Renewed Mindsets: Don't Conform-TRANSFORM

Send us a text The world keeps turning up the volume, but Jesus turns up the standard. We walk through Matthew 5 to uncover how real change starts beneath the surface—where anger, lust, and compromise hide. Instead of feeding the outrage economy, we choose reconciliation over performance, integrity over image, and covenant faithfulness over convenience. That shift, from hands to heart, is how a resilient faith takes root in a chaotic age. We start by confronting the discipling power of anger and the lure of cultural outrage. James says human anger can’t produce God’s righteousness, and Jesus ties worship to reconciliation, not theatrics. From there, we expose the subtle ways lust colonizes our imagination through screens, habits, and secret scripts—and we get practical about guarding the heart with intentional inputs and radical, life-giving boundaries. Holiness isn’t prudish; it’s protective, forming people who can love well and endure pressure. Then we restore marriage as a sacred covenant that reflects God’s faithfulness, and we reclaim honesty in a time of loopholes, spin, and AI-polished personas. A simple yes or no becomes a quiet revolution. Finally, we face the command that stretches us most: love your enemies and pray for those who harm you. Not as naïveté, but as spiritual strength that breaks retaliation’s grip and signals a higher allegiance. The aim is maturity—whole, formed lives that mirror the Father’s heart. If you’re hungry for a faith that moves beyond slogans to inside-out transformation, this conversation will help you grow up into Christ. If this resonated, share it with a friend, subscribe for more unfiltered biblical teaching, and leave a review to help others find the show. Your voice helps spread truth while there’s still time. Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/h9N33uZ Support the show Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/renewedmindsets Renewed Mindsets can be found on Facebook, Twitter (X), Threads and Instagram as Renewed Mindsets. Our website is renewedmindsets.com Leave a voicemail message, yellow microphone on every page, I might just use it on a future episode. If you like what you hear then tell someone about the show. Your continued support ensures that God's message to the podcast world will continue to be available for everyone. And know, 50% of all funding will be used as an offering to my local church. The rest will help supplement the cost of providing a quality show ie. equipment, bandwidth fees, Tylenol etc. HA! The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc. Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes. Music used with permission. Thank You. I Love You! SEE YA! Rick

Send us a text A quiet chill is spreading through hearts, and we refuse to pretend it isn’t there. We name the cold for what it is—spiritual hypothermia—and trace how hurt, bitterness, and unconfessed sin slowly numb the soul until passion fades and love hardens. Using vivid images of frostbite and exposure, we explore why stepping out from God’s covering, community, and spiritual disciplines leaves us vulnerable, and how small compromises soak our layers until even good habits freeze. We walk through the early warning signs that too many of us ignore: a closing ear to God’s voice, a reflex to isolate, irritability toward worship, and the hollow comfort of routines without heat. You’ll hear a relatable winter story that exposes the limits of quick fixes, and we connect it to the deeper truth that hidden sins act like wet gloves in a storm—appearing covered while quietly stealing warmth. Grounded in Scripture—from Proverbs 28 and Zechariah 3 to Hebrews 3 and Matthew 24—we draw a clear line from numbness to hardened hearts, and we refuse to let anyone believe it’s inevitable. Most importantly, we map a way back. Limit exposure to toxic environments your spirit flags. Put on wool—seek cleansing, forgiveness, and restored covering. Layer up with prayer, Scripture, and community before you enter contested spaces. Watch for early symptoms and respond quickly. Eat and drink well by feeding on the word and living water. Keep moving through service, worship, and obedience, because movement generates heat and idleness breeds cold. The invitation is simple and urgent: return to the fire, return to the flock, and return to the altar before deep frostbite sets in. If this message stirs you, subscribe, share it with someone who needs warmth today, and leave a review to help more people find their way back to the flame. Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/h9N33uZ Support the show Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/renewedmindsets Renewed Mindsets can be found on Facebook, Twitter (X), Threads and Instagram as Renewed Mindsets. Our website is renewedmindsets.com Leave a voicemail message, yellow microphone on every page, I might just use it on a future episode. If you like what you hear then tell someone about the show. Your continued support ensures that God's message to the podcast world will continue to be available for everyone. And know, 50% of all funding will be used as an offering to my local church. The rest will help supplement the cost of providing a quality show ie. equipment, bandwidth fees, Tylenol etc. HA! The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc. Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes. Music used with permission. Thank You. I Love You! SEE YA! Rick

