1 00:00:08,257 --> 00:00:09,057 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:11,097 --> 00:00:13,817 Speaker 2: Did you know that Jesus Calling has its own YouTube channel. 3 00:00:14,257 --> 00:00:17,377 Speaker 2: It's full of great content that will enhance your spiritual life. 4 00:00:17,617 --> 00:00:20,577 Speaker 2: You'll find beautiful videos with short devotional moments to help 5 00:00:20,617 --> 00:00:23,096 Speaker 2: you through your day, as well as stories on video 6 00:00:23,217 --> 00:00:27,257 Speaker 2: from celebrities, authors, pastors, and everyday people who share what 7 00:00:27,297 --> 00:00:30,217 Speaker 2: their faith journey has meant to them. You'll also find 8 00:00:30,257 --> 00:00:33,737 Speaker 2: that Jesus Listens Stories of Prayer series hosted by Susie 9 00:00:33,817 --> 00:00:38,497 Speaker 2: McIntyre Eaton, featuring new guests monthly. Subscribe Today for new 10 00:00:38,577 --> 00:00:39,617 Speaker 2: videos each week. 11 00:00:41,696 --> 00:00:44,937 Speaker 1: And I wanted to take verses in the Bible and 12 00:00:45,057 --> 00:00:49,416 Speaker 1: help people build a life they love, one morning at 13 00:00:49,457 --> 00:00:52,297 Speaker 1: a time, to help them learn how to wake up 14 00:00:52,297 --> 00:00:56,417 Speaker 1: with hope and joy and purpose, believing that God's mercies 15 00:00:56,457 --> 00:00:58,417 Speaker 1: really are new every morning. 16 00:00:59,897 --> 00:01:02,937 Speaker 3: Welcome to a special scripture focused bonus episode of the 17 00:01:03,017 --> 00:01:06,537 Speaker 3: Jesus Calling Podcast where we contemplate the two hundred plus 18 00:01:06,577 --> 00:01:09,737 Speaker 3: mornings mentioned in the Bible with author and Bible teacher 19 00:01:10,057 --> 00:01:13,737 Speaker 3: Jennifer Duke's Lee. Jennifer walks us through the notable mornings 20 00:01:13,737 --> 00:01:16,737 Speaker 3: from scripture, like God's first creation on earth when he said, 21 00:01:16,817 --> 00:01:20,457 Speaker 3: let there be light to Jesus Crucifixion and resurrection, and 22 00:01:20,497 --> 00:01:24,257 Speaker 3: the tasks God gives people like Abraham, Moses, and Jacob 23 00:01:24,457 --> 00:01:28,017 Speaker 3: to begin at daybreak. Each sunrise reminds us that God's 24 00:01:28,017 --> 00:01:30,977 Speaker 3: mercies are new each and every day, giving us built 25 00:01:30,977 --> 00:01:33,457 Speaker 3: in duovers and a chance to fall in love with 26 00:01:33,497 --> 00:01:36,857 Speaker 3: life and the role God has for us all over again. 27 00:01:38,057 --> 00:01:41,337 Speaker 1: I love in the scriptures how there is such a 28 00:01:41,737 --> 00:01:45,577 Speaker 1: meaningful connection to the land. Jesus taught so much from 29 00:01:45,617 --> 00:01:50,657 Speaker 1: the land, the harvest, the seeds, the crushing the vines, 30 00:01:51,017 --> 00:01:52,457 Speaker 1: and I get to look out and I get to 31 00:01:52,497 --> 00:01:55,937 Speaker 1: see that growth, and it connects so beautifully to the 32 00:01:55,977 --> 00:01:58,457 Speaker 1: faith that I feel every single morning to be able 33 00:01:58,537 --> 00:02:01,537 Speaker 1: to see God's green earth and how He's growing good 34 00:02:01,537 --> 00:02:05,097 Speaker 1: things out there and good things in us. I began 35 00:02:05,137 --> 00:02:08,857 Speaker 1: to study all two hundred plus mornings