THIS IS THE LIFE PODCAST

BEFORE THE DAY BEGINS - PT. 5
A Time of Praise

Psalm 100:4
“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”

As we come to the end of our morning devotion time this week, there is one final step that is often overlooked but it’s incredibly important: Praise.

Many of us begin our prayer and devotion time by bringing our burdens, concerns, needs, and requests before the Lord. There is certainly nothing wrong with that. God invites us to cast our cares...

Receiving Instructions

Once the heart is guarded and the mind is cleared through God’s presence and His Word, something beautiful begins to happen, the Lord is able to speak direction into our lives.
Many times we ask God for guidance while our heart is distracted or filled with things that hinder us, and our thoughts are overwhelmed and out of focus.
But when we quiet ourselves before Him, we create room to hear what He is trying to say.

God never desires to be silent toward His children.

Psalm 32:8
“I will...

Time To Refocus Your Mind

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

Let’s face it, we live in a noisy world. Every day our minds are pulled in a so many different directions by worries, responsibilities, opinions , and endless thoughts that never seem to slow down, and seldom seem to amount to very much.
Do you ever wake up tired before the day even begins because your mind never truly rested the night before.

That is why refocusing the mind i...

Guarding Your Heart

Proverbs 4:23
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

Before another day begins, one of the most important things we can do is examine the condition of our hearts.
Most people focus on schedules, responsibilities, and constant outward preparation, but Scripture reminds us that the real direction of our life flows from the inside out.

The heart influences far more than emotions. It affects our attitude, our motives, our reactions, our words, and even the way we see other people.
For inst...

Before The Day Begins Part. 1
Day 1 — Give God The First Part Of Your Day

Psalm 5:3
“My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”

There is something powerful about beginning the day by looking upward before you start looking outward.
Before the noise of the world fills your mind, before responsibilities begin pulling at your attention, and before worries try to settle into our hearts, we just need a quiet moment with the Lord.

Before Another Week Begins

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
— Matthew 11:28

As week come to the end of this week, let’s take time to stop and think for a moment.
There are some weeks that leave us feeling accomplished productive and thankful.
Other weeks leave us tired mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Sometimes we carry things all week long that nobody else ever sees.
Quiet burdens. Silent worries. Unanswered prayers. Battles in the mind. Concerns about family. Questions about the future.<...

THE UNKNOWN OBSTACLE

Romans 14:13
“Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.”

Most of us think of a stumblingblock as something obvious like sinful behavior, a bad attitude, or a poor testimony before others.
And certainly those things matter. But the word “stumblingblock” carries a much broader meaning. It can mean a barrier, hurdle, obstacle, or hindrance. Sometimes the greatest obstacle in another person’s life is not something we are doing wrong… but something...

SHARPENING SOMEONE’S LIFE

Proverbs 27:17
“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”

Have you ever had moments in life when a single conversation changed the entire direction of your life or maybe someone else’s day.
A kind word, a reminder of God’s truth, a quiet prayer, or simply listening to someone with compassion can become the very thing God uses to strengthen them.
Proverbs 27:17 reminds us this morning that none of us were ever meant to walk through life alone.
God often uses people to help shape...

What The Bible Has Done For Me

2 Timothy 3:16-17

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

There are many reasons I believe the Bible is truly the Word of God, but the greatest evidence has always been what it has personally done in my own life. The Bible is not just a collection of pages, stories, or historical writings to me. It is alive. It spea...

Day by day I now can see,
There’s so much peace in Living Free.
Not bound by who I used to be,
Just grace and truth surrounding me.
Each breath a gift, each step a key,
To all that comes with Living Free.

SONG: LIVING FREE - Written and Composed By - Eddie B. Woodard
Copyright 2026 - All Rights Reserved

WHEN WE LOSE CONTROL

One of the hardest things for us to do is let go of control. We want answers. We want direction. We want to know how things are going to turn out before we ever take the next step. But life has a way of bringing us into seasons where we realize we were never truly in control to begin with.