Send us a text Feeling wrung out by headlines, hot takes, and the pressure to react to everything? We’re taking a brave step in the opposite direction—away from performative outrage and toward clear, quiet, rooted faith. Rather than letting the world set our pace, we slow down enough for God to renew our minds and steady our hearts. We start by naming a cultural lie: if you don’t react, you’re not faithful. Then we hold it up to Scripture. Romans 12:2 calls us to stop copying the world, which includes the cadence of constant reactions and the addiction to visibility. We talk about the difference between reactive faith and rooted faith, and why clarity always beats noise. From there, we explore what it actually means to stand—calmly, consistently, and with authority under control. Jesus modeled strength in quiet, choosing when to speak and when to stay silent, anchored in the Father’s will rather than public pressure. Abiding becomes the practical center of the conversation. John 15 invites us to remain in Christ, not remain informed or outraged. We share simple rhythms to recover attention and peace: sit with God without an agenda, pause before posting, and let prayer set your tone for the day. You’ll hear a guided moment to breathe, release the weight you were never asked to carry, and receive a clear, simple assignment: walk humbly, think clearly, obey fully, and stand calmly. Let God handle the shaking; you focus on staying rooted. If you’re ready to trade confusion for clarity and anxiety for steady obedience, this is your reset. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs quiet strength today, and leave a review to help others find this space of peace and purpose. Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/h9N33uZ Support the show Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/renewedmindsets Renewed Mindsets can be found on Facebook, Twitter (X), Threads and Instagram as Renewed Mindsets. Our website is renewedmindsets.com Leave a voicemail message, yellow microphone on every page, I might just use it on a future episode. If you like what you hear then tell someone about the show. Your continued support ensures that God's message to the podcast world will continue to be available for everyone. And know, 50% of all funding will be used as an offering to my local church. The rest will help supplement the cost of providing a quality show ie. equipment, bandwidth fees, Tylenol etc. HA! The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc. Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes. Music used with permission. Thank You. I Love You! SEE YA! Rick

Send us a text A quiet temple scene flips the world on its head: a child in his mother’s arms, two elderly prophets, and a promise big enough for every nation. We close our Advent journey by tracing a beam of hope from Isaiah’s “Arise, shine” to Luke’s account of Jesus presented in the temple, where Simeon and Anna testify that God keeps His word in real time, among ordinary people who choose obedience over noise. Lauren and I read Isaiah 60:1–3, then move through Luke 2:21–40, pausing on the details that matter: Mary and Joseph honoring the law, the Spirit guiding Simeon’s steps, the tenderness of blessing paired with the gravity of prophecy. “A light to reveal God to the nations” is not soft sentiment—it is rescue that exposes and heals. We talk about how true hope refuses denial: it reveals deep motives, pierces illusions, and still offers joy. Anna’s decades of prayer remind us that hidden faithfulness can fuel public courage, and that praise often begins in long, quiet rooms. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, we lean into watchfulness, prayer, and renewal. Expectancy becomes a daily ethic: read, reflect, act, and share. We thank you for walking with us through 25 days of Scripture and reflection, and we invite you to carry this light into your conversations, your choices, and your community. If the world feels dim, take heart—glory still rises over people who wait, worship, and welcome the King. If this resonated, share it with a friend, subscribe for weekly episodes, and leave a quick review so others can find the show. Your message might be the spark someone needs today. Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/h9N33uZ Support the show Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/renewedmindsets Renewed Mindsets can be found on Facebook, Twitter (X), Threads and Instagram as Renewed Mindsets. Our website is renewedmindsets.com Leave a voicemail message, yellow microphone on every page, I might just use it on a future episode. If you like what you hear then tell someone about the show. Your continued support ensures that God's message to the podcast world will continue to be available for everyone. And know, 50% of all funding will be used as an offering to my local church. The rest will help supplement the cost of providing a quality show ie. equipment, bandwidth fees, Tylenol etc. HA! The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc. Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes. Music used with permission. Thank You. I Love You! SEE YA! Rick

Send us a text What if the most familiar verse in the Bible is only the beginning of the story we need right now? We sit down with Lauren to read John 3:16–21 and linger on the parts we often rush past—how love moves first, how light reveals without shaming, and how belief is less a pop quiz and more a doorway into rescue. Across a short but heartfelt conversation, we unpack what it means to slow down for Advent, breathe, and let hope reset our scattered minds. We explore the shift from fear of judgment to the promise of salvation, and why the text says people prefer darkness—not because they are beyond help, but because hiding feels safer than healing. That honesty leads to practice: simple rhythms that keep us watchful and grounded. From reflective breathing and daily Scripture to small, brave conversations, we name how to live in the light without pretense. The theme is practical and pastoral—choose light, and let others see what God is doing, not to perform but to bless. As this Advent journey nears its close, we talk about the mix of gratitude and sadness that comes with endings, and why the next step matters just as much as the first. Staying expectant, keeping our hearts ready, and sharing hope with a friend turns belief into movement. If love sent the Son, love now sends us—into our families, workplaces, and neighborhoods—with courage and kindness. Listen in for a grounded reading of John 3:16–21, reflections on light and renewal, and a clear call to keep watch in a hurried world. If this spoke to you, share it with someone who needs hope today, subscribe for more, and leave a review to help others find the show. Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/h9N33uZ Support the show Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/renewedmindsets Renewed Mindsets can be found on Facebook, Twitter (X), Threads and Instagram as Renewed Mindsets. Our website is renewedmindsets.com Leave a voicemail message, yellow microphone on every page, I might just use it on a future episode. If you like what you hear then tell someone about the show. Your continued support ensures that God's message to the podcast world will continue to be available for everyone. And know, 50% of all funding will be used as an offering to my local church. The rest will help supplement the cost of providing a quality show ie. equipment, bandwidth fees, Tylenol etc. HA! The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc. Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes. Music used with permission. Thank You. I Love You! SEE YA! Rick