of the Bible, 36 00:02:09,737 --> 00:02:14,697 Speaker 1: plus every mention of daybreak, dawn, anything that signaled the 37 00:02:14,737 --> 00:02:19,017 Speaker 1: start of a day. Anytime we look east, we see 38 00:02:19,217 --> 00:02:22,017 Speaker 1: the sun rising, and it reminds me of Lamentations three 39 00:02:22,177 --> 00:02:24,577 Speaker 1: twenty two to twenty three, where it says that God's 40 00:02:24,617 --> 00:02:29,937 Speaker 1: mercies are new every morning, and I'm reminded in Psalm thirty, 41 00:02:29,977 --> 00:02:33,097 Speaker 1: where it says that weeping may last for the night, 42 00:02:33,177 --> 00:02:37,097 Speaker 1: but joy comes in the morning. God built these do 43 00:02:37,257 --> 00:02:41,657 Speaker 1: overs every twenty four hours into this cycle on earth, 44 00:02:41,817 --> 00:02:44,937 Speaker 1: and every morning is a new opportunity to wake up 45 00:02:44,977 --> 00:02:46,897 Speaker 1: and say to God, thank you for this day that 46 00:02:46,977 --> 00:02:50,737 Speaker 1: you have given me, and help me to reframe my 47 00:02:50,897 --> 00:02:54,337 Speaker 1: mornings so that I can experience your best Lord from 48 00:02:54,337 --> 00:03:02,017 Speaker 1: the moment I wake up. One of the first verses 49 00:03:02,057 --> 00:03:04,937 Speaker 1: that I study, because it's at the very beginning, was 50 00:03:04,977 --> 00:03:08,337 Speaker 1: from Jena, and I discovered that the very first thing 51 00:03:08,417 --> 00:03:13,056 Speaker 1: that God created on this earth was a morning, when 52 00:03:13,057 --> 00:03:16,817 Speaker 1: he said, let there be light. I flipped to the 53 00:03:17,057 --> 00:03:20,977 Speaker 1: end of the Bible to Revelation to discover that Jesus 54 00:03:21,057 --> 00:03:24,977 Speaker 1: is known as the bright morning Star, and that heaven 55 00:03:25,057 --> 00:03:27,376 Speaker 1: is a kind of forever morning, with no more night 56 00:03:27,457 --> 00:03:30,617 Speaker 1: and no more tears. And then, of course, the pinnacle 57 00:03:30,657 --> 00:03:35,777 Speaker 1: of the Biblical narrative happens on a garden morning with 58 00:03:35,897 --> 00:03:40,697 Speaker 1: the stone rolled away, when Jesus came out, risen alive. 59 00:03:40,817 --> 00:03:45,817 Speaker 1: Our hope is based and it's inextricably tied to the 60 00:03:45,857 --> 00:03:49,057 Speaker 1: hope of a morning. And not only that, just as 61 00:03:49,097 --> 00:03:51,417 Speaker 1: you go through and you study all these mornings of scripture, 62 00:03:51,457 --> 00:03:53,617 Speaker 1: you see it as a really special time for God 63 00:03:53,657 --> 00:03:56,297 Speaker 1: to set his people out onto his task, to be 64 00:03:56,337 --> 00:03:59,617 Speaker 1: obedient to what he has called them to do in 65 00:03:59,697 --> 00:04:03,337 Speaker 1: the morning. Abraham in the morning, Moses in the morning, 66 00:04:03,417 --> 00:04:07,417 Speaker 1: Jacob in the morning, Joshua, and over and over again, 67 00:04:07,457 --> 00:04:10,937 Speaker 1: we see people, our biblical ancestors, taking these steps of 68 00:04:10,977 --> 00:04:14,017 Speaker 1: obedience to what God has called them to do early 69 00:04:14,057 --> 00:04:17,377 Speaker 1: in the morning. They weren't pretty quiet times. They weren't, 70 00:04:17,457 --> 00:04:20,457 Speaker 1: you know, something instagrammable. Some of