<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/870616/fan_mail/new">Send us a Message</a>Have you ever read Matthew 5 and quietly thought, I can’t do this?Friend… you’re not failing. You may actually be closer to the point than you realize.In this episode, we walk through Matthew 5:21–37 and sit with some of Jesus’ hardest teachings—anger, lust, divorce, honesty, and the places where outward obedience can hide an unchanged heart.At first, Jesus’ words can feel impossible. But what if that’s exactly the invitation?Jesus isn’t asking us to try harder or become better performers. He’s showing us that the life He calls us to cannot be produced apart from Him. He lovingly exposes what lives beneath the surface—not to shame us, but to draw us closer.We also talk about the labels we carry and the labels we place on others. The world teaches us to judge what we can see. Jesus looks deeper—to the heart.And if we’re honest, that’s often where shame tries to move in.Shame whispers: Hide. Pretend. Clean yourself up first. God must be disappointed.But the gospel says something completely different.Jesus is our Great High Priest. His righteousness is not earned—it’s received. We don’t run from God because of our sin; we run toward Him for grace, mercy, and help.We also make this practical through John 15:4–5 and giving God the space to show what it actually looks like to abide with Jesus through the Holy Spirit so fruit begins to grow—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.And because transformation was never meant to happen alone, we encourage you towards brave community and intergenerational discipleship—the kind that reminds us we don’t have to carry our stories or our struggles by ourselves.Listen in, then tell us: What label are you ready to lay down? And how would living as forgiven change the way you see things this week? 🤍And if you want to keep studying, be sure to check out the <a href='https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/70015-so-blessed-jesuss-invitation-to-experience-the-'>So Blessed reading plan </a>and our resources on <a href='https://bravegirlsgather.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com'>Brave Girls Gather</a>Give to<a href='https://givebutter.com/EY3STY'> Brave Girls Gather</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/870616/fan_mail/new"&gt;Send us a Message&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Have you ever read Matthew 5 and quietly thought, &lt;em&gt;I can’t do this&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Friend… you’re not failing. You may actually be closer to the point than you realize.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode, we walk through Matthew 5:21–37 and sit with some of Jesus’ hardest teachings—anger, lust, divorce, honesty, and the places where outward obedience can hide an unchanged heart.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;At first, Jesus’ words can feel impossible. But what if that’s exactly the invitation?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jesus isn’t asking us to try harder or become better performers. He’s showing us that the life He calls us to cannot be produced apart from Him. He lovingly exposes what lives beneath the surface—not to shame us, but to draw us closer.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We also talk about the labels we carry and the labels we place on others. The world teaches us to judge what we can see. Jesus looks deeper—to the heart.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And if we’re honest, that’s often where shame tries to move in.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Shame whispers: &lt;em&gt;Hide. Pretend. Clean yourself up first. God must be disappointed.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But the gospel says something completely different.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jesus is our Great High Priest. His righteousness is not earned—it’s received. We don’t run from God because of our sin; we run toward Him for grace, mercy, and help.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We also make this practical through John 15:4–5 and giving God the space to show what it actually looks like to abide with Jesus through the Holy Spirit so fruit begins to grow—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And because transformation was never meant to happen alone, we encourage you towards brave community and intergenerational discipleship—the kind that reminds us we don’t have to carry our stories or our struggles by ourselves.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Listen in, then tell us: What label are you ready to lay down? And how would living as &lt;em&gt;forgiven&lt;/em&gt; change the way you see things this week? 🤍&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And if you want to keep studying, be sure to check out the &lt;a href='https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/70015-so-blessed-jesuss-invitation-to-experience-the-'&gt;So Blessed reading plan &lt;/a&gt;and our resources on &lt;a href='https://bravegirlsgather.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com'&gt;Brave Girls Gather&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Give to&lt;a href='https://givebutter.com/EY3STY'&gt; Brave Girls Gather&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Send us a Message Have you ever read Matthew 5 and quietly thought, I can’t do this? Friend… you’re not failing. You may actually be closer to the point than you realize. In this episode, we walk through Matthew 5:21–37 and sit with some of Jesus’ hardest teachings—anger, lust, divorce, honesty, and the places where outward obedience can hide an unchanged heart. At first, Jesus’ words can feel impossible. But what if that’s exactly the invitation? Jesus isn’t asking us to try harder or become...