Send us a text Holiday noise is loud, but the quiet moment at a well in John 4 speaks louder. We step into Day 22 of our Advent journey and sit with the Samaritan woman as Jesus offers living water—an inner spring that never runs dry, even when life feels thin. Rick hosts solo today, reading John 4:7–14 and guiding us into a slower rhythm built around breath, Scripture, and expectant hope. We talk about the ache beneath the holiday rush and why our most used wells—productivity, approval, distraction—leave us thirsty again. The conversation lands on Jesus’ promise of a source within: not a seasonal boost, but a Spirit-led renewal that turns prayer into oxygen and Scripture into daily bread. Along the way, we name the barriers that often keep us from receiving—busyness, doubt, and the belief that we don’t qualify—and we watch Jesus cross every line to meet a woman who thought she was on the outside. That same grace reaches into our crowded calendars and tired hearts. By the end, you’ll have a simple Advent posture to practice: watch, pray, and keep your heart ready for the One who came and the One who’s coming soon. If you’ve been running on fumes, let this be your pause and your prompt to draw from a deeper well. Subscribe for the daily readings, share this with someone who needs hope, and leave a review to help others find the journey. Let’s stay watchful, stay holy, and stay renewed together. Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/h9N33uZ Support the show Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/renewedmindsets Renewed Mindsets can be found on Facebook, Twitter (X), Threads and Instagram as Renewed Mindsets. Our website is renewedmindsets.com Leave a voicemail message, yellow microphone on every page, I might just use it on a future episode. If you like what you hear then tell someone about the show. Your continued support ensures that God's message to the podcast world will continue to be available for everyone. And know, 50% of all funding will be used as an offering to my local church. The rest will help supplement the cost of providing a quality show ie. equipment, bandwidth fees, Tylenol etc. HA! The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc. Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes. Music used with permission. Thank You. I Love You! SEE YA! Rick

Send us a text A small town, a tired couple, and a promise that refuses to break—our Christmas Spectacular brings Bethlehem close enough to touch. We open with warmth and laughter, then step into a vivid journey where Mary and Joseph grapple with fatigue and fear while holding fast to a word that will not fail. Through dramatic scenes, playful banter, and timeless carols, we explore how humility, courage, and love turn a manger into the hinge of history. Jelena joins us with rich German traditions that light up the season: Advent calendars, candlelit windows, Christmas pyramids, and Schwibbögen. These aren’t just pretty accents; they’re living symbols of hope in winter. We connect their glow to the deeper claim that Jesus is the light of the world, a light that pushes back the dark and gives weary hearts a way forward. Along the way, we laugh at a few holiday misfires and movie mix-ups without losing sight of the heart of the story. Three intimate monologues widen the lens: a heavenly messenger who speaks truth with tenderness, a scholar-seeker following a star with honest questions, and an outcast shepherd who discovers he’s seen and chosen. Their voices carry us to a Scripture reading from Luke 2 and Matthew 2, where angels announce peace, shepherds run to see, and Magi bow with costly gifts. We challenge the pull of materialism and invite you to give like the wise—offering honor, presence, and generosity that meets real needs. If your season feels rushed or thin, this is a warm, grounded reset toward worship, community, and joy. Press play to rediscover the meaning behind your lights and lists, and to find fresh hope in a humble story. If the message resonates, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review to help others find the show. Your support keeps these stories and songs shining for more listeners all season long. Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/h9N33uZ Christ Alone Podcast www.christalonepodcast.com Support the show Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/renewedmindsets Renewed Mindsets can be found on Facebook, Twitter (X), Threads and Instagram as Renewed Mindsets. Our website is renewedmindsets.com Leave a voicemail message, yellow microphone on every page, I might just use it on a future episode. If you like what you hear then tell someone about the show. Your continued support ensures that God's message to the podcast world will continue to be available for everyone. And know, 50% of all funding will be used as an offering to my local church. The rest will help supplement the cost of providing a quality show ie. equipment, bandwidth fees, Tylenol etc. HA! The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc. Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes. Music used with permission. Thank You. I Love You! SEE YA! Rick

