Simply Stories Podcast Emily Humphries
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- Religion & Spirituality
Simply Stories, hosted by Emily Humphries, is a weekly podcast with a heart to encourage others to know that no matter where they are, they matter, and God is not finished with their story. Guests share their stories of what God has done in their lives and encourage others to do the same in the unique way He has gifted them to do so. Whether they are non-fiction authors, speakers, or everyday neighbors, to fiction authors, creatives, and artists, we all have a story that matters and are loved by our Creator.
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Episode 174 :: Douglas McKelvey :: Stories of Leaning into Advent, Lament, and Living with Every Moment Holy
Today, I have the absolute pleasure of sharing my conversation with the one and only Douglas McKelvey. Douglas is a songwriter, author, and liturgy writer extraordinaire. I have never met someone like Douglas. His gift with words and passion for Christ cultivates a visceral invitation to be more present in this life, to find your fight again as you walk this weary way, and speaks to our hope of the next life with Jesus.
Douglas shares with me his story of what led him to Nashville, TN, his journey from songwriting to fiction writing and the idea of unpacking his belief that every moment in this life is sacramental, and sometimes words can help us to be present. Thus, the birth of Every Moment Holy. There are now 3 volumes of Every Moment Holy, each unique in how they offer opportunities for us to be awake to the moments we are living in. Whether that is something as simple as waking up in the morning and enjoying a sunrise, something unique like beginning a novel, or the keeping of bees, holiday celebrations, to going on a trip, there is a liturgy for it in one of these volumes. Many of these liturgies, especially in volume two, also hold space for the hard and holy moments around grief and lament, and even for those facing the end of their life. I cannot begin to express how much many of these liturgies have ministered to me as we’ve walked through many losses, and the anniversary of losses, over the last few years.
As it is that time of year, Douglas and I also talk about how to embrace the season of advent, which asks our hearts to prepare Christ room, but also to ask “where is our hope?” as we wait for Jesus to come back again. He even blesses us with a reading of his “A Liturgy for the Start of the Christmas Season.” I hope all of this conversation serves as a blessing for you in this season. I hope it is serves as an invitation to prepare Him room not just for now, but for always. And I hope and pray, it reminds you that you are not alone in this life, no matter how it may seem, and Jesus is coming back for us. You matter. Your story matters. Merry Christmas!
Connecting with Douglas and Every Moment Holy:
Facebook
Instagram
Douglas’ Website
EMH Website
EMH Downloads, some free, some for purchase
EMH App
Please consider joining our Patreon community. If you have enjoyed what you have heard on the podcast today or from other episodes, we would so appreciate your support to keep the Simply Stories Podcast going. You can sign up for as little as $3 a month and each tier offers gifts that I hope will bless you in return. If you cannot financially commit at this time, please consider leaving us a star rating and/or review on Apple Podcasts. My family and I are so grateful for each of you and how you are part of our story.
Scripture References:
Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 2:36-Christ is the Lord over all
Colossians 3:17-Whatever you do whether in word or deed
Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12- Being a living sacrifice
Romans 8:22- Groaning and longing with creation
Acts 2, Hebrews 10:19-25-The body of Christ in worship together
Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, Ephesians 4:7-13- 1 Timothy 4:14-, 1 Peter 4:10- We are given spiritual gifts and our gifts are for ministering
Psalm 23:4- The valley of the shadow
Psalm 91, Psalm 42, Psalm 55, Psalm 34- Psalms that express disappointment, fear, pain, heartbreak
Lamentations 3:19-24-But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope… great is His faithfulness
Job 2:8-10- sitting on the ash heap
Job 13:15- Even so I believe you are faithful
Psalm 27:13-14- What would have become of me if I had not believed I would see the goodness of the Lord? Wait for and hope for the Lord
Revelation 12:12-13- come quickly
John 1:5- The light has come and pierced the darkness
Daniel 2:44, Revelation 11:15- Jesus is the King who will set all things right and esta -
Episode 173 :: Carole Holiday :: Stories of Learning Who You Are Again After Loss and Living with Grief
A self-proclaimed “accidental author”, Carole Holiday was living a very full life as a wife, mother, and nana, until one day, everything fell apart. Her marriage to her childhood sweetheart of over 35 years ended, followed by losing her job and ultimately filing for bankruptcy. Then she developed heart issues because of all the stress, and a continued windfall of loss, and grief in losing close loved ones, until it felt like there was absolutely nothing recognizable about the life she had known.
