In this episode, Alan Huth discusses the challenges many face when it comes to consistent Bible engagement. Despite the busy lives we lead, there's an important discussion on carving out time for spiritual growth. Alan shares valuable insights from the American Bible Society's State of the Bible report and explains how adopting disciplined Bible reading methods can impact one's spiritual life. Whether you are a morning or night person, Alan emphasizes the importance of finding a time that works for you and sticking to a plan. Explore the resources offered by the Ezra Project and begin a transformative journey through God's word this year.
Well, hey, it's Mike Triem with Alan Huth. Alan's the president of the Ezra Project and AdBible. AdBible's heard numerous times on KLTT and KLDC. And what I would encourage you to do is to go ahead and go to the website, 670KLTT.com. You'll get all those times. Alan, we're getting into the new year. By the time people hear this, we're probably in the new year. What are some of the excuses that people use, we use, for not getting in the Bible?
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, Mike, thank you for having me again, and I don't know how many years we've done this in a row now, and we shouldn't have to anymore. I know. Because we're talking to Christians on your stations, primarily, and maybe some others, but you'd think that Christians would be in the habit of Bible reading. And I think when Barna Research does their research, they say Bible engagement is like once maybe a month or something, which is amazing to me. So people in the Ezra Project, our whole purpose is to connect God's people to God's word. And we've been doing it now for over 23 years. I want to be out of business. I don't want to have to encourage Christians to ever read their Bibles again. I think it should just be a habit like many other daily habits.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah. I've heard... Don't have enough time. That's probably number one if we did the list, right? Don't have enough time. Too busy. You know, I do an online devotional. Not the worst. You know, Ad Bible, we kind of have that online component, but it's specifically designed to be a devotional, so that's different. Just a lot of people have a lot of different reasons, right?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, you're right. The number one is I don't have time, which... If we say as Christians that God is the most important part of our life, and then we say we don't have time to be with him with this word, it just doesn't make sense to me. So it's one, I don't have time. Two, I don't understand it. And three, it doesn't apply to my life. It's an old dusty book for years gone by. Well, I've not experienced any of those things in my own life. I started reading my Bible when I was 15 years old after a tragic car accident. And I'd say I probably have read the Bible 99 percent of the days since I was 15 years old.
SPEAKER 01 :
Wow. Wow. And do you think the one on the end that you talked about, the Bible doesn't relate to my life anymore or never did? You know, some people probably never did. Do you think that's because they haven't really delved into the Bible? Ad Bible is such a convenient way. You know, it's not just about convenience for us. You know, we want to be faithful to God's word. And we are with Ad Bible. But still, you know, once you get into it, you start to realize, oh, OK, that does apply. Oh, and that does apply. Oh, that one, that does apply.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, I can't remember who said this, but it said something like, it's not what I don't understand in the Bible that bothers me, it's what I do understand that bothers me. So, you know, yes, the Bible is, it's not convicting, it's loving. But there's a lot of sin that we all deal with, and the Lord deals with sin throughout the Bible. So my encouragement for all of us in 2025 is to make a New Year's resolution. And I know most people have quit those things. So I think you make one that you can do, like gain 15 pounds in 2025. That's one you can do, right? Instead of lose weight. But on the spiritual side, it's amazing to me. We can just have a spiritual New Year's resolution. And that would be read my Bible each day in 2025. And why is that harder than other daily habits like brushing your teeth or combing your hair or eating or checking your email or texting? We do many things every day. We don't even think about. That's good. And the Bible reading should be the same. It should be not something I have to schedule, not something you have to fit in. It should be just something you do every day because the Lord is the most important part of our lives. And he will be there every day. That's another thing that amazes me. If you meet with him, he'll meet with you every day. He's not too busy. He always has time through his word to meet with us.
SPEAKER 01 :
Alan, we're speaking with Alan Huth, president of the Ezra Project and the voice that you hear most of at Bible programs on our stations, specifically 670 KLTT and KLDC, 1220 AM. And Alan, talk to us about How to do that? Is that having the same time each day? Is morning better than night? What do you find works for people?
