Do you Live Loved? Do you live your life filled up with the fullness of God’s love in you? I don’t know about you, but sometimes I struggle with this, so I am really excited to recommend a book to you. It is called *Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely. It is by Lysa TerKeurst; she is one of my favorite authors. I actually read this book back in 2016. It released the same month that my friend passed away, and I remember reading it. But I have to tell you that I don’t remember all the takeaways from it because I was in such deep grief. I just recently read it again, it was actually the perfect timing because I walked through a situation last year where I felt some rejection as well as it has just been a lonely season in my life as my kids are getting older and ready to launch. So I need this message in my life; I need to live loved! Cannot wait for you to hear about being set apart and the olive tree! So much wisdom in this book! Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Lysa’s book: *Uninvited. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/jfn0mb/uninvited-book-giveaway I refer to my book, *Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength in this episode. Here is a direct link to my book page on my website to listen to my book trailer and find out more. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing these recommended books, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Do you ever struggle with what to do when your world is falling apart? When life seems to flip upside down, do you wish you had a friend that would come alongside you and say this is what helped me in the middle of my suffering and my hard times? This is what I love about this new book, *A Faith That Will Not Fail by Michele Cushatt. She was on the podcast back in 2020 for her book, Relentless. If you have not heard her story, she has walked through cancer multiple times and what I love is that she wrote this book from a place of “I understand.” The subtitle of the book is 10 Practices to Build up Your Faith When Your World Is Falling Apart. It is very practical, and she gives great ideas you can start that will help you during those tough seasons. In fact, I think these are great practices to start even when you are not in a tough season, so when those hard times come, you are already prepared. I love our conversation today on the podcast, and I think you are going to learn so much from Michele. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Michele’s book: *A Faith That Will Not Fail. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/dkexdy/a-faith-that-will-not-fail-giveaway It is fun to have Michele back on the Podcast! If you missed my first conversation with Michele about her book, *Relentless, please check out Episode 18 on the Depth podcast. She has such a powerful story and her words will definitely encourage you. Book Recommendations: *Try Softer by Aundi Kolber *Strong Like Water by Aundi Kolber As an experienced communicator, Michele Cushatt speaks internationally to a wide variety of audiences and has published three previous books, including *Undone, *I Am. Her fourth book, *A Faith That Will Not Fail, publishes March 2023. A three-time head and neck cancer survivor and parent of "children from hard places, " Michele is a (reluctant) expert of trauma, pain, and the deep human need for authentic connection and enduring faith. She and her husband, Troy, share a blended family of six children, including biological children, stepchildren, and foster-adopt children. They live on eight acres outside of Denver, Colorado. Visit www.michelecushatt.com *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live through Holy Week? Imagine what it would be like to walk with Jesus as He went from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. So much happened in his life during those 7 days. So for the Bible Shoes episode this month, I thought it would be really special to put ourselves in the shoes of one of the disciples as he walked next to Jesus from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday.  There are a lot of big events that happen that really establish our faith as a Christian. I want to dive deeper into these. What is so exciting for me is that all four of the Gospels highlight these events: Palm Sunday, The Last Supper, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection. If Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all thought that these were important to write about, then they are important to study. So, this next week is Holy Week and I hope this episode ignites in you a desire to open your Bible and learn more about this special week in the life of Jesus. If you want to accept Jesus into your life and begin a relationship with Him, I want to share with the ABC’s. Admit you are powerless to do life alone and you need a Savior. I know that I cannot do life in my own strength, I need a Savior. I hope you will surrender your life to God too. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God! Believe He died on the cross for your sins. But He did not stay dead but rose again. He is alive today and desires a relationship with you! Confess this with your mouth! When we pray, you don’t need to say it out loud, but you can say it in your heart. Romans 10:9 says, “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” If you made a decision to follow Christ or shared your faith with someone else, I want to hear about it. Please email me directly at [email protected]

Are you in the middle of a transition? Maybe you are changing jobs? Maybe you are changing states and moving? Or perhaps it has to do with your kids—maybe you have a preschooler who is heading off to kindergarten next year. Or maybe you have high schooler who is graduating and going to college next year? All of these are examples of transitions and change is hard, so I am so excited to have Nicki Koziarz back on the podcast to talk about her new book, *Your New Now: Finding Strength and Wisdom When You Feel Stuck Where You Are. In Nicki's books, I love that she always traces someone from the Bible and this time, it is all about the life of Moses. I think we are going to learn so much about transitions from him. Also, Nicki has so much wisdom to share. We talk about the 4 different types of transitions, how do we identify which one we are in as well as she gives some practical wisdom if we are right in the middle of a transition. I cannot wait for you to listen. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Nicki’s book: *Your New Now. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/pbzurs/your-new-now-book-giveaway It is fun to have Nicki back on the Podcast! If you missed my first conversation with Nicki about her book, *Why Her, please check out Episode 22 on the Depth podcast.  I love what she shares about comparison. Her second time on the podcast we talked about her book, *Flooded, where she vulnerably shares how doubt flooded her soul and began to impact her faith. You can check out our conversation on Episode 74. I cannot wait for you to hear Nicki share about the life of Noah in the Bible and the 5 Best Decisions to Make When Life is Hard and Doubt is Rising (the subtitle of her book). Book Recommendation: *You Happier by Dr. Daniel Amen Nicki Koziarz is an ECPA bestselling author and a speaker with Proverbs 31 Ministries. She speaks nationally at conferences, retreats, and meetings and hosts her own podcast, Lessons from the Farm. An evangelist at heart, Nicki inspires others to become the best version of who God created them to be. Nicki, her husband, and their family run a small farm just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, which they affectionately call The Fixer Upper Farm. Learn more at nickikoziarz.com. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you very much.

Have you ever had a divine appointment that changed your life? Maybe it was the person who introduced you to Jesus. Perhaps it was someone who prayed for you during a time when you were really hurting.  Maybe it was a counselor, a friend, or maybe a stranger. I cannot wait to share with you about a divine appointment that happened in my life and actually it is the book recommendation for this month.  So I share about this in my book, *Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength in Chapter 14 called A Divine Appointment.  I thought I would start off this book recommendation with reading you this chapter. It will give you a full picture on why this book on Spiritual Warfare made such an impact on my life.  Thank you Lisa Bevere for your book, *Girls with Swords. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Lisa’s book: *Girls with Swords.  All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link:  https://kingsumo.com/g/hn2cb2/girls-with-swords-book-giveaway Thank you again for allowing me to read Chapter 14, A Divine Appointment from my book. Here is a link to *Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength by Jodi Rosser *Note: If you are interested in purchasing these recommended books, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Are you a busy mom? Do you feel like you are juggling many things? Do you wish you can make the most of your minutes for the day? I am so excited to talk with Crystal Paine on the podcast this week about her book, *The Time Saving Mom: How to Juggle a Lot, Enjoy Your Life, and Accomplish What Matters Most.  This is a must read for any mom who is trying to manage a busy schedule. I learned so much from Crystal, so many practical tips she shares in the book and on the episode today. I think you are going to learn so much from her about making priorities, time blocking, habit stacking and more. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Crystal’s book: *The Time Saving Mom. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/xpv2f8/time-saving-mom-book-giveaway Book Recommendation: *Atomic Habits by James Clear Crystal Paine is the founder of MoneySavingMom.com, host of The Crystal Paine Show podcast, and a New York Times bestselling author. Her desire is to help women across the globe live with more joy, purpose, and intention in their everyday lives. She lives with her husband and six kids in the Nashville, Tennessee, area, where she is actively involved in her local church. Her biggest passions are helping women understand how the gospel can radically transform their lives, raising awareness for foster care, going on adventures with her family (locally, domestically, and internationally), finding great deals at the grocery store, having heartfelt conversations, and trying to read too many books at one time! Crystal’s new book, *The-Time Saving Mom, is available for pre-order now! *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank yo

Have you ever tried to avoid other people because there was something in your life that you did not want them to know? Maybe it was about your family or a life circumstance you were walking through. Perhaps it was just a feeling or an emotion you were experiencing. I think we can all relate to this which is why I am super excited for my second Bible Shoes to highlight the Samaritan woman at the well. You might be thinking: Wait a minute, I don’t connect at all with that woman’s life circumstances. But today I want to ask you do you connect with her emotionally. Is there something you are hiding that you don’t want other people to know? Maybe you struggle with anxiety or depression, and you haven’t shared that with anyone. Perhaps there is something happening with one of your kids and you don’t want others to know. Or maybe it is you personally. I know for me, walking through my divorce I was ashamed, and I did not want others to know. So today, I want to focus on this story, because I think we can relate to this story on an emotional level, and I love how Jesus treats this woman with such love and compassion. In fact, I love what happens after her encounter with Jesus. Cannot wait for us to enter into her shoes. If you missed my introduction a couple weeks ago, I am going to be picking one person in the Bible and I am going to try to put myself in their shoes. I am going to ask myself, what are they thinking? What are they feeling? How does this relate to us in present day? Check out this blog post to explain it. First Bible Shoes: Elijah- Episode 161

