Episode 67 - Stephanie Welcomes Connie Albers to look back at 2020 to place it in its proper place even as it comes to an end. How did God use 2020 to grow you? How has 2020 allowed you to remodel areas of your life that needed attention?

Connie and her family have been through 2020 bearing much loss and grief. We can all relate, and like many of us, her experience has been particularly extreme. So, she comes today to share the lessons she learned, and the insights she gleaned. 

What will you remember about 2020? How will you look back on 2020, and reflect on how God worked in your soul and in your relationships? How can we look at grief as a way to detox from self to grow deeper into God? How can we get ready for difficult times ahead, process bad times behind, and alltogether cling to God in all our ways?

Take a moment to reflect back, in order to look ahead today. What are YOUR dreams for 2021??

Connie Albers gave away two copies of her book, Parenting beyond the Rules, as part of our New Year 2021 giveaway. The winners were @amplifybiblestudy (instagram account) and Kristene H. This particular giveaway is now closed, but we have several new ones scheduled! Go to gospelspice.com/giveaway to enter for a chance to win!

Connie Albers is an author, podcaster, and speaker who is strengthening parents through her speaking, podcasting, and various leadership roles. More recently, Connie entered the publishing world with her new #1 ranked Amazon Hot New Release book Parenting beyond the Rules, which outlines positive approaches to parenting today’s teenagers. She is featured on the Focus on the Family broadcast, “Best of 2020 for Parenting” on Focus on the Family, The Busy Mom podcast, 100 Huntley Street, and a columnist for Home Homeschooling Today magazine and contributor for Focus on the Family.

She is a respected leader, social media enthusiast, and trusted mom who understands the challenges of balancing the demands of work, motherhood, marriage, and homeschool. Connie and her husband, Tom, have been married 36 years and have five adult children. She loves equipping women in their walk with the Lord and helping them navigate the season of life. Join the community at www.ConnieAlbers.com or listen to the Equipped To Be podcast for relevant tips with humor.

 

-----------

DID YOU KNOW?

The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools brought to you by Gospel Spice Ministries. 

Would you consider supporting this show today? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce. For the price of a cup of coffee or two, your monthly support of $5 or $10 would make a huge difference! Donate HERE today.

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.

Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support.

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.

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!