SPEAKER 02 :
You know, there's studies, Mike, every year. This one is American Bible Society's State of the Bible 2024, which, of course, now was last year. But They say this, spiritual vitality is linked with disciplined Bible reading methods. And here's the quote. So if you're looking to grow up spiritually, perhaps it would help to get a Bible study app. And that will prompt you each day or to start reading full chapters rather than select verses. And then here's the key to what you just asked me. According to the report, Bible engagement success consists of four things, using a commentary or a study guide, because we sometimes have trouble understanding it. Okay, get some help. Secondly, do it the same time each day. Third, follow a schedule or a plan. And fourth, reading one or more chapters, not just a few verses. So that's the success formula from the State of the Bible report in 2024. So if you struggle, think about those four things. Get a study guide or a commentary, and you can do that through the Ezra Project with AdBible or our Day by Day through the Bible series. And by the way, I just saw somebody recently who bought the whole series. It covers all the books of the Bible, Day by Day through the Bible, all 66 books, 11 books that we have that does that. This guy said, I've read the Bible many times in my life and never understood it. But with the day-by-day books, he said, I'm getting revelation knowledge that I've never had before in reading the Bible. Why do you think that is? Well, just because I think sometimes people need some help. They need some insight. Yeah. And I've read the Bible so long, and I've journaled, and I just share my journal insights, and then I think it triggers their thoughts. So one, get a commentary. Yes, do it at the same time every day. When I started, I read at night when I was a teenager, but I moved to first fruits. I do it in the morning. Some of us are morning people. Some of us are night people. So pick the time, but be consistent. Don't just try to fit it in during your day, or you won't get it done. And then third, follow a schedule or a plan. Well, we're offering a plan, the Ezra Project. You can find it at EzraProject.net. You'll hear it on the radio here on this station. And we're going to start January 1 with the writings. of the historical books. We're going to start with Job, chapter 1 on January 1. We're going to do Job, then we're going to do Ruth, then 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles. You can say, oh, no, those are boring books. I'll never get through them. You will get through them with the Ad Bible program on the radio or by the day-by-day book series. Then we're going to go to the New Testament in 2025 with the readings the writings of Mark, Peter, James, Jude, and Hebrews. Then in the summer or later, we're going to go to the writings of the minor prophets, cover all the minor prophets, and finish the year with the writings of Paul. Now that sounds amazing. That's all going to be on the radio station. Every day, if you stay with us every day or you do it through a day-by-day through the Bible book, you're going to read 44 of the 66 books this year.
SPEAKER 01 :
That's amazing for most Christians. That's huge progress, right? And that's just, to be very clear, that's only 12 to 14 minutes a day for AdBible. And then... Do the day-by-day study, which I would encourage people to do because I think you just get different revelation. You get different thoughts, different spurs, different things by having the written plus the audio, both.
SPEAKER 02 :
Right. If you're an audio learner, you're going to like it on the radio. But if you like it in writing, get the day-by-day book. Get the historical. Go to the Ezra Project, ezraproject.net. Order the book. It's on sale right now. So you can start, and then you can get the other books. The whole set is on sale right now because it's what we're going to do through 2025. And there's places to write your own thoughts in those books. They're elaborate journals. Right. So you can get something out of it, and all of these, whether it's by writing or by AdBible, We have an application. Almost every broadcast, we have an application. How does this apply to your life? So we can solve all these problems this year by using an Ezra Project resource because that's our mission, Mike. That's all we've ever done is try to connect God's people to God's Word and make resources that do that easily.
SPEAKER 01 :
Super different than a ministry that has so many other things going on, or even a church. You know, respectfully... You're invested in one thing. Your whole team is, your whole staff, the website, the radio program, everything is invested in reading God's Word and making that part of your life.
SPEAKER 02 :
Amen. Because I believe it's the number one issue facing a Christian. It's the challenge. And why is it the challenge? Because if Satan had a game plan for 2025, his game plan would be keep Christians out of the Bible. and out of church and he does pretty good at that yeah think about you the listener how often do you avoid or miss your daily bible reading because you got too busy or because something happened or because something went on and it doesn't matter if you skip a day those are all excuses from the enemy you know i know we're all better off when we're in the word of god daily and I mean, it touches my life. It's changed my life over all these years. I can't imagine what my life would have been like without daily Bible reading.
SPEAKER 01 :
Protecting that time. Isn't that part of what we're talking about is making sure that no matter what, you protect that time. Even if you're on the road, you're with family, you're on vacation, you can find time. If you really want to, you can find time.
