1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 1: Life audio. 2 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:08,200 Speaker 2: Have you ever noticed how you feel free when no 3 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:10,480 Speaker 2: one's telling you what to do, or maybe you wake 4 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 2: up in the morning with an appointment per day, The 5 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 2: day lays before you and you can do anything you want. 6 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:19,479 Speaker 2: I love a day without any expectations in it. I 7 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 2: make all these plans to paint or play, or garden 8 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:26,120 Speaker 2: or read a good book. But then I open social 9 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 2: media or YouTube, and before I know it, my day 10 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:33,239 Speaker 2: of freedom has turned into a slog of senseless videos. 11 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:37,240 Speaker 2: My day of freedom no longer feels free. The lure 12 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 2: of endless entertainment entraps me, and I feel guilty for 13 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,159 Speaker 2: getting stuck. When this lack of freedom shows up in 14 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 2: other places too, like faith, relationships or even creativity, we 15 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 2: want freedom but end up experiencing more pressure and regret. 16 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 2: In recognition of Independence Day in the United States, today, 17 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:01,560 Speaker 2: we are going to talk about how to find true 18 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 2: freedom in christ. Welcome to your hope filled perspective, where 19 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 2: it's always our goal to restore hope, renew minds, and 20 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:12,680 Speaker 2: empower listeners to live in your God given identity. I'm 21 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 2: your host, Doctor Michelle bankson Board, certified clinical neuropsychologist, author, speaker, 22 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:22,440 Speaker 2: and companion on your journey to mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness. 23 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 2: I'm delighted you've chosen to spend a few minutes of 24 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 2: your week with us. Today we are going to talk 25 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:32,559 Speaker 2: about how to find true freedom in Christ. We'll dive 26 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 2: into this right after this brief word from our sponsor. 27 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 2: Think about all the ways we save time. We can 28 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:46,280 Speaker 2: start our ovens from our smartphones. Our fridges send us 29 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 2: notifications when we need to replace a filter, and we 30 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 2: can set our washing machine apps to send a message 31 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 2: to someone to change the loads. These modern features save 32 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 2: us time, which technically gives us more freedom to do 33 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 2: other things things, but we also find ourselves entrapped by 34 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 2: our devices. Today I'm joined by my co host and friend, 35 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:10,359 Speaker 2: Jessica van Rukl. She's a pastor, author and a good friend, 36 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 2: and we are going to talk about how to find 37 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 2: true freedom in Christ. Scripture tells us in Galatians five, 38 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 2: verse one, it is for freedom that Christ has set 39 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:27,119 Speaker 2: us free. Stand firm them, and do not let yourselves 40 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:33,080 Speaker 2: be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. So why 41 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 2: do we struggle? Scripture just told us Christ came to 42 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 2: gave us freedom. Well, we say we want freedom, but 43 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 2: we often end up more stuck. One of the reasons 44 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 2: so many Christians love the idea of freedom in Christ 45 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 2: but don't feel free is because they struggle with this 46 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 2: split life problem. Es explain what that looks like. 47 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 3: Oh, I'd be happy to We live in two realities, 48 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 3: which are the spiritual reality and the worldly reality, or 49 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 3: an easier way to describe it as we have a 50 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 3: church life and an everyday life. Through sermons, Bible studies, 51 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 3: and devotions, we hear about this freedom found in Christ, 52 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 3: and often it's framed within that we've been set free 53 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 3: from sin, which is the worst form of slavery, and 54 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,360 Speaker 3: Jesus has come to set us free. But then there's 55 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 3: the rest of our lives where we look for freedom 56 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 3: in self expression, creativity, free speech, liberation from traditions and 57 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 3: societal constraints. We seem to want more stuff and less rules, 58 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 3: but this kind of freedom avoids commitment and wants as 59 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 3: many choices as possible. Modern culture defines freedom as absence 60 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 3: of restraint. 61 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 2: Okay, but isn't the freedom of self expression a good thing? 