Life As Worship

Advent: A Season Expectant with Hope

Does this Advent season feel heavy and hopeless?
In this Advent episode of Life as Worship, Angela reflects honestly on the tension of the “week of hope” when life feels anything but hopeful. She talks about walking through a season where “the darkness seems to hang tight,” even as we sing about “a thrill of hope” and wait for the baby born in Bethlehem. Through Isaiah 9, John 14, and Lamentations 3, Angela gently reminds listeners that Advent is about waiting in the dark with expectation—trusting that the light has come in Jesus and that He will come again.
 
Episode Highlights
Naming the reality: what it’s like to enter Advent when your heart is heavy, hope feels distant, and there are “hard times that have no easy answers.”
What Advent really is: a season of preparing our hearts and waiting expectantly for the Lord’s coming—remembering that He came once and will come again.
Isaiah 9:2 and the promise that “the people walking in darkness have seen a great light”—fulfilled in Jesus, God with us, stepping into our darkness.
Jesus’ words in John 14:2–3 and the sure hope that He is preparing a place and will come back to take us to be with Him.
Learning from Lamentations 3: the practice of honest lament, remembering suffering, then calling to mind God’s steadfast love, new mercies, and great faithfulness.
A gentle invitation: don’t “stiff arm God” in seasons of grief; draw near, lament honestly, and keep looking for even the smallest light of hope.
Great Quotes from the Episode
“We know this side of that prophecy…that light was Jesus—God with us—stepping out of eternity and putting on human flesh.”
“We have a hope that says that even in the dark hard times, we trust God to be who He says He is.”
“If your life is hard, if you are struggling in the dark, do not stiff arm God and stay away from Him. Instead, cry out to Him and lament in pain, in grief.”
“Even in the darkness, you will never stop looking for that small light of hope… The Lord is coming; let us be expectant.”
Scriptures Mentioned
Isaiah 9:2 
John 14:2–3 
Lamentations 3:19–24 
Related Episodes
•Ep. 33 with Robin Gerblick (John 10:10) 
•Ep. 41 with Jackie Freeman (Psalm 119:28) 
•Ep. 30 with Shelly Picard (Psalm 18:2) 
•Ep. 10 with Kathy Howard (Galatians 2:20) 
 
Life as Worship Newsletter
For Advent reflections, encouragement, and episode updates delivered to your inbox, subscribe here.

Gentleness and Respect: A Guide for Conversations

Conversations about our worldviews can be challenging. Learn how to navigate these conversations well by approaching them with gentleness and respect.
Angela welcomes Jennifer Slattery, author, speaker, and co-host of the Faith Over Fear podcast, for a lively and deeply honest discussion on sharing faith in a skeptical world. Together, they unpack 1 Peter 3:15—how to honor Christ in your heart, be ready to share your hope, and speak truth with gentleness and respect. Jennifer shares stories about her faith journey, lessons learned as a mom and podcast host, and the beauty of hard conversations marked by humility, patience, and trust in God’s timing.
 