SPEAKER 02 :
You can, and you find time for all the priorities of your life. And this hopefully is a priority for Christians. And yet we just came out of Christmas season, and you know, you're listening, the audience is listening and saying, What goes away in the busyness of the Christmas season, summer, holidays, is Bible reading. People get too busy and they set aside the most important thing, even in a Christian holiday like Christmas, you set aside Bible reading. So I just hope that you'll join us with Read with Ezra in 2025. The historical books, the writings of some New Testament authors, the minor prophets, all of the minor prophets, and all of the writings of Paul. 44 books out of the 66 complete this year if you just stay with us with the Ezra Project and on those radio programs here.
SPEAKER 01 :
It's Ezra, E-Z-R-A project dot net. Right. Right. For the Web site. Easy to find. Go to your respective stations Web site. And we have on all of our Crawford stations, we have ad Bible on the Web site. Easy to find in their numerous places. We're giving you multiple times per day, especially during the week and weekend to be able to listen. And don't forget. Weekend, fresh programs. That means Saturday and Sunday, we're continuing your journey through the Bible. So make sure and take the time to find where Ezra Project is on your station Saturday and Sunday and listen.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, and again, it's only 10 to 15 minutes a day. Whether you listen on the radio, listen to AdBible, or get a day-by-day through the Bible book. Now, I enhance that myself with prayer and other applications of things. But if you can just spare 10 to 15 minutes a day, actually 30 minutes a day with the Lord is only 2% of your 24-hour day. Can you give God 2% of the day he gives you every day? And you'll be encouraged.
SPEAKER 01 :
You won't have that dry feeling. You'll have God's word feeding you every day. And that's just a different deal, isn't it, in your life?
SPEAKER 02 :
You know, I mentioned that guy. He lives up in the mountains. He bought the series. I saw him and he is just he's excited. He's more excited than he's ever been because he's reading the Bible and getting something out of it. And that's what we want in 2025. We do.
SPEAKER 01 :
We want our listeners, all of them, to have that feeling. Again, go to your station's website, your Crawford station. It'll have all the AdBible airings and it'll have replays of all the AdBible programs. So if you miss a piece of AdBible, don't sweat it. Just go to the station website for the replay page or some of the stations say podcasts and you'll have all of it there. Alan Huth, president of the Ezra Project and the speaker on AdBible. Thanks for joining us.
SPEAKER 02 :
Thanks, Mike. Thanks for having me again. Happy New Year.
In this episode, Alan Huth discusses the challenges many face when it comes to consistent Bible engagement. Despite the busy lives we lead, there's an important discussion on carving out time for spiritual growth. Alan shares valuable insights from the American Bible Society's State of the Bible report and explains how adopting disciplined Bible reading methods can impact one's spiritual life. Whether you are a morning or night person, Alan emphasizes the importance of finding a time that works for you and sticking to a plan. Explore the resources offered by the Ezra Project and begin a transformative journey through God's word this year.
Well, hey, it's Mike Triem with Alan Huth. Alan's the president of the Ezra Project and AdBible. AdBible's heard numerous times on KLTT and KLDC. And what I would encourage you to do is to go ahead and go to the website, 670KLTT.com. You'll get all those times. Alan, we're getting into the new year. By the time people hear this, we're probably in the new year. What are some of the excuses that people use, we use, for not getting in the Bible?
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, Mike, thank you for having me again, and I don't know how many years we've done this in a row now, and we shouldn't have to anymore. I know. Because we're talking to Christians on your stations, primarily, and maybe some others, but you'd think that Christians would be in the habit of Bible reading. And I think when Barna Research does their research, they say Bible engagement is like once maybe a month or something, which is amazing to me. So people in the Ezra Project, our whole purpose is to connect God's people to God's word. And we've been doing it now for over 23 years. I want to be out of business. I don't want to have to encourage Christians to ever read their Bibles again. I think it should just be a habit like many other daily habits.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah. I've heard... Don't have enough time. That's probably number one if we did the list, right? Don't have enough time. Too busy. You know, I do an online devotional. Not the worst. You know, Ad Bible, we kind of have that online component, but it's specifically designed to be a devotional, so that's different. Just a lot of people have a lot of different reasons, right?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, you're right. The number one is I don't have time, which... If we say as Christians that God is the most important part of our life, and then we say we don't have time to be with him with this word, it just doesn't make sense to me. So it's one, I don't have time. Two, I don't understand it. And three, it doesn't apply to my life. It's an old dusty book for years gone by. Well, I've not experienced any of those things in my own life. I started reading my Bible when I was 15 years old after a tragic car accident. And I'd say I probably have read the Bible 99 percent of the days since I was 15 years old.