62 00:03:56,400 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 3: Yes? Absolutely it is, and freedom in Christ is becoming 63 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 3: who Christ intends for us to be, not who we 64 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 3: think we should be. You know, we have to remember 65 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:11,920 Speaker 3: that before Christ, we are really enemies of God. We 66 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 3: are going our own way, doing what's right in our 67 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:18,360 Speaker 3: own eyes, and Christ has a different goal for us, 68 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:22,159 Speaker 3: a different plan for us. And the trouble comes is 69 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:26,720 Speaker 3: when we make freedom a reason for self indulgence and 70 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 3: we become enslaved to making us the main character of 71 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 3: our life instead of God. You see, we are to 72 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 3: be in the world and not of the world. But 73 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:41,920 Speaker 3: when we separate our church life from our everyday life, 74 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:47,279 Speaker 3: we suffer the impact of allowing self indulgence to shape 75 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 3: how we read scripture. 76 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 2: So that looks like reading scripture and saying God doesn't 77 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 2: really mean that applies to me. 78 00:04:57,240 --> 00:04:57,840 Speaker 3: Yeah. 79 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 2: So, for example, Hebrews twelve one says, therefore, since we 80 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 2: are surrounded by such a cloud of witnesses, let us 81 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 2: throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so 82 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 2: easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race 83 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:18,599 Speaker 2: marked out for us. It's so easy to find the 84 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 2: sin that entangles someone else's life, but then excuse it 85 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:24,919 Speaker 2: away when we see it in our own life. 86 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:28,279 Speaker 3: Exactly, I'm so reminded, like when I point my finger 87 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 3: at someone I've got three fingers pointing back at me. 88 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:34,840 Speaker 3: But I like to ignore that part, right, because who 89 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 3: wants to really have our weaknesses highlighted. It comes down 90 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:42,239 Speaker 3: to the fact, by our old nature, we are really 91 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:45,040 Speaker 3: kind of proud people and we don't like to have 92 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:49,280 Speaker 3: our weaknesses highlighted or our struggles made known. I mean, 93 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 3: we live in this fake world of social media where 94 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:59,120 Speaker 3: only the perfection is praised or only perfection is highlighted. 95 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 3: And yeah, we all struggle with this sin nature that 96 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 3: is still part of us even though we have been 97 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 3: set free in Christ and by allowing sin that entangles 98 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 3: to stay in our lives. Doesn't always look like a 99 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 3: dramatic rebellion, but sometimes it can be as something as 100 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:25,960 Speaker 3: small and I say that with quote small, like self sufficiency. 101 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 3: Self sufficiency can be a sin that entangles us because 102 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 3: it prevents us from complete dependence on God. 103 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:41,600 Speaker 2: So we experience false freedom when we have spiritual liberation, 104 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:48,720 Speaker 2: but it's without spiritual transformation. Ooh. People can receive spiritual 105 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 2: freedom through the forgiveness Jesus bought with his blood, which 106 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:56,960 Speaker 2: is called justification. Many people think that's all there is 107 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 2: to it, but there's a transformation over time that happens 108 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:06,040 Speaker 2: in the life that is completely surrendered to God. This 109 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:10,440 Speaker 2: is the part that's called sanctification. So we can think 110 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 2: of it in terms of justification is the door and 111 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 2: sanctification is learning how to live once you walk through 112 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:20,960 Speaker 2: the door. Would you agree? 113 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 1: I do? 114 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 3: And I think that's a beautiful word picture of both 115 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 3: of those terms, because both of those terms are pretty 116 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 3: heady and academic sounding, justification sanctification. But when we think 117 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 3: of justification as the doorway through which we walk through, 118 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 3: and sanctification is like where we when you move into 119 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 3: a new place, you learn where things are at or 120 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:43,560 Speaker 3: and you learn how things work and how to live 121 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 3: in that space. But so many people who believe in 122 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 3: Christ stop at the doorway. They don't continue on into 123 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 3: the house or place, so to speak. John chapter eight, 124 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 3: verse thirty two says, then you will know the truth, 125 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:01,920 Speaker 3: and the truth will set you free. That's that doorway 126 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 3: part where we accept Christ as savior. But Romans chapter six, 127 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:10,200 Speaker 3: verse four tells us that there's more to it. It 128 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 3: says this we were therefore buried with him through baptism 129 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:17,560 Speaker 3: into death in order that just as Christ was raised 130 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 3: from the dead through the glory of the Father, we 131 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 3: too may have a new life. We are set free 132 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 3: to live a new life, not do what we want. 133 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:33,240 Speaker 3: And this new life, this freedom to live, it is 134 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:36,439 Speaker 3: an ongoing daily journey. 