Episode Highlights
Together, Angela and Jennifer break down the context and content of 1 Peter 3:15, noting the deep need for hope, humility, and kindness—especially when faith makes you stand out.
Real talk on the challenge of living with “gentleness and respect,” what it looks like to check our pride, and why answering questions is less about having all the information and more about walking faithfully with Christ.
Angela offers a powerful nurse’s perspective: “When you come in with gentleness, that doesn’t mean you’re not saying the hard things… But you’re doing it with gentle hands.”
Their honest, humorous approach encourages listeners to embrace questions, honor God with honest doubt, and let the Holy Spirit guide both our words and our silence.
Great Quotes from the Episode
“I am experiencing incredible joy texting with a young adult family member who is actually an atheist… we are having the most intellectually stimulating…bonding conversation, even though we view the world completely differently.”
“In your hearts, revere Christ as Lord. So in my heart, is Jesus the boss? Am I letting him guide and rule my thinking, my actions, my priorities?”
“Pride feels good in the moment and it has terrible results, destructive results. But if I could remember, I don’t want to be standing in opposition to my Father.”
“It’s our hope that leads to the questions, not our anger, not our fear. And, please don’t mishear me—fear is a natural response… but our fear should drive us to Jesus, not to panic.”
“We often want to say, I have to tell you all the things…I have to tell you now. And we end up talking about 10,000 issues instead of one or two.”
Resources Mentioned
Scripture Focus: 1 Peter 3:15
Jennifer’s Website: jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com
Podcasts: Faith Over Fear, Your Daily Bible Verse
Related Episodes
Ep. 35: Love Mercy, Do Justly, Walk Humbly (Penny Reeve)
Ep. 24: Telling and Going So Others May Believe (Travis Young)
Ep. 25: Publishing God's Good Works (Crystal Mayo) 
Ep. 15: Grace Abounds All the More (Julie Sanders) 
Life as Worship Newsletter
Don’t miss devotionals, updates, and more encouragement: subscribe here

Peace that Passes Understanding

Have you ever wondered how to experience peace when life feels like a tilt-a-whirl spinning out of control?
Angela is joined by bestselling author, humorist, and speaker Debora Coty, whose “Bless Your Heart” devotional and beloved “Too Blessed to Be Stressed” series encourages millions. Together, they dive into Philippians 4:6-7, sharing honest stories of loss, anxiety, reluctant obedience, and the supernatural peace God brings—even when life is messy, prayers feel unanswered, or hope seems far off. You’ll also hear how Debora’s “resurrection dog” reminds her of God’s ongoing miracles, big and small.
 
Episode Highlights
Debora shares how “Papa God’s” peace is different from anything the world offers.
First-hand, on-the-ground perspective from her recent visit to ancient Philippi—praying and worshiping near the places Paul ministered, suffered, and wrote his famous letter.
Real talk on walking through depression, loss, and multiple tragedies—and how reluctant obedience, angry Psalms, and Christian music became lifelines as God “restored me to him.”
A step-by-step unpacking of Philippians 4:6-7, focusing on God’s “covenant” to meet our anxiety with supernatural peace as we pray, give thanks, and persevere.
Encouragement for those struggling with anxious thoughts, the place of community (BFFs—Blessed Friends Forever) and how God meets us, often through others, in the process.
Great Quotes 
“I practiced what I call now, reluctant obedience. I didn’t feel like it, I didn’t want to do it. I was angry. I was bitter, but I opened my Bible to the Psalms and I read the angry Psalms and I made them my prayers.”
“I think that scripture became very meaningful to me. I posted it in my car on sticky notes everywhere, all over the house, everywhere I went.”
“It’s a process like everything else that’s worthwhile, I think, in life. It’s a process, but it has to start with us initiating the process.”
“They give us their hope when we have none. They pray for us. When we are dry, they’re the ones that help hold us up… I strongly, strongly advise that, anyone listening… find yourself at least one heart sister. Two or three are even better.”
“God is the God of miracles. Miracles come in all sizes and shapes and colors, and sometimes we miss ‘em if we’re not looking for ’em.”
Resources Mentioned
Scripture Focus: Philippians 4:6-7
Debora’s Website: deboracoty.com
Books: Bless Your Heart; Too Blessed to Be Stressed (series)
Related Episodes
Ep. 16: Courageously Trusting God (Sarah Griffiths Hu)
Ep. 36: Delighting in God, Receiving Our Desires (Maureen Miller)
•Ep. 12: Holding Faith Unswervingly (Holly Piorkowski)
•Ep. 31: Seeking God's Kingdom First (Natalie Harris)
Life as Worship Newsletter
Get devotionals, encouragement, and updates—subscribe here
 

Strength When Sorrow Wearies Our Souls

Has sorrow ever left you feeling weak? In this episode you will discover strength when grief wearies our souls.
Angela welcomes author, speaker, and encourager Jackie Freeman to this episode of Life as Worship. Jackie is known for her heartfelt storytelling, spiritual wisdom, and unexpected joy found on the pickleball court and in God’s Word. Together, they dive into Psalm 119:28, exploring how Scripture brings strength in grief, how music can help heal the soul, and how honest faith can carry you through life’s deepest seasons of loss and renewal.
 