those mornings happened in 71 00:04:20,497 --> 00:04:24,296 Speaker 1: the wilderness. Some of them happened when the biblical characters 72 00:04:24,296 --> 00:04:28,017 Speaker 1: were facing some of the most difficult challenges of their lives, 73 00:04:28,616 --> 00:04:31,696 Speaker 1: and yet they stepped out into obedience. They didn't put 74 00:04:31,697 --> 00:04:35,097 Speaker 1: it off. They didn't check the news first, they didn't 75 00:04:35,337 --> 00:04:38,736 Speaker 1: check Facebook first. They just were obedient, very early in 76 00:04:38,777 --> 00:04:42,296 Speaker 1: the morning. The first moment. One of my favorite stories 77 00:04:42,897 --> 00:04:47,176 Speaker 1: is Jesus after he has risen, and I think about 78 00:04:47,176 --> 00:04:48,936 Speaker 1: all the things he could have done with that time, 79 00:04:49,296 --> 00:04:52,257 Speaker 1: during those last days on earth when he was the 80 00:04:52,337 --> 00:04:55,937 Speaker 1: risen Christ, and he decides to wake up one morning 81 00:04:55,976 --> 00:04:58,337 Speaker 1: and he's like, huh, you know what, I think I'm 82 00:04:58,337 --> 00:05:00,616 Speaker 1: going to go find the guys. I'm pretty sure they're 83 00:05:00,657 --> 00:05:04,017 Speaker 1: out having breakfast right about now, and they're out fishing, 84 00:05:04,097 --> 00:05:07,777 Speaker 1: and that morning he to cook them breakfast and it 85 00:05:07,816 --> 00:05:10,176 Speaker 1: was a moment of restoration for Peter. It was a 86 00:05:10,217 --> 00:05:13,897 Speaker 1: moment for him to reconnect with these men who had 87 00:05:13,936 --> 00:05:16,937 Speaker 1: been faithfully following him, and then some who had betrayed 88 00:05:17,017 --> 00:05:21,056 Speaker 1: and run during the crucifixion. So I think these mornings 89 00:05:21,137 --> 00:05:24,097 Speaker 1: hold something very special for us. It's the way you 90 00:05:24,376 --> 00:05:28,057 Speaker 1: feel if you do Chase's sunrise, when you stand with 91 00:05:28,097 --> 00:05:32,017 Speaker 1: your eyes faced east and you see that little bit 92 00:05:32,056 --> 00:05:36,176 Speaker 1: of light creeping up over the horizon, and it's like 93 00:05:36,577 --> 00:05:40,457 Speaker 1: God saying to you, welcome to a new day. Jennifer, 94 00:05:40,976 --> 00:05:44,256 Speaker 1: this is your day to love and enjoy and to 95 00:05:44,337 --> 00:05:46,736 Speaker 1: be present with me. And I thought I'd give you 96 00:05:46,777 --> 00:05:50,337 Speaker 1: something pretty to start your day. It's that way that 97 00:05:50,416 --> 00:05:53,537 Speaker 1: you feel, and in the scriptures we see that again 98 00:05:53,577 --> 00:05:57,256 Speaker 1: and again, this hopefulness of new mercies of joy coming 99 00:05:57,296 --> 00:05:57,897 Speaker 1: in the morning. 100 00:05:59,856 --> 00:06:02,056 Speaker 2: Stay tuned for more with Jennifer Dukes Lee. 101 00:06:02,097 --> 00:06:10,017 Speaker 3: After a brief message, These uncertain times bring anxiety and fear, 102 00:06:10,416 --> 00:06:13,496 Speaker 3: but Jesus listens prayers for every season gives you daily 103 00:06:13,496 --> 00:06:18,296 Speaker 3: prayers of comfort with seasonally inspired illustrations. This beautiful book 104 00:06:18,296 --> 00:06:21,896 Speaker 3: includes prayers that speak to your situation, whether it's a 105 00:06:21,897 --> 00:06:25,936 Speaker 3: time of stress or strength. Look for Jesus Listens prayers 106 00:06:25,976 --> 00:06:29,537 Speaker 3: for every season wherever you buy books. 