Shows / A Moment of Hope
A Moment of Hope
Begin your day with a "Moment of Hope." This podcast is a compliment to David and Marilynn's weekday devotional - providing deeper insights and encouragement. Featuring Jenn Houston.
Episodes
- A Moment of Hope
Beware of the Leaven of Herod
In the gospel of Mark, Jesus cautions his disciples to beware of the leaven of Herod (8:15). In biblical times, leaven was a symbol of evil or corruption. And…
- A Moment of Hope
"I've Got This"
How would your life change if you heard God say to you, "I've got this!"? He does. It's true. God oversees every area of your life. "The earth is the Lord's…
- A Moment of Hope
Sprint to the Other End of the Court!
My college basketball coach, Dean Smith, had a rule he implemented from day one. At the end of the game, holding a lead and being fouled by the opposition to…
- A Moment of Hope
God Restores Broken Places
Do you believe God is the restorer of the broken places in your life? He is. The Bible says so. "For behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will…
- A Moment of Hope
Rust Out or Burn Out?
Rust out or burn out? It's an important question we all need to ask ourselves. Especially as we consider how we want to live out our last decades on earth…
- A Moment of Hope
A Key for Success: Enthusiasm
The word "enthusiasm" comes from the Greek word "entheos" which means "the God within." When God is within us - through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit - how…
- A Moment of Hope
We All Stand on the Shoulders of Other People
If you've experienced success in your life, then there are people around you who've helped you along the way. It's a requisite for success. Why? Because we all…
- A Moment of Hope
Seek to Understand More than Be Understood
Here's what I consider to be a fundamental key to life: Seek to understand more than be understood. How do we do this? By practicing empathy. By listening…
- A Moment of Hope
There's a Reason God Gave You One Mouth and Two Ears
"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" (James 1:19). Take a moment to…
- A Moment of Hope
When I Change My Mind, God Changes Her Heart
Are you looking for a way to change your spouse? To make him or her be more like you desire? Then choose to serve your spouse and not be served (Mark 10:45)…
- A Moment of Hope
Everything that Happens to Me Must be Father-filtered
I have come to this deeply held conviction: Everything that happens on this earth must first be Father-filtered. If we are God the Father's children, and he…
- A Moment of Hope
Every Successful Marriage Demands Divorce
Every successful marriage demands divorce. "What?" you say. Have I lost my mind? Fallen prey to culture's lies? Of course not. Here's what I mean: Every…
- A Moment of Hope
How Much More
I have three proven words of wisdom for you. Words that will fuel your prayer life and grow your faith: How much more. Jesus taught it. In fact, he looked to…
- A Moment of Hope
First Belief, Then Feelings, Then Behavior
Why do we act the way we act, and do the things we do? Here's the answer: first belief, then feelings, then behavior. The order is biblical. We act on what we…
- A Moment of Hope
Play Hard, Play Smart and Play Together
If there was one mantra that my college basketball coach, Dean Smith, repeated over and over again, it is this: Play hard, play smart, and play together. Coach…
- A Moment of Hope
Oftentimes the Only Way is Through
Isn't it wonderful when God supernaturally delivers us from hardship? Gives us a miracle of faith? A giant problem we've had suddenly disappears? Supernatural…
- A Moment of Hope
God Desires Sexual Purity, Part 2
Sexual purity requires self-discipline. Yesterday, we examined why sexual purity is so important to God. I shared with you one safeguard phrase Marilynn and I…
- A Moment of Hope
God Desires Sexual Purity, Part 1
"For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality" (1 Thessalonians 4:3). God desires sexual purity in his people. His…
- A Moment of Hope
Be Careful for "Slurpee Marriages"
You can almost hear the sound of someone drinking a slurpee. The classic, large drink many love to "slurp" down. In big, slushy gulps. With the last gulp…
- A Moment of Hope
Faith Fuels God's Peace. Fear Fuels Unbelief.
Whatever you fuel grows. Whatever you starve dies. With what are you fueling your mind? Thoughts of faith fuel God's peace. Think of faith as fertilizer…
- A Moment of Hope
Read Your Jersey
It's a memory engraved on my brain from my college coach, Dean Smith. He said it regularly, sometimes even right before our games: Read your jersey. Coach…
- A Moment of Hope
God Is In Control
Today, I want to give you this simple but profound statement that we should remind ourselves of repeatedly. God is in control. Of everything. If one atom is…
- A Moment of Hope
God Is Not Looking for Ability, but for Availability
Which do you think matters most? Ability or availability? To the world, ability matters most. But to a holy, sovereign God, it's availability that truly…
- A Moment of Hope
We Are All Pencils in God's Hands
"I am a little pencil in God's hands. He does the thinking. He does the writing." Mother Theresa penned these insightful words. She considered herself a…
- A Moment of Hope
Any Dead Fish Can Flow with the Stream
Any dead fish can flow with the stream. Picture small ocean waves lapping onto the shore, or the slowly moving waters of a stream. Now remember a time when…
- A Moment of Hope
Only Time in God's Presence Heals Our Wounds
Are you hurting? Broken? Recovering from harm inflicted by another person? Only time in God's presence heals our wounds. Healing is something we wish would…
- A Moment of Hope
Good Lord, It's Morning! Or, Good Morning, Lord!