135 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:40,559 Speaker 2: I like the example that you used of moving into 136 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:43,320 Speaker 2: a new place and not knowing where everything is. I 137 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 2: remember when my husband and I moved into our current home, 138 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 2: nothing was in the normal place, and in fact, I 139 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:53,560 Speaker 2: remember wanting to get some kind of night light to 140 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:56,480 Speaker 2: put in the hallway outside of our bedroom because I 141 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 2: would frequently get up in the middle of the night. 142 00:08:58,160 --> 00:08:59,840 Speaker 2: But I didn't want to turn on the bright lights 143 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 2: by I wasn't exactly sure like where the opening was 144 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 2: to enter the rest of the house. And I liken 145 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:10,800 Speaker 2: that just to us, we walk through the doorway and 146 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 2: we're learning the new path, but we're dependent on God's 147 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:19,680 Speaker 2: light to illuminate that path for us. And when we 148 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 2: get stuck in self sufficiency, it's like I want to 149 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 2: hold onto the flashlight. I want to determine where I'm 150 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 2: going to put the night lights. But really that sanctification 151 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 2: process is trusting that God is going to illuminate the 152 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 2: path and we're going to be obedient to follow it. 153 00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:41,680 Speaker 2: I really think true freedom in Christ can only happen 154 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:45,959 Speaker 2: when we engage in obedience to His word, and it's 155 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:51,160 Speaker 2: when we reject the ongoing work of transformation that freedom 156 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 2: can feel like a fancy theory instead of a daily reality. 157 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 2: But it truly is something that if we would submit, 158 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 2: if we would be ob and if we would surrender 159 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:06,679 Speaker 2: what we think is best to the God who created 160 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 2: us and can fit all the pieces together, that's when 161 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:14,199 Speaker 2: we would experience true freedom. Yes, friends, we're going to 162 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:18,560 Speaker 2: continue our conversation about how to find true freedom in 163 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,920 Speaker 2: Christ after we take this brief word from our sponsor. 164 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 2: Welcome back to your Hope Field perspective. Today, in honor 165 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:31,040 Speaker 2: of Independence Day in the United States, we're talking about 166 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 2: freedom today. We're actually talking about how to find freedom 167 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:40,079 Speaker 2: in Christ. So let's shift our attention to what Jesus 168 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 2: actually means when he says we are free, because I 169 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:48,480 Speaker 2: think in our human perspective, we've got a different picture 170 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:50,840 Speaker 2: of what freedom looks like. In the opening, I talked 171 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 2: about the freedom of having an unplanned day and doing 172 00:10:53,559 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 2: whatever I want. That is not exactly the same freedom 173 00:10:56,880 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 2: that Christ is talking about. Jesus sets us free from 174 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 2: the power of sin and from the effects of sin 175 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:09,120 Speaker 2: in our daily lives. Yes, but a common mistake we 176 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:15,840 Speaker 2: make regarding understanding freedom is misunderstanding what it means to 177 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 2: belong to Christ. The apostle Paul referred to himself as 178 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:24,320 Speaker 2: a bond servant in Romans twelve to one, and this 179 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:29,360 Speaker 2: introduced the concept of belonging and ownership. 180 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:32,760 Speaker 3: Okay, yes, so we're going to dive into a little 181 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:36,040 Speaker 3: bit of biblical Greek here. So the Greek term for 182 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:39,200 Speaker 3: bond servant in Romans chapter twelve, verse one is doulas. 183 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 3: And this belonging to God doesn't mean that we are 184 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:48,360 Speaker 3: a servant expecting a wage. It's not an employee employer transaction. 