Episode 124 – Gospel Spice welcomes Mercy House Global and its founder, Kristen Welch. Stephanie has been a fan of Mercy House Global for some time, because of its unique purpose to provide dignified jobs to women out of sex trafficking in Kenya, and to survivors of human trafficking all over the world—locally, in Houston, and globally, in over 40 locations. As Christmas approaches, we Western consumers have the choice to buy responsibly, and to honor God with how we purchase our gifts this season. Think about where your purchases come from; could they come from a sweat shop, where children or women labor for unsustainable wages? Did you know that some children are forced to harvest the cocoa beans that will be used to fill our stockings this season? Did you know that some women are physically chained to their sowing machines to create the cheap stockings that we will purchase to put that chocolate in?

How can you be sure that your purchase does not condone modern slavery, but God-honoring practices? Buying fair-trade from reputable Christian organizations is an easy way to spend our money wisely. It is more expensive, for sure. But buying smaller items made with ethical, Christ-centered purpose is preferable to buying bigger, labor-trafficked goods.

How about being good stewards of what God has entrusted to us? We want to be able to say, at the end of a phase of our lives, that we have been faithful. What does it look like, and how can we take steps to ensure we will be able to say this, when God brings a phase of our lives to a close, and ushers us into a new phase of life?

This is the conversation today on the Gospel Spice podcast with Kristen Welch. It’s not easy to hear; but what about being purposeful towards doing the most good this Christmas? Now is our chance to honor the birth of our Savior through our purchases. Join us this season to experience a labor trafficking-free Christmas, and to support organizations who help women out of sex trafficking too.

Go to https://mercyhouseglobal.org/ for more info, and specifically to https://shop.mercyhouseglobal.org/ for shopping ideas.

If you want to find out more about sex trafficking, we recommend our Gospel Spice interview with Rebecca Bender, available here (Episode 111, dated September 20, 2021): https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/episode/what-can-i-do-today-to-fight-human-trafficking-a-practical-conversation-with-rebecca-bender-89449/

SPECIAL CHRISTMAS GIFT TO YOU!! 

"A Gospel Spice Christmas" is a five-day devotional and reading plan available exclusively on YouVersion / the Bible App.

Do you long for fresh spices to flavor your spiritual experience of the Incarnation of Christ? Are you tired of stale clichés that taste like microwaved Christmas dinner leftovers? Are you hungry for an explosion of fresh flavors in your Christmas devotions? Experience a Gospel Spice Christmas alongside the shepherds, and discover how to make your life a daily nativity scene where Christ can be born in ever-deepening ways.

Click here or go to your YouVersion Bible App on your phone, and search "Gospel Spice." It is our gift to you! Enjoy!

PAY GOSPEL SPICE FORWARD THIS CHRISTMAS.

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The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools brought to you by Gospel Spice Ministries. The Gospel Spice Ministries exist to inspire Christ-followers in our generation to delight in the glory of God by knowing and experiencing Jesus more intimately. We provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus.

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You are invited to join us on the Gospel Spice Prayer Bible Study, titled "The heart behind prayer" starting September 20, 2025! Details and registration here: https://www.gospelspice.com/prayer 

There are a few things in our Christian life that we know we should do more, or at least better – and prayer just might top the list. Prayer is a mystery. Why would a conversation with a human have any influence on God’s eternal, sovereign plan? It defies logic, and beckons love. How can God, the Almighty Lord of Hosts, be this close, this personal? It defies understanding, and beckons involvement.

But, lack of time, inspiration, and discipline, combined with the ruthless tyranny of our busy lives, push prayer to the periphery, to the “one day I’ll get to it” pile. And yet, we can excel at what we endeavor to undertake. So, why isn’t prayer more of a spiritual priority? Could we develop a mindset around prayer that made it attractive, inspiring, even maybe delightful? What if we attuned our spiritual ears to listen to God, and our spiritual eyes to see His provision?

As an unassuming student, I’m going to humbly offer to share the little I have learned from others about the joy of prayer. I will give us theology, practical tips, and useful resources, sharing what works for me as we, together, learn to pray.

If you find prayer intimidating, or if your lack of prayer makes you feel guilty or “less than,” then this is the place for you! If you have been a student of prayer for many years, this is the place for you too! If you have breath in your lungs, then prayer can become one of the deepest joys of your day. Don’t miss out!

A PERSPECTIVE ABOUT PRAYER

To pray is to believe that God not only hears, but that He responds. It is to stand in the gap for a broken world, wielding the authority of Christ, empowered by the Spirit, and trusting in the goodness of the Father. The question is not whether prayer works, but whether we are willing to pray the kinds of prayers that invite God’s Kingdom into the darkest places of the earth—and of our own hearts.

We may never fully understand the mechanics of prayer, or how it intersects with God's sovereignty, but we are not called to understand everything. We are called to be faithful. And faithfulness means showing up—in prayer, in persistence, in expectation.

So today, let us pray not only for the comfort of our hearts, but for the transformation of the world. Let us take our place as image-bearers, co-laborers, and co-heirs. Let us believe that God is still listening—and still acting. Because He is.

There’s only one way to find out what might happen when we truly pray like this.

Let’s begin.

THE MINDSET BEHIND THIS COURSE

Before we begin, let me tell you the obvious: I don’t really know how to pray. I’m a humble student and absolute beginner at the holy endeavor that is prayer. So, this course isn’t really about what I’ve learned, or any wisdom I might have gathered. But, I’ve sat at the feet of many prayer warriors over the decades, through books and teachings.

So, I’ll share what I learned from them. Humility is going to be our primary heart posture! With each lesson, I will offer a few thoughts, practices, and ideas – with much humility, and not taking myself too seriously. I will also share her favorite books and resources about prayer. FInally, I will introduce you to some of the most influential prayer warriors of our history as the Body of Christ.

Most importantly, I will invite YOU to pray! Learning to pray comes from praying. Our humble ambition is to inspire you to pray, and to give you a few tips on how to do that. Then, it’s up to you! Prayer is a lifelong endeavor. Let’s make it delightful together!

So, let’s get started.

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