So Blessed EP7: Closer Than You Think

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/870616/fan_mail/new">Send us a Message</a>Obedience can feel like one of those church words that instantly makes your chest tighten. For some of us, it sounds restrictive. For others, it feels like a scoreboard we can never win. And for many of us, it stirs up guilt because deep down, we realize we can’t measure up.In this episode, we sit with that tension and let Jesus speak for Himself through Matthew 5:17–20 in the Sermon on the Mount.When Jesus says He did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it, He reframes our understanding of rules, holiness, and what the truly blessed life looks like. We connect this to the Beatitudes and the beautiful promise that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled—not by striving harder, but by coming to Jesus for what we could never produce on our own.We also walk through a powerful picture of sitting across from Jesus as He explains the cross, reminding us that the gospel was never meant to be a contract we uphold with our own strength. The image of Jesus washing feet makes it clear: receiving His love always comes before offering our effort.Grace first. Love responds. Obedience follows.Not as a payment plan.  Not as performance.  But as fruit.When grace becomes real in our hearts, obedience stops feeling like pressure and starts becoming the natural response of a heart.We close with a guided prayer to release performance and rest in what Jesus has already done, along with a simple dig deeper prompt and quiet time Scriptures from John 14:15 and Matthew 22:36–40.And if you want to keep studying, be sure to check out the <a href='https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/70015-so-blessed-jesuss-invitation-to-experience-the-'>So Blessed reading plan </a>and our resources on <a href='https://bravegirlsgather.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com'>Brave Girls Gather</a>Subscribe, share this episode with a friend, and leave a review so more women can grow closer to Jesus and each other.Give to<a href='https://givebutter.com/EY3STY'> Brave Girls Gather</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/870616/fan_mail/new"&gt;Send us a Message&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Obedience can feel like one of those church words that instantly makes your chest tighten. For some of us, it sounds restrictive. For others, it feels like a scoreboard we can never win. And for many of us, it stirs up guilt because deep down, we realize we can’t measure up.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode, we sit with that tension and let Jesus speak for Himself through Matthew 5:17–20 in the Sermon on the Mount.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When Jesus says He did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it, He reframes our understanding of rules, holiness, and what the truly blessed life looks like. We connect this to the Beatitudes and the beautiful promise that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled—not by striving harder, but by coming to Jesus for what we could never produce on our own.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We also walk through a powerful picture of sitting across from Jesus as He explains the cross, reminding us that the gospel was never meant to be a contract we uphold with our own strength. The image of Jesus washing feet makes it clear: receiving His love always comes before offering our effort.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Grace first. Love responds. Obedience follows.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not as a payment plan.&lt;br/&gt; Not as performance.&lt;br/&gt; But as fruit.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When grace becomes real in our hearts, obedience stops feeling like pressure and starts becoming the natural response of a heart.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We close with a guided prayer to release performance and rest in what Jesus has already done, along with a simple dig deeper prompt and quiet time Scriptures from John 14:15 and Matthew 22:36–40.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And if you want to keep studying, be sure to check out the &lt;a href='https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/70015-so-blessed-jesuss-invitation-to-experience-the-'&gt;So Blessed reading plan &lt;/a&gt;and our resources on &lt;a href='https://bravegirlsgather.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com'&gt;Brave Girls Gather&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Subscribe, share this episode with a friend, and leave a review so more women can grow closer to Jesus and each other.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Give to&lt;a href='https://givebutter.com/EY3STY'&gt; Brave Girls Gather&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Send us a Message Obedience can feel like one of those church words that instantly makes your chest tighten. For some of us, it sounds restrictive. For others, it feels like a scoreboard we can never win. And for many of us, it stirs up guilt because deep down, we realize we can’t measure up. In this episode, we sit with that tension and let Jesus speak for Himself through Matthew 5:17–20 in the Sermon on the Mount. When Jesus says He did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it, He refr...