Sometimes it happens through loss. Sometimes through fear, sickness, disappointment, or simply watching things unfold that we cannot fix ourselves. Those moments can leave us feeling helpless and overwhelmed.
But many...

Finally Home

Luke 15:24
“For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.”

A few years ago while studying Luke 15, I wondered what the prodigal son must have felt the morning after he returned home.

The celebration was over. The music had faded into the quiet of the night. The robe still rested on his shoulders, and somewhere nearby sat the sandals his father had placed on his feet only hours before. Everything had changed so quickly. Just days earlier, he had...

When Grace Is Enough

2 Corinthians 12:8-10
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

There are seasons in life when we pray with...

The Reason You Survived

2 Corinthians 1:3-4
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble…”

There are moments in life when we look back and honestly wonder how we made it through some things.
Seasons where the weight felt so heavy, the nights were long, and the road seemed so uncertain. Times when it felt like everything around you was about to col...

What’s Next For Me – Part 5

“Live Like You’re Restored”

Galatians 5:25
“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

As we come to the final part of this series, maybe the biggest lesson we’ve learned is this: God never restores us just so we can go back to living the same way we always have. He restores us so we can live differently.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR ME – Part 4
“Guarding What God Restored”

One of the most important lessons we learn in our walk with the the Lord is this:
Not everything that is restored automatically stays strong.

Some things must be guarded.
The someone returns they find mercy, restoration, identity, and peace again.
But there always comes a season where they must learn how to protect what God has rebuilt inside them.

Because the enemy will always try to pull you back toward the very things God delivered you from.
That’s why Prov...

WHAT’S NEXT FOR ME – Part 3
“Embrace Your Identity”

One of the hardest things for many people to do after returning to the Lord is learning to stop seeing yourself through the eyes of your past.

Many people come home to God, they’re able to remain faithful, but still carry the mindset of the far country or the life they left behind. But if you still see yourself like that then you really haven’t left it all the way behind.

Many still see failure before they see grace.
Still see shame before...

WHAT’S NEXT FOR ME – Part 2
“The Voice Inside”

John 10:27
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:”

After you’ve made your way back home and you’ve started learning to stay, something begins to happen on the inside. It may not be loud. It may not be sudden. But it is very real.

You begin to recognize a different voice. The voices up to this point have been trying to lead you astray, further from the Father, further from your calling, your purpose. That is why I am always...

WHAT’S NEXT FOR ME – Part 1
“Learning To Stay”

Last week the Lord spoke to us about coming back to him.
That moment when everything starts to become clear again.
When grace meets you right where you are… when you feel the weight of life begin to lift and the peace return.
But after the return, a question starts to settle in:

“What’s next for me?”
The answer is simple—but not always easy:
John 15:4
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it...

RETURNING HOME – Part 4
“There Will Be A Celebration”

Luke 15:22-23
“But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:”

By the time the son made his way back home, he had already prepared himself for less. Less position. Less privilege. Less identity. In his mind, he wasn’t coming back as a son—just a servant hoping for mercy.

RETURNING HOME – Part 3
“You Will Face Resistance”

Luke 15:25-28
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.


When we think about...

RETURNING HOME – Part 2
“Some Things Will Never Be The Same”

Luke 15:17
“And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!”

There’s a turning point in this story that doesn’t get much attention, but it sure gets deep, that is the fact that “ he came to himself.”
That moment didn’t just change his direction… it changed him. It had to be his choice. There may have been some who tried to convince him to just go home, stop sp...

RETURNING HOME – Part 1
“Some Things Will Never Change”

Luke 15:17-20

There comes a moment in a person’s life when the chaos of our choices settles down just enough for truth to be heard again.
In Luke 15, the prodigal son had reached such a moment,

Luke 15:17-20
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against...

A Legacy That Lives On

2 Timothy 1:5
“When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.”

To me, there’s something very powerful about memories.
Not just recalling moments, but truly feeling the emotion of where you came from, who poured their lives into you, who prayed over you, and believed in you before you even understood what belief really meant.

Paul looked at Timothy and didn’t just see a young ma...