SPEAKER 01 :
Wow. Wow. And do you think the one on the end that you talked about, the Bible doesn't relate to my life anymore or never did? You know, some people probably never did. Do you think that's because they haven't really delved into the Bible? Ad Bible is such a convenient way. You know, it's not just about convenience for us. You know, we want to be faithful to God's word. And we are with Ad Bible. But still, you know, once you get into it, you start to realize, oh, OK, that does apply. Oh, and that does apply. Oh, that one, that does apply.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, I can't remember who said this, but it said something like, it's not what I don't understand in the Bible that bothers me, it's what I do understand that bothers me. So, you know, yes, the Bible is, it's not convicting, it's loving. But there's a lot of sin that we all deal with, and the Lord deals with sin throughout the Bible. So my encouragement for all of us in 2025 is to make a New Year's resolution. And I know most people have quit those things. So I think you make one that you can do, like gain 15 pounds in 2025. That's one you can do, right? Instead of lose weight. But on the spiritual side, it's amazing to me. We can just have a spiritual New Year's resolution. And that would be read my Bible each day in 2025. And why is that harder than other daily habits like brushing your teeth or combing your hair or eating or checking your email or texting? We do many things every day. We don't even think about. That's good. And the Bible reading should be the same. It should be not something I have to schedule, not something you have to fit in. It should be just something you do every day because the Lord is the most important part of our lives. And he will be there every day. That's another thing that amazes me. If you meet with him, he'll meet with you every day. He's not too busy. He always has time through his word to meet with us.
SPEAKER 01 :
Alan, we're speaking with Alan Huth, president of the Ezra Project and the voice that you hear most of at Bible programs on our stations, specifically 670 KLTT and KLDC, 1220 AM. And Alan, talk to us about How to do that? Is that having the same time each day? Is morning better than night? What do you find works for people?
SPEAKER 02 :
You know, there's studies, Mike, every year. This one is American Bible Society's State of the Bible 2024, which, of course, now was last year. But They say this, spiritual vitality is linked with disciplined Bible reading methods. And here's the quote. So if you're looking to grow up spiritually, perhaps it would help to get a Bible study app. And that will prompt you each day or to start reading full chapters rather than select verses. And then here's the key to what you just asked me. According to the report, Bible engagement success consists of four things, using a commentary or a study guide, because we sometimes have trouble understanding it. Okay, get some help. Secondly, do it the same time each day. Third, follow a schedule or a plan. And fourth, reading one or more chapters, not just a few verses. So that's the success formula from the State of the Bible report in 2024. So if you struggle, think about those four things. Get a study guide or a commentary, and you can do that through the Ezra Project with AdBible or our Day by Day through the Bible series. And by the way, I just saw somebody recently who bought the whole series. It covers all the books of the Bible, Day by Day through the Bible, all 66 books, 11 books that we have that does that. This guy said, I've read the Bible many times in my life and never understood it. But with the day-by-day books, he said, I'm getting revelation knowledge that I've never had before in reading the Bible. Why do you think that is? Well, just because I think sometimes people need some help. They need some insight. Yeah. And I've read the Bible so long, and I've journaled, and I just share my journal insights, and then I think it triggers their thoughts. So one, get a commentary. Yes, do it at the same time every day. When I started, I read at night when I was a teenager, but I moved to first fruits. I do it in the morning. Some of us are morning people. Some of us are night people. So pick the time, but be consistent. Don't just try to fit it in during your day, or you won't get it done. And then third, follow a schedule or a plan. Well, we're offering a plan, the Ezra Project. You can find it at EzraProject.net. You'll hear it on the radio here on this station. And we're going to start January 1 with the writings. of the historical books. We're going to start with Job, chapter 1 on January 1. We're going to do Job, then we're going to do Ruth, then 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles. You can say, oh, no, those are boring books. I'll never get through them. You will get through them with the Ad Bible program on the radio or by the day-by-day book series. Then we're going to go to the New Testament in 2025 with the readings the writings of Mark, Peter, James, Jude, and Hebrews. Then in the summer or later, we're going to go to the writings of the minor prophets, cover all the minor prophets, and finish the year with the writings of Paul. Now that sounds amazing. That's all going to be on the radio station. Every day, if you stay with us every day or you do it through a day-by-day through the Bible book, you're going to read 44 of the 66 books this year.