Episode Highlights
Jackie shares how finding pickleball brought laughter and community back into her life after losing her husband.
A fresh look at Psalm 119:28 and why Scripture is a unique comfort when we are weary, grieving, or anxious.
Honest conversation about losing loved ones, facing big life transitions, and learning to let God and His Word reshape our hearts.
Music, worship, and community as daily tools God uses to encourage us and keep us going when we feel stuck.
Jackie’s practical tips for letting God’s promises give you the courage to heal, reach out, and encourage others.
Great Quotes 
“I learned to laugh again and to connect with people and really to live again.”
 
“I have to be honest with you, Angela. I came to know the Lord as at a young age, and I had a lot of head knowledge… but it was way later in my life that my heart became fully aware of what God’s word say to me.”
 
“Encourage me with your word and, as an encourager… we need encouragement at all phases of our lives, but particularly in our deep sorrows.”
 
“Music has always been a balm for my weary soul, especially the songs that are grounded in God’s word like my Southern gospel music background.”
 
“Lord, I don’t know what to do or how to do, but I trust that you do.”
Resources Mentioned
Scripture Focus: Psalm 119:28
Jackie’s Website: jackiefreemanauthor.com
Books: Pickleball Parables: Inspiration On and Off the Court, Bend Your Knees, Louise!
Related Episodes
Ep. 30: Trusting God as Our Rock and Refuge (Shelley Picard)
Ep. 13: Sowing in Tears Reaping Joy (Kristi Lowe) 
Ep. 4: Anticipating God's Goodness on Earth (Sara Cormany)
Ep. 27: When Your World Ends: Beginning Again with God (Dawn Mann Sanders) 
Life as Worship Newsletter
Get devotions, encouragement, small group questions, and new episode alerts—subscribe here.

Victory through the Love of God

Have you ever wondered if God really loves you? This week Jose Carrillo and I discuss how we are more than conquerors through the love of God.
 
On this episode of Life as Worship, Angela sits down with Jose Carrillo, Sterling College campus pastor and local church pastor. Jose shares from Romans 8:37 on being “more than conquerors” through Christ’s love, exploring what victory really means in the midst of hardship. Their candid conversation dives deep into experiencing God’s grace, overcoming trials, and living confidently in God’s unshakeable love today.
 
Episode Highlights
Jose and Angela unpack key truths from Romans 8, including no condemnation for believers and God’s steadfast love that cannot be broken.
Real talk on what it means to be a conqueror through Christ—not based on our strength but God’s powerful grace.
Jose shares personal testimony of growing through childhood hardship, forgiving family wounds, and embracing God’s healing.
Encouragement for listeners struggling today: your trials can become your testimony and you are never separated from God’s love.
Great Quotes
“If God is for us, who can be against us? He gave His Son – that shows His relentless love for us.”
“Victory in Christ means standing strong through suffering, knowing God fights alongside us.”
“Your story, no matter how broken, is part of God’s redemptive plan.”
“We are more than conquerors because of Christ’s love, not our own power.”
Resources Mentioned
•Scripture: Romans 8:37
•Sterling College: sterling.edu
•Contact Jose Carrillo: jose.carrillo@sterling.edu
 
Related Episodes
Ep. 6: The Stedfast Love of the Lord (Kim Cusimano) 
Ep. 21: Being Upheld by His Hand (Kelly Hall) 
Ep. 3: Faith, Grace, and Salvation (Cortney Stanton) 
Ep. 15: Grace Abounds All the More (Julie Sanders) 
Life as Worship NewsletterGet weekly encouragement, devotions, small group questions, and updates delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe here.

