Life As Worship

Keeping it Real with God and Money: Trusting His Provision

If you’ve ever wondered whether your small obedience with money or your gifts really matters, Malachi 3:10 is a surprising invitation from God’s own heart. In this episode, we talk honestly about testing God’s faithfulness, taking practical steps of obedience, and noticing His quiet, sometimes unexpected abundance in everyday life.
Description:In this Life as Worship conversation, Angela welcomes author Amarely Quintanilla, whose new devotional “Keeping It Real: Daily Devotions for Those Tired of Pretending” invites readers into honest, unpolished life with God. Together they unpack Malachi 3:10 by first stepping into the world of Malachi—a people fresh out of exile, spiritually lukewarm, and accusing God of not holding up His end while quietly withholding what He asked for. From there, they explore what it looks like today to bring God our “full tithe”—our finances, our time, and our talents—and to “test” Him in faith, trusting He will prove Himself faithful. Amarely shares stories of serving when money was tight, writing books by faith, and even a special trip with her mom that became a vivid reminder of God’s personal, more‑than‑enough provision. You’ll be encouraged to ask, “Lord, where do You want me to be obedient?” and to watch for His hand, even in hard seasons.
Episode Highlights:
A simple overview of Malachi: God’s people are out of exile but spiritually drifting, and God kindly “has it out” with them so they can see His heart.
What was happening in Malachi 3: God calls Israel’s withheld tithes “robbing” Him and invites them to return and bring the full tithe into the storehouse.
How this principle applies today: supporting God’s work, offering our gifts and time, and resisting the temptation to give God only our leftovers.
The surprising word “test”: God invites His people to “prove” Him, like metal in the fire, confident He will come out true.
Amarely’s real‑life examples of testing God by acting in faith—volunteering when finances were tight, writing when she didn’t yet have a publisher, and trusting Him with a dream trip for her mom.
Great Quotes:
“God isn’t afraid of our questions; in Malachi He’s saying, ‘Bring it all to Me and let’s talk.’”
“We can rob God not only with money, but by bringing Him our weakest lambs instead of our first and best.”
“Testing God here isn’t daring Him—it’s giving Him something to work with and trusting He’ll prove Himself faithful.”
“Sometimes the greatest blessing isn’t more income; it’s the deep contentment of knowing you’ve obeyed.”
Resources Mentioned:
Malachi 3:1–12.
Parable of the Talents.
Psalm 34:8.
Book: Keeping It Real: Daily Devotions for Those Tired of Pretending  Amazon Afiliate link - I earn money on qualifying purchases
 amarelyq.com
Related Episodes:
Episode 4 – Anticipating God's Goodness on Earth - Sara Cormany
Episode 23 – Our Source of Living Water: God's Presence - Lisa Granger
Episode 33 – Living the Abundant Life in Jesus - Robin Gerblick
Episode 49 – You Can Confidently Approach God - Dawn Ward
Newsletter Invitation:If this episode nudged you to trust God a little more with your money, your gifts, or your next step of obedience, I’d love to keep walking with you. Subscribe to the Life as Worship newsletter for gentle, Scripture‑rooted encouragement, podcast updates, and a free 9‑day devotional to help you live a life of worship in every season at here.

Let Your Light Shine: Everyday Ways to Glorify God

If your walk with Jesus has started to feel mostly “private,” Matthew 5:16 is a gentle reminder that your faith is meant to be seen. In this episode, we talk about simple, everyday ways to let your light shine so people can glimpse what God is really like.
 
Description
In this Life as Worship episode, Angela talks with teacher, author, and missionary Melissa Heiland, founder and executive director of Beautiful Feet International, a ministry that helps churches around the world serve moms and babies with the hope of the gospel. Together they walk through Matthew 5:16 in the context of the Beatitudes and Jesus’ teaching on salt and light, and explore what it looks like to live a faith that is personal but not private. Melissa shares stories of fostering and adopting children, starting global pregnancy ministries, and learning to do “good deeds” in a way that draws attention to the Father, not to herself. You’ll leave encouraged that your ordinary acts of love—right where you live—can become powerful ways to glorify God.
 