185 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 3: When you hire someone you expect you expect something from them, 186 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 3: and they expect something from you in the form of 187 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 3: work and wages. It's like you work for rewards. That's 188 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:05,680 Speaker 3: our worldly mentality of belonging or being employed by someone, 189 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:09,400 Speaker 3: and that's the reality of what we have. However, when 190 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 3: Paul calls himself a bond servant, he's indicating that we 191 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 3: are not hired by God. We belong to him. There 192 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 3: was a practice in ancient times where when a slave 193 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:28,200 Speaker 3: after seven years, they would have the option to be 194 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:32,440 Speaker 3: set free, and if the slave chose not to, what 195 00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 3: happened is that their ear would be pierced as an 196 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 3: indication that they have chosen to remain with that family 197 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:44,040 Speaker 3: because of the love or familial feelings they have with them. 198 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 3: And it's important for us to remember that the Christian 199 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 3: has nothing to offer the Lord in payment for forgiveness. Right, yeah, 200 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:57,400 Speaker 3: Jesus loved us first. We love because He loved us 201 00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:01,960 Speaker 3: while we were still dead to in our sins. Christ 202 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:05,280 Speaker 3: died for us. You see, we have nothing to offer. 203 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 3: It is by grace we are saved. These remind us 204 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 3: that we are totally owned by the Master who bought 205 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 3: us with his shed blood on the cross. We are 206 00:13:16,679 --> 00:13:21,280 Speaker 3: purchased by him, and we belong to him. Romans six 207 00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:25,839 Speaker 3: sixteen through eighteen explain this this way. Don't you know 208 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 3: that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, 209 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:31,880 Speaker 3: you are slaves of the one you obey, whether you 210 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:35,760 Speaker 3: are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, 211 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:39,200 Speaker 3: which leads to righteousness. But thanks be to God that 212 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:42,080 Speaker 3: though you used to be slaves to sin, you have 213 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:45,800 Speaker 3: come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching 214 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:49,880 Speaker 3: that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set 215 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:53,960 Speaker 3: free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. 216 00:13:55,120 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 2: So powerful because the word slave feels so heavy, So 217 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:06,840 Speaker 2: let's talk about why Scripture specifically uses that word. Romans 218 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:13,320 Speaker 2: clearly states that everyone belongs to something. Yes, bondage to 219 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:19,040 Speaker 2: sin leads to death, but bondage to Christ leads to life, 220 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:24,240 Speaker 2: inheritance and adoption. And I just love what Galatians five 221 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:27,200 Speaker 2: twenty four through twenty five says. It says those who 222 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:31,960 Speaker 2: belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its 223 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:37,440 Speaker 2: passions and desires. Since we live by the spirit, let 224 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:39,760 Speaker 2: us keep in step with the spirit. 225 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:44,000 Speaker 3: It's that passage reminds me of where Jesus says to 226 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 3: be yoked to him, and you stay in step. So 227 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:52,480 Speaker 3: on two oxen are yoked. Often an younger oxen is 228 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 3: yoked to an older oxen so that the younger one 229 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:59,680 Speaker 3: can learn how how to pull, how to work. And 230 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 3: when I think of this bondage to Christ, I don't 231 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 3: think of it as enslaved like chains, but I actually 232 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 3: think of it as gluing like something together, Like we 233 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:16,120 Speaker 3: are so close to Christ that we go where he 234 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:18,080 Speaker 3: says to go, we do what he says to go, 235 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 3: and it's his strength that enables us. 236 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 2: So like walking, yes in step, step. 237 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 3: In step, just like this first Yes. Since we live 238 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:31,280 Speaker 3: by the spirit, let us keep in step with the spirit. 239 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 3: Three legged race. 240 00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 2: You know, Okay, I have a little hard time thinking 241 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 2: about Jesus in a three legged race. If I get it. 242 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:45,320 Speaker 3: Is the word picture. When I don't work in step 243 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 3: with my partner, we stumble and fall right, Yeah, it's 244 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:53,040 Speaker 3: all analogies. Fall apart at some point has taken us 245 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:56,080 Speaker 3: off the rails. But to bring us back to finding 246 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 3: true freedom in Christ, I just want to share a 247 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 3: story of when I've struggled with daily freedom. It's when 248 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:06,760 Speaker 3: I've resisted letting go of an old habit, identity, or 249 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:10,560 Speaker 3: even an area of control. Sometimes it's often tied to 250 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 3: a loss of self pleasure or autonomy. We are bought 251 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 3: with a price, we are not our own, And sometimes 252 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:20,440 Speaker 3: I just want to say, well, I am free in Christ. 