So Blessed Ep 6: Fulfilled

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/870616/fan_mail/new">Send us a Message</a>We’re back in Matthew 5, walking through the final three Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount—peacemaking, persecution, and what to do when people say false things about you because of Jesus.If you’ve ever tried to do the right thing and still found yourself misunderstood, excluded, or talked about, you are not alone—and you are not failing the Christian life.In this episode, we talk about what biblical peacemaking really looks like. It is not pretending everything is fine or forcing resolution. It looks like listening first, seeking understanding, owning our part quickly, and pursuing reconciliation with humility. It means doing what we can to make peace without trying to control someone else’s response.And sometimes, even when you do all of that, peace is not received.That is where surrender, prayer, and wise counsel matter.We keep coming back to the beauty of intergenerational discipleship because God never intended for us to process conflict, rejection, and confusion alone. Sometimes the wisest thing we can do is bring our situation to a mature believer—someone who can help us see clearly, pray with us, and keep us rooted in both truth and love.Then we sit with Jesus’ words about persecution and being reviled and allow Him to reframe the pain. He does not dismiss the hurt, but He does invite us into a deeper perspective: sometimes rejection for His name is not evidence that something is wrong—it is evidence that we belong to Him.These hard moments can become holy places where the Holy Spirit grows perseverance, discernment, and even joy.We close with a quiet “connect with God” moment and two simple questions to carry into your day:God, what do You want me to know?And what do You want me to do?If this episode encouraged you, share it with a friend, subscribe, and leave a review so more women and girls can grow closer to Jesus and each other. You can find the <a href='https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/70015-so-blessed-jesuss-invitation-to-experience-the-'>So Blessed Bible App reading plan here</a>. Give to<a href='https://givebutter.com/EY3STY'> Brave Girls Gather</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/870616/fan_mail/new"&gt;Send us a Message&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We’re back in Matthew 5, walking through the final three Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount—peacemaking, persecution, and what to do when people say false things about you because of Jesus.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you’ve ever tried to do the right thing and still found yourself misunderstood, excluded, or talked about, you are not alone—and you are not failing the Christian life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode, we talk about what biblical peacemaking really looks like. It is not pretending everything is fine or forcing resolution. It looks like listening first, seeking understanding, owning our part quickly, and pursuing reconciliation with humility. It means doing what we can to make peace without trying to control someone else’s response.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And sometimes, even when you do all of that, peace is not received.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That is where surrender, prayer, and wise counsel matter.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We keep coming back to the beauty of intergenerational discipleship because God never intended for us to process conflict, rejection, and confusion alone. Sometimes the wisest thing we can do is bring our situation to a mature believer—someone who can help us see clearly, pray with us, and keep us rooted in both truth and love.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then we sit with Jesus’ words about persecution and being reviled and allow Him to reframe the pain. He does not dismiss the hurt, but He does invite us into a deeper perspective: sometimes rejection for His name is not evidence that something is wrong—it is evidence that we belong to Him.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;These hard moments can become holy places where the Holy Spirit grows perseverance, discernment, and even joy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We close with a quiet “connect with God” moment and two simple questions to carry into your day:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;God, what do You want me to know?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And what do You want me to do?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If this episode encouraged you, share it with a friend, subscribe, and leave a review so more women and girls can grow closer to Jesus and each other.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can find the &lt;a href='https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/70015-so-blessed-jesuss-invitation-to-experience-the-'&gt;So Blessed Bible App reading plan here&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Give to&lt;a href='https://givebutter.com/EY3STY'&gt; Brave Girls Gather&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Send us a Message We’re back in Matthew 5, walking through the final three Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount—peacemaking, persecution, and what to do when people say false things about you because of Jesus. If you’ve ever tried to do the right thing and still found yourself misunderstood, excluded, or talked about, you are not alone—and you are not failing the Christian life. In this episode, we talk about what biblical peacemaking really looks like. It is not pretending everything is f...

So Blessed EP5: Blessed Identity

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/870616/fan_mail/new">Send us a Message</a>We’re back in Matthew 5, walking through the final three Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount: peacemaking, persecution, and being reviled when people say false things about you because of Jesus. If you’ve ever tried to do the right thing and still been misunderstood, excluded, or talked about, you’re not alone—and you’re not “failing” the Christian life.We talk about what biblical peacemaking really looks like: listening first, aiming for understanding, owning our wrongs quickly, and pursuing reconciliation without trying to force an outcome. We also name the hard reality that sometimes you can do all you can, and the other person still won’t receive peace. That’s where surrender, prayer, and wise counsel matter.We keep coming back to intergenerational discipleship because God never meant for us to process conflict, rejection, and confusion in isolation. Bring your situation to a mature believer who can help you see clearly, pray with you, and stay rooted in truth and love.Then we sit with Jesus’ words about persecution and being reviled and let them reframe the pain. Jesus doesn’t minimize the sting, but He does call us to a deeper view: these moments can mark us as His, and they can become places where the Holy Spirit forms perseverance, discernment, and even joy.We end with a quiet “connect with God” moment and two simple daily questions: God, what do You want me to know? And what do You want me to do?If this encouraged you, subscribe, share it with others, and leave a review so more women and girls can find us.You can find the <a href='https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/70015-so-blessed-jesuss-invitation-to-experience-the-'>So Blessed Bible App reading plan here</a>. Give to<a href='https://givebutter.com/EY3STY'> Brave Girls Gather</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/870616/fan_mail/new"&gt;Send us a Message&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We’re back in Matthew 5, walking through the final three Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount: peacemaking, persecution, and being reviled when people say false things about you because of Jesus. If you’ve ever tried to do the right thing and still been misunderstood, excluded, or talked about, you’re not alone—and you’re not “failing” the Christian life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We talk about what biblical peacemaking really looks like: listening first, aiming for understanding, owning our wrongs quickly, and pursuing reconciliation without trying to force an outcome. We also name the hard reality that sometimes you can do all you can, and the other person still won’t receive peace. That’s where surrender, prayer, and wise counsel matter.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We keep coming back to intergenerational discipleship because God never meant for us to process conflict, rejection, and confusion in isolation. Bring your situation to a mature believer who can help you see clearly, pray with you, and stay rooted in truth and love.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then we sit with Jesus’ words about persecution and being reviled and let them reframe the pain. Jesus doesn’t minimize the sting, but He does call us to a deeper view: these moments can mark us as His, and they can become places where the Holy Spirit forms perseverance, discernment, and even joy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We end with a quiet “connect with God” moment and two simple daily questions: God, what do You want me to know? And what do You want me to do?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If this encouraged you, subscribe, share it with others, and leave a review so more women and girls can find us.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can find the &lt;a href='https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/70015-so-blessed-jesuss-invitation-to-experience-the-'&gt;So Blessed Bible App reading plan here&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Give to&lt;a href='https://givebutter.com/EY3STY'&gt; Brave Girls Gather&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Send us a Message We’re back in Matthew 5, walking through the final three Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount: peacemaking, persecution, and being reviled when people say false things about you because of Jesus. If you’ve ever tried to do the right thing and still been misunderstood, excluded, or talked about, you’re not alone—and you’re not “failing” the Christian life. We talk about what biblical peacemaking really looks like: listening first, aiming for understanding, owning our wrong...

