God's Truth or the Enemy's Lies? | The Bible Chats Podcast

What do we do with thoughts we don’t want—and the ones we’ve started to believe?

Join Emily, LeighElla, and Ashley for an honest conversation about our thought lives, the lies we can get caught up in, and what it looks like to bring those thoughts back to God’s truth. Together, we explore renewing our minds, taking thoughts captive, and keeping our eyes on Jesus when our feelings pull us in another direction.

This isn’t about pretending we never struggle. It’s about learning to recognize what we’re believing and returning to the truth of Scripture.

In this conversation:

• Recognizing thoughts that don’t line up with God’s Word
• Taking thoughts captive rather than letting them lead us
• Renewing our minds as a daily practice
• Fixing our eyes on Jesus
• Choosing how we respond—not simply reacting
• Finding hope in God when we feel discouraged or brokenhearted

Featured Scriptures:

• Hebrews 12:2 — Fixing our eyes on Jesus
• 1 Corinthians 15:31 — “I die daily”
• John 17:17 — God’s Word is truth
• James 1:19 — Being quick to listen and slow to speak
• Psalm 42:11 — Putting our hope in God

Also discussed: Romans 12:2, John 10:10, 2 Corinthians 10:5, Romans 8:11, Hebrews 13:8, and Psalm 34:18.

A question to take with you:
What is one thought you’ve been accepting as truth that you need to bring before God and examine through Scripture?

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Bitterness Requires Forgiveness | Part 2

What does forgiveness look like when the hurt was real—and the person who hurt you may never take responsibility?

In Part 2, Emily, LeighElla, and Ashley continue an honest conversation about bitterness, forgiveness, and finding freedom in Christ. Through personal experiences and Scripture, we talk about choosing forgiveness, recognizing when resentment resurfaces, and learning to pray for someone who has hurt us—even when the first prayer feels awkward.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean what happened was okay. It doesn’t automatically restore trust or require returning to an unsafe relationship. This conversation is about acknowledging the wound without allowing it to define who you are.

In this episode

• Why being hurt is part of your story, not your identity
• The difference between forgiveness, accountability, and reconciliation
• How to recognize when you’re still holding an offense over someone
• Choosing forgiveness again when old feelings return
• Loving your enemies and praying for those who hurt you
• Finding trustworthy community instead of walking through pain alone

Scriptures discussed

• Matthew 18:15–17 — Addressing conflict with a fellow believer
• Matthew 5:43–48 — Loving your enemies and praying for those who persecute you
• James 1:19 — Being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger
• Ephesians 4:32 — Showing kindness and forgiving as God forgave us
• Genesis 50:20 — God bringing good from what others intended for harm

Take this with you

Ask yourself: Is there a hurt I’m still carrying? Name it honestly before God, ask Him to help you take the next step toward forgiveness, and consider sharing it with a safe, trustworthy person who can walk alongside you.

You don’t have to pretend it didn’t hurt. And you don’t have to shame yourself because forgiveness is taking time.

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Bitterness Requires Forgiveness | Part 1

What happens when the hurt is real, but holding on to it starts affecting the people we love?

In Part 1, Emily, LeighElla, and Ashley begin an honest conversation about bitterness, forgiveness, and the wounds we’re still learning to surrender to God. Recorded while attending Way Revival in Nashville, this conversation comes from the middle of the journey—not from having everything figured out.

Through personal experiences with church hurt, painful childhood words, and unresolved trauma, we explore how bitterness takes root and why forgiveness can feel so difficult, especially when an apology never comes.

Content note: This episode includes personal discussion of childhood abuse and church hurt. Please listen with care.

In this episode

• Recognizing bitterness through resentment, anger, and reactions to old hurts.
• How unhealed wounds can affect marriage, parenting, and other relationships.
• What forgiveness means—and why it does not automatically mean reconciliation.
• Choosing forgiveness when someone hasn’t apologized or taken responsibility.
• Why healing takes time, honesty, and ongoing care for your soul.
• Bringing shame into the light with safe, trustworthy support.
• Releasing the need to control another person’s response.