SPEAKER 01 :
That's amazing for most Christians. That's huge progress, right? And that's just, to be very clear, that's only 12 to 14 minutes a day for AdBible. And then... Do the day-by-day study, which I would encourage people to do because I think you just get different revelation. You get different thoughts, different spurs, different things by having the written plus the audio, both.
SPEAKER 02 :
Right. If you're an audio learner, you're going to like it on the radio. But if you like it in writing, get the day-by-day book. Get the historical. Go to the Ezra Project, ezraproject.net. Order the book. It's on sale right now. So you can start, and then you can get the other books. The whole set is on sale right now because it's what we're going to do through 2025. And there's places to write your own thoughts in those books. They're elaborate journals. Right. So you can get something out of it, and all of these, whether it's by writing or by AdBible, We have an application. Almost every broadcast, we have an application. How does this apply to your life? So we can solve all these problems this year by using an Ezra Project resource because that's our mission, Mike. That's all we've ever done is try to connect God's people to God's Word and make resources that do that easily.
SPEAKER 01 :
Super different than a ministry that has so many other things going on, or even a church. You know, respectfully... You're invested in one thing. Your whole team is, your whole staff, the website, the radio program, everything is invested in reading God's Word and making that part of your life.
SPEAKER 02 :
Amen. Because I believe it's the number one issue facing a Christian. It's the challenge. And why is it the challenge? Because if Satan had a game plan for 2025, his game plan would be keep Christians out of the Bible. and out of church and he does pretty good at that yeah think about you the listener how often do you avoid or miss your daily bible reading because you got too busy or because something happened or because something went on and it doesn't matter if you skip a day those are all excuses from the enemy you know i know we're all better off when we're in the word of god daily and I mean, it touches my life. It's changed my life over all these years. I can't imagine what my life would have been like without daily Bible reading.
SPEAKER 01 :
Protecting that time. Isn't that part of what we're talking about is making sure that no matter what, you protect that time. Even if you're on the road, you're with family, you're on vacation, you can find time. If you really want to, you can find time.
SPEAKER 02 :
You can, and you find time for all the priorities of your life. And this hopefully is a priority for Christians. And yet we just came out of Christmas season, and you know, you're listening, the audience is listening and saying, What goes away in the busyness of the Christmas season, summer, holidays, is Bible reading. People get too busy and they set aside the most important thing, even in a Christian holiday like Christmas, you set aside Bible reading. So I just hope that you'll join us with Read with Ezra in 2025. The historical books, the writings of some New Testament authors, the minor prophets, all of the minor prophets, and all of the writings of Paul. 44 books out of the 66 complete this year if you just stay with us with the Ezra Project and on those radio programs here.
SPEAKER 01 :
It's Ezra, E-Z-R-A project dot net. Right. Right. For the Web site. Easy to find. Go to your respective stations Web site. And we have on all of our Crawford stations, we have ad Bible on the Web site. Easy to find in their numerous places. We're giving you multiple times per day, especially during the week and weekend to be able to listen. And don't forget. Weekend, fresh programs. That means Saturday and Sunday, we're continuing your journey through the Bible. So make sure and take the time to find where Ezra Project is on your station Saturday and Sunday and listen.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, and again, it's only 10 to 15 minutes a day. Whether you listen on the radio, listen to AdBible, or get a day-by-day through the Bible book. Now, I enhance that myself with prayer and other applications of things. But if you can just spare 10 to 15 minutes a day, actually 30 minutes a day with the Lord is only 2% of your 24-hour day. Can you give God 2% of the day he gives you every day? And you'll be encouraged.
SPEAKER 01 :
You won't have that dry feeling. You'll have God's word feeding you every day. And that's just a different deal, isn't it, in your life?
SPEAKER 02 :
You know, I mentioned that guy. He lives up in the mountains. He bought the series. I saw him and he is just he's excited. He's more excited than he's ever been because he's reading the Bible and getting something out of it. And that's what we want in 2025. We do.
SPEAKER 01 :
We want our listeners, all of them, to have that feeling. Again, go to your station's website, your Crawford station. It'll have all the AdBible airings and it'll have replays of all the AdBible programs. So if you miss a piece of AdBible, don't sweat it. Just go to the station website for the replay page or some of the stations say podcasts and you'll have all of it there. Alan Huth, president of the Ezra Project and the speaker on AdBible. Thanks for joining us.