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by social media? Maybe you feel trapped by how much time it takes or maybe you struggle with comparison as you look at other people’s posts. I think this is a huge struggle for many people. Have you ever considered taking a break from social media? This week, I have Sandy Cooper on the podcast, and she is going to share her story as well as give us 5 reasons of why we should take a social media break. I think you are really going to like what she has to share. Also, Lent is just around the corner and I know a lot people give something up as they prepare their  hearts for Easter. So maybe you want to give us social media. Cannot wait for you to hear the wisdom Sandy shares. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a coupon code good for one 7 day challenge. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/qz8q19/7-day-social-media-break-challenge Blog Post Link: Comparison and Social Media Quiz Link: “Is it time for you to break up with social media?”  Sandy Cooper is the author of three books, a podcaster, a Bible study teacher, and a professionally certified home chef. She has been a wife to Jon for 29 years and is mom to three kids ages 16 to 23. Her oldest son passed away when he was nine months old. She has been helping frazzled moms find peace since 2008 at thescooponbalance.com. She podcasts weekly at The Balanced MomCast from her home office in Florida, where she lives with her family. 

ave you ever read a book where you literally underlined and highlighted more of the book than you didn’t?  Well I cannot wait to tell you about a favorite book where I did just that. It is called *The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. I read this book back in 2017. A friend gave it to me for my birthday and I am telling you—this was one of those life changing books. It is probably the best book I have ever read on prayer. I cannot wait to dive deeper into it and share some of my favorite parts of the book. Mark wrote another book called *Draw the Circle and it is a 40 Day Prayer Challenge! I am so excited to be giving away a copy of Mark’s book:  All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/n8nytm/draw-the-circle-book-giveaway Depth Podcast Episodes to check out: Episode 69: Mark Batterson was a guest on the podcast back in 2021, and we talk about his quote, “Pray like it depends on God; work like it depends on you.” He also shares a little about his personal prayer life so you definitely want to check it out. Episode 120: Ideas for Lent-- I share more about Mark Batterson's *Draw the Circle book. Episode 106: Jodie Berndt shares about her book, *Praying the Scriptures for Your Life. Episode 158: Suzie Eller talks about her new book, *Prayer Starters. Book Recommendations: *The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson *Draw the Circle by Mark Batterson *Praying the Scriptures for Your Life by Jodie Berndt *Prayer Starters by Suzie Eller *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Have you ever wondered if it is okay to question God? Is it okay to have doubts and ask why God? Where are you God? Is your plan good? Sometimes it does not feel good right now, so can I trust You? All of these are honest questions that we can bring to God. And it is okay to ask these hard questions. I love that we dive deeper into this on the podcast today when I talk with Lori Ann Wood about her new book, *Divine Detour: The Path You’d Never Choose Can Lead to the Faith You’ve Always Wanted. I have to say that if I am honest, I have asked these hard questions along the detours of my life. Maybe you have too. I am excited for us to talk about this because I think sometimes we assume if we have these questions then maybe our faith is not as strong as we thought it was. I am hear to tell you that is not true. I love the wisdom that Lori Ann brings as she shares about her detour and how God used these questions to grow her faith deeper. I promised you do not want to miss the truths shared in this episode. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Lori Ann’s book: *Divine Detour. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/fxqi3u/divine-detour-book-giveaway Book Recommendation: *Walking through Twilight by Douglas Groothuis I share a quote from Lori Ann’s Brave Women post. Here is a link to the entire article. After discovering a serious heart condition almost too late, Lori Ann Wood became an award-winning author who encourages deep faith questions along the detours of life. Lori Ann’s first book, *Divine Detour: The Path You’d Never Choose Can Lead to the Faith You’ve Always Wanted, is available at https://loriannwood.com/books/. Get her free gift, When You Can’t Talk to God, at https://loriannwood.com/hope/. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

If someone was going to ask you what your best parenting advice was, what would you say? Maybe you would talk about being intentional with the time you have with your kids. Perhaps you would talk about some of the traditions you did in your home. For me, I would talk about empathy and what a gift it is for our kids. Well you are in for such a treat because this week on the podcast I have Mary DeMuth and she is going to give her parenting advice and wisdom that she wants to pass along to us parents. Her book is called *Love, Pray, Listen which is such great parenting advice. Some of my favorite things that she shares this week on the podcast is settling our identity and where do we find our worth: is it in our role of parenting or is it because we are a child of God? I just love the wisdom she brings. She also talks about surrender and how important that is in our parenting and the gift of empathy which is one of my favorite things to talk about. She also has some great wisdom for parents of adult kids as well as those in the teenage years getting ready to launch a child. You are going to love all the truth she shares on this episode! Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Mary’s book: *Love, Pray, Listen. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/kdau5t/love-pray-listen-book-giveaway Book Recommendations: *The Calvary Road by Roy Hession *The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan *My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers Biography of Oswald Chambers: *Abandoned to God by David McCasland Mary DeMuth is an international speaker, a podcaster, and the author of over forty books, fiction and nonfiction, including *The Day I Met Jesus. Through God’s healing, Mary has overcome a difficult past to become an authentic example of what it means to live a brand-new story. She loves to help others “re-story” their lives through the books she writes. Mary lives in Texas with her husband of 30 years and is Mom to three adult children. Learn more at marydemuth.com. Free Resource from Mary: 52 Prayers for your Adult Children *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Do you ever struggle going to the extremes? Either all good or all bad? Do ever say words like you never, you always or I never, I always? These are extremes- right? I love that we can see an example of this in the Bible. This week, I am so excited for my very first episode of Bible Shoes. If you missed my introduction a couple weeks ago, I am going to be picking one person in the Bible and I am going to try to put myself in their shoes. I am going to ask myself, what are they thinking? What are they feeling? How does this relate to us in present day? For the very first episode, I wanted to start with someone that I could relate to right now in my season of life. So I prayed a lot to God over who should I highlight first. So today, I am going to be talking about Elijah! He first appears in the Bible in 1 Kings 17, but we are going to focus in on 1 Kings 18 and 19. Hope you enjoyed this first episode of the new series, Bible Shoes! I would love to hear from you about who I should highlight next. Head on over to my Depth Podcast Facebook Group and share your feedback with me.

Have you ever wished you could have a conversation about grief and get really practical? How did you overcome this? How did you deal with hard emotions? How did you walk through your grief? This week on the podcast, I have this honest conversation with Clarissa Moll about her new book, *Beyond the Darkness: A Gentle Guide for Living With Grief and Thriving after Loss. We talk about the myths of grief and just some practical tools that really helped Clarissa after her husband passed away in a tragic accident. One of my favorite parts is when we talk about emotions and I love this classroom setting illustration that Clarissa gave me. It really resonated with me and I hope it does with you too. You do not want to miss her wisdom. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Clarissa’s book: *Beyond the Darkness. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/ukymgg/beyond-the-darkness-book-giveaway Book Recommendations: *Lament for a Son by Nicolas Wolterstorff *Seasons of Sorrow by Tim Challies Clarissa Moll (MA, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is an author, a podcaster, and the young widow of author Rob Moll. Clarissa’s writing has appeared in Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, RELEVANT, Modern Loss, Grief Digest and more. Her husband’s first book, The Art of Dying, was released in April 2021 with Clarissa’s new afterword. Clarissa’s debut book, *Beyond the Darkness: A Gentle Guide for Living With Grief and Thriving after Loss releases with Tyndale in 2022. Clarissa co-hosts Christianity Today’s “Surprised by Grief” podcast and hosts the weekly Hope*Writers podcast. She lives a joyful life with her four children and rescue pups and proudly calls both New England and the Pacific Northwest home. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

