THIS IS THE LIFE PODCAST

This Is The Life

Psalm 90:14

“O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.”

There is something sacred about a quiet porch in the early morning.
I realize that everyone may not have a front porch, but it is a very scared place for my wife and I.

Before the noise begins. Before responsibilities start to press in.
Before the world starts demanding my attention. It is in those gentle moments — where the cool morning meets the day, that the heart often hears...

After The Storm

Mark 4:39–40
“And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?”

There is something about the silence after a storm. A time to exhale and observe what has happened.

One moment the wind is howling or the waves are crashing.
The next moment everything is calm.
In Mark chapter four, Jesus stepped into the chaos...

Steady In The Storm

This time of the year, people begin to think about and talk about “The Storm Season”. Just like storms in our area are very unpredictable, the storms of our lives can be as well.

Isaiah gives us a promise that feels almost impossible in turbulent times: perfect peace. Not partial peace. Not temporary relief. Perfect peace.

Isaiah 26:3
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

Storms have a way of revealing what we are anchored to.

In...

Ready For What’s Coming

Ecclesiastes 3:1
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”

We are all aware that Life moves in seasons. Some are bright and full of promise. Others feel like long winters where nothing seems to grow.
But Scripture reminds us that every season carries a purpose. Nothing is random in the Hands of God.

Intro Music By: Mike Outland

Unexpected Favor

Psalm 106:46
“He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives.”

There are moments in life when we feel like we have being held captive to circumstances we did not choose.
Doors close without explanation and Opportunities seem to fade for no apparent reason .
We may even wonder if we have somehow stepped outside of God’s will.
But Psalm 106:46 gives us a powerful and comforting reminder that even in the midst of the captive mindset, God can cause favor to rise up in unexpected places.
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The Potter Knows

Jeremiah 18:2-4
2 Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

It’s so important to know that our lives are not random moments spinning without a purpose.
These verses remind us...

Keep Moving Forward

Philippians 3:13–14
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

There is something powerful and important about the word press.
It implies resistance and It suggests something that takes effort.
It seems to acknowledge that moving forward is not always easy.
Yet Paul said, “This one thing I do.” Not ten things...

Getting To The Root

Matthew 7:17-18
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Every fruit starts in the root.

If You walk into an orchard and see that the apples are all bad, you don’t blame the apples, You look at the tree.
The fruit simply reveals what is really going on beneath the surface.
Yet in our spiritual lives, we often sp...

Acceptance by God is settled through Christ. It is not fragile. It does not rise and fall with opinions or circumstances. It is rooted in a relationship through the Blood of Jesus Christ.
That truth alone can steady your heart that perhaps has grown tired from trying to always measure up to others expectations.

Many believers quietly struggle with this.
We say we trust God, yet we still measure ourselves by the reactions of others. Their praise, their silence, their agreement, their disapproval.

Intro Music By: Mike Outland

Your Response Matters

James 1:19 — “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:”

Each Sunday morning some of us gather for prayer before the days Worship service begins.
In those moments we often ask the Lord for something simple but very powerful: that He would help us see with Spiritual eyesight, hear with Spiritual ears tuned toward Truth, and respond wisely to whatever the day brings.
That prayer lines us up with the instruction in James which is to be swift to hear, slow to speak, and sl...

Learning To Fly

Learning to fly is not about trying to escape life, it is about rising above the challenges of life.
Long before a bird ever leaves the nest, it learns to trust the strength it was given and the air that will carry it once it Learns to fly.
In much the same way, our walk with God is a daily lesson in trust. Not once. Not occasionally. But moment by moment.

Intro Music By: Mike Outland

Song: “LEARNING TO FLY” written and composed by: Eddie B. Woodard

God’s Plan For You – Deliverance

Our key verse in this week has been:
1 Peter 5:8 — “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

This reveals the enemy’s intentions, but the very next verse reveals the believer’s response and God’s direction.

1 Peter 5:9 — “Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”

What we see is God never points out a threat without also giving us a strategy.
His...

The Enemy’s Plan For You – Pt. 4: Destruction

Scripture warns us that the enemy never stops at simple doubt or discouragement. His path, if left unchecked, always moves toward destruction. Jesus made this plain in
John 10:10
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

That is not just some poetic type saying, it is a spiritual reality.
The enemy’s goal is not merely to make life difficult; it is to tear d...