253 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 3: I can I have all this liberty, I can do 254 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 3: whatever I want, and often I lose my way. And 255 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:30,760 Speaker 3: for example, when my kids were really little, so I 256 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:33,320 Speaker 3: have adult children, I can't even call them children Now 257 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 3: I have adult daughters and a son, but when they 258 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 3: were little, so when my oldest was about five, I 259 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 3: was involved in everything. So by the time she was five, 260 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:46,359 Speaker 3: I had another child after her, and I was resisting 261 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:49,600 Speaker 3: the whole identity of motherhood being the only thing that 262 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:52,680 Speaker 3: shaped me. So I was involved in the youth ministry, 263 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:55,640 Speaker 3: women's ministry, music ministry. I had my fingers and all 264 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 3: the pies in church that you could possibly have, and 265 00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 3: often I was leading them, which when you're leading something 266 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:07,040 Speaker 3: that does require more time, effort, energy. And I felt 267 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:10,439 Speaker 3: the Lord start to speak to me about what was 268 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:13,040 Speaker 3: happening in my home. And I was giving all of 269 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:16,879 Speaker 3: those groups and organizations my best self, like one hundred percent, 270 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:20,480 Speaker 3: but I was giving my leftovers to my little family. 271 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:22,720 Speaker 3: And I felt the Lord start to speak to me 272 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 3: about how I had my priorities just a little bit 273 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:29,920 Speaker 3: upside down. That he gave me these little girls as 274 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:33,280 Speaker 3: a ministry like. I was to minister to them, to 275 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:36,159 Speaker 3: train them, to teach them, to love them. And I 276 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 3: couldn't do it because I was spread so thin and 277 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 3: all of my church work. And he called me and 278 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:44,960 Speaker 3: he asked me if I was willing to lay it 279 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 3: all down to just focus on motherhood. And I really 280 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:52,800 Speaker 3: resisted because I don't want to lose myself in motherhood. 281 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:59,159 Speaker 3: But I underestimated what I gained, So what I thought 282 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:04,520 Speaker 3: was a loss of freedom actually became the pathway to 283 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:08,879 Speaker 3: greater freedom. I learned that God knew what was the best, 284 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:11,760 Speaker 3: and that he used that time to make me into 285 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:13,359 Speaker 3: a well rounded woman of God. 286 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:19,479 Speaker 2: Ny story, Jessica, It brings back a conversation you and 287 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:23,160 Speaker 2: I had on the podcast a couple months ago about 288 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:26,000 Speaker 2: doing all the good things. I mean, we talked about 289 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:28,960 Speaker 2: Mary and Martha and how each had a role, and 290 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:31,720 Speaker 2: then in another episode, you and I talked about chronic 291 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:35,879 Speaker 2: stress and how it can lead to burnout and emotional exhaustion. 292 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:39,919 Speaker 2: And yet your story is not that different from so 293 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:43,040 Speaker 2: many of us because you thought you didn't want to 294 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:48,119 Speaker 2: get lost in this one role. But it almost sounds 295 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:51,520 Speaker 2: to me like you did lose part of yourself because 296 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:55,679 Speaker 2: you were so overextended giving to everyone else. 297 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:59,720 Speaker 3: Yes, yes I was. I lost the part of myself 298 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 3: to lose. Does that make sense? 299 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:05,119 Speaker 2: It does, It does, But it wouldn't have made sense 300 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:09,000 Speaker 2: to me before I went through something similar because for 301 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:13,280 Speaker 2: many years, my identity was totally wrapped up in what 302 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:16,960 Speaker 2: I did for a living, and that's where the accolades were. 303 00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:20,800 Speaker 2: And I mean, let's face it, the greatest calling I 304 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:23,520 Speaker 2: think we can have is to steward the little ones 305 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:28,240 Speaker 2: that God gives us. But there are no accolades for 306 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:32,680 Speaker 2: changing the twelfth diaper of the day. There's no kudos 307 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:35,920 Speaker 2: for making sure that your kids got fed every day. 308 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:41,520 Speaker 2: There's no award for the laundry getting transferred to the 309 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:46,080 Speaker 2: dryer when you've got a baby with colic. Yes, but 310 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:51,800 Speaker 2: there are unfulfilling rewards for the kind of service you 311 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:55,639 Speaker 2: did in the church or for our vocations. And so 312 00:19:55,800 --> 00:19:59,680 Speaker 2: as a result what I did for a living, I 313 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:05,960 Speaker 2: equated that with validating my existence. But when God called 314 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:10,720 Speaker 2: me to take an extended sabbatical to preserve my health, 315 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 2: honestly I received that as a punishment. You felt like 316 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 2: I was being benched. But just as you mentioned, you 317 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:23,680 Speaker 2: lost the best part of yourself for the best reason. 