Strength for Those Who Hope

Ever felt worn out or wondered if you could truly let go of past hurts? On this episode of Life as Worship, Angela welcomes speaker and storyteller Rebekah Storey to dive deep into Isaiah 40:30-31—a powerful promise about finding new strength and hope when you’re exhausted or facing the challenge of forgiveness. Listen in for Scripture insight, real-life encouragement, and practical steps for embracing freedom and walking with renewed purpose, no matter your background or season of life.
 
Episode Highlights
Explore the historical and spiritual context of Isaiah: what it means to rely on God’s strength when your own efforts just aren’t enough.
Honest conversation about what to do when you’ve reached your limit—why everyone gets weary and the hope available for those who are ready to keep going.
Practical encouragement on how to forgive, overcome bitterness, and let God’s strength carry you into new opportunities and healed relationships.
Inspiring examples of using renewed strength to serve others, pursue new callings, and live out your purpose—even on the tough days.
Great Quotes
Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength—God always supplies what we need for what’s next.
Forgiveness set me free from chains I never realized I was carrying.
True strength isn’t about pushing harder—it’s letting God be your source when you can’t go on.
If you seek God’s direction, He’ll show you where to serve, how to heal, and how to keep moving forward.
Resources Mentioned
Scripture Focus: Isaiah 40:30-31
Rebekah’s Website: rebekahstorey.com
Facebook: Rebekah Storey
Related Episodes
Ep. 12: Holding Faith Unswervingly (Holly Piorkowski) 
Ep. 28: When Forgiveness Feels Impossible (Deedy Tripp) 
Ep. 18: Hope, Persevering, AND Devotion to Prayer (Nicole Clark) 
Ep. 22: God’s Gift of All We Need (Susie Crosby) 
Ep. 14: Rooted and Built Up (Lisa Meiners) 
 
Life as Worship Newsletter
Want fresh devotionals and encouragement? Subscribe here.

Grace for Us, the Thirsty

Has life ever left you thirsty? Like joy and peace are for others and you are on the outside looking in? 
Angela is joined by grace-filled truth-teller and podcast host Jennifer Sakata to reflect on the transformative power of grace in the story of the woman at the well (John 4:28). Jennifer unpacks how a single verse unlocks a message of liberation, forgiveness, humility, and new life. Together, they explore how real worship begins when grace becomes lived experience: freely received, then freely given.
Episode Highlights
 Context of John’s gospel: Rich with stories designed to help readers believe that Jesus is the Christ; packed with honest portrayals of Jesus’ encounters with outcasts, seekers, and the hungry-hearted.
Woman at the well: Jesus intentionally meets a marginalized, wounded Samaritan woman at noon and offers her radical acceptance, a new identity, and living water that satisfies every thirst.
The water jar: Why leaving her important, practical lifeline signified a whole new dependence on Jesus as her source and a willingness to tell her story, even to those who had wounded her.
Jennifer’s story: Forgiving her mother after a fractured, painful childhood—how grace, extended in costly, ongoing humility, led to her own mother’s redemption and salvation.
Practical encouragement: Grace is for you, and for “them.” Forgiveness is a process, not a graduation. Each act of receiving and extending grace rewrites our own and others’ stories.
Great Quotes
“She left her water jar because she picked up a new lifeline: life with the Messiah who saw the real her.”
“Only by God’s forward movement toward us—the substance of grace—can we move toward those who’ve hurt us most.”
“None of us have it all figured out. We’re not graduates of grace; we’re all thirsty people invited to the well.”
“If we ever forget that we’re saved by grace, we’ll never be able to bring other thirsty people along.”
“Forgiveness doesn’t always mean reconciliation or safety, but grace empowers us to wish our enemies well and release them.”
Resources Mentioned
Scripture: John 4:1-45; Colossians 3:13
Podcast: Living the Grace Life with Jennifer Sakata
Website: jennifersakata.com
IG/Facebook/YouTube: @jennifersakata
Devotionals: El Roi: The God Who Sees; Trusting God: 31 Days, 31 Women, 31 Stories, One God
Jennifer's newsletter
Related Episodes
Ep. 28: Forgive as the Lord Forgave (Deedy Tripp)
Ep. 23: Source of Living Water (Lisa Granger) 
Ep. 13: Grace Abounds all the More (Julie Sanders) 
Life as Worship Newsletter
 
For devotions, small group questions, and updates: Subscribe Here

Suffering and Eternal Glory, How Can Suffering Bring Glory?