The Enemy’s Plan For You – PT. 3: Depression

In this series we’ve looked at how the enemy often works in stages, first doubt, which if left unchecked will lead to discouragement.
If those seeds are left unattended, they can grow heavier, sometimes settling into what the Bible refers to as Spiritual heaviness or becoming “Dismayed”, or to become depressed.

Our verse for this series remains:
1 Peter 5:8 — “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”
But in the context of this subject, God enc...

The Enemy’s Plan For You – Part 2: Discouragement
1 Peter 5:8 — “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

Discouragement is often the second step in the enemy’s plan against us.
As we said yesterday, first comes doubt, that quiet whisper that questions what God has said.
Then comes discouragement, a heavy feeling that makes you question whether it’s even worth it to keep going.

Intro Music By: Eddie B. Woodard

The Enemy’s Plan For You — Part 1: Doubt
1 Peter 5:8
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

It is important for us to know that The enemy rarely begins with open attack.
He begins with a question. A whisper. A seed of uncertainty.
His first step is not destruction — it is doubt.

Intro Music By: Mike Outland

HOW YOU SEE IT
2 Corinthians 4:17-18
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Every day arrives with a mixture of moments. Some are very encouraging.
Others are inconvenient, frustrating, or even heavy.
Most of the time, Before noon, most of us will have...

What Will Remain
John 15:16 (KJV)
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

It is humbling to know that we are chosen on purpose for a purpose.
Jesus tells His followers that their calling is not accidental, not random, and not temporary.
It is intentional in order to be fruitful, and not just fruitful for the moment, but fruitful in a...

What Will Remain
John 15:16 (KJV)
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

It is humbling to know that we are chosen on purpose for a purpose.
Jesus tells His followers that their calling is not accidental, not random, and not temporary.
It is intentional in order to be fruitful, and not just fruitful for the moment, but fruitful in a...

FEELING OVERWHELMED
Matthew 6:33
Our Focus should not be on the Problem but on the Provider.

When life feels overwhelming and the weight of the world presses hard on your shoulders, Matthew 6:33 offers a calming reminder: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” This verse invites us to shift our focus from the chaos around us to the God who holds everything together. Instead of letting anxiety rule the moment, Jesus teaches us to realign our priorities—His presence first, His peace first, His purpos...

Painful Positions
Genesis 50:19–21
19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

There are seasons in life when we find ourselves standing in a place we never would have chosen. A painful position. A place that seems un...

The Key To Self Control
Galatians 5:22–23
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

There are moments in all our lives when the biggest battles we fight are not with other people, but within ourselves. Maybe it’s a quick reaction, or a sharp word.
It could be an impulsive decision made too fast without prayer or wise counsel.
Most of our regrets don’t come from what we’ve carefully thought through, they come from what we rushed into.
...

WHERE ARE YOU GOING
Life is always moving forward, and whether we realize it or not, we are constantly making choices that shape our direction.

Along the way, we are met with options. Some are meant to help us. Others are placed in our path to slow us down, distract us, or pull us away from where God is leading.

John 16:12-13
12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth...

WHO ARE YOU

There’s a question that quietly follows us through life, whether we realize it or not: Who are you? Not just the name you answer to, or the roles you fill, but the person you’ve become along the way. The truth is, none of us arrive at who we are on our own. We are shaped—slowly and steadily—by people, moments, and environments that leave their fingerprints on our hearts.

Intro Music By: Eddie B. Woodard

Miracles To Me

When we hear the word miracle, our minds often think about the extraordinary, the seas parting, the blind seeing, the impossible suddenly becoming possible.
And God still does those things. But as I’ve walked with Him over the years, I’ve come to realize that many of His greatest miracles don’t make the headlines or shake the ground, They simply show up quietly in the ordinary moments of everyday life.

Intro Music By: Mike Outland

Song: “Miracles To Me” Written and Composed By: Eddie B. Woodard

Miracles T...

YOUR TRUE IDENTITY
Romans 8:16–18
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

There’s something deeply reassuring about belonging to God. We all want to know where we come from, where we’re going, and who we tru...

DOES IT FEEL IMPOSSIBLE

The beauty of faith is not that it removes the difficulty, but that it introduces us to the possibility of the impossibile. The same God who split the Red Sea, raised Lazarus from the dead, and turned water into wine hasn’t changed. His power hasn’t weakened with time. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in us.

Romans 8:11
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your...

ARE YOU PREPARED
We seem to panic and prepare for storms or other situations of life, but are you prepared to meet the Lord?