What if you were the one? What if you were “the Rodney” in your teenager’s life? Let me explain. Back in 2018, I read a book called *The Grown-Up’s Guide to Teenage Humans by Josh Shipp. Well Josh shares his story about growing up as a foster kid who had been in and out homes for years. His goal when he arrived at a new home was to see how quickly he could get kicked out. He even kept a journal in which he would write the date he arrived, the date he was kicked out and what strategy he used to get the boot. Each time, he tried to beat his record.  All of this changed when he arrived at Rodney’s house at age 14. After 3 years of being disrespectful and mischievous, Rodney still did not kick him out. Josh decided to try one final reckless choice in which he ended up in jail. He thought to himself, this was it; Rodney will finally kick me to the curb. After spending the night in jail, Rodney picked him up and said the following to him, “Josh, you keep causing trouble, keep pushing us away, keep acting out but you gotta get it through your thick head son. We don’t see you as a problem. We see you as an opportunity.” Rodney changed Josh’s life forever and these words were the turning point. What if you are the Rodney in your son’s or daughter’s life. Maybe you are wondering why I am sharing about this book, but I am so excited to tell you about the book recommendations I am going to be doing in between the podcast interview episodes. I love to talk about books, but with my new schedule, I am not able to interview every week, so in the weeks in between, I am going to be sharing about books that have made an impact on my life. I also have another exciting announcement that I share at the end of the episode about another new series to the podcast. I will wait and let you listen for that special addition! If you are parenting a child nine or older, then you do not want to miss the wisdom from Josh’s book! Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Josh’s book: *The Grown-Up’s Guide to Teenage Humans. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/npe7zi/parenting-book-giveaway Another Teenage Parenting Book Recommendation: Depth Podcast Episode 14: Mark Oestreicher's *Understanding Your Young Teen *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Happy New Year! I cannot believe it is 2023. Let me ask you a question: Do you struggle with what to pray? Maybe even how to pray? I am so excited about this first episode in 2023. I talk with Suzie Eller about her newest book, *Prayer Starters: Talking with God About Hard Times.  This book has been changing my life; it is so phenomenal. I love the wisdom Suzie brings to this episode. We recorded back in December, and it is one of my favorite episodes. She cries, I cry… there are just some tender, vulnerable moments and lots of wisdom from Suzie. You are going to walk away with so much truth to start your year. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Suzie’s book: *Prayer Starters. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/9hmsey/prayer-starters-giveaway It is fun to have Suzie back on the Podcast! If you missed my first conversation with Suzie about her book, *The Mended Heart, please check out Episode #7 on the Depth podcast.  I love what she shares about brokenness. Her second time on the podcast we talked about her book,*JoyKeeper: 6 Truths That Change Everything You Thought You Know about Joy. You can check out our conversation on the Depth Podcast Episode #46. I cannot wait for you to hear all the wisdom she shares as well as some of our favorite Joy Keeper vs. Joy Stealer statements. Suzanne (Suzie) Eller is a bestselling author, Bible teacher, speaker, and cohost of the More Than Small Talk podcast with Holley Gerth and Jennifer Watson. She is also the host of Prayer Starters on the KLRC podcast network. Suzie and her husband live in beautiful northwest Arkansas, where her favorite things to do are hiking and kayaking. Learn more at tsuzanneeller.com. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

As you get to the end of 2022, what are you going to do to prepare for 2023? Do you make New Years Resolutions? Do you set goals, or do you pick one word for the year that you will focus on? Not sure if you will listen to this before or after Christmas, so first of all, let me wish you a Merry Christmas. I hope you and your family have a wonderful celebration. I hope you eat lots of Christmas cookies and enjoy time with loved ones. Most of all, I hope you remember the true meaning of Christmas- Jesus coming to earth, His birth, and Immanuel, God is with us! For this last episode in 2022, I wanted us to start to look forward to 2023. One of things I do is I pick a word for each year. So I thought it would be really fun for me to share some of my past words, what they meant to me, and how I came up with them. Then, I also want to share with you a resource—a book called *My One Word by Mike Ashcroft and Rachel Olsen. It is a great tool if you want something to read to help you choose your word or a book to help guide you along the way. Christmas Episodes on the Depth Podcast: Holiday Family Traditions with my mom- Depth Podcast Episode 60 Advent Blocks- Depth Podcast Episode 109 Blog Posts on the Holidays: 5 Favorite Books and Traditions to Keep the Focus on Jesus Grieving Through the Holidays Encouragement for your Hurting Heart on Holidays One Word Blog Posts 2022- Bold 2021- Cultivate 2020- Timing To read all my past words, go to my website and click the blog and the category, One Word Challenge. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Do you ever wonder if your life is making an impact? Do you ever ask yourself: Does this matter what I am doing? Your work? Your ministry? Is it Significant? If you have asked those hard questions, then I know you are going to benefit from this episode. I talk with Rachael Adams today about her new book, *A Little Goes A Long Way: 52 Days to a Significant Life. I love that the key verse in her book is Zechariah 4:10, “Do not despise the small beginnings.” I think a lot of times we think that in order to have an impact, it has to be something big we have done and accomplished. But I love that Rachael’s book reminds us that a little can go a long way and God loves to take our little and multiply it. I think you are going to learn so much from our conversation. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Rachael’s book: *A Little Goes A Long Way. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/gzmqbl/a-little-goes-a-long-way-devotional It is fun to have Rachael back on the Podcast! If you missed my first conversation with Rachael about Lessons from Biblical Mothers, please check out Episode 128 on the Depth podcast. I loved the truth I learned about Rahab. Book Recommendations: *The Gospel on the Ground by Kristi Mc Lelland *Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado Writer and podcaster Rachael Adams started her ministry to help women realize their God-given purpose and significance. She and her husband, Bryan, run a family business and farm in Kentucky with their two children, Will and Kate, and two doodle dogs. Connect with her through her website, rachaelkadams.com, social media (@rachaeladamsauthor), or podcast (The Love Offering). *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

What do you do when God seems to have vanished? Maybe you feel alone in your decision making, your parenting, in your life? This is the question on the back of the book that we are going to highlight today. It is called *Esther: Seeing Our Invisible God in an Uncertain World. I don’t know if you know this, but Esther is one of the two books of the Bible where God’s name is not mentioned once. We are going to dive deeper into this today in our study. But I think it is amazing, because God’s fingerprints are all over the book of Esther, but His name is not mentioned. Maybe that is where you feel like you are in your life.  You are like where are you God, I don’t see you or feel you. Are you even working? So I love that we can study the life of Esther, and we can see that God still is present. He is still working! I am so excited to have Lynn Cowell and Amy Carroll on the podcast to talk about their Bible Study. It is phenomenal, and we are going to dive deeper into their 6-week study with these words: Listen, Feel, Do, Speak.  Also, both Lynn and Amy are writers for Proverbs 31 Ministries, and I am so excited to share about this amazing ministry for Giving Tuesday. I cannot wait to tell you more about that at the end of the episode. Again, you are going to learn so much from Amy and Lynn.   Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Lynn and Amy’s new book: *Esther. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/r8k3tr/esther-bible-study-giveaway It is fun to have Lynn back on the Podcast! If you missed my first conversation with Lynn and Michelle about their book, *Loved & Cherished, please check out Episode 51 on the Depth podcast. I love this devotional for young girls. Giving Tuesday Episodes Water Wells- A Way To Help (Episode 61) Joy Jars- Jessie Rees Foundation (Episode 111) Proverbs 31 Ministries: Home Page for the Proverbs 31 Website Giving to Proverbs 31- my conversation with Danya (Episode 39) First 5 from Proverbs 31- growing deeper in my faith (Episode 115) Book Recommendations: *Highs Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard *Forgiving What You Can’t Forget Bible Study by Lysa TerKeurst *Forgiving What You Can’t Forget Book by Lysa TerKeurst Lynn Cowell is a national conference speaker who passionately empowers women of all ages to understand the importance of Christ confidence. She is the author of several books including *Make Your Move: Finding Unshakable Confidence Despite Your Fears and Failures for women, and *Brave Beauty: Finding the Fearless You just for girls ages 8 - 12. She also serves on the speaking and writing team for Proverbs 31 Ministries. Learn more about Lynn Cowell and her writing at lynncowell.com. Amy Carroll delights in gathering a community of women with tender hearts and strong voices. She’s a speaker and writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries, a speaker coach, and the author of *Breaking Up with Perfect: Kiss Perfection Goodbye and Embrace the Joy God Has in Store for You and *Exhale: Lose Who You’re Not. Love Who You Are. Live Your One Live Well. Learn more about Amy Carroll and her writing at amycarroll.org. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Do you ever feel like you are hidden? Like the work you are doing is unseen? Maybe overlooked by others? I want to encourage you today with a book called *Anonymous: Jesus Hidden Years and Yours by Dr. Alicia Britt Chole. Actually, back in March, I highlighted one of her other books called 40 Days of Decrease during Lent. But she was not able to come on the podcast then, so I am so excited to have her in person this time to highlight this book because I think sometimes the most significant times of our life and our ministry and what God has called you to do happens in those hidden years. The time with God when it is just you and Him doing that deep rooted growth. You know how much I love talking about deep roots, so I think you are going to love what Dr. Alicia shares on the podcast today. She truly has so much wisdom! Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Dr. Alicia’s book: *Anonymous. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/icpdag/anonymous-book-giveaway Book Recommendations: *Practicing His Presence by Brother Lawrence and Frank LauBach *Celebration of Discipline by Richard J. Foster *Ordering Your Private World by Gordon McDonald *Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God by David McCasland *Oswald Chambers An Unbribed Soul by M.A.D.W. Lambert *Leagues of Light: Diary of Oswald Chambers by Oswald Chambers *Search for Nothing: The Life of John of the Cross by Richard P. Hardy Check out Depth Podcast Episode 120 where I share about Dr. Alicia's Lent Book: *40 Days of Decrease. An award-winning writer, Dr. Alicia Britt Chole's messages address both head and heart and are often described as grace-filled surgeries. Alicia is a speaker, author, and leadership mentor who enjoys thunderstorms, jalapenos, and honest questions. To explore Alicia's other books or learn more about her ministry, visit her website. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!  