Episode Highlights
How Matthew 5:16 fits into the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, and Jesus’ call to be salt and light.
What it really means to let your light shine so others see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Melissa’s story of fostering more than 40 children, adopting, and giving kids a taste of a safe, Christ-centered home.
The heart behind Beautiful Feet International and how pregnancy ministries around the world walk with moms from pregnancy through baby’s first year.
Simple, everyday ideas for shining your light in your neighborhood, church, and community.
Great Quotes
“Our relationship with God is personal, but it was never meant to be private.”
“If you put your eyes on me, I’ll disappoint you—but I can point you to Jesus, and He won’t.”
“Good deeds are things people can actually see; they become little windows into the heart of God.”
“Sometimes God simply asks us not to walk past the person He’s placed right in front of us.”
Resources Mentioned
Matthew 5:1–16, especially Matthew 5:16.
Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37).
Beautiful Feet International
Beautiful Feet International on Facebook
Related Episodes 
Ep 35 – Do Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly  (with Penny Reeves)
Ep 55 – Considering Others First (with Jackie Flake) 
Ep 43 – Gentleness and Respect (with Jennifer Slattery) 
Ep 28 – Forgive as the Lord Forgave (with Deedy Tripp) 
Newsletter Invitation

If this conversation stirred your desire to let your light shine a little more brightly right where you are, I’d love to keep encouraging you. Subscribe to the Life as Worship newsletter for gentle, Scripture-soaked encouragement, podcast updates, and a free 9-day devotional to help you live a life of worship in every season click here.

Joyful Surreneder in Suffering: Living Romans 12:12

When you’re in real pain—physically, emotionally, or spiritually—“be joyful in hope” can sound cruel instead of comforting. In this episode, you’ll hear how surrendering your suffering to Jesus can become an anchor of hope, patience, and deep connection with God right in the middle of the hard.
Description:

In Episode 60 of the Life as Worship Podcast, Angela talks with author and speaker Sheila Preston Fitzgerald, who survived a horrific motorcycle accident, lost a limb, and has walked through years of intense recovery and ongoing pain—yet radiates love for Jesus and people. Together they unpack Romans 12:12—“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer”—with a focus on what it really looks like to surrender in suffering: grounding joy in Christ instead of circumstances, trusting God in long-term affliction, and learning to live in honest, continual prayer when all you can say is “Oh God, please.” If surrender feels like a pipe dream and you’re wondering how to keep going, this conversation will invite you to rethink your thinking in light of God’s Word and discover that you are not alone in your pain.
Episode Highlights:
Sheila shares the story of her near-fatal motorcycle accident, limb loss, and why she says she is “alive only by the grace of God.”
A simple overview of Romans and why chapter 12 moves from “what to believe” to how to live a surrendered, everyday life of worship.
Why Romans 12:12 is an “anchor verse” for Sheila and how joy, patience, and prayer are woven together through surrender.
“Joyful in hope”: shifting your hope from goals, circumstances, and outcomes to the person of Jesus.
“Patient in affliction”: what it looks like to keep your eyes on Jesus instead of your pain, and why suffering can become a place of growth instead of despair.
“Faithful in prayer”: letting prayer become constant conversation with God, including very short, very honest prayers when you have no words.
How surrender has changed Sheila’s perspective on loss, purpose, and being used by God to encourage others.
Great Quotes:
“It’s a short verse, but the roots of Romans 12:12 dig deep.”
“We’re really the only Bible that most people ever get to see.”
“Real joy comes when our hope is grounded in Jesus, not in our circumstances.”
“My situation may never be fully healed on this side of heaven, but God keeps giving me the strength to endure every single day.”
“Some of the sweetest prayers are the shortest ones: ‘Oh God, please.’ The Holy Spirit knows the rest.”
“Surrender for me has meant letting go of the need to control everything and trusting that I have always got Jesus.”
“We can’t stand for truth if we don’t know the truth, and the only way we can know the truth is to be grounded in God’s Word.”
Resources Mentioned:
Romans 12:12 
Books by Sheila Preston Fitzgerald (Amazon Affiliate Links, I earn some money from qualifying purchases):
One Foot in Heaven: Finding Hope in the Hopeless 
Foot Notes: Adventures With Jesus – 30-day journaling devotional
Sheila’s website
Related Episodes:
Ep 41 – Strength When Grief Wearies Our Souls – Jackie Freeman
Ep 34 – Running the Race Well – Dr. Whit Jordan 
Ep 15 – Grace Abounds all the More – Julie Sanders 
Ep 18 – Rejoicing, Persevering, and Praying – Nicole Clark
Newsletter Invitation:

If this episode helped you see surrender in suffering through the lens of Romans 12:12, I’d love to keep walking with you. Subscribe to the Life as Worship newsletter for weekly biblical encouragement, small group questions, and a free 9-day devotional to help you live a life of worship in every season click here.