SPEAKER 02 :
Thanks, Mike. Thanks for having me again. Happy New Year.
As the joyous holiday season unfolds, the shadow of holiday blues might linger for many, unknown to others. In this insightful episode, Liz Renzel converses with Kenza Haddock who reveals expert tips on navigating emotional turbulence during the holidays. Learn how to safeguard your peace by setting boundaries, sticking to essential routines, and harnessing positivity through affirmations and faith. Discover the profound impact these practices can have, allowing you to enjoy the festive season with less stress and more joy.
This is Liz Renzel with Crawford Media Group, and today our guest is Kenza Haddock, who is a sought-after certified clinical trauma provider, national certified counselor, certified grief counselor, guest speaker at churches and conferences, and author of several books. We'll be talking about how the holidays can bring on the holiday blues and how to overcome it. Welcome to our program, Kenza. Thank you so much for having me. Kenza, tell us why the holidays can be so difficult and why they call it the holiday blues.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes. So the term usually skyrockets between the months of November and January. And those months are known where people start experiencing higher levels of depression and anxiety. That's where the term came from, holiday blues. And that's because during the holiday season, we were experiencing an exuberant amount of stress. We're out of our routine. We are, you know, going, I mean, just going from Thanksgiving to Christmas. And we're just running, running, running. We don't often take the time to just rest. And that's where the holiday brews came from.
SPEAKER 01 :
So could it also be, and I know for some people it can be hard because maybe they've lost a loved one. And so maybe celebrating doesn't seem right or even good to them.
SPEAKER 02 :
Oh, absolutely. That's a big component in it. And it's not isolated to people who are going through the first year or second year of not having that loved one. It's also people who are estranged from their family or people who are going through conflicts, current conflicts with family members. You wouldn't believe how many people I counsel on who are experiencing it we call it complicated grief because it's not grief that's related to someone who has passed away but more so someone they're in conflict with so so many factors can lead into holiday blues for sure so what are some things that you um tell your clients yeah to help with the holiday blues i would say number one liz and i know this is easier said than done but maintain a routine and when i say routine i i somewhat use it loosely because i understand that the holidays bring their own slew of hectic schedules from you know children being off school if your parents are having to get out of town to visit family or host family which that in itself brings its own type of stress and so what happens is when we're going going going we lose track of our day-to-day routine and we're creatures of habit whether we we want to uh we want to recognize that or not. And so you have to promise yourself that regardless of what's going on throughout the holidays, if, for example, you and your spouse have date nights on Thursdays, stick to those date nights as best as you can. If you miss a Thursday, that's fine. Get back on track next week. And so make sure you're not switching up so many things in your routine because when you do that, it increases a chemical in your brain called cortisol. And the more that chemical increases in your brain, the more you're going to feel stressed out and weak in your immune system. And so one example I give people, Liz, is my anchor, and this is not to sound holier than thou or anything, but I know that there are times when I have so many balls juggling in the air that the only thing I can hold on to is my time with the Lord. And sometimes that may be in the morning, sometimes that may be at night. And so I know that at least once a day I'm going to spend time with God. That gives me almost that anchor to know, okay, this thing at least is not going to change. And so we need to hold on to that.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah, that's so important. You know, the maintaining a routine. So I know a lot of people take time off for, you know, whether it between between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and that could be restful, in one sense. But also, I agree with what you're saying, it could throw you off of what the your routine that you've been doing.
SPEAKER 02 :
Oh, yes, and it creates a domino effect. It's not like you're missing bedtime three, four times in one week that's going to throw you completely off. You're missing bedtime. You're not going to work as regular. Your kids are out of school. It's a bunch of things at one time that throw you into a domino effect, and that increases cortisol, that chemical in your brain. And so I tell people, If you can stick to one thing, if you can choose one thing to stick to, that should be your time with God. Because you know what? Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and forever. And He will be your anchor throughout the holidays, for sure. And that's one. Number two, and I'll say this with as much love as I can, you have to set healthy boundaries. So many people... I know, say yes impulsively and sign up for extra activities, extra service opportunities out of guilt when their plate is already overflowing.
SPEAKER 01 :
Exactly.