Send us a text What if the fastest way to real hope is a slower heart? We pause the holiday rush and lean into a short but seismic reading from Philippians 2:5–11, unpacking how the mindset of Christ reorients our desires, our pace, and our posture toward others. With Lauren back on the mic, we read the text aloud and sit with its audacious claim: the Lord of all chose the path of a servant, traded privilege for obedience, and walked straight into the cross—then was lifted to the highest honor. We talk through practical ways to adopt the mind of Christ during Advent: releasing the need to win, choosing listening over leverage, and practicing small, unseen acts of faithfulness that shape the soul. The conversation draws a straight line from humility to hope, reminding us that Jesus’ self-giving love isn’t a soft ideal; it’s the blueprint of the kingdom. In a season that prizes spectacle, we explore why hidden obedience has lasting weight, why every knee will bow to the name above every name, and how that future promise changes the way we live now. If you’re hungry for a quieter strength and a clearer center, this reflection offers a simple rhythm: breathe, read, and respond. We close with encouragement to stay watchful, pray with expectancy, and keep our eyes on Jesus—the King who served and the Lord who reigns. Share this with someone who needs courage today, subscribe for the daily Advent journey, and leave a review so others can find the hope you found here. Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/h9N33uZ Support the show Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/renewedmindsets Renewed Mindsets can be found on Facebook, Twitter (X), Threads and Instagram as Renewed Mindsets. Our website is renewedmindsets.com Leave a voicemail message, yellow microphone on every page, I might just use it on a future episode. If you like what you hear then tell someone about the show. Your continued support ensures that God's message to the podcast world will continue to be available for everyone. And know, 50% of all funding will be used as an offering to my local church. The rest will help supplement the cost of providing a quality show ie. equipment, bandwidth fees, Tylenol etc. HA! The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc. Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes. Music used with permission. Thank You. I Love You! SEE YA! Rick

Send us a text Some moments feel ordinary until you realize time itself has been leading to them. We open Galatians 4:4–7 and discover why the “fullness of time” wasn’t poetry but a planned rescue: Jesus enters history to redeem, adopt, and name us heirs. With Lauren joining for the weekend, we read the passage aloud, let the words breathe, and explore how adoption changes prayer, identity, and hope during Advent. We walk through the shift from law to grace and ask what freedom looks like for modern strivers who are tired of performing. Adoption, Paul says, is more than a metaphor; it is legal belonging and intimate access. The Spirit teaches us to say “Abba, Father,” moving us from formal faith to a family voice. That identity as sons and daughters reframes daily life—turning shame into return, anxiety into prayer, and the rush of the season into watchful peace. We talk about timing that is never late, love that pays our debt, and an inheritance that outlasts every headline. This Advent reflection isn’t long, but it’s layered: hope that came and hope that’s coming, a status we didn’t earn, and a future we’re invited to anticipate. If you’ve felt far, this reading offers a seat at the table; if you’ve felt stuck, it offers a new name. Stay watchful, stay holy, and stay renewed as we keep our eyes on Jesus and live like heirs—awake to grace and ready for His return. If this encouraged you, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review to help others find these Advent reflections. Your words help spread hope. Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/h9N33uZ Support the show Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/renewedmindsets Renewed Mindsets can be found on Facebook, Twitter (X), Threads and Instagram as Renewed Mindsets. Our website is renewedmindsets.com Leave a voicemail message, yellow microphone on every page, I might just use it on a future episode. If you like what you hear then tell someone about the show. Your continued support ensures that God's message to the podcast world will continue to be available for everyone. And know, 50% of all funding will be used as an offering to my local church. The rest will help supplement the cost of providing a quality show ie. equipment, bandwidth fees, Tylenol etc. HA! The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc. Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes. Music used with permission. Thank You. I Love You! SEE YA! Rick

Send us a text What if the hope you’re searching for has already stepped into your world? Day 19 of our Advent journey lingers in John 1:1–14, where the story of Christmas begins not with a stable but with eternity. We read the passage aloud with Elena and let the language of “Word,” “light,” and “life” reframe our pace, our priorities, and our expectations for the season. We explore how Jesus, the eternal Word, is not just a teacher or a symbol but the very agent of creation who brings light that darkness cannot overcome. That truth carries both comfort and courage. Comfort, because despair doesn’t get the final say. Courage, because light reveals and heals what we’d rather keep hidden. Along the way, we reflect on John the Baptist’s role as a witness, a timely reminder that our job is to point beyond ourselves. The messenger isn’t the message; the light belongs to Christ alone. The conversation also presses into identity: while many rejected the light, those who receive him are given the right to become children of God. That adoption changes how we live—less striving, more trust; less performance, more presence. As we remember the Word made flesh who “dwelt among us” with unfailing love and faithfulness, we return to the heartbeat of Advent: staying watchful, prayerful, and ready for the One who came and is coming again. If you need a quiet reset, a Scripture-centered pause, and a hopeful nudge to share what matters, you’ll find it here. Share this reading with someone who needs light today, subscribe for the remaining Advent days, and leave a review to help others discover Renewed Mindsets. Your voice helps spread hope. Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/h9N33uZ Support the show Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/renewedmindsets Renewed Mindsets can be found on Facebook, Twitter (X), Threads and Instagram as Renewed Mindsets. Our website is renewedmindsets.com Leave a voicemail message, yellow microphone on every page, I might just use it on a future episode. If you like what you hear then tell someone about the show. Your continued support ensures that God's message to the podcast world will continue to be available for everyone. And know, 50% of all funding will be used as an offering to my local church. The rest will help supplement the cost of providing a quality show ie. equipment, bandwidth fees, Tylenol etc. HA! The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc. Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes. Music used with permission. Thank You. I Love You! SEE YA! Rick