Be Strong and Courageous: Finding Courage When You're Afraid

If “be strong and courageous” from Joshua 1:9 feels more like pressure than comfort right now, this episode is for you. In Episode 59 of the Life as Worship Podcast, Angela and guest Peg Arnold unpack what biblical courage really looks like when you still feel afraid.
DescriptionIn Episode 59 of the Life as Worship Podcast, Angela talks with retreat speaker and author Peg Arnold about what it really means to “be strong and courageous” from Joshua 1:9 when you feel anything but brave. They unpack the biblical context of Joshua’s calling, explore the difference between self‑reliant strength and Spirit‑empowered courage, and trace how God’s promise “the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” carried Peg through a cross‑country move and major life transition. If you’re facing fear, loss, or a new calling, this conversation will help you trust God’s presence and take the next step of obedience even while you’re still afraid.
Episode Highlights
How Joshua 1:9 moves from childhood memory verse to anchor in seasons of transition, loss, and new callings.
The context of “be strong and courageous” in Deuteronomy and Joshua 1, and why God repeats it to Joshua.
Why courage is not the absence of fear, but stepping forward scared because you trust God.
Peg’s story of leaving her Maryland home of 32 years and clinging to Joshua 1:9 in a move to Colorado.
Practical ways to experience “the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” and to pray Joshua 1:9 over others in grief or transition.
Great Quotes
“A lot of people think courage is void of fear, and it is exactly the opposite. Courage is stepping into things scared.” – Peg Arnold
“We can find our strength and our courage; it doesn’t have to come from inside of us, but it comes from a God who is bigger than us.” – Peg Arnold
“In some ways it does come from within us; it just doesn’t come from us—the source is not ourselves.” – Angela
“Those aren’t voices from a Lord who loves us and delights in us. Those are voices from the enemy that want to squash us and keep us from stepping into where God is opening a door.” – Peg Arnold
Resources Mentioned
Joshua 1:9
Deuteronomy 31 
Ephesians 6:10–18 
Peg’s book: Making Your Message Memorable (Amazon Affiliate link. I earn money for qualifying purchases)
Guest website: PegArnold.org 
Related Episodes
Ep 34 – Running with Endurance (with Dr. Whit Jordan) 
Ep 16 – Trust in the Lord (with Sarah Griffiths-Hu)
Ep 42 – Peace that Passes Understanding (with Debora Coty) 
Newsletter InvitationIf this episode encouraged you to trust God more deeply in your current season, I’d love to keep walking with you. Subscribe to the Life as Worship newsletter for ongoing biblical encouragement, mindset‑renewing reflections, and a free devotional to help you live all of life as worship here.

God's Boundaries, Calling, and Hope in Every Season

Do you ever wonder if your life still has purpose when your season changes, your kids leave home, or your story doesn’t look the way you imagined? In this rich conversation, we explore how God’s “boundary lines” are actually His kindness—both in the joys and in the painful places. Come be reminded that in Christ, your inheritance is secure, your story is not over, and you can finish well.
DescriptionIn this episode of Life as Worship, Angela talks with author, podcaster, and encourager of women, Kate Battistelli, about Psalm 16:5–8 and what it means to live within God’s good boundaries in every season of life. Together they unpack David’s declaration that the Lord is his “chosen portion” and the One who holds his lot, and they explore how that truth anchors us through anxiety, infertility, empty nests, grief, and unexpected life changes. Kate shares parts of her own story—from Broadway stages to homeschooling and from longing for more children to watching her daughter Francesca impact millions—and how God has met her in both bitter and sweet cups. If you’re wrestling with your purpose, your limits, or your future, this episode will help you see your life through the lens of God’s faithful presence and beautiful inheritance.
Episode Highlights
How Psalm 16 shows us that God Himself is our portion, our cup, and the One who holds our lot—even when life feels anything but “pleasant.”
Kate’s journey from Broadway actress to homeschooling mom and encourager of women, and how laying down one dream opened the door for a different, God-shaped calling.
A tender conversation about inheritance: what we pass to our children in Christ now, and the secure, joyful inheritance waiting for us in eternity.
Honest stories of infertility, anxiety, medical crises, and grief—and how God uses those boundary lines to deepen intimacy with Him and increase compassion for others.
Practical encouragement to keep walking with God in this season: listening for His counsel, embracing your current assignment, and trusting that it’s never too late to obey and finish well.
Great Quotes
“If I’m not conveying who He is and His love to others, what’s the point?”
“We all have a cup to drink—some seasons are very sweet, and others you just say, ‘Really, Lord?’—but He’s the One who hands us the cup and holds our lot.”
“God allows in His wisdom what He could prevent with His power.” - Graham Cooke
“You can’t sit on the couch eating chips and watching Netflix—if you still have breath, God still has an assignment for you.”
“If You never give me one more thing, You are enough.”
 