Do you have a rhythm in your home that helps you practice gratitude?  Maybe you have a journal where you write 2-3 things that you are thankful for each day. Or maybe around the dinner table, you talk about what you are grateful for in your day like highs and lows or blessings and bummers. I think practicing gratitude is so important! So I am excited to have Clayton Greene and Chris Pappalardo back on the podcast to talk about their new product, the Graticube. This is a phenomenal way to practice gratitude in your home. I got one for our family, and we had so much fun one of the nights that Kyle came home from college. It is not exactly a cube; it has 12 sides, and I will let you guys share more about it in this episode. Lastly, we talk about how to be grateful during the hard times of life and I love the wisdom shared in this episode. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a Graticube. All the details of the giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/jyyapl/graticube-giveaway It is fun to have Chris and Clayton back on the Podcast! If you missed my first conversation with them about their Advent Blocks, please check out Episode 109 on the Depth Podcast. These Advent Blocks help remind your children of the true meaning of Christmas, and they are phenomenal. The second product we highlighted was the Sabbath Box so definitely check out Episode 135 on the Depth Podcast. This box helps you put distractions away and enjoy time with God and each other. Book Recommendations: *The Voice of the Heart by Chip Dodd *Sacred Fire by Ronald Rolheiser At GoodKind, they are committed to helping people start—and continue—practices that draw them to God and to one another. They want to help people practice their faith by having meaningful moments with their families. They started out by creating Advent Blocks, a 25-day Christmas practice for the whole family. Now, they're providing tools that help you develop the GoodKind of habits and holiday celebrations throughout the entire year.  Learn more at their website, goodkind.shop.  Here is a direct link to the Graticube. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Did you know that October 15th is pregnancy and infant loss Remembrance Day? Sadly for many women, this is part of their story. It was for me. I lost a baby in between my two boys. So, in October, I try to have an episode on the podcast that will come along and offer hope to a hurting heart. Maybe someone is walking through a pregnancy or infant loss or for those of you who have a friend or loved one walking through this, this episode will give you lots of wisdom on how to come alongside and support them. I am really excited to have Jenny Albers on the podcast.  She wrote a book called *Courageously Expecting: 30 Days of Encouragement for Pregnancy After Loss. For many women, when they receive the news that they are pregnant, it is very exciting. But for someone who has just recently walked through a loss, that news can bring up a lot of emotions: excitement because there is a hope that you will have another baby, but fear because it might happen all over again that you lose that baby. So I love that we are giving voice to this hard subject today. Jenny has so much wisdom and I cannot wait for you to hear from her. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Jenny’s book: *Courageously Expecting. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/uteqfr/courageously-expecting-book-giveaway Book Recommendations: *Comfort: A Journey Through Grief by Ann Hood *I Will Carry You by Angie Smith *They Were Still Born: Personal Stories about Stillbirth *A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis  October 15th is pregnancy and infant loss remembrance day, so I have some special episodes about miscarriage and infant loss in the month of October every year. Here are a couple of them: Episode 5 (my friend and I both share our story) Episode 6 (Empty Arms Support Group). Episode 53 (Grieving the Child I Never Knew by Kathe Wunnenberg) Episode 104 (Infant Loss) Episode 130 (Infertility & Miscarriage) Jenny Albers is a wife, mother, and writer.  She is the author of *Courageously Expecting, a book that empathizes with and empowers women who are pregnant after loss. She's a work in progress, and while never all-knowing, she's (by the grace of God) always growing. You can find her @jennyalbersauthor on Facebook and Instagram and at www.jennyalbers.com *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Have you ever had a thought in your head and it took over? It started to change the way you think about yourself. Maybe you started to be extra hard on yourself, both critical and negative. Or maybe it was a thought about someone else and it just changed how you acted. Our thoughts are definitely powerful, so I am excited to talk with Gem Fadling. I have her back on the podcast and we are talking about her new book, *Hold That Thought: Sorting Through the Voices in Our Head. This is such an important topic because we all have these thoughts that run rampant in our head. We just need to learn how to discern which thoughts are helpful and which ones are unhelpful as well as how to respond to them. This podcast episode has so much practical wisdom, but one of my favorite parts is at the very end when she talks about the table analogy. I think you are going to love it. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Gem’s new book: *Hold That Thought. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/3tn7y6/hold-that-thought-book-giveaway It is fun to have Gem back on the Podcast! If you missed my first conversation with Gem about her book, *What Does Your Soul Love?, please check out Episode 117 on the Depth podcast. I love what she shares about transformation. Gem Fadling, CLC, is a founding partner of Unhurried Living, Inc., a non-profit that trains people to overcome hurry and lead better. She is a Certified Life Coach and a trained Spiritual Director who coaches women at the intersection of spiritual leadership and soul care. Gem is the host of the I Can Do That! Podcast as well as the co-author of *What Does Your Soul Love? Eight Questions That Reveal God’s Work In You, and author of *Hold That Thought. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing these books, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Do you have margin in your schedule? Do you have white space on your calendar where you have flexibility and can move appointments around or are you so busy and packed that you are at full capacity with no wiggle room? Oh friends, I feel like this is a struggle for many women and especially it has been a struggle for me over the years.  And I remember reading back in 2015, Lysa Terkeurst’s book, *The Best Yes.  So I have some nuggets to truth to share with you her book as well as My Best Yes for this Fall. You don’t want to miss this important announcement. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Lysa’s book: *The Best Yes. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/dbegp3/the-best-yes-giveaway *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Have you ever had to have a tough conversation with a loved one? Maybe it was about their physical health? Perhaps it was about their emotional or mental health.  Sometimes these conversations can be really difficult, so I am so thankful that Dr. Matthew Sleeth is back on the podcast, and he is going to talk about his book, *Hope Always: How to be a force for life in a culture of suicide. September is Suicide Prevention Month and each year on the podcast, I try to highlight one episode where I give ideas or tools or share about this subject that is just not talked a lot about, especially in the church.  So today, I am excited for you to hear from Matthew and just the practical tools he gives us on how to have these tough conversations, how to enter into the conversation as well as how to help them.  He is a medical doctor and worked in the emergency room for many years, so he brings a unique perspective. So again, I know this subject is hard to talk about, but I want to give voice to this because lives matter, and I want us to be a help to those that are struggling. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Dr. Sleeth's book: *Hope Always. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/e2zxia/hope-always-giveaway Other Resources:      Link to Depth Podcast Episode 99: *I Love Jesus, But I Want To Die by Sarah J. Robinson       Link to Depth Podcast Episode 49: *Fear Gone Wild: A Story of Mental Illness, Suicide, and Hope Through Loss By Kayla Stoecklein It is fun to have Matthew back on the Podcast! If you missed my first conversation about his book, *Reforesting Faith please check out Episode 112 on the Depth podcast.  I love what he shares about trees. Matthew Sleeth, M.D., a former emergency room physician and chief of the hospital medical staff, resigned from his position to teach, preach, and write about faith and health. Dr. Sleeth has spoken at more than one thousand churches, campuses, and events, including serving as a monthly guest preacher at the Washington National Cathedral. Recognized by Newsweek as one of the nation's most influential Christian leaders, Dr. Sleeth is the executive director of Blessed Earth and author of numerous articles and books, He lives in Lexington, Kentucky, with Nancy, his wife of forty years. Their grown children serve with their families in full-time parish ministry and as medical missionaries in Africa. You can connect with Matthew on his Blessed Earth Web site. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing these books, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Have you ever worked with a coach? Maybe it was for a team sport. Or perhaps it was with a singing or writing coach. I am so excited to introduce you to my writing coach, Adam Colwell. He is my guest on the podcast this week, and we're going to go in depth about my book, Depth! I am so excited for you to hear a little bit of the process of the book editing and coaching near the end of this 5-year journey with the book. We will share some of the behind the scenes. I cannot wait for you to hear the parts that change from the original draft to the final one as well as redundancies and book clarity. He truly gives so much wisdom. If you are a writer, you definitely do not want to miss this episode. We also talk a lot about waiting and God’s perfect timing; a message I need in the middle of this shipping delay. I think you are going to learn so much from him. To learn more about this book, Depth, click this link to Jodi’s website! Adam Colwell is an encourager and motivator whose passion is to help writers and authors tell their stories in their unique voice and style. He was honored to be chosen by Jodi to coach her as she wrote her book, and he is so excited to see what God is going to do in the lives of her readers. As a ghostwriter and editor, Adam has completed 59 book manuscripts with his clients for publication since 2013, and he is currently working on nine more book manuscripts. To learn more about Adam, go to www.adamcolwellwriteworks.com or connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-colwell/

Have you ever felt heartbreak? Deep heartbreak?  Has life turned out differently than you hoped or expected? Is loss or grief a part of your story? Oh friend, I am so sorry. I know how hard it is to walk through heartbreak. So, God placed on my heart a book to offer hope to a hurting heart and it releases this week. So, I thought today, that I would read Chapter 1 of the book, Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength. I dedicated this book: To the woman whose life has just been shattered, to the hurting heart whose whole world changed in an instant, to the grieving soul who struggles to get out of bed, I understand. I see you. I am one of you. I wrote this book for you. Praying this book brings hope to another hurting heart! I am excited to be giving away a copy of my first book! All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/azvsgk/depth-book-giveaway To hear more behind the scenes about my book, check out Depth Podcast Episode 146.