318 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:27,280 Speaker 2: I'm not saying that right, but those times where God 319 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 2: calls us to pull back and make the first thing 320 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:34,680 Speaker 2: first is sometimes the hardest, most painful thing we can 321 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:39,000 Speaker 2: go through, but it ends up having the result of 322 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:40,879 Speaker 2: giving us the most freedom. 323 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 3: Yes, yes, because to belong to Christ is not oppressive, 324 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:51,280 Speaker 3: it's freedom. Our bondage to Christ makes us sons and 325 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 3: daughters and heirs of the Most High God, and as heirs, 326 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:59,200 Speaker 3: we get to partake in that inheritance eternal life. Every 327 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:01,679 Speaker 3: one of us is in bondage to either sin and 328 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:05,480 Speaker 3: death or to Jesus Christ an eternal life. When we 329 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:08,640 Speaker 3: cling to our old lives, our old trains of thoughts 330 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:11,680 Speaker 3: or fears of what's going to happen if we obey, 331 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:16,360 Speaker 3: we're really refusing to trust Him with the freedom that 332 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 3: he wants to create in us because we are new 333 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:21,920 Speaker 3: in him. 334 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 2: True freedom in Christ is really about surrendering our whole 335 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:31,200 Speaker 2: selves to Him. It's interesting to me as I think 336 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:34,840 Speaker 2: back on recent podcast episodes, how many of them come 337 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:37,320 Speaker 2: back to this theme of surrender. 338 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:37,959 Speaker 3: Yeah. 339 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:40,200 Speaker 2: Friends, we're going to take a real short break for 340 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:42,159 Speaker 2: a brief word from our sponsor, but I want you 341 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:45,600 Speaker 2: to stick with us to continue the conversation about how 342 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 2: we can truly experience freedom in Christ. We'll be right back. 343 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:57,359 Speaker 2: Before the break, we talked about what freedom in Christ is, 344 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:00,920 Speaker 2: and now we want to provide you with four practical 345 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 2: steps on how to find freedom in your everyday life. 346 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:07,280 Speaker 2: Just from your perspective, what do you think the first 347 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:07,800 Speaker 2: one would be? 348 00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:10,800 Speaker 3: Okay? So the first step is really to identify what 349 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:16,080 Speaker 3: or who you're obeying. Are you obeying sin self or 350 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:19,600 Speaker 3: your savior? So it could be a sinful thought or 351 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:23,639 Speaker 3: behavior that pulls you away from freedom in Christ. I 352 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:27,120 Speaker 3: have been guilty of how self care can slide into 353 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:31,320 Speaker 3: self obsession if I'm not careful or we can ask 354 00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:35,119 Speaker 3: ourselves are we walking in step with Jesus. 355 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:40,440 Speaker 2: Second, implement the put on put off practice. Evisians four 356 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:44,119 Speaker 2: twenty two through twenty three tells us to put off 357 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:48,520 Speaker 2: our old way of living, which was corrupted by deceitful desires, 358 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:52,439 Speaker 2: and to put on or be made new in the 359 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:54,639 Speaker 2: attitude of your mind. 360 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:59,560 Speaker 3: So good, And the third step correlates to the second. 361 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:05,119 Speaker 3: The third step is to replace habits. Replacing habits happen 362 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:08,760 Speaker 3: when we set our hearts and minds on seeking Jesus Christ. 363 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:16,080 Speaker 3: We can develop the habits of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, 364 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:18,399 Speaker 3: and love. So good. 365 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:22,840 Speaker 2: And then the fourth step to experiencing true freedom in 366 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 2: Christ is to live from identity, not effort. Jessica and 367 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:32,840 Speaker 2: I can both tell you from experience we've done it 368 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:36,880 Speaker 2: the wrong way, and we're both pursuing this living from 369 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:41,119 Speaker 2: identity rather than our efforts. Rumin six six through seven 370 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:44,000 Speaker 2: reminds us, for we know that our old self was 371 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:47,920 Speaker 2: crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin 372 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:53,120 Speaker 2: might be done away, and that we should no longer 373 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:58,680 Speaker 2: be slaves to sin, because anyone who has died has 374 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:01,200 Speaker 2: been set free from sin. 375 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:05,359 Speaker 3: So I remember as a young woman learning about this 376 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:08,520 Speaker 3: dying to self. I'm like, ah, that sounds really hard, 377 