Resources Mentioned
Psalm 16 
1 Peter 1:3–4 
2 Corinthians 1:3–4 
1 John 4:18 
Kate Battistelli’s books (Amazon Affiliate Links, I will earn money for qualifying purchases):
The God Dare
Growing Great Kids
The After Party of the Empty Nest: Mom Is Not Your Only Name
Mom to Mom Podcast (Kate as one of the co-hosts).
Kate’s website: https://katebattistelli.com
Related Episodes
Ep 31 – “Seeking First the Kingdom (with Natalie Harris)” 
Ep 2 – “Living by the Spirit (with Cally Logan)” 
Ep 50 – “Prayer: An Invitation to Release Worry (with Rachel Wojo)” 
Newsletter Invitation
If today’s conversation stirred your heart to trust God’s boundaries and walk more fully in the life of worship He’s given you, I’d love to keep walking with you. Subscribe to the Life as Worship newsletter for ongoing biblical encouragement, practical mindset shifts, and a free devotional to help you worship God with your life. Join here.

Joy and Freedom is Available in the Lord!

Feeling stuck in cycles of sugar, exhaustion, and “playing church”—and wondering if real joy and freedom are actually possible? In this episode, Christine Trimpe shares how God met her in the middle of morbid obesity, chronic health issues, and spiritual apathy and filled her heart with a deeper joy than food ever could through Psalm 4:7 and a surrendered life in His Word.
DescriptionAngela talks with Christine Trimpe, founder of the SugarFreed® Method and author of SugarFreed, about what it means to experience that “greater joy” in real life. Christine tells how a failed hike at Rocky Mountain National Park and a simple prayer (“God, I just want to feel better”) became the turning point God used to address not just her health, but her heart. As she began daily time in Scripture, passages like Psalm 4 and Ephesians 2 exposed her food idolatry and “cravings of the flesh” and invited her into repentance, surrender, and a new identity in Christ.
They discuss Psalm 4 as a psalm of confidence in the midst of trouble, the difference between happiness and biblical joy, and why joy and sorrow can coexist in a believer’s life. Christine shares her HEART acrostic (Handle emotions, Examine thoughts, Ask for motivation, Run with courage, Take action) as a simple way to think about heart transformation, and she explains how health stewardship can become an act of worship rather than shame. You’ll be encouraged to ask God to reveal your own strongholds, lay them down, and take one practical step toward a life where your heart is truly satisfied in Him.
 
Episode Highlights
Psalm 4 as David’s example of holding hardship and confidence in God together—and choosing trust and rest.
How Psalm 4:7 reframed “grain and new wine” as symbols of Christine’s old comfort in food versus new joy in God.
The Rocky Mountain turning point: unable to finish a short climb, praying for help, then beginning with a sleep study and consistent Bible reading.
Ephesians 2 exposing “cravings of the flesh” and food idolatry, and the shift from “casual Christian” to surrendered disciple.
The HEART framework: Handle emotions, Examine thoughts, Ask for motivation, Run with courage, Take action.
Strongholds beyond food: anything that entangles and keeps us from running the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1–3).
Great Quotes
“The Book of Psalms is the human experience—promises, praise, and lament—that keeps reminding us who God is.”
“For years I played casual Christian. I did all the right church things, but my heart was really quite dark.”
“On that mountain I prayed, ‘God, I just want to feel better.’ I was worried about my health; He was more concerned about my heart.”
“You can carry joy and sorrow in the same hand.”
“Weight‑loss programs weren’t my solution. My heart had to change first.”
Resources Mentioned
Scripture: Psalm 4 (especially verses 7–8); Ephesians 2:1–10; Hebrews 12:1–3; Genesis 12.
Book: SugarFreed: Stop Losing the Weight Loss Battle, Start Gaining the Victory by Christine Trimpe. - Amazon Affiliate Link
Free sample chapter: “Craving All the Wrong Things” at christinetrimpe.com (click “Start with a Sample”).
Free Devotional & NewsletterFor ongoing encouragement to live all of life as worship, subscribe to the Life as Worship newsletter and receive a free devotional by clicking here.