Has God ever asked you to do something completely out of your comfort zone?  Well, I feel like He has asked me to do that a couple times. The first one was with this podcast, and I cannot believe that I am celebrating the third year of the podcast this week. That was a leap of faith for me when I started this podcast three years ago. It is super exciting! The second example would be my book, Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength. I feel like God placed that on my heart five years ago in 2017. So I am so excited for this episode because we are going to trace all the God moments that happened from the book idea to the writing of it, to the editing and re-writing of it, to the waiting and to the publishing and all the prayers too!  I am excited to talk with my college roommate, Maile, and she is going to interview me and ask me questions about the book. I hope you can see and trace God’s hands and fingerprints all over the process these last five years. So I am really excited for this special behind the scenes episode about my book, Depth. This is your last week to pre-order my book, Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength and receive the special pre-order gifts too. My friend DJ painted a beautiful picture of a tree with deep roots. Please click this link to redeem your pre-order gifts. Here is link to Depth Podcast Episode 39 with my friend, Danya about giving to Proverbs 31 Ministries. Here is a link to blog post about the beautiful tree with broken glass that hangs by my front door. It is called When Brokenness Leads to Depth. To hear more about behind the scenes about the Depth Podcast, here is a link to both my first year and second year birthday celebration episodes. Depth Podcast Episode 47: Special Behind the Scenes Episode for the one year birthday of the podcast. Depth Podcast Episode 97: The Depth Podcast is Two Years Old! Cannot wait for you to hear more behind the scene stories the last two years.

Have you ever met someone and immediately connected with them? It almost felt like a divine appointment, like you were supposed to have met them. I am so excited to have Kathe Wunnenberg back on the podcast. I interviewed her back in 2020 and we are going to share a little bit about how God has connected us. I just love His perfect timing as well as his fingerprints all over how our relationship began. I cannot wait for you to hear the wisdom from my mentor and hear how God’s connections are powerful. My book, Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength is releasing at the end of August. So this month, I wanted to share a little bit about the three storylines in the book. My miscarriage back in 2006 was my first heartbreak. Kathe’s book, *Grieving the Child I Never Knew, was a big part of my healing and eventually I can trace back the beginning of my book ministry to this book!  So, I hope you enjoy this conversation with Kathe! If you are interested in pre-ordering my book, here is a link to Depth on Amazon. Also, I share more about my miscarriage and Baby Grace on an episode with my friend Yvonne, the very first year the podcast began. Here is a link to Depth Podcast Episode 5. Lastly, I want to share a link to my first conversation with Kathe on the Depth Podcast back in 2020. Here is a link to Depth Podcast Episode 53. Kathe Wunnenberg is the founder and president of Hopelifters Unlimited.  She is a speaker, writer, leader, and connector known for her ability to offer creative solutions for real life problems.  The author of *Hopelifter, *Grieving the Loss of a Loved One, and *Grieving the Child I Never Knew, Kathe lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her family. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Have you ever struggled with why God did not answer your prayer the way you thought He should? I know I have. Honestly, one of the times that I really wrestled with God was over my friend, Jeannie. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and sadly four months later, she passed away. I had to wrestle a lot with God about that "why". So today on the podcast, it is really exciting to talk with Jeannie’s daughter, Sophia. Sophia is an amazing young woman, and we have an honest conversation about loss and cancer. It was really special to take a trip down memory lane with Sophia and talk with her about her mom, our friendship, and some of our favorite memories. We also talked about the loss and how hard it was. So, I recommend grabbing some tissues because there are some sad parts to our conversation. But what I love most about it-- is that it is honest and raw. And you are going to be so impressed with the maturity of this 19-year-old woman and how God met her in the pain and is using this loss to shape her character. I am so proud of her, and I know her mom is too. My book, Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength is releasing at the end of August. So this month, I wanted to share a little bit about the three storylines in the book. Losing my friend, Jeannie to cancer is one of my greatest heartbreaks along with my divorce and miscarriage. So I hope this episode with her daughter, Sophia, helps give you a glimpse into my beautiful friendship with Jeannie. If you are interested in pre-ordering my book, here is a link to Depth on Amazon. Also, the book launch team starts this next week. If you are interested in being a part of that, you can click this link to join the Book Launch Team.

Do you know how to process your emotions in a healthy way? If someone was walking through something hard, do you know how to offer them empathy? Would you come alongside them and put yourself in their shoes? These are such important life skills, so I am so excited to have Debbie Hetschel, my personal counselor on the podcast this week. We are going to dive deep into this subject and we are going to talk about how to process these hard, overwhelming emotions in a healthy way. This is my first episode back from my sabbatical and first let me say that it was really nice to have a break. But I am really excited for the month of August because this is the month that my book is going to launch. At the very end of the month, August 30th, Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength will release. Oh friends, I am so excited for this month of August that I will be highlighting some of the different storylines from the book as well as some of the principles in the book. This is a really important one, so I cannot wait for you to hear what my counselor has to share about emotions and empathy. She has so much wisdom- you do not want to miss this episode. If you are interested in pre-ordering my book, here is a link to Depth on Amazon. Also, the book launch team starts next week. If you are interested in being a part of that, you can click this link to join the Book Launch Team. Soul Words List- Free Download  Comfort Circle Guide for the Listener- Free Download  Link to Brené Brown’s Empathy YouTube Video If you are not already receiving Jodi’s emails each week, here is a link to subscribe to Jodi’s weekly encouraging email. Book Recommendation: *Finding Meaning by David Kessler Debbie is a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist practicing at Relationship 180 in Mission Viejo, CA. She helps people learn to acknowledge and experience their emotions in life-giving and healing ways with God, themselves and others in the midst of the hard realities of life.  *Note: If you are interested in purchasing these recommended books, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

July Podcast Recap Week 4: Which episode has required the most prayer? I cannot wait for you to hear why I prayed so much the 24 hours before I recorded this conversation. I share this interesting backstory at the beginning of this episode which originally aired back in February 2021. Do you ever feel like you don’t have enough time? Enough time for your to do list or even enough time to go after your God sized dreams? What if we can unleash the power of 24 hours? I am so excited to have Mark Batterson on the podcast this week as we talk about his new book, *Win The Day: 7 Daily Habits to Help you Stress Less & Accomplish More. A group of my friends all read this book, so it was fun to all talk with him on a zoom call together.  We asked him questions about our favorite parts of the book as well as what his daily prayer life looks like and his life changing books. I cannot wait for you to hear his wisdom. Book Recommendations: *The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer *The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer *Malcolm Gladwell books *The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson Mark Batterson is the lead pastor of National Community Church (NCC) in Washington, DC. One church in seven locations, NCC owns and operates Ebenezers Coffeehouse, the Miracle Theatre, and the DC Dream Center. NCC is currently developing a city block into the Capital Turnaround. This 100,000 square foot space will include an event venue, child development center, mixed-use marketplace, and coworking space. Mark holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Regent University and is the New York Times best-selling author of 20 books including, *The Circle Maker, *In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, and *Whisper. He and his wife, Lora, have three children and live on Capitol Hill. Click this link to join my Depth Podcast Facebook Community. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

July Podcast Recap Week 3: What books have helped me the most in my parenting? Besides *How We Love Our Kids by Milan and Kay Yerkovich which was the episode last week, I would say, *Understanding Your Young Teen by Mark Oestreicher. Oh this book changed how I parented! It just gave me a lens into my kids’ lives and help me have empathy and understanding. Now one of my favorite things when I go and speak to MOPS groups and other parents is to remind them that one of the most important gifts they can give their kids is empathy, putting ourselves in their shoes and understanding. I believe this book is what started me on that path. Cannot wait for you to hear the episode I recorded with Marko back in December 2019. Are you parenting a teenager? Do you have a child between the ages of 11-14 which we call a young teen? I am excited for you to hear my conversation with veteran youth worker, Marko about parenting teenagers. His book, *Understanding Your Young Teen, is one of my favorite parenting books and truly helped me understand my boys (ages almost 17 and 13).   He goes into detail about the 5 major changes our teens will go through: physical, cognitive, emotional, relational, and spiritual and gives great insight. If you have a young teen (ages 11-14) or an older teen, I promise you do not want to miss this episode.  His words of wisdom are gold!  Book Recommendations: *A Parent's Guide to Understanding Teenage Guys by Mark Oestreicher *A Parent's Guide to Understanding Teenage Girls by Mark Oestreicher *A Parent's Guide to Understanding Teenage Brains by Mark Oestreicher *A Parent's Guide to Understanding Social Media by Mark Oestreicher *A Parent's Guide to Understanding Sex & Dating by Mark Oestreicher *Your Teenager Is Not Crazy by Jerusha Clark Mark Oestreicher (Marko) is a veteran youth worker and former president of Youth Specialties. The author of dozens of books, including *Youth Ministry 3.0 and *Middle School Ministry. Marko is a sought after speaker, writer, and consultant. Marko leads The Youth Cartel, providing a variety of resources, coaching, and consultation to youth workers, churches, and ministries. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