107 00:06:33,457 --> 00:06:36,257 Speaker 1: I have grown up in a rural part of the world, 108 00:06:36,296 --> 00:06:39,897 Speaker 1: but I've also lived a bustling city life. I was 109 00:06:39,936 --> 00:06:42,416 Speaker 1: a news reporter for many years, and I never knew 110 00:06:42,416 --> 00:06:43,897 Speaker 1: what I was going to run into when I got 111 00:06:43,936 --> 00:06:48,017 Speaker 1: into the newsroom. I didn't know what crisis had happened overnight, 112 00:06:48,176 --> 00:06:53,296 Speaker 1: what sort of crime scene or controversy that I'd be 113 00:06:53,337 --> 00:06:56,376 Speaker 1: asked to step into and report. So I had to 114 00:06:56,416 --> 00:06:59,496 Speaker 1: gird myself very early on in the day to be 115 00:06:59,577 --> 00:07:04,296 Speaker 1: able to step into those days with the full armor 116 00:07:04,337 --> 00:07:07,137 Speaker 1: of God on me, to be able to do a 117 00:07:07,137 --> 00:07:09,177 Speaker 1: good job as a reporter, but also just to kind 118 00:07:09,176 --> 00:07:11,897 Speaker 1: of protect my own heart as I was faced and 119 00:07:11,937 --> 00:07:14,337 Speaker 1: thrust into the hard things that other people faced. So 120 00:07:15,137 --> 00:07:19,017 Speaker 1: I get that mornings can be really hard, and even 121 00:07:19,097 --> 00:07:23,337 Speaker 1: on the farm, they can be really hard. We've had 122 00:07:23,537 --> 00:07:26,937 Speaker 1: mornings where my dad was on long term hospice, and 123 00:07:26,977 --> 00:07:29,857 Speaker 1: waking up was the knowledge that we were one day 124 00:07:29,897 --> 00:07:33,297 Speaker 1: closer to losing Dad. Each morning was like a reminder 125 00:07:33,337 --> 00:07:36,977 Speaker 1: that Dad would be with us one more day, which 126 00:07:36,977 --> 00:07:39,697 Speaker 1: we were grateful for, but it was also a reminder 127 00:07:39,737 --> 00:07:42,777 Speaker 1: that we were one day closer to saying goodbye and 128 00:07:43,457 --> 00:07:45,977 Speaker 1: barely able to just kind of take care of myself 129 00:07:46,097 --> 00:07:49,016 Speaker 1: and the daily functions of just being a human in 130 00:07:49,017 --> 00:07:51,857 Speaker 1: the world, like taking my own medications and eating a 131 00:07:51,897 --> 00:07:55,217 Speaker 1: good breakfast and moving my body when it felt like 132 00:07:55,377 --> 00:08:01,697 Speaker 1: survival mode. So many stories to unpack when it comes 133 00:08:01,697 --> 00:08:03,977 Speaker 1: to mornings, and picking a favorite one is a bit 134 00:08:04,057 --> 00:08:09,137 Speaker 1: like picking a favorite child. I mean, there's the obvious morning, 135 00:08:09,617 --> 00:08:13,937 Speaker 1: this morning of resurrection, of hope. It's the pinnacle, like 136 00:08:14,017 --> 00:08:17,497 Speaker 1: that's the morning that holds the whole thing together. But 137 00:08:17,537 --> 00:08:20,097 Speaker 1: I want to back up just a few days, and 138 00:08:20,577 --> 00:08:23,497 Speaker 1: that we would remind ourselves that it was at nine 139 00:08:23,537 --> 00:08:27,576 Speaker 1: am on a morning when Jesus was crucified. And I 140 00:08:27,577 --> 00:08:29,937 Speaker 1: don't like to think about that. I don't like to 141 00:08:29,977 --> 00:08:33,457 Speaker 1: think about Jesus on a cross and how painful that is. 142 00:08:33,497 --> 00:08:38,897 Speaker 1: But what it reminds me is that Jesus gets our 143 00:08:38,937 --> 00:08:42,057 Speaker 1: hard mornings, like our worst mornings, and some of the 144 00:08:42,097 --> 00:08:46,977 Speaker 1: most sacred mornings in scripture don't start with joy. They 145 00:08:47,017 --> 00:08:51,297 Speaker 1: start in the dark. You're not broken because you dread mornings. 