Send us a text A king rages, a family runs, and hope refuses to be silenced. We open Advent Day 18 with a calm breath and a clear reading of Matthew 2:13–23, then trace the fierce tenderness of a God who guides through dreams, shelters promise in exile, and fulfills ancient words in ordinary places. With Lauren joining Rick, the passage comes alive in three movements—guidance, obedience, and resilient hope—revealing how the flight to Egypt, Rachel’s lament, and the return to Nazareth confront our assumptions about safety, timing, and glory. We sit honestly with the ache of Ramah, where scripture honors grief instead of hiding it. That lament becomes a doorway, not a dead end, teaching us to hold sorrow and trust together. Joseph’s quick obedience models the kind of faith that protects the vulnerable and moves at God’s pace, even when the route changes. Every step echoes Israel’s story: out of Egypt, back to the land, then to Nazareth, where the Messiah grows in quiet places far from headlines. The thread is unbroken—promise survives not by force but by fidelity. If you’re waiting in a hard place, this reflection offers language for courage. We talk about discerning next steps, guarding what God entrusts to us, and practicing a watchful, prayerful posture that resists fear. Advent is not sentimental; it’s steady. It invites us to keep our hearts ready for the One who came and the One who is coming again soon, trusting that even exile and detours can be part of fulfillment. Lean in, breathe, and let the text steady you for the week ahead. If this reading challenged or encouraged you, share it with a friend and pass the hope along. Subscribe for the rest of our Advent journey, rate and review to help others find the show, and tell us: where are you choosing trust right now? Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/h9N33uZ Support the show Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/renewedmindsets Renewed Mindsets can be found on Facebook, Twitter (X), Threads and Instagram as Renewed Mindsets. Our website is renewedmindsets.com Leave a voicemail message, yellow microphone on every page, I might just use it on a future episode. If you like what you hear then tell someone about the show. Your continued support ensures that God's message to the podcast world will continue to be available for everyone. And know, 50% of all funding will be used as an offering to my local church. The rest will help supplement the cost of providing a quality show ie. equipment, bandwidth fees, Tylenol etc. HA! The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc. Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes. Music used with permission. Thank You. I Love You! SEE YA! Rick

Send us a text A star rises, a city shakes, and a few travelers choose joy over fear. We open Matthew 2:1–12 and trace the Magi’s long road to a small house in Bethlehem, where worship changes everything. Along the way, we sit with the tension between Herod’s grasping power and the quiet courage of those who follow a light they don’t fully understand yet. We read the passage in full, then unpack the details that matter for a modern heart: how guidance often comes step by step, why information without surrender can harden us, and what it means to offer our best as worship instead of leverage. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh move from holiday trivia to a living pattern—honor the true King, draw near in prayer, and embrace a love strong enough to face suffering. The Magi’s final choice to return by another route becomes our invitation to live differently after encountering Jesus. This Advent reflection is slow on purpose—space to breathe, listen, and renew your focus on hope that has come and hope that’s coming again. If your week feels crowded, let this reading simplify your next step: look for the light, bow where you find it, and take the wiser road home. We’d love to walk this journey with you. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs encouragement today, and leave a quick review to help more people find the show. Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/h9N33uZ Support the show Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/renewedmindsets Renewed Mindsets can be found on Facebook, Twitter (X), Threads and Instagram as Renewed Mindsets. Our website is renewedmindsets.com Leave a voicemail message, yellow microphone on every page, I might just use it on a future episode. If you like what you hear then tell someone about the show. Your continued support ensures that God's message to the podcast world will continue to be available for everyone. And know, 50% of all funding will be used as an offering to my local church. The rest will help supplement the cost of providing a quality show ie. equipment, bandwidth fees, Tylenol etc. HA! The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc. Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes. Music used with permission. Thank You. I Love You! SEE YA! Rick

Send us a text A quiet night, a hillside, and a sky suddenly alive with glory—our Advent journey lands on Luke 2:8–20 as we read the shepherds’ story and trace the path from fear to joy. We welcome Danielle to help bring the passage to life, letting the angel’s words, the sign in the manger, and the chorus of heaven sink in. What starts as a startling interruption becomes a personal invitation to move, to witness, and to tell, and we explore why those steps still matter for anyone trying to live awake to God. We sit with three names that change everything—Savior, Messiah, Lord—and reflect on why the sign is so small: a baby wrapped in cloth, lying in a manger. The shepherds model a faith that hurries toward truth and returns to ordinary work with a new voice of praise. Mary offers a different pace, treasuring and pondering what God is doing. Between their responses we find a rhythm for Advent: watch, rise, witness, worship, and carry peace into our everyday routes. Along the way we connect the angelic promise of “good news of great joy” and “peace on earth” to the way we lead, serve, and encourage one another right now. If you’re craving a reset for your heart, this reading offers it—clear, grounded, and practical. Listen to the passage, breathe with us, and let hope take root as we keep our eyes on Jesus and stay expectant for what’s ahead, including tomorrow’s look at gold, frankincense, and myrrh. If this resonates, share it with a friend who needs good news, subscribe for the full Advent series, and leave a review so others can find their way to this quiet place of renewal. Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/h9N33uZ Support the show Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/renewedmindsets Renewed Mindsets can be found on Facebook, Twitter (X), Threads and Instagram as Renewed Mindsets. Our website is renewedmindsets.com Leave a voicemail message, yellow microphone on every page, I might just use it on a future episode. If you like what you hear then tell someone about the show. Your continued support ensures that God's message to the podcast world will continue to be available for everyone. And know, 50% of all funding will be used as an offering to my local church. The rest will help supplement the cost of providing a quality show ie. equipment, bandwidth fees, Tylenol etc. HA! The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc. Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes. Music used with permission. Thank You. I Love You! SEE YA! Rick