THE PATTERNS OF YOUR LIFE

Proverbs 4:25-26
“Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.”

These verse this morning reminds us that the direction of our life is often determined by the what we choose to focus on.
Where our eyes settle… our mind begins to follow. And where our mind goes… our steps are not far behind.

The Psalmist says, “Let thine eyes look right on.” That speaks to me of intentional...

The Vision Moving Forward – This Is The Life Podcast

As we approach six years of This Is The Life Podcast this coming June, it still feels a lot like sitting on that front porch, looking back at where the Lord has brought us from, and quietly listening for where He’s leading us next.
What started as a simple step of faith has become something far greater than we could have ever planned.
And yet, it still carries that same purpose. A place of peace, reflection, and drawing closer to Jesus Christ.

The vision movi...

Every Open Door

God has a way of opening doors at just the right time. Not our time, but His.
And when He does, it is not by accident or coincidence. It is intentional, prepared, and placed right where you are at the moment. The key is learning to recognize when that open door is from the Lord and not a distraction trying to pull you away from your purpose.

Now there are seasons in all of our lives when it feels like nothing is moving, it seems like you’re just waiting, praying, and wo...

Understanding Your Identity Pt. 2
John 13:34–35

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

There is defining moment here when Jesus said these words.
He did not say the world would know we belong to Him by our titles, our talents, our knowledge, how much we Praise , pray, or even by how loud we can speak about our faith. He said they w...

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...

HARMONY
Harmony within the Body of Christ is a precious thing.
Much like different notes in a song, each believer brings a unique sound, purpose, and calling to God’s work.
Some are called to teach, some to encourage, some to serve quietly, and some to lead boldly. Yet when every life is surrendered to the Lord, those differences don’t create division, they create a beautiful Harmony which the Bible calls Unity.
God never designed the church to be built on a cookie cutter pattern, but on unity through His Holy Spirit.

The trou...

When the Heart Agrees

We talked last week about Romans 8:28 and how God is working in the middle of our pain, confusion, heartache, and even our failures. God showed us that even the hard places of life are never wasted in His hands.
Every wrong turn can become wisdom. Every valley can grow strength. Every scar can become a testimony that helps someone else keep from falling in the same area of life.
That verse reminds us that God is always working things together for good.

But the more I pondered on that promise...

All Things Working Together

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

There are some seasons in life that do not make sense while we are living through them.
Some days feel like the road turns without warning to a place we never wanted to be.
We begin to question things, our minds wrestle with confusion, and we wonder why things had to unfold the way they did.
Yet this verse reminds us that even...

John 14:1–3
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

The Word of God is full of promises and one of the most comforting is found in John 14.
What stands out to me in these thre...

THE LIGHT THAT SHINES THROUGH YOU
Matthew 5:16

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

It always seems to amaze me the way a simple life can still shine bright.

Out here in what I call our Tennessee way of living, folks may not always remember every word you say, but they’ll remember how you carried yourself, how you treated people, and what kind of spirit follows you into a room.

Jesus said to let your light...

More Than Enough Grace

Have you ever had days that seem to begin with a heaviness you can’t quite explain.

It may not be one big thing at all. Sometimes it’s just the weight of several little things that settled on your heart and mind over time.
Maybe it’s a burden for your family, or maybe it’s simply a tiredness that no amount of sleep can help.

There are mornings when your feet hit the floor, and before the day has even fully begun, your mind is already trying to solve...

GUIDED BY HIS WHISPER

Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

There’s something special about the quiet after the silence.

It’s that moment when your heart has settled down, your thoughts quit racing, and you can just feel the Lord nearby. Sometimes it comes early in the morning, sitting on the porch with a cup of coffee, watching the sunlight ease its way across the trees and fields. The worl...

From the Rugged Cross to the Empty Tomb

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
— Romans 5:8
There’s something sacred about the days between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. It’s a quiet kind of holy—the kind that whispers deep into your soul, reminding you of both the weight of the cross and the wonder of the resurrection.
MUSIC Composed By: Mike Outland

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...