SPEAKER 02 :
And so, listen, before even Christmas hits, promise yourself that you're only going to engage in like, let's say, two or three activities this way. you're not going to feel guilty when you say yes to those two or three. But after that, you can say, you know what, as much as I would love to, my time won't allow me to. You can say that.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah, so good. And what does a boundary look like besides saying yes or no? I know you deal with a lot of boundary issues, but not just saying yes or no to something, but even you talked about earlier, there could be conflict. What could be a healthy boundary if you are getting together with family members or friends and there is a conflict? What are some boundaries you would suggest for that?
SPEAKER 02 :
You know, as you're asking that question, a situation came to mind where, you know, I've had people who, like, they experience conflict, host and extended family members at their house, for example. Like, if that's going to create extra conflict between you and your spouse, then maybe hosting them is not a good idea. Like, if signing up for extra church activities throughout the year is going to cause you undue stress, then my question to you is, are you trying to carry a load that Jesus didn't ask you to carry? And so you want to answer that. And also, there's also emotional boundaries that you have to set. The Bible tells us to guard our hearts in Proverbs 4.23. And so if Aunt Sue, for example, every time you see her, she's asking you why you still haven't had kids when you clearly are struggling with infertility, you have to make sure to answer Aunt Sue in a way that is kind but also firm. And you can say, hey, I understand this topic is important to you, but... This is an uncomfortable situation that I'm dealing with, and I would rather you not ask that anymore. I'll let you know if we choose to have a family. So we have to be firm.
SPEAKER 01 :
What if there are people that typically come over, you know, that you do host, and there's no conflict between you and your husband, but there could be a conflict or a little static between the people who are coming, you know, you and the person who's coming. How do you deal with that?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, so the question I would ask is, Is it worth it to you emotionally? Because you have to look at yourself as a bank account. And I'm not saying you have to close yourself off of every conflict. No. But you want to look at yourself as a bank account. People who speak life into you are making deposits. People who drain the life out of you and make backhanded comments are making withdrawals. So think about that night. If you feel, and I love that question, Liz, because you wouldn't believe how many people are experiencing panic attacks weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, weeks leading up to Christmas dinner because they know that the people they're hosting are going to make those backhanded comments or bring up topics that they don't feel comfortable about. And so, I mean, you can love them. You don't have to bring people into your home who are harnessing your character or making you feel uncomfortable. You really don't.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah, so good because I think so many people, they struggle with that. And it makes for a very hard holiday when the holidays are supposed to be joyful.
SPEAKER 02 :
Absolutely. I mean, they take away – when we're hosting people, even if it's for a night, who are going to cause us so much grief that we're going to stew on it for weeks prior into weeks after, I mean – At this point, we're not making the holidays about Jesus anymore. And so, absolutely, yeah.
SPEAKER 01 :
So you have a third one, and it's watching your inner monologue. What do you mean by that?
SPEAKER 02 :
We talk to ourselves more than we talk to anyone. That's the truth. I mean, like, whether we acknowledge it or not.
SPEAKER 01 :
And those conversations could be pretty dicey.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes. You know, in times of stress, when we're trying to get things done and things aren't going our way, it can be so easy for us to go down a spiral and turn our negativity inward, just like we would guard our hearts against anyone who would be emotionally toxic. Like we talked about in number two, right, in step two, it's important to pay close attention and watch how we speak to ourselves and ask ourselves, am I... being the devil's mouthpiece to myself. So good. Because, I mean, Emma is the enemy using me to put myself down. And I found that so often, especially around the holidays or after the holidays, when we've gathered around family members or maybe exchanged a few hurtful words, like we just – do on it for a long time and we just internalize it. So you have to make sure that you watch how you're talking to yourself and guard your mouth against yourself. Because, I mean, life is found in our tongue, life or death, really. So we have to make sure we're speaking life over ourselves.
SPEAKER 01 :
So what are some practical tools or a quick fix to switch that monologue?