Stepping Out and Removing Obstacles to Guide Others to Jesus

Feeling like God might be calling you forward, but fear, pain, or “staying small” keeps you from stepping through the open gate? This episode with leadership coach Perdeta L. Bush dives into Isaiah 62:10 and invites you to walk through that gate with Jesus—for your restoration and for the sake of others.
DescriptionIn the final episode of her Black History Month series, Angela welcomes Perdeta Bush, founder of PLB Consulting and doctoral student in Organizational Change and Leadership at USC. Together they unpack Isaiah 62:10 as a summons to step out of hiding, embrace your God‑given identity, and become someone who makes it easier for others to find their way back to God.
They talk about the difference between God’s correction and punishment, how we often filter God through our experiences with people, and why we crave opportunity but resist responsibility. Drawing from her own story of loss, transition, and turning 50, Perdeta shares how God told her to “stop hiding,” start making public declarations of His truth, and see fear as a stone to move—not a stop sign. This conversation will encourage you to take one honest, obedient step through the “gate of truth and surrender,” trusting that the Holy Spirit goes with you and will use your story to help someone else get to the other side.
Episode Highlights
Angela and Perdeta frame Isaiah 62 as a restoration passage—God renaming, realigning, and publicly restoring His people after loss and delay.
They unpack “pass through the gates” as urgent movement language: God calling us out of confinement, through thresholds of access and responsibility.
“Build up the highway” and “clear away the stones” become images of discipleship and testimony—clearing obstacles like fear, lies, and old mindsets so others can move toward God.
“Raise a banner for the peoples” points to visible, public witness that gathers, signals, and directs people back to Christ.
Perdeta shares how God told her to stop hiding, move from private cheerleader to visible obedience, and see fear as a stumbling block to hand to Him, not a reason to quit.
They describe the first gate as the “gate of truth and surrender”: telling God the real story, admitting dependence, and taking one concrete step of obedience with the Holy Spirit’s help.
Great Quotes
“We lose our playfulness, right? ’Cause we think we’re being childish, but we know we’re supposed to be childlike.”
“Anytime we engage with God’s Word, it’s gonna require a response. And even if we don’t respond, that’s still a response.”
“God is exactly who He says He is, not who we think He is.”
“You can’t have one without the other. We love the opportunity, but not the responsibility.”
“People have to know not only that you care about them, but you care about their journey.”
“God just doesn’t restore you for you. He restores you so you can help prepare the way.”
“Gates aren’t crossed with feelings. They’re crossed with steps.”
Resources Mentioned
Isaiah 62:10.
Revelation 12:11.
1 John 4:18.
1 Peter 5:7 (alluded).
Related Episodes
Walking by the Spirit (with Cally Logan) 
Chosen to Produce Fruit (with Na'Kedra Rodgers) 
God Delights in You (with Karen Dorsey)
Free Devotional & Newsletter
For ongoing encouragement to rethink your thinking and live all of life as worship, you can get a free devotional and regular updates from Angela by subscribing to the Life as Worship newsletter here.
 