Send us a text A quiet reading can still shake the soul. Day 15 of our Advent journey centers on Luke 2:1–7—the spare, stunning account of Jesus’ birth—and invites us to slow our pace, steady our breath, and notice how hope slips into the world through ordinary doors. We trace the path from a royal decree to a rural manger, from census lines to covenant promises, and we let the contrast soften our hearts: while empire was busy counting heads, God was keeping His word. We walk with Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem and sit with the texture of the scene—lineage, travel, no vacancy, a feeding trough made holy. Rather than add commentary noise, we let Scripture speak, then reflect on what this arrival reveals about God’s character: humility over spectacle, precision over panic, presence over power. If you’ve been wrestling with hurry, disappointment, or the feeling of being lost in the shuffle, this moment is a gentle recalibration. The manger says you are not overlooked, and your detours are not wasted. From there we shift to practice. Expectancy becomes a way of living—watching, praying, and creating small margins for God to meet us. We talk about simple disciplines that keep our minds renewed and our eyes on Jesus: short Scripture pauses, intentional breaths, and quiet acts of encouragement that hold space for joy. The tone is warm, scripture-focused, and forward-looking, linking the first Advent to the hope of His return without hype or fear. If this reading stirs you, share it with someone who needs peace today, subscribe for the rest of our Advent series, and leave a review to help others find the message. What word or phrase from Luke 2 stood out to you? Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/h9N33uZ Support the show Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/renewedmindsets Renewed Mindsets can be found on Facebook, Twitter (X), Threads and Instagram as Renewed Mindsets. Our website is renewedmindsets.com Leave a voicemail message, yellow microphone on every page, I might just use it on a future episode. If you like what you hear then tell someone about the show. Your continued support ensures that God's message to the podcast world will continue to be available for everyone. And know, 50% of all funding will be used as an offering to my local church. The rest will help supplement the cost of providing a quality show ie. equipment, bandwidth fees, Tylenol etc. HA! The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc. Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes. Music used with permission. Thank You. I Love You! SEE YA! Rick

Send us a text A quiet yes can change everything. On day fourteen of our Advent journey, we open Matthew 1:18–25 and step into Joseph’s world at the moment his plans fall apart. He faces shame, uncertainty, and a decision that will define not just his life, but the story of redemption. Then an angel speaks: the child is conceived by the Holy Spirit, his name will be Jesus, and he will save his people from their sins. The promise reaches back through prophecy and forward into our present: Emmanuel, God with us. We read the passage slowly and sit with Joseph’s character—righteous, merciful, steady—and the courage it takes to obey when the path makes little sense to others. This isn’t theory. He wakes, takes Mary as his wife, guards her dignity, and names the child as commanded. Along the way, we talk about how ordinary faithfulness looks today: choosing trust over optics, quiet prayer over noise, and encouragement over cynicism. Advent isn’t passive waiting; it’s active attention. Breath by breath, we practice slowing down, listening for God’s voice, and keeping our hearts ready for the One who came and is coming again. You’ll leave with a clearer picture of biblical hope, practical ways to watch and pray, and a nudge to share truth with someone who needs courage. If this short reflection stirred you, send it to a friend, subscribe for the daily Advent readings, and leave a review so others can find these moments of Scripture and stillness. Let’s stay watchful, stay holy, and stay renewed together. Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/h9N33uZ Support the show Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/renewedmindsets Renewed Mindsets can be found on Facebook, Twitter (X), Threads and Instagram as Renewed Mindsets. Our website is renewedmindsets.com Leave a voicemail message, yellow microphone on every page, I might just use it on a future episode. If you like what you hear then tell someone about the show. Your continued support ensures that God's message to the podcast world will continue to be available for everyone. And know, 50% of all funding will be used as an offering to my local church. The rest will help supplement the cost of providing a quality show ie. equipment, bandwidth fees, Tylenol etc. HA! The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc. Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes. Music used with permission. Thank You. I Love You! SEE YA! Rick