SPEAKER 02 :
We have to cast down every thought, and I know when it starts it seems overwhelming, but you know when you're going down a spiral. For example, I'm cooking a turkey and ham and all that, and I feel like my house is not clean enough. So I'm just using like real life examples here. I'm going to start thinking, oh, goodness, these people are going to come over and think I'm a loser. I'm not a good wife. I'm not a good mom. If my kids misbehave, I'm going to start putting all that on myself. I have to say, stop it. Literally tell yourself out loud, stop it. That is not how God sees me and that is not how God talks about me. And if you want to be on the offensive side, go to your Bible and find three positive things that God says about you and appropriate those over your life when those negative thoughts come. Because that's not just positive affirmations. That's appropriating the Word of God that has the capacity to pierce through soul and marrow and bone and, I mean, soul and spirit, the division of soul and spirit, and uproot the devil's lies that he has spoken over your life. And so make sure to appropriate God's Word over your life. That would be one thing that I'll say. If you don't take anything from all of this, take that and appropriate it.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah, his word is above all words. We are visiting with Kenza Haddock, who is a sought-after certified clinical counselor with expertise in trauma, grief, and depression, and author of several books. And we've been talking about how the holidays can be difficult and how to overcome the holiday blues. Kenza, what one takeaway would you leave our listeners with today?
SPEAKER 02 :
Whether you're feeling isolated or you're going through grief during the holiday season or it seems stressful, I want you to just take a moment and just remember that you have a God who loves you more than anyone could ever love you. And that's truly what this holiday season is about. It's a reminder that he loves you enough to pursue you through Christ and and If that's not love, I don't know what is. So whenever you feel down because of toxic family members or toxic friends or feel isolated or estranged, remember that the God of the universe called you by name and he chose to pursue you and he wants that relationship with you.
SPEAKER 01 :
Where should our listeners go to learn more about your counseling services at Oceanic Counseling? And how can they get through your books?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes, they're welcome to go to Kenzahaddock.com. It's K-E-N-Z-A-H-A-D-D-O-C-K.com. And if they have a mental health question that we haven't covered today that they'd want answered biblically and clinically, I started a new YouTube channel. They're welcome to go on my website, ask it anonymously, and I'll go ahead and answer it in the next couple of weeks.
A discussion with Maggie Scivicque from ARC Thrift about the holidays and things to buy at ARC for the kids, or stuff you would never think of like exercise equipment or golf clubs!
Liz talks with Dr. Mark Mayfield, a former pastor, award-winning author, AACC member, speaker, leadership coach, counselor and professor who has recently released his new book titled, "Loneliness: A Guide to Flourish in Community". Seasonal depression, also known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or the "winter blues," is a subtype of depression or bipolar disorder that occurs during the fall and winter months. Shockingly, about 5% of adults in the U.S. experience SAD and it typically lasts about 40% of the year. Dr. Mayfield's book provides concrete steps toward meaningful connections and encourages participants each step along the way.
Liz talks with Fred Pry, Acting Vice President of Administration for Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF). Child Evangelism Fellowship is an international, nonprofit, Christian ministry that has been dedicated to seeing every child reached with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, discipled and established in a local church since 1937. CEF is located in all 50 American states and in most countries around the world, with over 3,500 paid staff and tens of thousands of volunteers around the world. www.cefonline.com
Liz talks with Joe Beckler, Vice President of Christian Business Men’s Connection (CBMC) – the largest marketplace ministry in the world with local sites all across the country. Men account for over 75% of all suicides. Men are twice as likely to be addicted to drugs and alcohol. 36% of children don’t live with their fathers. And yet, only about 10% of churches have a men's ministry! That is why CBMC equips men to be an ambassador for Christ within the marketplace and their sphere of influence. Encouraging and training men to invest in other men, while surrounding themselves with a trusted team of advisors and accountability is what sets CBMC apart in today’s culture. www.cbmc.com.
Liz and Travis talk with George Whitten, Founder and Director of Worthy Ministries About Christmas in Israel and the true meaning of Christmas; organizations that are bringing light to others and what they are doing and updates on post-election topics. Worthy Ministries is a Christian organization based in the United States and Southern Israel, with a global outreach to more than 120 countries. Each week, Worthy Ministries delivers thousands of daily devotionals and news briefs across the globe. This past year alone, they have sent out more than 5.2 million news briefs and inspirational devotionals. This ministry is a non-profit corporation and depends solely upon individual subscribers and contributors who appreciate the benefits and blessings of our work. Tax-deductible donations can be made at worthyministries.com
Mike Triem and Actor/Producer Daniel Roebuck talk about his career projects in television and movies (Matlock on TV and a number of movies), as well as his new movie: Saint Nick in Bethlehem. Daniel discussed how he approaches activism in Hollywood, and he gave us the website where he crafts his own faith-based projects: www.achannelofpeace.org