July Podcast Recap Week 2: Who was the first interview on the Depth Podcast? I am excited to share that I had Milan and Kay Yerkovich and their book, How We Love Our Kids, was one of my life changing books. In fact, this is the second most popular episode on my podcast. If you are a parent, I highly recommend this episode. There is so much truth and wisdom on how we can understand our kids and how we can grow ourselves as parents!  We recorded this episode back in August 2019. Do you find yourself getting triggered with your kids? Are they able to push your buttons? I talk with Milan and Kay Yerkovich about their book, *How We Love Our Kids. Honestly, this book changed my life. I would not be the mom or woman I am today without this book.  You see, this book opened my eyes to something that I had never known about myself.  This book started me on a path of self-awareness.  I cannot wait for you to hear Milan and Kay share their 5 love styles of parenting as well as growth steps for each one of them.  As a vacillator, I share some of my own personal growth steps that I have been working on over the years.  In addition, we talk about the comfort cycle and rupture/ repair in a relationship.  Honestly, these are some of my favorite parts. I promise you that you do not want to miss their insight and wisdom.  Milan and Kay Yerkovich are the parents of four grown children. Milan is a pastoral counselor and co-host of the radio show, New Life Live! with Stephen Arterburn. Milan has a master’s degree in biblical studies and is the founder of Relationships 180, a ministry that helps leaders build healthy relationships. Kay has a master’s degree in counseling and has specialized in successful bonding between couples, parents, and children for more than twenty years. They provide resources in these areas, at https://howwelove.com.  When they aren’t traveling to speak, the Yerkovichs enjoy their grandchildren. Soul Words List- Free Download  Comfort Circle Guide for the Listener- Free Download  *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

July Podcast Recap Week 1: What is my most popular podcast episode on the Depth Podcast? My conversation with Lysa TerKeurst that I recorded in April 2020. Have you ever been disappointed? Has someone you cared about let you down? Has someone not met your expectations? I am so excited to talk with Lysa TerKeurst about her book, *It's Not Supposed To Be This Way. I don’t know about you, but I have found myself saying those exact words a lot lately due to the Covid-19 virus. With graduations and weddings cancelled, many people are walking through a season of disappointment. Lysa shares some helpful tips on how to handle disappointment as well as some profound truth when you feel shattered. You do not want to miss what she reveals about dust. Honestly, it is my favorite part. Lysa TerKeurst is the president of Proverbs 31 Ministries and a #1 New York Times best-selling author of *It's Not Supposed To Be This Way, *Uninvited and twenty-one other books. But to those who know her best she’s just a simple girl who holds fast to God’s truth and speaks about hope in the midst of her own struggles. Lysa lives with her family in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Connect with her at www.LysaTerKeurst.com or on social media @LysaTerKeurst. To join my new Depth Podcast Community Group, click on https://www.facebook.com/groups/depthpodcast *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Has God ever asked you to take a season of rest, so He can prepare you for what is to come? Maybe it was a sabbatical from your work or from your ministry? Or maybe it was just some time off from the busy schedule and the striving or working. This topic comes up in my conversation this week with Casey Wayne. She wrote a book called *Abundant Fruit: Cultivating Fruit of the Spirit Through Spiritual Growth. I love studying the Fruits of the Spirit and for me personally, patience and self- control are so challenging for me. So we are going to dive deeper on the devotions on those as well as talk about this idea of rest. I think you are going to learn so much from Casey.  Also, at the end of the episode, I will be sharing a little bit more about a sabbatical God has placed on my heart. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Casey’s book: *Abundant Fruit. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/4xfa3d/abundant-fruit-giveaway Book Recommendation: *Simplifying Rest by Lisa Rowell *Come and See by Tina Reale Casey Wayne is a wife and mother of two. She enjoys time with her family doing simple things like movie nights and cooking together. As a devotional writer, Casey strives to share her story with relatable honesty, showing how God is faithful throughout the big and small moments of life. She has a heart for encouraging the faith walk of other moms. Praying they gain a deeper connection with our heavenly Father. Her family lives in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. Connect with Casey at caseywayne.org. You can also find her on Instagram or Facebook @caseylwayne. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Would you say that you have a distracted heart? Maybe you have overcommitted your time or perhaps life’s circumstances are overwhelming. Maybe you need help setting priorities. I am so excited to have Peg Arnold on the podcast this week. She wrote a book called *Devotions for the Distracted Heart and they are so great! I know you are going to learn so much from her. Each of her devotions starts with the letter D so it is Devotions of Digital Devices, Distractions of Detours, and Distractions of Devastation. There is so much truth in this episode. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Peg’s book: *Devotions for the Distracted Heart. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/zljquo/devotions-for-the-distracted-heart-book-giveaway If you do not win the free Devotions for the Distracted Heart, you can order a copy through Peg's website and receive a free journal!  Book Recommendations: *Lord Change Me by Evelyn Christenson *The Best Yes by Lysa TerKeurst *My Yes Is On The Table by Jennifer Hand Peg’s heart’s desire is that each woman would embrace the message that "God sees you, values you, and gives purpose to your story".  She has been involved in women’s ministry for over thirty years and brings stories alive through her inspiring, entertaining messages. As a mom, wife, nana, mentor, with a master’s in counseling, she connects on a personal basis by sharing her joys and challenges of many life experiences through her dramas, messages, and witness. Peg grew up in Michigan, raised her family in Maryland and now is exploring Colorado. You can connect with Peg on her website or on Instagram or Facebook. Peg's Devotions for the Distracted Heart are also on YouVersion as well as her Holiday Devotions. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Have you ever thought about studying the Bible the same way you watch and study a movie? You would not start by just looking at one scene and just diving deep into that one scene. You would start by seeing the whole movie first and then go back and find your favorite scenes. I love this perspective that Keith Ferrin shares on the podcast this week. We are going to be talking about his book, *Like Ice Cream: The Scoop on Helping the Next Generation Fall in Love with God’s Word. He shares some amazing tools on how he studies the Bible and how he dives deeper into God’s Word. I found it fascinating, and I think you are going to learn so much from him. Father’s Day is just around the corner and Keith answers some questions about being a dad and how to be intentional with raising kids. Again, so much truth in this episode. Here is a link to Episode 37, the Father's Day episode with my dad. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Kevin’s book: *Like Ice Cream. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/wrts7b/like-ice-cream-book-giveaway Check out: Link to My Bible Talk Interview with Keith Link to Episode 37:  Father's Day episode with my dad. Link to Episode 87: Small Group Dads- another Father’s Day episode. Book Recommendations: Immerse Books: *Kingdoms, *Poets, *Chronicles, *Beginnings, *Prophets, *Messiah *Soundtracks: The Surprising Solution to Overthinking by John Acuff *Simple Money, Rich Life by Bob Lotich *Spiritual Parenting by Michelle Anthony Keith Ferrin is an author, speaker, and storyteller. He founded his ministry in 1996 and travels around the U.S. and internationally, speaking at conferences, churches, retreats, and universities. He utilizes humor, practical workshops, and word-for-word presentations of whole books of the Bible (we’re not kidding!) to help people fall in love with God’s Word and its Author.  He also founded Simply Communicate, and coaches individuals and teams in the area of improving team communication and individual public speaking. Oh…and he believes that coffee and ice cream are mankind’s greatest achievements. You can connect with him on his website or on social media @keithferrin (YouTube/IG/FB/Pin/TW). *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Do you have a rhythm of rest in your home?  Do you have a day where you slow down, stop, and enjoy all the things God has provided for you? Do you practice the Sabbath? I am so excited to have Clayton Greene and Chris Pappalardo back on the podcast and they are going to tell us about their new product, The Sabbath Box. It is so great, and I cannot wait for them to share how it works. I know, for me, I definitely need help in this area on slowing down, resting, and really enjoying God’s creation, so I think you are going to learn so much from them.   Also, we end the podcast talking a little about Father’s Day, and they share their words of wisdom on being a dad. I cannot wait for you to hear the truth they share. Here is a link to Episode 37, the Father's Day episode with my dad. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a Sabbath Box. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/93yfyd/sabbath-box-giveaway It is fun to have Chris and Clayton back on the Podcast! If you missed my first conversation with them about their Advent Blocks, please check out Episode 109 on the Depth Podcast. These Advent Blocks help remind your children of the true meaning of Christmas, and they are phenomenal. Book Recommendations: *Give Them Grace by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson *Playing God by Andy Crouch *Parenting with Love and Logic by Foster Cline and Jim Fay *Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Earley *Understanding Your Young Teen by Mark Oestreicher (Check out Depth Podcast Episode 14 to hear more about the book) *Rest & Reflect by Rachel Fahrenbach (Check out Depth Podcast Episode 89 to hear more about the book) At GoodKind, they are committed to helping people start—and continue—practices that draw them to God and to one another. They want to help people practice their faith by having meaningful moments with their families. They started out by creating Advent Blocks, a 25-day Christmas practice for the whole family. Now, they're providing tools that help you develop the GoodKind of habits and holiday celebrations throughout the entire year.  Learn more at their website, goodkind.shop.  Here is a direct link to the Sabbath Box. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