What does it mean that suffering can bring eternal glory and how can that help us face suffering now?
Join us this week as we seek to discover just that.
Angela welcomes Christian author, lawyer, comedian, and jazz singer Lara Silverman to discuss an eternal perspective on suffering. Diagnosed with a rare, debilitating illness, widowed after a bittersweet love story, and now a vibrant online storyteller, Lara shares how God meets us in the valley and how clinging to His promise of glory and redemption can sustain joy—right now, not just someday.
Episode Highlights
 The context of 2 Corinthians: Paul’s letter to a suffering church, stressing perseverance and the eternal hope that outlasts every earthly trial.
Light and momentary affliction: How Paul calls deep, daily pain “light” in light of eternity, not to minimize it, but to magnify what’s coming.
The unseen and eternal: Why fixing our eyes on the invisible promises of God—faith, hope, love, and ultimate redemption—transforms our perspective. 
Lara’s story: Chronic illness derailing a high-powered legal career, the loss of her beloved husband to cancer, and unexpected platforms for testimony, comedy, and deep faith.
Practical encouragement: Honest wrestling with God, humor through grief, and God’s promise that not a single tear or tragedy is wasted, but is prepared as glory for us.
Great Quotes
“If you’re in the fire and still smiling, the only answer is: God is with me. Glory is coming.”
“Paul knew suffering. He isn’t minimizing your pain—he’s magnifying how incomparable eternity will be.”
“God’s economy is upside down. He takes our deepest losses and turns them into beauty, joy, and eternal glory.”
“Every millisecond of your pain is doing something. God will not waste it.”
“He isn’t just the God of someday—He gives us gifts, joy, and even laughter in the hardest places, right now.”
 
Resources Mentioned
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
Lara’s Book: Singing through Fire. Affiliate Link
Instagram: @singingthroughfire_author 
Book trailer: Singing through Fire 
Comedy links: The Silverman Show
Related Episodes
Ep. 29: The Lord Gives and Takes Away (Kelly Arena) 
Ep. 13: Sowing Tears and Reaping Joy (Kristi Lowe) 
Ep. 27: God's Creative Process When Your World Ends (Dawn Mann Sanders) 
 
Life as Worship Newsletter
For a FREE 9-day devotional, weekly devotions, small group questions, updates, and MORE: Subscribe Here

Delighting in God and Receiving the Desires of Our Hearts

Does it seem like a pipe dream that God would give us the desires of our hearts, just for delighting in Him?
Join me this week as Maureen Miller and I discuss what Psalm 37:4 really means and how it changed Maureen's life.
This week I welcome writer, chaplain, and new novelist Maureen Miller to discuss Psalm 37:4. Maureen unpacks how this beloved verse is not a promise of “gimme, gimme prayers,” but an invitation to intimate relationship with God, allowing Him to shape our desires and bring deeper fulfillment than we could ever imagine. From her story of infertility to the simple joys found on her farm with grandchildren, Maureen testifies that God’s best often looks different—but always better—than what we picture for ourselves.
 