Considering Others: How to Love Like Jesus in a Divided World

Feeling the tension between Jesus’ call to love others and the painful realities of division, injustice, and misuse of power? This episode with Pastor Jackie Flake invites you into Philippians 2:1–8 to see how Christlike humility can reshape how we relate to one another—especially across racial, social, and political lines.
DescriptionAngela continues her Black History Month series with longtime friend and pastor Jackie Flake to walk through Philippians 2:1–8 and the call to an “other‑centered” life. They connect Paul’s words about the privilege of both believing in Christ and suffering with Him to Black history, systemic injustice, and everyday discipleship. Jackie draws on the example of Jesus, who laid aside status to serve and suffer, and on voices like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Sojourner Truth, and Harriet Tubman, who chose to enter into the suffering of others.Together, Angela and Jackie talk about our temptation to avoid hard stories, the danger of dehumanizing language, and the importance of remembering that every person—friend or enemy, powerful or oppressed—is made in the image of God. Jackie shares how leading a diverse church and cultivating deep, diverse friendships has shown him that real love requires humility, proximity, and a willingness to listen. If you’ve struggled to love people who are different from you or who use their power poorly, this conversation will point you back to Jesus and invite you to a life of courageous, other‑centered humility.
Episode Highlights
Angela and Jackie unpack Jesus “emptying Himself” by laying aside status to become a servant and obey to the point of death on a cross.
Jackie connects Christ’s humility to historical figures who chose to suffer with others, including Dr. King, Bonhoeffer, Sojourner Truth, and Harriet Tubman.
They clarify that Christian unity is not sameness but having the same mindset and love in Christ across real differences.
Jackie describes how pastoring a truly diverse church exposed how much humility is required when people’s backgrounds and stories differ.
They talk about our default self‑centeredness—not plotting harm, but simply not considering others—and how that shapes our responses to injustice.
Jackie references Dr. King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and “The Drum Major Instinct” to show how the desire to be first and central resists humility.
They explore curiosity that is rooted in humility (wanting to understand a person’s story) versus curiosity that is just about consumption.
Angela and Jackie emphasize the foundational truth that every human being bears God’s image and deserves dignity, even when their actions are sinful or harmful.
They discuss how dehumanizing language paves the way to treat people as problems to be removed rather than image‑bearers to be honored.
Jackie names the place for righteous anger and active resistance to injustice while still seeing oppressors as accountable image‑bearers, not monsters.
They highlight that love requires proximity—getting close enough to see, listen, and be moved, not just holding opinions from a distance.
Jackie shares how diverse, Jesus‑centered friendships have deepened his empathy and respect as he hears stories he never would have assumed.
He sums up the call of Philippians 2 as a life of Christlike other‑centeredness that looks like loss now but leads to resurrection and glory.
Jackie closes by praying for listeners to be empowered by the Spirit to live this other‑centered, humble way of Jesus.
 
Great Quotes
“We don’t like suffering, and we sure don’t like suffering with others if we can avoid it.”
“Unity is not uniformity.”
“The more different people are, the more humility is required.”
“Most of us aren’t out to get the other person. We just don’t consider them at all.”
“Love has to be demonstrated in proximity.”
“Arrogant people are the most ignorant people because arrogant people refuse to listen to anybody else.”
Resources Mentioned
Scripture
Philippians 1:29–30
Philippians 2:1–8
Genesis 1:26–27
Deuteronomy 6:5 (alluded)
1 Thessalonians 2:7–8
Mark 10:45
Historical figures/works
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – “Letter from Birmingham Jail”; “The Drum Major Instinct.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
Sojourner Truth.
Harriet Tubman.
Mahatma Gandhi (influence on non‑violence).
Related Episodes
Even When It Looks Like It’s Over (with Laura Acuna) 
Grace That Overcomes Our Brokenness (with Julie Sanders on Romans 5:20–21) 
Running with Endurance (with Dr. Whit Jordan on Hebrews 12:1–2) 
The Lord My Rock and Deliverer (with Shelley Picard on Psalm 18:2)
 
Free Devotional & Newsletter
For ongoing encouragement to live all of life as worship, you can get a free devotional and regular updates from Angela by subscribing to th Life as Worship newsletter here.