In her book I Don’t Know Who I Am Anymore, Carole shares her story, but it is such a unique book that weaves honest reflections, practical applications of how to minister to those in grief, beautiful applications from scripture, and recipes to share with others or to comfort your own heart. She asks powerful questions about what we build our lives on, and find our identity in. These can be good things like relationships, careers, and even our health, but they are ultimately temporal. Christ alone is the cornerstone that can keep a life on a firm foundation.
This is an episode for my friends who are asking God, “What do I do now?” when a dream has died. This is an episode for my single friends, my divorced friends, and my widowed friends who may feel unseen in their communities. This is an episode for those who have known any amount of grief or loss and need to know they are not going to disappear or drown in this season. There is hope for you, we can testify to it. As long as you’re breathing, there is more for your story. You matter and your story matters.
Connecting with Carole:
Book
Facebook
Instagram
Website
Please consider joining our Patreon community. If you have enjoyed what you have heard on the podcast today or from other episodes, we would so appreciate your support to keep the Simply Stories Podcast going. You can sign up for as little as $3 a month and each tier offers gifts that I hope will bless you in return. If you cannot financially commit at this time, please consider leaving us a star rating and/or review on Apple Podcasts. My family and I are so grateful for each of you and how you are part of our story.
Scripture References:
1 Timothy 4:12-Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young
Psalm 95:6-, Matthew 16:24, James 4:7- We lay it down before the Lord
Matthew 17:19-21-The mustard seed of faith
Galatians 5:22-23-Produce fruit in me
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8-There’s a time to tear down and to build
Psalm 118:22, Matthew 21:42, Acts 4:11-Jesus is the cornerstone that the builders rejected
Matthew 7:24-27-Building on the sand or the rock
Luke 22:31-Being shifted like wheat
Luke 7:36-50-The woman who washes Jesus’ feet with her tears
Luke 7:11-16-The widow whose son had died
Mark 12:41-44-The woman with her small offering
John 11-Mary and Martha at Lazarus’ tomb
Romans 8:22-29-Creation groans and longs to be restored
Romans 8:26 -The Holy Spirit speaks a language of lament
John 14:26-The Holy Spirit is our advocate
Habakkuk 1:2-4-How long Lord will you make me look at injustice and violence?
Jeremiah 17:9; Mark 7:21–23-The heart is deceitful above all else
Psalm 6:6-David flooded his bed with tears
2 Samuel 12:1-25-When Nathan spoke to David, he hit his face to the ground
Psalm 56:8-God gathers our tears in bottles
Matthew 21:12-17, John 2:13-25-Jesus goes charging into the Temple angry
John 2:15-17-Jesus sat and created a whip
Philippians 1:6-God is not finished with your story
Psalm 107:2-Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story
References:
-Dr. Paul Conti’s book Trauma: The Invisible Epidemic
-Seeing Beautiful Again- Lysa Terkeurst
-The women’s movement of the 60’s
-Holocaust - hear the survivor’s stories
-Celebrate Recovery
-A.E. Graham’s episode where she shared about being in G -
Episode 172 :: Mike Nappa :: Stories from the Valley of the Shadow, and Blessing Those Who Mourn
Over the last several years, I don’t think there is anyone who has not been touched by loss or some kind of grief. Today's guest, author, and literary agent Mike Nappa is incredibly familiar with loss and living with grief. In 2016, he lost his beloved wife, Amy, to cancer. In his learning how to live life without her, God has shown him why grieving is such an important part of losing a loved one. As Mike says, he learned how to cry into his keyboard and produced one of the most poignant books that bears witness to grief that I have ever personally encountered. It is called Reflections for the Grieving Soul: Meditations and Scripture for Finding Hope After Loss.
We are often so uncomfortable with grief and treat it like it is a problem to be solved. However, God Himself, in all three persons of the Trinity, grieves, and we are made in His image. It isn’t sinful to grieve. Mike says: “There are things in this world worth loving enough to grieve, and if we don’t grieve well, we are taking away from the image of God within us.” Although, as we’ll discuss in this episode, there are ways to grieve well and there are also ways to grieve poorly and even destructively. The depths of grief isn’t a place where we want to live permanently, but we have to hold space for it or it will make itself known in other ways. When we don’t walk this journey, we miss out on the blessings for those who mourn.