When you hear someone share their hard circumstances, do you know how to offer empathy? Would you say you know how to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and really enter into the pain with them? I am so excited to talk about this today on the podcast with Amanda Shanks. She is the mother of Taylor, and her daughter has a rare diagnosis called Pura Syndrome. I love that Amanda and I are having this conversation because I think sometimes when we don’t know what to say, we think it is better to say nothing. So, Amanda is going to talk to us about what is looks like to offer empathy without pity as well as what does it look like to enter into someone else’s hard circumstances and put yourself in their shoes. So, Amanda is going to talk to us about what it looks like to offer empathy without pity as well as what it looks like to enter into someone else’s hard circumstances and put yourself in their shoes. She is going to help us with that language, and I know you are going to learn so much from her! Book Recommendations: *I Will Push You: A Journey of 500 miles, Two Best Friends and One Wheelchair by Patrick Gray and Justin Skeesuck *Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I've Loved by Kate Bowler *Run to the Light by Laura King Edwards Books by Dietrich Bonhoeffer Podcast Recommendations: Depth Podcast Episode 52 with Chris Simning Depth Podcast Episode 86 with Katherine Wolf Amanda Shanks is a passionate writer, speaker, teacher, and advocate.  She is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist specializing in Reproductive and Maternal Mental Health and currently serves as the President of the PURA Syndrome Foundation. She previously served as the Director of Fundraising for the PURA Syndrome Foundation and was a founding member and leader of the Annual World Rare Disease Day Rally of Charlotte and the Rare and Undiagnosed Network of Charlotte (RUNCharlotte).  She also volunteers at Shining Hope Farms, an organization which provides hippotherapy services to children with disabilities.  She has represented the PURA Syndrome Foundation and actively participates in various conferences hosted by Global Genes, NORD, and the EveryLife Foundation.  In addition to her rare disease advocacy work, she serves as an Elder at Avondale Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC, and recently followed a call to Union Presbyterian Seminary where she is pursuing a Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Christian Education.  You can connect with Amanda on her website or on Instagram and Facebook @ToughLikeTaylor    *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Have you ever noticed that your faith grows the most when you are walking through something hard or unexpected? It wouldn’t be what you wished for, but in those circumstances, your faith increases in ways it never has before. I cannot wait for you to hear from my friend, Sarah Frazer, as she shares her special mom story. She adopted two children from China, and she is going to talk about how the process of adoption increased her faith in ways it never would have before. I cannot wait for you to hear the truth she shares and how God met her in every small detail of the adoption process. You are going to learn so much! Book Recommendations: *Adopted for Life by Russell Moore *The True Vine by Andrew Murray *Gentle and Lowly by Dane C. Ortlund Sarah E. Frazer is a writer and Bible study mentor at sarahefrazer.com. Sarah is the wife of Jason and mother of five. She and her family serve as full-time missionaries in Honduras. Her passion is to encourage women to start today with a Bible reading and prayer habit. Sarah is the author of several self-published Bible study resources for women. She shares tools and encouragement for Bible and prayer study at sarahefrazer.com. Follow her on Instagram and download her Psalm 119 reading plan here. Link to Sarah’s friend’s adoption page: Kaidi's Light- Surviving Adoption  Link to Sarah’s ministry page: Medical Outreach Page *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Do you need some fresh perspective on the circumstances of your life? Maybe you are walking through a hard season or perhaps you are in the middle of a transition. I am so excited to introduce you to Jessica Hurlbut, my special mom story this week. She is going to share some incredible insight. Not only has she adopted two children, but she also has two autistic children, and she offers so much wisdom. I took so many notes on fostering to adopt as well as how to come alongside and help someone on this same road. She is going to give us a dose of help, a dose of humor, and a dose of hope. You do not want to miss the truth she shares. Book Recommendations: *The Lucky Few by Heather Avis *The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida (Translated by KA Yoshida and David Mitchell) *Anonymous by Alicia Britt Chole Jessica is a writer, a podcaster, a special needs mom, and pastor. She has been married for 17 years to Greg Hurlbut, who is the lead pastor at New Testament Church in Massena, NY. She is the mother of five children: two adopted, two autistic, and one typical teen boy. In 2014, Jessica and her husband adopted a sibling group and become adoption advocates for the 125,000 children in foster care who are freed to be adopted. Jesus whispered to her heart, “If you take care of my kids, I’ll take care of yours.” In her free time, Jessica loves to run. She completed two marathons, two ultra-marathons, and a National Adoption run where she ran 70 miles for 19 hours straight in a snowstorm. The Hurlbut’s host the Full Spectrum Parent Podcast, the only faith-based Autism parenting podcast in existence. She also blogs weekly at www.jessicahurlbut.com *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Are you living like an orphan or as the daughter of the King? These words are from my podcast episode this week and they really stuck with me. In fact, I was doing my quiet time and I am studying the names of God and one of the lessons was on the story of Moses and the burning bush. In the notes, it said that Moses was asking two questions, “Who Am I?” and “Who Are You?” to God. I think we ask ourselves these same questions and that is what I want you to think about today: Who are you and Who is God, especially in the hard times of life? I love what Elise Day Parker shares on the podcast this week. She is my special mom story, and I am so excited to have her talk about her two roles: she is a stepmom, but also she has lost two babies in the middle of a pregnancy. In this episode, she has a quote about loss and what she learned about God that is so profound and deep. I cannot wait for you to hear the truth she shares as well as her honesty and vulnerability. Book Recommendations: *The Dance of Anger by Harriet Lerner *What Christians Should Know About the Importance of Forgiveness? By John Arnott *Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend *Unglued by Lysa TerKeurst *I Will Start Again Monday by Lysa TerKeurst *The Hard Good by Lisa Whittle *Try Softer by Aundi Kolber *Unshakable Peace in an Unsteady World by Elise Daly Parker, Michelle Wilbert, Jodi Kinasewitz, and Jess Carey I am so excited to announce that Hope Writers is opening their doors again. If you have a message to share, or a book on your heart, I highly recommend joining the Hope Writers Community. Here are some resources to check out: Click here to check out 10 questions to ask yourself before you write a book or you can click here to take a quiz to see where you are on the six stage writing path. Elise Daly Parker is a certified life coach, writer, and speaker. She’s the creator of the MomVision  podcast - helping moms savor not just survive seasons of motherhood with clarity, confidence, and calm. Elise offers coaching through hands-on practices, including powerful tools like Vision Boards. She helps moms know, love, and accept themselves where they are, and empowers them to take small steps that add up to a happier, healthier, more balanced/less stressed life. When Elise got married and had kids, she found it more challenging than she imagined. Now she shares some of her lessons with transparency to give moms help and hope on their motherhood journey. Download Elise’s 5 Scriptures to Help You Savor Not Just Survive Motherhood. Elise has been married to Chris for 37 years, has four daughters and two sons-in-love, as well as two grandchildren. She lives in New Jersey, where she can see NYC on the horizon. Elise is also the co-author of a new devotional journal, Unshakable Peace in an Unsteady World. Her website is EliseDalyParker.com. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook @elisedalyparker. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Have you ever looked at your life like a puzzle? As all the pieces are fitting together, does it look like the picture you thought it would be? If you were to look at the box and the picture on the top cover, is it what you expected? Or does it look completely different? Mother’s Day is just around the corner and for some of us it is a very happy day. But for others, it is a hard day if you struggled with infertility, a miscarriage, a loss of a baby or child, or the loss of your mother. For some of us that is the picture of top of the puzzle that does not look like what we hoped it would. So I want to encourage those women this week. I am excited to introduce my friend, Kaley Olson. She is going to be sharing her special mom story this week on the podcast. She struggled with infertility for two years and had a miscarriage. I love the encouragement and hope she offers other women as well as the practical ideas she gives us to come alongside and help someone who is hurting this Mother’s Day. Also, this idea about the puzzle came from Kaley’s Proverbs 31 ministries post that she did last month and we are going to dive deeper that. Cannot wait for you to hear the truth Kaley shares. Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast: Motherhood and Loss are two things that should not go together. Links below to the 3-part series called What Nobody Talks About. Infertility and Feeling Stuck in the Cycle of Waiting What It’s Like to Lose a Baby (Miscarriage and Infant Loss) Postpartum and Loss of Identity in Motherhood In 2020, Saddleback Church hosted a gathering for grieving women a couple nights before Mother’s Day called the Bella Donne, which means beautiful women in Italian. Click this link to listen. I pray this encourages you especially if your heart is hurting this Mother’s Day. Other Special Mom Stories that could be helpful: Holley Gerth shared her infertility story of 10 years as well as how she met her daughter. To listen her special mom story, click the link to Episode 81. Allyn Ann shared her infertility story and her emotional journey to having 2 miraculous IVF babies. To listen to her powerful story, click the link to Episode 31. Book Recommendations: *Armor of God by Priscilla Shirer Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament by Lysa TerKeurst and Joel Mudamalle (At the P31 Bookstore) *Grieving the Child I Never Knew by Kathe Wunnenberg Kaley Olson is the Director of Creative Programming at Proverbs 31 Ministries and serves as the producer and co-host of The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast. Her skill set allows her to come alongside other teams to create systems and structure around strategic initiatives, whether it's the launch of a new product or producing an event like the She Speaks Conference. Kaley is a country gal at heart, living in the suburbs of Charlotte, NC, with her husband, Jared, their son and their weenie dog. Connect with Kaley on Instagram at @kaleyolsn.  *Note: If you are interested in purchasing the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Are you overwhelmed? Is there something going on in your life that just seems too big right now? I can totally relate. So, I am so excited to introduce you to the devotional: *Trusting God in All the Things: 90 Devotions for Finding Peace In Your Every Day. This is written by both Karen Ehman and Ruth Schwenk, and I am so excited to talk with Ruth on the podcast this week. We are going to dive deeper into what does it look like to trust God, not only in the good times, but also the storms of life. We are also going to talk about being overwhelmed. Those questions that I ask you at the beginning are actually the first two questions in the first devotional. So we are going to look at the life of Jesus and what he did when he was overwhelmed in the Garden of Gethsemane as well as David and how he felt alone in one of the Psalms and how we can lose perspective in the middle of trials. There is so much hope and encouragement on this episode today and I cannot wait for you to hear the truths from Ruth. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Ruth’s book: *Trusting God in All the Things. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/naai8z/trusting-god-in-all-the-things-book-giveaway Book Recommendations: *The Mission of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson *Humble Roots by Hannah Anderson *Valley of Vision by Arthur Bennett Click this link to join my Depth Podcast Facebook Community. Ruth Schwenk is the founder of the popular blog The Better Mom, and along with her pastor/author husband, Patrick, the podcast Rootlike Faith. She is the trusted author of several books, including The Better Mom Devotional and In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake. Ruth is a Michigan football superfan and self-proclaimed foodie. But her greatest joy is her family. She lives with her husband and four children in the beautiful college town of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Learn more at thebettermom.com *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Is there a woman in the Bible you look up to? Maybe her story really resonated with you. Maybe it is not a woman in the Bible, but a woman in your life. Maybe she is a mentor mom or a spiritual mother and she really pours truth into your life. I cannot wait to talk about lessons from Biblical women today and I am so excited to have Rachael Adams on the podcast. We will be discussing her devotional, Lessons from Biblical Mothers: A Compilation of Wisdom from Women Past to Present. She asked about twenty of us to write about one woman in the Bible and I chose Ruth. Rachael wrote about Bathsheba and all of us picked someone different and she put together this amazing devotional. It is available as a free resource on Rachael’s website, and I highly encourage you to check it out. It truly is something special and we are going to talk about that today on the podcast. I think it is so special because each of us wrote about something that resonated with us and it just made the Bible Stories come alive. I cannot wait for you to hear the truth in this episode as well as download this incredible free devotional at rachaelkadams.com Book Recommendations: *The Lineage of Grace by Francine Rivers *Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers Bible Studies by Beth Moore, Lysa TerKeurst, and Priscilla Shirer Link to my Love Offering guest post called How Has God Uniquely Shaped You? Writer and podcaster Rachael Adams hopes to help women realize their God-given purpose and significance. She and her husband, Bryan, run a family business and farm in Kentucky with their two children, Will and Kate, and two doodle dogs. Her work has been featured on Crosswalk, iBelieve, Today Parenting, and YouVersion. Rachael would love to hear how you’ve seen God take your little a long way. Connect with her by visiting rachaelkadams.com, by searching @rachaeladamsauthor on social media, and by tuning in to The Love Offering podcast every Tuesday on your favorite listening platform. Be sure to tune into the A Little Goes A Long Way episodes that correspond with each devotion! *Note: If you are interested in purchasing the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Have you wondered if life could be good again after walking through grief? After walking through something really hard like a divorce or the loss of a loved one. After infertility or a miscarriage? There are many losses in life and maybe you have asked yourself that question. I am so excited to have Lisa Appelo back on the podcast. We are talking about her book, *Life Can Be Good Again: Putting Your World Back Together After It All Falls Apart. Lisa is going to vulnerably share with us about the loss of her husband almost ten years ago. And I love that she shares that God took the broken pieces of her life and as she entrusted them to God, He reshaped what was shattered. There is so much hope and encouragement in this episode from Lisa and I cannot wait for you to learn from her. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Lisa’s book: *Life Can Be Good Again. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/d0h9we/life-can-be-good-again-book-giveaway It is fun to have Lisa back on the Podcast! If you missed my first conversation with Lisa about her book, *Countdown to Christmas, please check out Episode 12 on the Depth podcast.  I love what she shares about this advent book as well as what she shares about grief. Link to Hope in Grief website: a space for those grieving to find Gospel Hope. Book Recommendations: Missionary Biographies *The Autobiography of Hudson Taylor by J. Hudson Taylor *Peace Child by Don Richardson *Brunchko by Bruce Olsen *Becoming Elisabeth Elliot by Ellen Vaughn *The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom Get the Preorder Bonuses and the first chapter free: Link to Book Page Lisa Appelo is a speaker, writer, and Bible teacher who inspires women to cultivate faith in life’s storms. She’s a Florida girl born and raised and followed her passion for writing into law, where she worked as a litigator for many years. As her family grew to include seven children, Lisa retired from law to raise and home educate her children. Ten years ago, Lisa went to bed happily married to her high school sweetheart and woke up a widow and single mom. As she navigated grief and shepherded her children through their own grief, God reshaped all that seemed shattered. Lisa is passionate about rich Bible study and has taught a weekly ladies Bible class at her home church for many years. She launched a local ministry for widows in Jacksonville, Florida and serves the Facebook group Widow Mama Collective. Lisa writes at LisaAppelo.com and manages a team of writers of HopeinGrief.com. She’s been published at Proverbs 31 Ministries, (in)courage, Risen Motherhood, Jennifer Rothschild and has been a contributing writer for iMOM.com, The Life of a Single Mom, and the Inspire Journal. Her days are filled top to bottom with stewarding her precious children, writing, ministry, speaking and running enough to justify lots of dark chocolate. Connect with Lisa at LisaAppelo.com and on Instagram @lisaappelo. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Have you ever let fear stop you from moving forward? Maybe it was the fear of failure? Maybe it is the fear of what others will think or say? Maybe it is the fear of if I heard God correctly and I am moving in the right direction? If this is a struggle for you, then I am so excited to introduce you to Jennifer Hand. Her book, *My Yes Is On The Table: Moving From Fear to Faith is releasing this week. It is packed full of wisdom and honestly, I could have talked with Jenn all day about her book. My favorite quote from her book is “Help Me Move From Fear Stops to Faith Steps.” I promise you do not want to miss the truth she shares in this episode. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Jenn’s book: *My Yes Is On The Table. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Jenn’s book: *My Yes Is On The Table. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/kcy9f0/my-yes-is-on-the-table-book-giveaway Link to join my Depth Podcast Facebook group Book Recommendation: You Are Made For a God-Sized Dream By Holley Gerth Jennifer Hand, Executive Director of Coming Alive Ministries, wishes she could sit down and have a strong cup of coffee with each of you and ask you what makes you come alive? Jenn founded Coming Alive Ministries in 2012 and loves the honor of traveling nationally and internationally, providing the invitation to come alive in Christ through conferences, retreats, written resources and counseling. Jenn has had the joy of serving in over 30 countries and speaking at around 40 events a year.  With her Master's degree in trauma counseling, God has opened a unique door for Jenn to respond after natural disasters around the world, providing trauma counseling and the hope of Christ on the holy ground of suffering. Jenn would love to keep up with you in her cozy internet corner of the world at www.comingaliveministries.com or on social media @comingalivejenn or Jenn@comingaliveministries on facebook. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

