian faith? What would Christianity lose if the resurrection weren't true?

3. What evidence of Christ’s resurrection is particularly compelling to you?

4. Read 1 Corinthians 15 together. Paul says that if Christ hasn't been raised, our faith is futile—but if he has been raised, everything changes. As a result, what should change in

• our view of suffering?
• our courage in evangelism?
• our fight against sin?
• our hope in death?

5. How does the knowledge that Christ is alive and reigning without rival make a difference in your life right now?

Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at http://lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!

Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26!

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To celebrate the first birthday of The Deep Dish, Courtney and Melissa welcome special surprise guests to answer tough questions sent in by listeners. They talk about the difference between shame and the Spirit's conviction, how to seek advice about a conflict without gossiping, how to sit with the tension of a biblical text, how to keep the Sabbath, and more.

Resources Mentioned:

• Remembering Death Teaches Us to Live
• The Dish on Gossip
• Becoming Good Stewards of Our Bodies
• Conversations with God
• When You Want to Change Your Husband

Related Resources:

• Sabbath Rest (Disciplines of Devotion series) by Megan Hill
• Women of the Wordby Jen Wilkin
• Gospel Parenting During the Little Years

Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at http://lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!

Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26!

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Courtney and Melissa discuss helpful practices they’ve used in their prayer lives, including developing regular rhythms, alternating prayer with Scripture reading, and incorporating confession of sin as a part of personal prayer. They talk about how to be faithful to a promise to pray for someone else and how to make prayer part of a friendship.

Rather than speaking from a place of prescriptive legalism, Melissa and Courtney speak with infectious enthusiasm about the possibilities of a rich and growing prayer life.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Deep Dish: Conversations with God
• Lord, Teach Me to Pray in 28 Days by Kay Arthur
• 5 Things to Pray for Your Kids by Melissa Kruger
• 5 Things to Pray for Your Spouse by Melissa Kruger
• The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian
• Parenting with Hope by Melissa Kruger
• I’m Praying for You: 40 Days of Praying the Bible for Someone Who Is Suffering by Nancy Guthrie
• Piercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans edited by Robert Elmer
• Every Moment Holy series

Related Resources

• Prayer (Disciplines of Devotion series) by Courtney Reissig
• In Prayer, Structure Serves Spontaneity
• 7 Ways to Fight Distraction in Prayer

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Do you have a routine for prayer? When and where do you usually pray?

2. What strategies do you use to organize your prayer time and guard against distractions?

3. How has God used prayer to rightly orient you toward seeking his will above your own?

4. When have you struggled to persevere in prayer or to accept an answer to prayer?

5. What benefits have you experienced as a result of praying with others (family, friends, or ministry partners)?

6. What next step will you take in your practice of prayer? What do you want to start, stop, or continue doing?

Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at http://lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!

Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26!

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Melissa and Courtney talk with Jen Oshman about the lie that our worth is measured by what we possess. They discuss why we try to fill a God-shaped hole with earthly things and how to recognize materialism in our lives.

They talk about strategies to combat materialism, including inviting trusted friends into your financial decisions, seeking to be as generous to others as possible, and setting your heart on heavenly possessions rather than earthly ones.

Resources Mentioned:

• Heavenby Randy Alcorn
• The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn

Related Resources:

• Materialism, Money, and Me Culture
• Materialism Is Easy to Decry and Hard to Avoid
• Covetousness: The Sin Behind the Sin

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. In what ways do you see materialism connected to deeper desires in your heart? How might you be settling for lesser gifts instead of storing up treasure in heaven?

2. What types of things most often capture your attention or stir up desire (e.g., clothes, home decor, technology, experiences)?

3. What rhythms or practices (daily, weekly, or monthly) could help you become more mindful of how you consume, spend, and steward what God has given you?

4. Share a time when you experienced God’s abundant provision. How does remembering his care grow your desire to trust him and reflect his generosity?

5. What Scriptures or truths about God’s character help reorient your heart when you feel the pull toward “more”?

6. How could other believers help you with accountability or input in the areas of spending, consumption, and giving?

7. What’s one next step you would like to take based on what you’ve heard and discussed today?

Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at http://lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!

Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.