Scriptures referenced

• Matthew 6:14–15 — Forgiving others in light of the forgiveness we receive.
• Hebrews 12:2 — Jesus enduring the cross for the joy set before Him.
• Romans 8:1 — No condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

A thought to take with you

You can acknowledge that what happened was wrong without letting it define the rest of your story. Forgiveness does not require pretending the hurt didn’t happen or returning to an unsafe relationship.

Questions for reflection

• Is there a hurt I’ve pushed aside rather than honestly acknowledged?
• How might that hurt be affecting the people closest to me?
• Am I waiting for an apology before allowing myself to begin healing?
• What is one small step I can take toward surrendering this to God?

We’re sharing our experiences, not a deadline for anyone else’s healing. If this conversation touches a painful part of your story, you deserve compassion and safe support.

The conversation continues in Part 2.

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Way Revival Recap — Part 3: Finding God When Life Feels Out of Control

What do you do when you’re following God, but life still feels overwhelming?

In the final part of our Way Revival recap, Emily, LeighElla, and Ashley reflect on Levi’s message, Blessed Are the Spiraling. Together, we talk about seasons that leave us feeling uncertain, stretched thin, or tempted to question whether we heard God correctly.

Through honest conversations about motherhood, homeschooling, marriage, ministry, and changing responsibilities, we explore this reminder: struggling doesn’t automatically mean you’re on the wrong path. Sometimes we need encouragement to keep going. Other times, we need to release the extra things God never asked us to carry.

Inside this conversation:

• Depending on God when discouragement and inadequacy feel loud.
• Serving from love rather than pressure, pride, or people-pleasing.
• Allowing our responsibilities and the way we serve to change with the season.
• Finding beauty without pretending a painful situation is good.
• Remembering that our trials do not define our identity.
• Encouraging younger believers and building a welcoming church community.

Six reminders from the message:

1. Stick to the plan. Pause before making reactive decisions in the middle of chaos.
2. Peel away the extra. Ask what you’re carrying that God never called you to carry.
3. Interpret your struggle accurately. Difficulty can be part of learning and growth—not proof that you’re failing.
4. Retool for the coming season. Apply lessons from past experiences and learn from people who have walked a similar road.
5. Attack the problem from all angles. Pay attention to your soul, your relationships, and practical sources of overwhelm.
6. Look for beauty. Notice the small reminders of goodness that still exist alongside the struggle.

Biblical themes:
Faith refined through trials, Paul’s thorn in the flesh, Jesus’ words in John 10:10, wisdom gained through experience, and God’s care for His creation.

Questions to sit with:

• Am I interpreting struggle as failure before giving myself room to grow?
• What am I carrying out of obligation that may not belong in this season?
• Has serving others crowded out my relationship with God or my family?
• Where can I notice beauty without minimizing what is difficult?

An invitation for this week:
Choose one unnecessary pressure to release, reach out to one trusted person, and notice one small reminder of God’s care. You don’t have to solve the entire season today.

Missed the beginning? Listen to Parts 1 and 2 for our conversations about waking up spiritually and holding on to hope.

Find more conversations and updates at biblechatsms.com.

Way Revival Recap — Part 2: Holding On to Hope

It’s easy to talk about hope when everything is going well. But what happens when the news changes, the waiting gets longer, and the outcome is something you can’t control?

In Part 2 of our Way Revival recap, Emily, LeighElla, and Ashley reflect on Sadie’s message about hope and what it means to trust God in uncertain seasons.

We begin with laughter about artificial intelligence and online advice before asking a deeper question: Where do we turn first when we need answers?

The conversation becomes deeply personal as we share about Cody’s ongoing cancer journey—the unexpected diagnosis, the fear surrounding brain surgery, and the peace experienced through surrendering what couldn’t be controlled. This isn’t a testimony told only after everything has been resolved. It’s a story of learning to hold on to God while still walking through it.

Inside this conversation:

• Testing spiritual guidance against Scripture.
• Finding encouragement through trusted friends and church community.
• Learning to recognize God’s voice through quiet, personal time with Him.
• Remembering that Bible stories read in minutes often describe years of waiting.
• Trusting God without knowing how a situation will unfold.
• Sharing a testimony while the story is still being written.

A personal story of hope:
We talk honestly about the helplessness of watching someone you love suffer, the difference it makes when someone shows up to pray, and the peace that can exist alongside uncertainty. Cody’s journey is ongoing. We’re grateful for progress without pretending every question has been answered.

