As we step into the season of Thanksgiving and Christmas, we’re surrounded by opportunities for joy — yet many of us still feel like something is missing. In this message, we’re reminded that the joy we need isn’t found in holidays, possessions, or perfect circumstances. Paul’s call to “always be full of joy in the Lord” (Philippians 4:4) may seem unrealistic — until we realize that true joy is not about what happens around us, but what’s happening within us through the Holy Spirit. Christian joy is deep and beautiful. But in order to really discover the Joy we need we must define it to understand it. Let’s use this definition of joy for the next couple of weeks.

Christian joy is a good feeling in the soul, produced by the Holy Spirit, and expressed through our life, as He causes us to see the beauty of Christ in and around the world.

Trust doesn’t happen instantly—it’s something that develops over time as we experience God’s faithfulness. From the Israelites’ journey in Exodus, we learn that God doesn’t just want to deliver us; He wants to teach us to trust Him in every step—through His direction, provision, and presence. This study invites us to reflect on how God has revealed His character and proven Himself trustworthy, even when life doesn’t make sense. Just like Israel, we are invited to trust Him not only in our words but in our choices, our perspective, and our daily obedience.

Hello and welcome to The Dwelling Place, a Bridge Church Podcast with Pastor Kristine.

Hello and welcome to the Dwelling Place, a podcast where we reflect on the beauty of our Savior and build relationships with our fellow sisters. I pray this space is sacred for you, and that you can enter into God's presence in peace and love through discussion and encouragement!

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Trust doesn’t happen instantly—it’s something that develops over time as we experience God’s faithfulness. From the Israelites’ journey in Exodus, we learn that God doesn’t just want to deliver us; He wants to teach us to trust Him in every step—through His direction, provision, and presence. This study invites us to reflect on how God has revealed His character and proven Himself trustworthy, even when life doesn’t make sense. Just like Israel, we are invited to trust Him not only in our words but in our choices, our perspective, and our daily obedience.

When God is leading us into a new level of knowing and experiencing him, one of the tools he will often use is a crisis of belief. Whether that crisis is caused by an unexpected job loss, a blind-sided relationship breakup, a devastating medical diagnosis, a financial setback, the loss of a loved one, loss of a home or some other overwhelming situation for which we feel totally caught off guard, that crisis can disguise the fact that there is a miracle wrapped inside of it. This is part of the journey of a growing faith.

So is it any wonder that as God led the nation of Israel from slavery in Egypt to freedom that he would use crisis after crisis to grow their faith along the way? You will discover that this has a direct connection to every follower of Jesus since a crisis of belief and the development of our faith go hand-in-hand.

The story of Exodus reminds us that God’s people had been enslaved in Egypt for over 400 years, yet God’s power and faithfulness brought them freedom. The miracles along the way weren’t just temporary solutions; they were markers of God’s ability to redeem and restore any story. God instructed His people to remember what He had done and to reveal it to future generations so that faith would continue.

Our lives today are no different. Each of us carries stories of God’s faithfulness —moments where He provided, redeemed, and restored. These memories are powerful for our own faith, but they also become testimonies that strengthen others when we share them. When we choose to both remember and reveal what God has done, we pass on faith to the next generation and give glory to the One who made it possible.

This week, Pastor Mark Alt continued our journey through the book of Exodus. In this week's episode, he highlights the reality of God's plan and how, in every situation, He is always at work.

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