146 00:08:52,857 --> 00:08:55,537 Speaker 1: I think it's easy to, you know, fall into an 147 00:08:55,537 --> 00:08:59,417 Speaker 1: idea of we're not good morning people because we wake 148 00:08:59,537 --> 00:09:04,337 Speaker 1: up to chaos or messiness, busyness, and dread and before 149 00:09:04,377 --> 00:09:08,497 Speaker 1: our feet even hit the floor, or we're anticipating all 150 00:09:08,697 --> 00:09:11,497 Speaker 1: of the stress and anxiety that waits for us in 151 00:09:11,537 --> 00:09:15,097 Speaker 1: a day. And I don't have the ability to remove 152 00:09:15,137 --> 00:09:18,497 Speaker 1: those stressors in those circumstances, but I do have the 153 00:09:18,537 --> 00:09:23,737 Speaker 1: ability to unwrap the beauty of Scripture. I started studying 154 00:09:23,777 --> 00:09:28,537 Speaker 1: mornings when my daughters said, even on mornings when they 155 00:09:28,537 --> 00:09:32,817 Speaker 1: were dealing with online bullies or stress at school, or 156 00:09:32,937 --> 00:09:35,777 Speaker 1: losing a grandparent, like all of the hard things that 157 00:09:35,817 --> 00:09:39,977 Speaker 1: they faced, we had this idea that everything will be 158 00:09:39,977 --> 00:09:42,297 Speaker 1: better in the morning. And you've probably had somebody say 159 00:09:42,297 --> 00:09:44,377 Speaker 1: that to you in your life at some point, that 160 00:09:44,457 --> 00:09:47,337 Speaker 1: everything will be better in the morning. And it didn't 161 00:09:47,377 --> 00:09:51,257 Speaker 1: mean that our problems were going to disappear, but it 162 00:09:51,297 --> 00:09:55,057 Speaker 1: did mean that God could change something in us, even 163 00:09:55,057 --> 00:09:58,057 Speaker 1: if our circumstances didn't change. I think that a lot 164 00:09:58,057 --> 00:10:02,257 Speaker 1: of people are in that chronically, in a situation where 165 00:10:02,257 --> 00:10:04,337 Speaker 1: they wake up with dread, where they wake up with 166 00:10:04,417 --> 00:10:07,337 Speaker 1: physical pain, where they themselves are on hospice and are 167 00:10:07,377 --> 00:10:11,897 Speaker 1: feeling the hopelessness of what might lie ahead. In those moments, 168 00:10:11,937 --> 00:10:13,937 Speaker 1: it can be easy to say, well, I'm not going 169 00:10:13,977 --> 00:10:16,057 Speaker 1: to follow my morning routine. I'm not going to do 170 00:10:16,137 --> 00:10:19,377 Speaker 1: all the things that keep me healthy and tethered to God. 171 00:10:19,657 --> 00:10:23,057 Speaker 1: But it's those mornings, especially when we need to grab 172 00:10:23,137 --> 00:10:26,497 Speaker 1: hold of those good, joy filled habits that keep us 173 00:10:26,577 --> 00:10:30,097 Speaker 1: close to Jesus, that give us a sense of His 174 00:10:30,257 --> 00:10:32,937 Speaker 1: Holy Spirit present in us so that we can operate 175 00:10:33,617 --> 00:10:36,617 