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:13,159 Speaker 3: but I've learned that this true freedom in Christ isn't 378 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:18,239 Speaker 3: doing whatever I want. Really, that's not what it is. 379 00:24:19,359 --> 00:24:21,480 Speaker 3: Absolutely not learn the hard way. 380 00:24:21,800 --> 00:24:22,200 Speaker 1: Take us. 381 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 3: Take it from us. True freedom in Christ is really 382 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:32,760 Speaker 3: about surrendering control of every part of your life, including 383 00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:36,280 Speaker 3: what we say, what we watch, how we say something, 384 00:24:36,359 --> 00:24:39,479 Speaker 3: what we do, what we spend our time, on our money, 385 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:44,600 Speaker 3: on our thought. Life in true freedom in Christ is 386 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 3: remembering that we are not in control anymore. We have 387 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:51,639 Speaker 3: given over control to our Lord Jesus Christ. 388 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:55,879 Speaker 2: You know just I think that that concept, oh my goodness, 389 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:58,680 Speaker 2: has come up in so many of your hope filled 390 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:04,119 Speaker 2: perspective episodes. But I think it's because the desire for 391 00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:11,960 Speaker 2: control started with the very first humans. It started in 392 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:16,200 Speaker 2: the garden of Eden. That's where Satan started to interfere 393 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 2: the whole idea that oh Eve wanted control. She wanted 394 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:28,119 Speaker 2: to be like God from a self serving place. She 395 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:31,600 Speaker 2: wanted to know what God knew, and that's I think, 396 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:36,360 Speaker 2: such an entrapment of Satan. But that's also why it's 397 00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:40,080 Speaker 2: so hard to die to self, because it does mean 398 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:46,439 Speaker 2: dying to the desire to control everything. Right, It's also 399 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:50,520 Speaker 2: about being aware of your thoughts and bringing them in 400 00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:54,800 Speaker 2: line with what honors God and what brings him glory. 401 00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:59,199 Speaker 2: Freedom is becoming who you were, redeemed to be a 402 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 2: child of God, living a righteous life. So, just as 403 00:26:03,080 --> 00:26:06,240 Speaker 2: we wrap up this episode, if a listener or viewer 404 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:10,399 Speaker 2: is resonating with today's conversation, maybe they're hearing it with 405 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:13,560 Speaker 2: fresh ears. What Hope Field perspective do you want to 406 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:14,080 Speaker 2: leave them with? 407 00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:18,720 Speaker 3: I want to remind you that because you belong to God, 408 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 3: he takes care of his own. He cares about you 409 00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:28,400 Speaker 3: as an individual, as a woman or man of God 410 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:31,920 Speaker 3: who longs to live for him, but struggles. We all 411 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:36,000 Speaker 3: have struggles and so when we completely and wholly depend 412 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:39,280 Speaker 3: on him and say God, I belong to you, I'm 413 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 3: going to trust you to take care of me. That's 414 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:47,160 Speaker 3: our first step in experiencing true freedom in Christ. 415 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:52,119 Speaker 2: This is such an important revelation, is such an important 416 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:58,760 Speaker 2: conversation because I think so many of us are wrapped 417 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 2: up and enslave and don't even really realize it. So 418 00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:05,560 Speaker 2: just thanks for coming on the episode and co hosting 419 00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:08,959 Speaker 2: with me today and helping us think about it in 420 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:12,280 Speaker 2: terms of our freedom really comes from the one who 421 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:15,120 Speaker 2: died to give us that freedom. Friends, I just want 422 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:17,800 Speaker 2: to close out this episode praying for you. Father. I 423 00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:20,720 Speaker 2: thank you for the gift of your son, and I 424 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:26,320 Speaker 2: thank you that you sacrificed your only son so that 425 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:29,560 Speaker 2: we could be free. You knew from the start that 426 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:33,720 Speaker 2: we would be people enslaved to sin, which at its 427 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:38,280 Speaker 2: core is living life in opposition of you. So Father, 428 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:42,040 Speaker 2: forgive us of our sin. Father, help us in our 429 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:48,440 Speaker 2: endeavor to surrender control and to appropriate the true freedom 430 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:51,879 Speaker 2: that's offered because of the death, burial, and resurrection of 431 00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:55,600 Speaker 2: Jesus Christ. Mother, if there is one who is watching 432 00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:59,560 Speaker 2: or listening today who doesn't know Jesus as their savior. 