There are quite a few tears shed during this episode, but honest, perhaps blessed, tears. I would like to offer this episode as a benevolent witness and comfort to whoever might need it in this season. The Lord promises blessing and comfort for us, dear ones. He is near to you. You matter, and Your story matters.
Connecting with Mike:
Books and other publications
Facebook
Website
Please consider joining our Patreon community. If you have enjoyed what you have heard on the podcast today or from other episodes, we would so appreciate your support to keep the Simply Stories Podcast going. You can sign up for as little as $3 a month and each tier offers gifts that I hope will bless you in return. If you cannot financially commit at this time, please consider leaving us a star rating and/or review on Apple Podcasts. My family and I are so grateful for each of you and how you are part of our story.
Scripture References:
John 12:4-6- Judas was the treasurer
Ephesians 2:8-There’s nothing I can do to earn God’s love
John 15-Without Him we have nothing
Psalm 121, John 14:26-We need help from the Helper
Genesis 6:6- God looks at the wickedness of man and is grieved
Matthew 26:38-Jesus says “My soul is crushed with grief”
Ephesians 4:30-Paul reminds us that we can grieve the Holy Spirit
John 11:17-41-Jesus stood outside of Lazarus’ tomb and wept
Matthew 5:4-Blessed are those who mourn
Matthew 5:1-11- the beginning of the Beatitudes and their promises
Psalm 34:18-19-The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
Deuteronomy 31:6-8, Hebrews 13:5-6-He will never leave me or forsake me
Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28-God has a purpose and a plan for your life
Acts 17:28-In Christ we live and move and have our being
References:
-Norman, OK
-Lebanon
-Judas Iscariot’s story
-Hard Way Home
-Dr. Gary Chapman
-Pixar
-An example of a book written by women on her journey home What We Wish Were True by Tallu Quinn
- “What is grief if not love persevering?”- Wandavision
-If you’d like to see it, here is my Dad baptizing my daughter.
-Hebrew and Greek translations of “blessed” makarios
- “Ten Unexpected Benefits of Grieving Well” article by Mike
-Douglas McElvey and Every Moment Holy “Liturgy for Leavings”
Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories Podcast:
Instagram (Em life // Podcast Life)
Facebook
Twitter
Blog -
Episode 171 :: Gary Miracle :: Stories of Taking Heart, Persevering in Suffering, and No More Bad Days
Gary Miracle is an author and a speaker who passionately believes in the power of storytelling and how it unites us and spurs us on when life is tragically hard, and also reminds us who we are and who God made us to be. In this episode, he shares his story of growing immersed in church culture on Sunday but then suffered from an identity crisis the rest of the week as he chased perfection, and changed personas in order to be affirmed by anyone and everyone. Finally, later in his life and career, now a married man with kids, Gary reached his breaking point and reached out to his friend Bart Millard of the band “Mercy’s Me” who began to disciple Gary and guide him to a life-changing and intimate relationship with Jesus.
Not long after, in December 2019, Gary went from celebrating Christmas with his family feeling a little under the weather to being on his literal deathbed on New Year’s Eve. The first week of 2020 Gary’s life hung in the balance as teams of doctors worked on him and cared for him, and his loved ones stormed heaven for him. On January 10th, 2020, Gary opened his eyes, alive, but his body would never be the same, and his limbs were dying. Gary shares his journey of his 107 days stay in the hospital, reentering into his life without his legs and hands, and how God met him in all of it in our time together, but he goes more in-depth in his book No More Bad Days: Trading the Pursuit of Perfection for the Gift of Grace.
Gary is passionate about choosing to truly live instead of just being alive and doing that authentically with others. We were made in the image of a communal God, and as we face the intensity and heartbreak of our lives, He provides people to walk through hard things with us. However, that call to live in community requires risk and humility, but as Gary reminds us, when life is at its lowest moments, people God gives us can echo hope back to us.
This is a message for anyone who needs to know there is more left for them in this life. This is a message for those who need to remember God is still in the business of miracles. This is a message for someone who is walking through horrible circumstances but needs to be reminded that God still has good for them. You matter, and your story matters.