Send us a text Hope doesn’t drift in; it arrives like dawn. We open Luke 1:67–80 and sit with Zechariah’s Spirit-filled song, where covenant and mercy move from ancient promise to present comfort. As we continue our Advent rhythm, we pause long enough to hear how redemption rewrites the heart—rescue from enemies, freedom from fear, and a life set apart to serve in holiness and righteousness. This is not theory for scholars only; it is ground-level hope for tired souls who still believe that light can find them. I read the passage in full and walk through its heartbeat: God keeps his word to David and Abraham, not abstractly but personally. We talk about forgiveness as the doorway into salvation, the way John prepares people to meet Jesus with clear eyes and clean hearts. The image of morning light from heaven becomes our compass, guiding those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death onto a path of peace. That path is practical: fewer distractions, quicker confession, steady prayer, and small acts of faithfulness that carry us through long nights. We also reflect on why wilderness seasons matter. John grew strong in spirit far from the spotlight, and that hidden strength becomes a pattern for us. Advent waiting trains our attention so hope can mature from a feeling into a daily practice. If you’re hungry for peace that holds, for mercy that feels like sunrise, and for a faith that stands steady, this reading will meet you where you are and lead you forward. If this encouraged you, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review so others can find the hope you found today. Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/h9N33uZ Support the show Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/renewedmindsets Renewed Mindsets can be found on Facebook, Twitter (X), Threads and Instagram as Renewed Mindsets. Our website is renewedmindsets.com Leave a voicemail message, yellow microphone on every page, I might just use it on a future episode. If you like what you hear then tell someone about the show. Your continued support ensures that God's message to the podcast world will continue to be available for everyone. And know, 50% of all funding will be used as an offering to my local church. The rest will help supplement the cost of providing a quality show ie. equipment, bandwidth fees, Tylenol etc. HA! The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc. Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes. Music used with permission. Thank You. I Love You! SEE YA! Rick

Send us a text A quiet room, a fragile voice, and a story that still shakes the hills: we read Luke 1:57–66 and trace how the birth of John the Baptist turns private promise into public awe. Elizabeth’s courage to say no to tradition and yes to a new name meets Zechariah’s written agreement, and at that moment his voice returns. What unfolds is a living portrait of Advent—waiting that leads to obedience, obedience that unlocks praise, and praise that ignites a community to wonder, “What will this child become?” We walk through the text slowly, noticing how identity is named before destiny is revealed. The neighborhood hears of God’s mercy and gathers around the family; the simple act of naming becomes a doorway to calling. Along the way, we explore how expectancy shapes our days: staying watchful, praying with focus, and keeping our hearts ready for the One who came and is coming again. This isn’t a performance of faith but a posture—showing up even when the voice is weak, trusting that God works through ordinary moments and imperfect days. You’ll hear a call to align your words with what God has spoken, to resist the pull of tired patterns, and to let hope move from your heart into your home and neighborhood. If you’ve felt muted by doubt or routine, Zechariah’s restored voice offers a gentle push toward praise. If you’ve questioned whether your small acts matter, watch how the Judean hills light up with awe from one family’s obedience. Listen, reflect, and carry the question into your week: who are you becoming as you wait? If this encouraged you, tap follow, share it with a friend who needs hope today, and leave a quick review so others can find the message. Subscribe for daily Advent readings and join us in spreading simple acts of courage and wonder. Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/h9N33uZ Support the show Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/renewedmindsets Renewed Mindsets can be found on Facebook, Twitter (X), Threads and Instagram as Renewed Mindsets. Our website is renewedmindsets.com Leave a voicemail message, yellow microphone on every page, I might just use it on a future episode. If you like what you hear then tell someone about the show. Your continued support ensures that God's message to the podcast world will continue to be available for everyone. And know, 50% of all funding will be used as an offering to my local church. The rest will help supplement the cost of providing a quality show ie. equipment, bandwidth fees, Tylenol etc. HA! The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc. Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes. Music used with permission. Thank You. I Love You! SEE YA! Rick

Send us a text A quiet room in Judea, two expectant mothers, and a surge of joy that still echoes across centuries. We open Luke 1:39–56 and step into the meeting of Mary and Elizabeth, where recognition happens before explanation and blessing rises before certainty. Elizabeth names the miracle at work, and Mary answers with the Magnificat—an audacious hymn that dares to say the humble will be lifted and the proud will fall, because the Mighty One is faithful to every promise. We read the passage in full and linger on its texture: the leap of John in the womb, the Spirit-filled clarity of Elizabeth’s words, and Mary’s steady courage to call herself blessed because God acts, not because she is impressive. Together we explore how Advent hope is not soft sentiment but a holy reversal—mercy that disrupts pride, justice that feeds the hungry, and a covenant that reaches from Abraham to forever. This is the kind of hope that reshapes our habits: showing up for one another, speaking blessing, practicing watchful prayer, and making room for hidden growth that bears world-changing fruit. Along the way, we keep our hearts set on the double horizon of Advent—Christ has come and Christ will come again. Expectancy is not anxiety; it is love awake at the window. If you need a reset from the noise of the season, this reading and reflection offers a place to breathe, to believe before seeing, and to live as if God’s promises are already working under the surface. Listen now, share this with a friend who needs courage, and help us spread hope. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us which line of Mary’s song speaks to you today. Stay watchful, stay holy, and stay renewed. Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/h9N33uZ Support the show Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/renewedmindsets Renewed Mindsets can be found on Facebook, Twitter (X), Threads and Instagram as Renewed Mindsets. Our website is renewedmindsets.com Leave a voicemail message, yellow microphone on every page, I might just use it on a future episode. If you like what you hear then tell someone about the show. Your continued support ensures that God's message to the podcast world will continue to be available for everyone. And know, 50% of all funding will be used as an offering to my local church. The rest will help supplement the cost of providing a quality show ie. equipment, bandwidth fees, Tylenol etc. HA! The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc. Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes. Music used with permission. Thank You. I Love You! SEE YA! Rick