Mark 13:31-33
31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

Intro Music By: Mike Outland

HE’S WAITING FOR YOUR CALL

Jeremiah 29:12–13
“Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

I love how these verses show how personal God makes the relationship.
He doesn’t begin with commands or conditions, He begins with a simple conversation.
“Then shall ye call upon me…” God invites us to start by simply calling His name.
Not with perfect words or polished pray...

JUST STAY ON THE PATH

Psalm 119:105
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

This is a verse that speaks tome because it speaks of real life, not the life where everything is planned out perfectly, but the life where we’re often taking one step at a time, and many times unsure of what’s coming next.
God’s Word is described as both a lamp and a light, and those two words carry slightly different meanings that matter more than we sometimes realize.

Intro Music By...

HE’S STILL DOING THAT FOR ME
Hebrews 13:8 — “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

This morning in sour time with the Lord, He reminds us that not everything changes.
Life certainly does, Seasons come and go. People grow up, drift away, life brings Joy one day, and disappointment the next.
Even we change—our perspectives, our confidence, and at times our faith even has different levels.
But Hebrews 13:8 reminds us of a truth: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

SONG: He’s Still Doing That For Me...

Well Done For Right Now

Matthew 25:21
21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

When we hear Matthew 25:21, our minds often go straight to heaven. We picture the end of life, standing before the Lord, and hearing those words we all long to hear: “Well done.” And one day, that will be a glorious and very real moment.

But this verse isn’t only about the en...

THE PATH GOD PLANNED FOR YOU
Psalm 16:11
“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Spiritual freedom is not found in escaping responsibility, avoiding pain, or finally getting our way. True freedom is found when God shows us the path of life.
Not a shortcut. Not a detour. But a path that’s steady, intentional, and guided by His hand.

Intro Music By: Eddie B. Woodard

The Boldness We Need
Boldness is often misunderstood. In our world, boldness is usually associated with being loud, forceful, or confident in oneself. But biblical boldness is something altogether different. True boldness does not rise from ego or self-assurance, it flows from the quiet confidence that God is with us.

Scripture reminds us this morning in Psalm 27:1, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” .
Boldness begins when fear no longer has the final word in our situations.

UNLESS GOD GOES WITH ME
Exodus 33:15 reminds us that true direction, peace, and purpose are found only in God’s presence. When Moses declared, “If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence,” he acknowledged a powerful truth: progress without God is empty. This verse speaks to every believer who desires to walk in obedience rather than self-reliance. It teaches that success, movement, and even good intentions mean nothing if God is not leading the way. Exodus 33:15 calls us to pause, seek God’s presence, and refuse to move forward unless He goes with us. In a world...

A SPIRIT GOD NEVER GIVES YOU
2 Timothy 1:7
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

One of the most misunderstood things in the Christian life for many at least, is Spiritual Warfare.
Here we see that a spirit is being offered, but it is not from God. That is the entire concept of Spiritual Warfare. Daily we are offered certain things that will dictate the direction of our day.
Here we see it is the spirit of fear.

Intro Musi...

The Mind of Christ
1 Corinthians 2:16
“For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”

There are days when my thoughts feel noisy—pulled in too many directions at once. Decisions stack up, emotions weigh heavy, and the world seems determined to shape how I think. In moments like that, this verse gently calls me back to something deeper, something steadier: we have the mind of Christ.

Intro Music By: Mike Outland

Listening for the Right Wind
1 John 4:1
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God…”

There are moments when I sit outside my house and watch the pine trees that line the yard. Most days they stand tall and steady, but every once in a while the wind picks up. When a straight wind blows through, every tree bends the same way. They may sway, but they agree. They move together. There is order to it.
But when the wind starts swirling, it’s a different story. One tree leans east, an...

THIS IS THE LIFE PODCAST
GOD’S PROMISES YOU FREEDOM
Morning Devotions and Meditations designed to bring Spiritual Insight to your daily life.
Building A Better Life, Starts With Building A Better You.
The Keys to a Life in Focus are Wisdom, Courage, Strength, Faith, Commitment, Confidence, Boldness, and Discernment.

Music composed by: MIKE OUTLAND MUSIC

Abounding Grace
2 Corinthians 9:8
“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.”

There is something deeply comforting in the words “God is able.” Not that God might provide, or could provide, but that He is able to provide.
Paul reminds us that God is not limited by our circumstances, our resources, or even our understanding. He is fully capable of making all Grace abound toward us.
Abound means to overflow, to be in great supply, or to increase...