Speaker 1: with confidence and joy and purpose even on our hardest days, 176 00:10:37,417 --> 00:10:42,497 Speaker 1: and the mournings described in scripture to give people a 177 00:10:42,617 --> 00:10:46,297 Speaker 1: sense of the hopefulness that God offers to all of us. 178 00:10:46,977 --> 00:10:50,896 Speaker 1: And what I learned very early on in my studies 179 00:10:51,697 --> 00:10:57,017 Speaker 1: was that God has a soft spot for mornings. I 180 00:10:57,097 --> 00:11:02,657 Speaker 1: also learned that God is a morning person, and that 181 00:11:03,257 --> 00:11:07,937 Speaker 1: because I am made in His image, that means that I, too, 182 00:11:08,257 --> 00:11:11,417 Speaker 1: am a morning person. And it doesn't matter what time 183 00:11:11,457 --> 00:11:13,537 Speaker 1: I get up, It doesn't matter how much I can 184 00:11:13,577 --> 00:11:17,657 Speaker 1: accomplish before eight am. What matters is that I can 185 00:11:17,697 --> 00:11:20,497 Speaker 1: bring the hopefulness that God promises at the start of 186 00:11:20,497 --> 00:11:25,737 Speaker 1: a new day and bring that into my life beginning 187 00:11:25,777 --> 00:11:29,217 Speaker 1: with the moment that my feet hit the floor, and 188 00:11:29,257 --> 00:11:32,417 Speaker 1: that gives me hope as I think about my hardest 189 00:11:32,497 --> 00:11:35,097 Speaker 1: days behind me, as I think about my hardest days 190 00:11:35,097 --> 00:11:39,017 Speaker 1: ahead of me, that Jesus went to the cross on 191 00:11:39,137 --> 00:11:43,017 Speaker 1: a morning and gave his life for us, and in 192 00:11:43,057 --> 00:11:46,737 Speaker 1: the intervening days until I see Jesus face to face again, 193 00:11:47,377 --> 00:11:49,817 Speaker 1: I do have the hope of a resurrection that happened 194 00:11:49,817 --> 00:11:52,377 Speaker 1: on that Sunday morning. I do have the promise of 195 00:11:52,497 --> 00:11:55,977 Speaker 1: light forevermore. I do have the presence of the bright 196 00:11:56,057 --> 00:11:58,417 Speaker 1: morning Star with me as I go through these the 197 00:11:58,457 --> 00:12:06,017 Speaker 1: rest of the days of my life. One of the 198 00:12:06,057 --> 00:12:10,137 Speaker 1: things I love about the mornings of Scripture is that 199 00:12:10,217 --> 00:12:14,377 Speaker 1: they are full of provision. God has a long history 200 00:12:14,457 --> 00:12:17,417 Speaker 1: of meeting people right at daybreak. It's not that he's 201 00:12:17,457 --> 00:12:20,417 Speaker 1: been sleeping when we've been sleeping, but he meets us 202 00:12:20,457 --> 00:12:23,577 Speaker 1: right at daybreak, and it's often when they have felt 203 00:12:23,617 --> 00:12:27,017 Speaker 1: like they had nothing. And some of the clearest and 204 00:12:27,057 --> 00:12:29,777 Speaker 1: most beautiful examples of God providing in the morning are, 205 00:12:29,817 --> 00:12:32,297 Speaker 1: of course, like the Mana in the wilderness. There was 206 00:12:32,337 --> 00:12:34,977 Speaker 1: this layer of dew, and when the dew was gone, 207 00:12:34,977 --> 00:12:38,257 Speaker 1: there was this thin flakes. It was manna. And God 208 00:12:38,457 --> 00:12:41,257 Speaker 1: fed Israel one day at a time, and it showed 209 00:12:41,337 --> 00:12:45,697 Speaker 1: up every single morning. Remember, they weren't to store it up. 210 00:12:45,777 --> 00:12:49,617 Speaker 1: Provision wasn't to be stored up. It was to be received. 