Send us a text A startled greeting, an honest question, and a quiet yes—Mary’s encounter with Gabriel in Luke 1:26–38 still speaks to anxious hearts and hurried days. We slow down for Advent and read the text aloud, letting the angel’s words land with fresh weight: do not be afraid, the Lord is with you, nothing will be impossible with God. We dig into the scene in Nazareth, exploring how divine favor can feel unsettling and how real faith makes space for questions without surrendering to doubt. Gabriel’s promise ties heaven’s initiative to Israel’s hope—David’s throne, a reign without end, and the Holy Spirit overshadowing what seems impossible. Mary’s response is more than compliance; it’s courageous consent, a whole-life yes that invites us to consider where we, too, can trust God’s word in the middle of uncertainty. Along the way, we highlight Elizabeth’s pregnancy as a living sign that widens belief, and we talk about practical ways to keep watch: short readings, slow breathing, a single phrase carried through the day, and simple encouragement shared with a friend. You’ll hear our on-air banter about translations and the joy of reading Scripture clearly and simply, plus a closing call to stay watchful, prayerful, and renewed. If you’re longing for peace that doesn’t ignore reality, for hope that reorders your pace, and for a vision of Jesus’ kingdom that heals rather than crushes, this reading offers a grounded path. Listen, reflect, and pass the hope along. If this encouraged you, subscribe, share the episode with someone who needs it, and leave a review so others can find the Advent journey too. Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/h9N33uZ Support the show Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/renewedmindsets Renewed Mindsets can be found on Facebook, Twitter (X), Threads and Instagram as Renewed Mindsets. Our website is renewedmindsets.com Leave a voicemail message, yellow microphone on every page, I might just use it on a future episode. If you like what you hear then tell someone about the show. Your continued support ensures that God's message to the podcast world will continue to be available for everyone. And know, 50% of all funding will be used as an offering to my local church. The rest will help supplement the cost of providing a quality show ie. equipment, bandwidth fees, Tylenol etc. HA! The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc. Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes. Music used with permission. Thank You. I Love You! SEE YA! Rick

Send us a text A shaken priest, a startling angel, and a promise that refuses to fit inside human limits. We continue our Advent journey with Luke 1:5–25, walking through Zechariah’s encounter with Gabriel, the sign of silence, and Elizabeth’s unexpected joy. This is a story about more than a miraculous birth; it’s about how God prepares a people, turns hearts, and grows hope in places we had written off as barren. I share the passage in full and unpack why the details matter: John’s consecration, his Spirit-filled calling from the womb, and his mission to turn fathers toward children and the rebellious toward wisdom. We talk about the shock of unbelief meeting divine certainty, and why Zechariah’s silence is both a discipline and a mercy. In a season crowded with noise, his quiet months invite us to practice attention, let go of control, and allow God’s word to take root. Elizabeth’s secluded gratitude reframes delay as kindness, reminding us that God’s timing often protects fragile beginnings while preparing the way for Jesus. You’ll walk away with simple, grounded practices for Advent: show up to ordinary duties with expectant hearts, carve out strategic silence to deepen trust, and name God’s kindness in small beginnings. This reflection is for anyone who feels stuck between promise and fulfillment, who needs to remember that hope often grows offstage before it steps into the light. Stay watchful, stay holy, stay renewed with us as we lean into the story that changes every other story. If this encouraged you, subscribe and share it with a friend. Leave a review to help others find the show, and join us at renewedmindsets.com for past episodes and updates. Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/h9N33uZ Support the show Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/renewedmindsets Renewed Mindsets can be found on Facebook, Twitter (X), Threads and Instagram as Renewed Mindsets. Our website is renewedmindsets.com Leave a voicemail message, yellow microphone on every page, I might just use it on a future episode. If you like what you hear then tell someone about the show. Your continued support ensures that God's message to the podcast world will continue to be available for everyone. And know, 50% of all funding will be used as an offering to my local church. The rest will help supplement the cost of providing a quality show ie. equipment, bandwidth fees, Tylenol etc. HA! The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc. Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes. Music used with permission. Thank You. I Love You! SEE YA! Rick