Connecting with Gary:
Book
Facebook
Instagram
Website
Please consider joining our Patreon community. If you have enjoyed what you have heard on the podcast today or from other episodes, we would so appreciate your support to keep the Simply Stories Podcast going. You can sign up for as little as $3 a month and each tier offers gifts that I hope will bless you in return. If you feel you cannot financially commit at this time, would you please consider leaving us a star rating and/or review on Apple Podcasts? My family and I are so grateful for each of you and how you are part of our story.
Scripture References:
Romans 10:8-9, John 1:12-13, Galatians 4:4-6-, There’s nothing I can do to make Jesus stop loving me
Galatians 2:20- It is no longer I who lives, but Christ in me
1 Samuel 17:36-54- David wrestled with lions as a shepherd before he faced Goliath
Lamentations 3:22-23- His new mercies are new every day
Job 1:21- The Lord gives and the Lord takes away
Job 42:5- All of my life I’ve heard about You, but now I’ve seen you with my eyes
John 16:33- In this world you will have trouble, but take heart I have overcome the world
Luke 18:19, 1 John 1:5- God is truly good
Ephesians 3:16-19- I pray that He would strengthen you with power according to
Jeremiah 29:13- seek me and you will find me if you seek me with all of your heart
John 3:16- For God so loved the world that He gave us His son
2 Peter 1:3- God has given you His power, and authority to live this life
John 10:10 - The enemy is coming to steal, kill and destroy, but Christ came to give us life to the full
Matthew 24:36-Nobody knows -
Episode 170 :: Justin & J.L. Gerhardt:: Stories of Encountering God at the Intersection of Story and Worship
Justin and J.L. Gerhardt are on the podcast today, and you will love hearing from them! There is an epic retelling of their meeting and falling in love complete with 90’s Hearthrob meet cute and all. More than that, Justin and J.L. share about their journey of God leading them both into ministry with words, calling their family to travel the world, and unleashing their creativity and courage to press into new ways to encounter God and His Word. This journey has given birth to various creative outlets for the Gerhardt family, but the one we talk about the most in this episode is Justin’s incredible podcast “Holy Ghost Stories.”
“Holy Ghost Stories” is a unique podcast that is more like an immersive narrated experience that takes stories from the Old Testament, unpacks them, and breathes life into the grit and shadow as well as the rapture and delight of God encountering His people. Justin’s heart for this podcast is to remind us that we have an inheritance of stories in scripture that we share in an immersive, but often adolescent way to children, to try and captivate them and introduce them to God. And then they grow up. And as Justin says “We stop telling the stories and stop teaching the stories. And a story taught is different than a story told.” There is absolutely fruit to be found in teaching! However, grown-ups can miss out on what these stories have always had for us when we face real suffering, real rejoicing, and everything in between unless we revisit what they really were: real events that happened with real people with a very real God.
Y’all hanging out with the Gerhardts is such a delight, and I can’t wait for you to get to know them a little better. If you loved this episode, or love Holy Ghost Stories you need to attend a live experience! And for my local friends, there is one coming up in Nashville in December! I really believe you will see the Old Testament in a more alive and engaging way, and it will help you prepare your heart for the coming of Christmas. I hope I see you there.
Connecting with the Gerhardts:
Hazefire Studios
Holy Ghost Stories Podcast
J.L.’s Substack- “The Goodness”
Justin’s Substack “The Latest”
Holy Ghost Stories Instagram
J.L.’s Instagram and Books
Giving to Holy Ghost Stories one time or via Patreon
Please consider joining our Patreon community. If you have enjoyed what you have heard on the podcast today or from other episodes, we would so appreciate your support to keep the Simply Stories Podcast going. You can sign up for as little as $3 a month and each tier offers gifts that I hope will bless you in return. If you feel you cannot financially commit at this time, would you please consider leaving us a star rating and/or review on Apple Podcasts? My family and I are so grateful for each of you and how you are part of our story.
Scripture References:
2 Corinthians 12:9- Strength in weakness
Hebrews 12:2- God is the author
Hebrews 4:12-The Bible is alive and active
1 Samuel 28- The witch of Endor
Genesis 37-50- The Story of Joseph
Jonah 1-4- Jonah and the Whale
Genesis 6- Noah and the Ark
Genesis 39:12-18-Potiphar’s wife calling to Joseph
Judges 3:12-30- The story of Ehud and Eglon
Judges 1- The book of Judges
Genesis 25 (is where it starts)- The Story of Jacob
Genesis 32:22-31- Particularly when Jacob wrestles with the Angel
Mark 10:51, John 5:1-15- Jesus asks “What do you want?”