Biblical themes:
God’s provision of power, love, and a sound mind; discernment rooted in Scripture; daily dependence on God; and faith during seasons of waiting.

Questions to sit with:

• Where do I turn first when uncertainty makes me afraid?
• Have I tied my hope to one specific outcome?
• Who could I invite to walk alongside me in this season?
• What part of my unfinished story might encourage someone else?

An invitation for this week:
Bring one unresolved worry to God honestly. Spend time in Scripture, reach out to someone you trust, and notice the ways you’re being supported—even if the answer you’re waiting for hasn’t arrived.

Our conversation continues in Part 3 with reflections on Blessed Are the Spiraling and finding our footing when life feels overwhelming.

Find more conversations and updates at biblechatsms.com.

Way Revival Recap — Part 1: Waking Up to a Deeper Faith

Sometimes getting away helps us see what we’ve been missing at home.

In this bonus episode of The Bible Chats Podcast, Emily, LeighElla, and Ashley share about their trip to Way Revival in Nashville—and the conversations that stayed with them long after the weekend ended.

Reflecting on Pastor Noah’s message, we ask an honest question: Have we become so comfortable with the presence of God that we’ve stopped paying attention?

With laughter, everyday stories, and some personal conviction, we explore the difference between having a polished Christian routine and building a genuine relationship with Jesus.

Inside this conversation:

• Recognizing spiritual complacency in the middle of ordinary life.
• Reading Scripture to know God, rather than simply checking a box.
• Making room for both spiritual discipline and grace.
• Letting go of comparison and the pressure to make quiet time look perfect.
• Understanding Bible passages in their historical and personal context.
• Building real community instead of trying to follow Jesus alone.
• Testing online teaching against Scripture instead of accepting everything with a Christian label.

Scripture focus:
Matthew 26:36–46 — Jesus praying in Gethsemane and calling His disciples to stay awake and pray.

Questions to sit with:

• Where have I started going through the motions in my relationship with God?
• Am I reading Scripture to be changed by it or to finish a task?
• Who in my life can encourage me and lovingly challenge my understanding?

An invitation for this week:
Make room for unhurried time with God. Read a short passage, ask questions, and let yourself linger. You don’t have to perform or keep pace with someone else.

Continue with Part 2 as we reflect on Sadie’s message about hope and trusting God when life doesn’t go as planned.

Find more conversations and updates at biblechatsms.com.

How do we stop believing the lies rejection has taught us?

In Part 2 of our conversation on rejection, Emily, LeighElla, and Ashley get practical about recognizing hurtful beliefs, bringing them to Scripture, and learning to speak life over ourselves and others.

Through honest stories about marriage, parenting, friendships, and social media, we explore how our words can either deepen a wound or offer encouragement. We also talk about finding people who remind us of God’s truth when we struggle to believe it ourselves.

This isn’t about getting everything right or expecting healing overnight. It’s about taking the next step, giving ourselves room to grow, and remembering that rejection does not get the final say about our worth.

Scriptures discussed: Jeremiah 29:11, James 1:26, and 1 Peter 2:4.

This week’s challenge: Identify one hurtful belief you’ve carried, write it down, and prayerfully explore what God’s Word says. Invite a trusted friend to encourage you and pray with you along the way.

New to this conversation? Start with Rejection And The Power Of Your Words, Part 1.

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Have you ever let rejection tell you who you are?

Sometimes rejection looks like being left out or someone walking away. Other times, it sounds like criticism, comparison, or that quiet voice telling you that you’re not enough.

In Part 1 of this conversation on The Bible Chats Podcast, Emily, LeighElla, and Ashley explore the different ways rejection shows up and how it can shape the way we see ourselves. Through personal stories and Scripture, we talk about the power of our words, the labels we carry, and learning to recognize the difference between what people have said about us and what God says is true.

Rejection may be part of your story, but it doesn’t have to be your identity.

Scriptures discussed: Proverbs 18:21, Genesis 1:27, and John 1:1.

Continue with Part 2 as we talk about practical ways to challenge those hurtful beliefs and replace them with God’s truth.

Connect with us and keep up with what’s next at biblechatsms.com.