433 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:03,800 Speaker 2: Would this be a stepping stone to them coming to 434 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 2: having freedom in Christ? Lord, we thank you that you 435 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:11,720 Speaker 2: are sovereign. We thank you that you love us so much, 436 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:15,360 Speaker 2: that you care about our freedom, and you sacrifice the 437 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:19,400 Speaker 2: greatest gift ever so that we could have that freedom 438 00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:23,280 Speaker 2: in Christ is in Jesus name. I pray. Friends, if 439 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:26,360 Speaker 2: there was something in today's episode that resonated with you, 440 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,840 Speaker 2: or you know someone maybe who's really struggling with living 441 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:35,000 Speaker 2: in bondage to something and needs to know how we 442 00:28:35,119 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 2: can appropriate the freedom that Christ came to give, would 443 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:41,160 Speaker 2: you please consider sharing this episode with them so that 444 00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:45,080 Speaker 2: they'll have a biblically based hope filled perspective to handle it. 445 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:47,600 Speaker 2: We look forward to being with you again next week 446 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:50,280 Speaker 2: for another episode of your hope Field perspective, and in 447 00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:53,360 Speaker 2: the meantime, friend, it's our prayer for you that you 448 00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:54,760 Speaker 2: have a hope filled week. 449 00:28:57,240 --> 00:29:04,680 Speaker 1: Everyone experiences pain time. It can manifest physically, emotionally, relationally, 450 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:10,880 Speaker 1: or spiritually. It can follow tragic accidents, great loss, sudden betrayal, 451 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:16,840 Speaker 1: or unexpected and unwanted change. Often pain is temporary, but 452 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:20,040 Speaker 1: what do you do when it isn't? When pain won't 453 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:24,200 Speaker 1: go away, healing does not come, and grief and hurt 454 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:28,440 Speaker 1: settle in to stay. Drawing on her experience of chronic 455 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:32,840 Speaker 1: pain in her years as a board certified clinical neuropsychologist, 456 00:29:33,080 --> 00:29:38,400 Speaker 1: Doctor Michelle Bankson provides a countercultural perspective on pain, offering 457 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:43,400 Speaker 1: hope without any false promises or empty platitudes. Doctor Bankson 458 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:48,200 Speaker 1: unwraps the complex emotional aspects of dealing with pain. She 459 00:29:48,360 --> 00:29:52,240 Speaker 1: gives you permission to question God, helps you identify the 460 00:29:52,320 --> 00:29:56,280 Speaker 1: lies you've believed about your pain, and reorients your perspective 461 00:29:56,440 --> 00:30:00,440 Speaker 1: based on the truth of God's word. Each chapter ends 462 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:05,480 Speaker 1: with a recommended playlist, reflection questions, and a prayer. Your 463 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:09,640 Speaker 1: pain may not change, but your experience with it can. 464 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:15,800 Speaker 1: Doctor Sandra Dalton Smith, physician, best selling author and a 465 00:30:15,880 --> 00:30:20,200 Speaker 1: host of the I Choose My Best Life podcast add 466 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:23,640 Speaker 1: this to say about the hem of his garment. Doctor 467 00:30:23,640 --> 00:30:27,360 Speaker 1: Michelle Bankson is honest and transparent, and she gives the 468 00:30:27,440 --> 00:30:31,200 Speaker 1: reader permission to ask hard questions and practical guidance on 469 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:33,960 Speaker 1: how to seek God during times when you feel the 470 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:38,320 Speaker 1: most wounded. A beautiful gift for every person living with pain, 471 00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:43,040 Speaker 1: Holy Girth. Best selling author of What Your Mind Needs 472 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:47,600 Speaker 1: for anxious moments. Says pain is inevitable, but enduring it 473 00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:51,240 Speaker 1: alone is optional. Doctor Michelle Bankson is a voice of 474 00:30:51,320 --> 00:30:54,480 Speaker 1: hope who will speak into your struggles, a helping hand 475 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:58,120 Speaker 1: who will point you to Jesus, and a wise guide 476 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:01,600 Speaker 1: who will lead you through what you're facing so you 477 00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:06,240 Speaker 1: can embrace more of what our good God has for you. 478 00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:09,720 Speaker 1: Pick up a copy of the Hem of His Garments 479 00:31:09,760 --> 00:31:16,600 Speaker 1: for you and a friend wherever books are sold. Thank 480 00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:20,040 Speaker 1: you for joining doctor Bankson for your hope build perspective. 481 00:31:20,560 --> 00:31:24,640 Speaker 1: We hope you are encouraged by her authenticity, vulnerability, and 482 00:31:24,720 --> 00:31:28,520 Speaker 1: biblical truths. If you enjoy today's conversation, when you take 483 00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:31,920 Speaker 1: a moment right now, open up your podcast app and 484 00:31:31,960 --> 00:31:34,640 Speaker 1: look for the subscribe button right next to our podcast 485 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:38,480 Speaker 1: profile image. We think this podcast is best enjoyed with friends, 486 00:31:38,560 --> 00:31:41,280 Speaker 1: so tell a friend and click share in your podcast 487 00:31:41,320 --> 00:31:44,120 Speaker 1: app and send a friend our link to share Hope 488 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:47,320 Speaker 1: with them. If you have a comment, question, or suggest 489 00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:49,760 Speaker 1: a topic for a future show, reach out to our 490 00:31:49,800 --> 00:31:54,280 Speaker 1: staff at info at Hope Prevails dot org for additional resources. 491 00:31:54,560 --> 00:31:58,600 Speaker 1: Information about doctor Bankson's books where free downloads, or to 492 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:01,880 Speaker 1: contact her to speak at your next event. Please visit 493 00:32:02,160 --> 00:32:06,040 Speaker 1: doctor Mishelbe dot com. Until next time, may you have 494 00:32:06,080 --> 00:32:07,720 Speaker 1: a hope billedweek. 495 00:32:10,760 --> 00:32:13,160 Speaker 2: I'd like to take just a second to thank the 496 00:32:13,240 --> 00:32:16,160 Speaker 2: team at Life Audio for their partnership with us on 497 00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:19,160 Speaker 2: this podcast. If you go to lifeaudio dot com, you'll 498 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:22,880 Speaker 2: find dozens of other faith centered podcasts in their network. 499 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:26,720 Speaker 2: They've got shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more.