Episode Highlights
Psalm 37’s context: an instructional psalm written as an acrostic, contrasting the fleeting success of evildoers with the enduring inheritance and joy of the righteous.
Verses 1-3: “Fret not” over the prosperity of the wicked; trust, do good, dwell with faithfulness—this context shapes how we read verse 4.
“Delight yourself in the Lord”: means pursuing deep relationship and intimacy with God, allowing Him to reshape our dreams and desires.
Maureen’s story: how God transformed a heart’s cry for children from clenched-fist prayers to open-handed surrender, leading to joyful motherhood through His timing and means.
Practical encouragement: When God’s answer seems “no” or “not yet,” keep pressing into Him, surround yourself with community, safeguard what you read/listen to, and anchor yourself in gratitude and worship.
Great Quotes
“Delight means more than thinking, ‘God is awesome.’ It’s knowing Him so intimately that His desires become ours.”
“I used to clench my dream for children tightly in my fists, but God taught me to open my hands—as I delighted in Him, He changed me.”
“God will plant desires in us that are more beautiful than anything we could dream for ourselves.”
“Praise is the ladder out of despair. What we listen to and focus on can lift us or keep us stuck.”
“God’s best always fits us perfectly—even when it looks different than we hoped, when we delight in Him, He gives us Himself, and that’s enough.”
Resources Mentioned
Scripture: Psalm 37:4
Maureen’s Website: maureenmillerauthor.com
Email: maureen.miller913@gmail.com
Blog: Windows and Wallflowers
Novel: Gideon’s Book (Maureen Miller, 2024) (affiliate link)
Reference: Jeremiah 29:11, Hebrews 12, Psalm 139
Related Episodes
Ep. 26: Shelter Under the Lord's Wings (Meg Wilson) 
Ep. 22: God's Gift of All We Need (Susie Crosby) 
Ep. 4: Anticipating God's Goodness on Earth (Sara Cormany) 
 
Life as Worship Newsletter
For devotions, small group questions, and updates: Subscribe Here

What Does God Require? Do Justice, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly

Sometimes it is hard to know what God wants from us...but He has told us. Join us as we discuss doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly.
Angela is joined by Australian award-winning children’s author Penny Reeve to discuss Micah 6:8. Penny shares how this passage has shaped her ministry, advocacy work, and the “small sphere” acts of justice and mercy in everyday life. The conversation dives deeply into what justice, mercy, and humble walking look like—not just globally, but at home, in community, and in personal worship.
 
Episode Highlights
The context of Micah: a minor prophet writing to Israel during a time of disobedience and idolatry, balancing prophecies of judgment with redemption, and pointing forward to Jesus.
Micah 6’s “courtroom scene,” where God lays out his case and asks for the true heart of faith, not empty religious ritual.
“Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly”: why these three belong together, and how justice and mercy are team players, both on a grand scale (advocacy, missions) and smaller “home” spheres (budgeting, relationships, kindness to those around us).
Penny’s stories: mission work, writing on child labor and adoption, learning to let go, and how the verse has shifted through seasons of life.
Practical encouragement: Noticing is key—allowing God to shape our hearts through His Word, authentic community, and action even in small spheres.
Great Quotes
“Micah’s heart message is: Even when God brings judgment, His goal is always redemption. He’s always asking—‘will you come back?’”
“Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly—these aren’t actions, they’re a way of being in the world. Let God show you where justice and mercy are needed, and lean in.”
“Mercy is more than forgiveness; it’s compassion rolled up with kindness—responding to both the big and small needs of others.”
“If we’re not noticing, we won’t respond. Walking humbly means slowing down and asking, ‘God, what do you want me to see—and do—today?’”
“Jesus didn’t just raise awareness—He came down, gave everything, and calls us to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly, wherever we are.”
 
Resources Mentioned
Scripture: Micah 6:8
Penny’s Website: pennyreeve.com
Penny's Book Topics: Child labor, foster care, adoption, children’s devotional, etc.
Book referenced: “God’s Abundant Mercy” by Lori Roeleveld (April 2026)
Related Episodes
Ep. 24: Going and Telling So Others Will Know (Travis Young) 
Ep. 5: Chosen to Produce Fruit (Na'Kedra Rodgers) 
Ep. 27: When Your World Ends (Dawn Mann Sanders) 
Life as Worship Newsletter
For devotions, small group questions, free devotional, and updates: Subscribe Here