211 00:12:49,777 --> 00:12:54,097 Speaker 1: And I think that is true for mercies too, when 212 00:12:54,137 --> 00:12:57,697 Speaker 1: we think about mercies being available to us every day. 213 00:12:58,057 --> 00:13:00,137 Speaker 1: He's saying to us, you will not face this day 214 00:13:00,177 --> 00:13:04,297 Speaker 1: without fresh grace. You will not face this day without me, 215 00:13:04,657 --> 00:13:07,617 Speaker 1: just like the Man of for the Israelites. I got 216 00:13:07,657 --> 00:13:14,017 Speaker 1: so tickled at how God's creativity in provision in the mornings. 217 00:13:14,017 --> 00:13:19,097 Speaker 1: There's this story in One Kings seventeen, and in this story, 218 00:13:19,617 --> 00:13:25,697 Speaker 1: God provides food for Elijah every morning. And I loved 219 00:13:25,737 --> 00:13:31,937 Speaker 1: this because these ravens were providing the food for Elijah, 220 00:13:32,017 --> 00:13:35,297 Speaker 1: and it was like the world's first door dash and 221 00:13:35,737 --> 00:13:38,937 Speaker 1: morning and night, these birds would show up with bread 222 00:13:38,977 --> 00:13:42,017 Speaker 1: and meat right on schedule. He didn't have to hoard it. 223 00:13:42,017 --> 00:13:44,137 Speaker 1: They were going to come again the next day. But 224 00:13:44,257 --> 00:13:49,337 Speaker 1: this kind of provision wasn't just unlikely, it was borderline 225 00:13:49,377 --> 00:13:54,097 Speaker 1: scandalous because if you flip back to Leviticus, it says 226 00:13:54,337 --> 00:13:58,257 Speaker 1: that ravens are unclean birds. And what it says to 227 00:13:58,257 --> 00:14:01,057 Speaker 1: me is that God doesn't do anything by mistake or 228 00:14:01,257 --> 00:14:04,697 Speaker 1: without purpose. We don't know for sure why God would 229 00:14:04,737 --> 00:14:07,057 Speaker 1: have allowed a lot is just breakfast to be delivered 230 00:14:07,097 --> 00:14:09,817 Speaker 1: by an unclean bird. But to me it's proof that 231 00:14:10,537 --> 00:14:18,217 Speaker 1: God often works through unlikely means that he devies conventional expectations, 232 00:14:18,217 --> 00:14:21,017 Speaker 1: and it reminds me that he's running the show. So 233 00:14:21,737 --> 00:14:26,377 Speaker 1: that is a story of provision of unlikely provision. But 234 00:14:26,697 --> 00:14:28,937 Speaker 1: I think it's important too to pull back a little 235 00:14:28,977 --> 00:14:31,457 Speaker 1: bit closer with the lens of what it means to 236 00:14:31,657 --> 00:14:37,497 Speaker 1: provide for ourselves, not only spiritually and mentally, and how 237 00:14:37,537 --> 00:14:40,657 Speaker 1: God provides for us spiritual and mentally, but how we 238 00:14:40,697 --> 00:14:45,217 Speaker 1: are to care for ourselves physically. Like God wanted Elijah 239 00:14:45,217 --> 00:14:47,417 Speaker 1: to have food, he needed energy, He needed to be 240 00:14:47,417 --> 00:14:49,977 Speaker 1: provided for, And it's a reminder to me that God 241 00:14:50,017 --> 00:14:52,937 Speaker 1: wants us to take care of ourselves and our bodies 242 00:14:52,977 --> 00:14:56,177 Speaker 1: too in the mornings, whether that's by moving our bodies, 243 00:14:56,257 --> 00:14:59,697 Speaker 1: by eating a nutritious breakfast. For me, it's having my 244 00:14:59,777 --> 00:15:01,857 Speaker 1: coffee because I don't think Jesus wants to talk to 245 00:15:01,897 --> 00:15:07,577 Speaker 1: me until I'm caffeinated. Jesus was an embodied human being. 