Number 23:19, God is not a human, but He is a person
Matthew 2:16-18, There are multiple genocides in the New Testament (encompasses Revelation)
Acts 8:1-2, Acts 9- There is persecution in the New Testament
Job 1:21- God gives and takes away
Genesis 6:6, Ezekiel 6:9, God’s heart grieves
Matthew 9:35-37, John 11:11-44, John 12:27, John 16- Jesus grieved
Ephesians 4:30- Holy Spirit grieves
Genesis 1:27-We are made in God’s im -
Episode 169 :: Nikki Anders :: Stories of The Journey to Bethlehem
I am so excited to share with you a really special conversation with the incredibly talented Renaissance woman Nikki Anders. Nikki is an award-winning musician, songwriter, and music producer in the TV and film industry. She shares some of her experiences in the music industry as a solo artist and member of the music group Avalon, her and her husband Adam’s time working on “Glee” as well as many other films, and now are the creative team behind the new movie musical “The Journey to Bethlehem.”
Nikki shares how the Lord closed and opened so many doors over the last seventeen years from an idea about a Christmas movie the whole family could enjoy and focus on the true story of Christmas, all the way to bringing the music, script, and spectacular vision on their hearts to fruition. Placing themselves in the shoes of the real people who lived the days of Jesus’ coming into the world was a practice of holy imagination and allowing themselves to wonder how God wove this story together. The Christmas story is sometimes too familiar to those who have grown up hearing it. This movie and its music breathes so much life into the incredible true story of the God who loved us so much, He sent His Son as a baby, to a very real family, who faced very real risks, because we needed a Savior.
Ever since I had this conversation with Nikki, the music has brought up some really amazing conversation opportunities and questions from my two kids, and I already can tell our experience of Christmas and Advent this year will be different because of this movie, the music, and the way it has ignited the curiosity and imagination of my children.
This world is weary and longs and groans to be restored. A Savior has come and made redemption and salvation available to all who call on Him. And I hope that wherever you are, I can whisper some hope to your heart today. You matter, friend. And your story matters.
Connecting with Nikki:
Anders Media
Adam’s Instagram
“Journey to Bethlehem”’s Instagram
“Journey to Bethlehem” soundtrack
Nikki’s Instagram
Twitter/ X
Episode Sponsor: Tony Crabtree of Crabtree Homes with Exit Realty
Facebook
Instagram
Tik Tok
Website
YouTube
Please consider joining our Patreon community. If you have enjoyed what you have heard on the podcast today or from other episodes, we would so appreciate your support to keep the Simply Stories Podcast going. You can sign up for as little as $3 a month and each tier offers gifts that I hope will bless you in return. If you feel you cannot financially commit at this time, would you please consider leaving us a star rating and/or review on Apple Podcasts? My family and I are so grateful for each of you and how you are part of our story.
Scripture References:
Ephesians 4:1- Following the call of God
Matthew 13:1-9- Scattering seed living as God wants you to live
1 Corinthians 10:31- Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God
Daniel 1- Daniel and the exile in the Palace of Babylon
Daniel 3- Shadrach, Meshach and Abendengo’s God
Matthew 1-2, Luke 1-2- Mary, Joseph, and the Christmas story that is in the pages of scripture
Luke 1:26-56 - Mary and an angel appeared to her
Matthew 2:16- The massacre of the innocents
1 John 1:7 (among others!)Jesus covers us with His blood
Matthew 6:13- Thine is the Kingdom
Ecclesiastes 1:9- There is nothing new under the sun
Luke 1:20-25, Luke 1:57-80- Zechariah couldn’t speak
Isaiah 14:27-Nothing can stop the Lord
Luke 1:37- Nothing will be impossible with God
Matthew 2- The wise men
Matthew 2:7-9-Conversations between the wise men and Herod
Ephesians 6:10-18-We are armed with the Armor of God
James 1:2-4- consider it all joy when you endure trials
Ephesians 6:12- We are not at war with flesh and blood
Hebrews 9:28 (and many others)- He’s coming again
References:
Adam Anders