If you had to sum up the Easter message in just one sentence, what would it be? Would you talk about the cross and how Jesus died for our sins, or would you talk about the empty tomb on Easter? I just finished reading Matthew last week and this verse jumped off the page at me. Matthew 28:6 says, “He Is Not Here. He Has Risen.” There it is-- there is the Easter message. Yes, Jesus died on the cross, but he didn’t stay in the tomb. “He Is Not Here. He Has Risen.” This is such an important message we want to instill in our kids around Easter. So today on this episode, I want to talk about how we can help our kids understand the true meaning of Easter. I am so excited to have my mom back on the podcast as we talk about some Easter Traditions we did growing up.  My mom is super creative, and she came up with these eggs that share the Easter message. She is going to share what item goes in each egg as well as the corresponding Scripture Verse that goes with it. Since Easter will be here before you know it, I wanted to give you plenty of time to gather these supplies and make your own set. Whether your child is a toddler or a teenager, these Easter Message Eggs are a great way to celebrate Holy Week and all God has done for us! Link to Easter Message Eggs by Pat Brownlee, my mom. It includes the object and the corresponding Scripture verse. Link to *Resurrection Eggs- these are the ones I bought and used with my kids. Link to the Journey to Easter Cards on the Proverbs 31 Ministries website. Check out Episode 60: Family Traditions -- Pat Brownlee where we talk about our Christmas and Holiday Traditions. Check out Episode 59: Remember Balloons-- Jessie Oliveros where we talk about a great book on memory loss. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this product that I recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!