When you wake up in the morning, how do you feel about the day ahead? Is your first thought a negative, "Good Lord, it's morning!"? And you just want to stay…
- A Moment of Hope
It's Easy to Leave Your Spouse. It's Impossible to Leave Your Best Friend.
It's easy to leave your spouse. It's impossible to leave your best friend. Who is your BFF, your Best Friend Forever? If you're married, your BFF should be…
- A Moment of Hope
Put Your Hand in the Hand of the Man Who Stilled the Water
"Put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water. Put your hand in the hand of the man who calmed the seas." These lyrics from a 1970's pop song are…
- A Moment of Hope
Take Better Care of My Basketball!
"Take better care of my basketball!" How often I'd hear Coach Smith say this to his team. He knew that we had only so many possessions in a game, so when we…
- A Moment of Hope
Character is Who You Are When No One is Looking
The best definition of character I've ever heard: Who you are when no one is looking. Character is too often influenced by people-pleasing. Schmoozing others…
- A Moment of Hope
A Leader's Job Is to Serve Others, Not Use Others
Whether you realize it or not, you are most likely a leader in some way or another. Leadership is simply influence. If you have influence over anyone - as a…
- A Moment of Hope
It's Not What You Believe but Knowing the One in Whom You Believe
As followers of Jesus, Christians need to have solid doctrinal beliefs. To know what is true in both doctrine and theology. But it's much more important to…
- A Moment of Hope
Great Players Make the Hard Plays Look Easy, Not the Easy Plays Look Hard
Have you ever had a friend or coworker who seems to make everything look easy, even though you know it's not? Here's what Coach Dean Smith had to say about…
- A Moment of Hope
Silence Condones Evil
Throughout the first chapter of the book of Romans, a multitude of sins are listed. They include: unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice, envy, murder…
- A Moment of Hope
We Are a Nation That Has Forgotten How to Blush
Has America become a nation who has forgotten how to blush? In the beginning of the book of Jeremiah, God repeatedly chastises the nation of Judah, warning…
- A Moment of Hope
The Root of the Word "Crisis" - Opportunity and Decision
Catastrophe. Calamity. Crisis. Although these words look like synonyms at first glance, crisis is actually very different. The word "crisis" comes from ancient…
- A Moment of Hope
The First Look Is Free
The first look is free. You're responsible for the second one. This maxim came from my friend John Kasay and his wife, Laura. I once asked him, as an NFL…
- A Moment of Hope
No One Has Ever Read a Tombstone with the Inscription, "I Wish I'd Spent More Time at the Office"
Do you live to work, or work to live? God said work was good. As God created the earth and everything in it, he repeatedly called his work good (Genesis…
- A Moment of Hope
Don't Disobey. Don't Dishonor
Here's a tried-and-true parenting tip. The fewer the rules, the better! Why? Because the more rules you have, the more you need more rules to define the rules…
- A Moment of Hope
Doubt Is the Ants in the Pants of Faith
When dealing with questions about faith, can one ever delve deeply into matters of faith without doubt creeping in? Probably not. Here's what's true. When you…
A Moment of HopePractice Doesn't Make Perfect, Perfect Practice Makes Perfect
Have you ever heard the adage, "Practice makes perfect?" Many of us have. But it's not true. Here's what is correct: Perfect practice makes perfect! This quote…
A Moment of HopePraise the Behavior You Want Repeated
Praise the behavior you want repeated. It's a great leadership principle I learned from my college basketball coach, Dean Smith. Coach wanted his players to…
A Moment of HopeIt's Easier to Get In Than Out
Boy, have I learned this one through the years! It's easier to get in than out. It's far easier to make a thoughtful, carefully considered choice than to find…
A Moment of HopeDon't Trivialize Eternal Realities
Think about words like "hell" or "damn." They're spoken so often in our culture with little - if any - thought of the implications behind them. Their biblical…
A Moment of HopeA Rested Reserve Is Always Better Than a Tired Superstar
Coach Dean Smith won two national championships. He was an incredible man and leader. The many lessons I learned from him continue to impact my life today…
A Moment of HopeWe Don't Know What the Future Holds, But We Do Know Who Holds the Future
Do you know what is going to happen in the next moment? Tomorrow? Weeks? Or years to come? Of course not. No one does. But here is a timeless truth that will…
A Moment of HopeLife Goes On
Three important words I've learned to live by: Life goes on. Think of your life as a river. It keeps going. Moving on and on and on. What happens if you throw…
A Moment of HopeDon't Embarrass Me Publicly and I Won't Embarrass You Publicly
When I was a college basketball player, I played in many games. But there was one game I'll never forget. I'd been playing poorly in a game and my coach, Dean…
A Moment of HopeWhen In Doubt, Leave It Out
We all have big decisions to make in life, many of which will affect us for years to come. Once when I was going through such a decision, someone told me to…
A Moment of HopeGood People Celebrate When Good Things Happen to Others
How do you feel when a coworker gets a promotion? Your neighbor's child earns a college scholarship? A good friend buys a beautiful beach house? Excited? Or…