246 00:15:07,697 --> 00:15:12,337 Speaker 1: He didn't separate that part out. He was a fully 247 00:15:12,417 --> 00:15:15,377 Speaker 1: human and fully God, and he had to take care 248 00:15:15,417 --> 00:15:18,537 Speaker 1: of his body. We have bodies to be cared for 249 00:15:19,377 --> 00:15:22,617 Speaker 1: just as much as our spirit and our soul and 250 00:15:22,697 --> 00:15:25,617 Speaker 1: our mind says to love the Lord, our God with 251 00:15:25,657 --> 00:15:28,617 Speaker 1: all of our heart and soul and mind and strength. 252 00:15:29,177 --> 00:15:32,737 Speaker 1: And when I think about that strength piece of loving 253 00:15:32,777 --> 00:15:35,497 Speaker 1: the Lord, my God, I want to love God with 254 00:15:35,537 --> 00:15:38,737 Speaker 1: my strength in the morning, not just my mental strength, 255 00:15:39,337 --> 00:15:42,977 Speaker 1: but my physical strength, taking care of myself so that 256 00:15:43,017 --> 00:15:46,257 Speaker 1: I can carry out God's tasks in the world starting 257 00:15:46,257 --> 00:15:48,457 Speaker 1: the moment I wake up. And I think that can 258 00:15:48,537 --> 00:15:51,257 Speaker 1: really be transformative, not only for your mourning, but for 259 00:15:51,297 --> 00:15:52,697 Speaker 1: the way you get through a whole day. 260 00:15:54,217 --> 00:15:57,777 Speaker 3: Thank you for listening to this special scripture focused bonus episode. 261 00:15:58,057 --> 00:16:02,297 Speaker 3: To learn more about Jennifer, please visit Jenniferdukeslee dot com 262 00:16:02,577 --> 00:16:04,417 Speaker 3: and be sure to check out her new book, How 263 00:16:04,457 --> 00:16:08,657 Speaker 3: to Love Your Morning, available at your favorite retailer. Enjoy 264 00:16:08,737 --> 00:16:12,297 Speaker 3: our entire series of scripture studies, each with different Bible 265 00:16:12,297 --> 00:16:16,257 Speaker 3: teachers and enthusiasts walking us through specific books and people 266 00:16:16,257 --> 00:16:20,337 Speaker 3: in the Bible on the Jesus Calling YouTube channel. To 267 00:16:20,377 --> 00:16:23,377 Speaker 3: discover more inspiring stories of people making a positive impact, 268 00:16:23,737 --> 00:16:31,377 Speaker 3: visit Jesus Calling dot com slash podcast. 269 00:16:31,697 --> 00:16:34,257 Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to the Jesus Calling Stories of Faith 270 00:16:34,297 --> 00:16:38,137 Speaker 2: podcast on the Life Audio Network. Every week, we'll bring 271 00:16:38,177 --> 00:16:40,777 Speaker 2: you stories from people who share their journeys of faith 272 00:16:41,097 --> 00:16:44,817 Speaker 2: and how prayer and a relationship with God transformed their lives. 273 00:16:45,577 --> 00:16:48,937 Speaker 2: Be sure to follow us on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or 274 00:16:49,017 --> 00:16:52,297 Speaker 2: wherever you listen to podcasts, and leave us a review 275 00:16:52,377 --> 00:16:56,577 Speaker 2: so others can be inspired weekly by these stories of faith. Finally, 276 00:16:56,857 --> 00:17:00,377 Speaker 2: you can find encouragement resources and more on the Jesus 277 00:17:00,417 --> 00:17:03,337 Speaker 2: Calling website at Jesus Calling dot com.