Absolutely NOTHING Can Keep You from God's Love

Feeling worn down by division, disappointment, or your own failures—and wondering if God’s love might finally give out on you? This episode takes you deep into Romans 8:31–39 to remind you that if God is for you, no one and nothing gets the last word over your life.
Description
Angela sits down with author, speaker, and dear friend Christina Custodio to unpack Romans 8:31–39 and what it really means that “nothing… will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” They talk about what it looks like to cling to that truth in a hard personal season, how God’s love steadies us in a divided and often harsh culture, and why understanding “God is for us” changes the way we see ourselves, our neighbors, and people who are different from us. As a woman of color, Christina shares honestly about feeling “against,” confronting her own biases, and learning to love others from the security of being unconditionally loved by God.
Episode Highlights
Context for Romans 8: Paul’s sweeping reminder to believers (Jew and Gentile) that there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, and that God Himself has justified and adopted them.
“If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” – why God’s verdict over us cancels every accusation, shame, and self-condemnation, even when circumstances scream the opposite.
What suffering doesn’t mean: trouble, persecution, hunger, danger, and even death are not signs that God has stopped loving us; they are places where His love holds us fast.
Christina’s perspective as a woman of color in a “predominantly white world”: feeling unseen or “against,” even by people who genuinely love her, and how this passage anchors her identity beyond any group, platform, or party.
Hard but necessary heart work:
Confronting prejudice and bias—even against people who look like her.
Naming the ways we dehumanize others with “those people” language.
Learning to condemn sin and injustice without condemning entire groups made in God’s image.
Loving like the God who loves us: why “Jesus did all the work,” how that frees us from trying to earn His love by being “against” the right things, and how His unconditional love empowers us to speak truth wrapped in kindness instead of pride.
Great Quotes
“Our security is not in a group of people or a country or a platform; it is in God. If He is for us, then no one who is against us gets the final word.”
“There is no such thing as ‘I’ll get my life together first, then I’ll come to God.’ He loves the real, tired, messy us—and He’s the One who does the restoring.”
“Love changes people. Condemnation doesn’t.”
“If Jesus didn’t come to condemn the world, why do we think it’s our job?”
Scripture
Romans 8:31–39 
John 3:17 
Connect with Christina
Website: christinacustodio.com
Book: When God Changed His Mind – Christina’s story of her son’s near-death experience and how God used it to launch a ministry of joy, faith, and hope. *Amazon Affiliate link
Related Episodes
“Gentleness and Respect: A Guide for Conversations” – practical wisdom for speaking truth with a spirit of gentleness and honor, even in hard or divisive topics.​
“God’s Creative Process for Rebuilding” – how God brings order and restoration out of chaos, especially after loss or disruption.​
“Prayer: An Invitation to Release Worry” – an episode about bringing anxiety and fear to God in honest prayer and learning to rest in His care.​
Free Devotional & Newsletter
If you’re craving ongoing encouragement to rethink your thinking and live all of life as worship, you can get a free devotional and regular updates from Angela by subscribing to the Life as Worship newsletter here:http://eepurl.com/h3Nafz

Come to God: It is NEVER too Late

Feeling like your story has wandered far from where you thought God would take you—and wondering if it’s even worth trying to come back? This episode walks with you into that question through the story of Naomi and Ruth.
DescriptionAngela kicks off a special Black History Month series with her friend, author and Bible teacher Tika McCoy, to explore Ruth 1:7 and what it means to “leave the place where you’ve been living” and return to God when life has fallen apart. Through Naomi’s journey from fullness to emptiness and back to joy, and through Tika’s own story of loss, divorce, and renewed faith, they talk about leaving bitterness, wrong beliefs, and misplaced hopes—and turning back to the God who restores.
Episode Highlights
The setting of Ruth: chaos in the days of the judges, famine in Judah, and Naomi’s family moving to Moab, a land of false gods, in search of provision.Why Naomi’s losses (husband, both sons, security, and future) would have left her socially and economically vulnerable as a widowed woman with widowed daughters-in-law.
The turning point of Ruth 1:6–7: Naomi hears that God has visited His people with food and chooses to return to Judah, even while bitter enough to say, “Don’t call me Naomi; call me Mara.”How Naomi remains faithful in her bitterness—teaching Ruth about gleaning, about God’s law, and about the kinsman-redeemer—and how that faithfulness opens the door for Boaz and, ultimately, the lineage of Jesus.
Tika’s personal “Naomi moment”: sitting angry in a church pew after loss, grief, and divorce; realizing she couldn’t fix her life first and then come to God; and choosing instead to “leave Moab” spiritually and return to Him as she was.
The slow, surprising ways God restored: learning to live alone, travel alone, and experience Jesus as constant love and companion—even without the marriage, motherhood, or grandchildren she once imagined.
A key takeaway: you don’t have to wait until you feel less angry, less broken, or more “put together” to come back to God. Return now. He can handle your honesty, and He delights to restore what you thought was beyond repair.
Key Scripture
Ruth 1:7 
Ruth 1:20–21
Great Quotes
“Naomi returned to God bitter and empty—but she returned. That’s what changed everything.”
“There is no such thing as ‘I’ll get my life together first, then I’ll come to God.’ He is the One who does the restoring.”
“I wasn’t leaving a physical land, but I was leaving anger, shame, and the belief that I would never be loved again.”
 
Connect with Tika McCoy
Website & Newsletter: tikamccoy.com – monthly newsletter, encouragement, and updates.
Books - affiliate links:
Broken Clay: Finding Renewal in the Potter’s Hand
Trust God: Five Characteristics for Christian Living
Contributions: Devotional anthologies including El Roi: The God Who Sees and Glimpses of God’s Banquet Table.
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