So Blessed: EP4, The Blessed Way

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/870616/fan_mail/new">Send us a Message</a>If you’ve been stuck in the loop of trying harder, doing more, and still wondering whether God is disappointed in you, this conversation offers a different way to breathe. We’re continuing our So Blessed series in Matthew 5, where Jesus invites us into the blessed life through the Beatitudes, not by performance, but by a transformed heart. Our hope is simple: you don’t just walk away with “good information” you experience real change as the Holy Spirit meets you right where you are.  We explore what it means to hunger and thirst for righteousness and why righteousness is best understood as right relationship with God and others. Instead of shaming ourselves when we fall short, we learn to turn toward God with honest prayers that reshape our thoughts, words, and actions. We also unpack mercy as uncommon kindness that tells the truth about sin without denying grace, giving us a healthier way to face our own sin and to see other people through compassion while still calling them higher.  Then we sit with one of the most freeing truths in the Sermon on the Mount: a pure heart is not something we can manufacture. Jesus raises the standard to highlight the good news of the gospel, that we are justified and declared not guilty through his death, burial, and resurrection. We close with a practical heart check you can do today, plus encouragement to build intergenerational relationships by processing with a more mature believer who can point you back to what is true.  If this encouraged you, subscribe, share it with a girl who’s tired of striving, and leave a review so more women and girls can find this Bible study through Matthew 5. You can find the <a href='https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/70015-so-blessed-jesuss-invitation-to-experience-the-'>So Blessed Bible App reading plan here</a>. Give to<a href='https://givebutter.com/EY3STY'> Brave Girls Gather</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/870616/fan_mail/new"&gt;Send us a Message&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you’ve been stuck in the loop of trying harder, doing more, and still wondering whether God is disappointed in you, this conversation offers a different way to breathe. We’re continuing our So Blessed series in Matthew 5, where Jesus invites us into the blessed life through the Beatitudes, not by performance, but by a transformed heart. Our hope is simple: you don’t just walk away with “good information” you experience real change as the Holy Spirit meets you right where you are. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;We explore what it means to hunger and thirst for righteousness and why righteousness is best understood as right relationship with God and others. Instead of shaming ourselves when we fall short, we learn to turn toward God with honest prayers that reshape our thoughts, words, and actions. We also unpack mercy as uncommon kindness that tells the truth about sin without denying grace, giving us a healthier way to face our own sin and to see other people through compassion while still calling them higher. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Then we sit with one of the most freeing truths in the Sermon on the Mount: a pure heart is not something we can manufacture. Jesus raises the standard to highlight the good news of the gospel, that we are justified and declared not guilty through his death, burial, and resurrection. We close with a practical heart check you can do today, plus encouragement to build intergenerational relationships by processing with a more mature believer who can point you back to what is true. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;If this encouraged you, subscribe, share it with a girl who’s tired of striving, and leave a review so more women and girls can find this Bible study through Matthew 5. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can find the &lt;a href='https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/70015-so-blessed-jesuss-invitation-to-experience-the-'&gt;So Blessed Bible App reading plan here&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Give to&lt;a href='https://givebutter.com/EY3STY'&gt; Brave Girls Gather&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Send us a Message If you’ve been stuck in the loop of trying harder, doing more, and still wondering whether God is disappointed in you, this conversation offers a different way to breathe. We’re continuing our So Blessed series in Matthew 5, where Jesus invites us into the blessed life through the Beatitudes, not by performance, but by a transformed heart. Our hope is simple: you don’t just walk away with “good information” you experience real change as the Holy Spirit meets you right where ...

So Blessed: EP3, No More Striving

The official podcast of Brave Girls Gather! We are passionate about seeing women and girls grow closer to Jesus—and to each other. Our heart is to help the next generation make discipleship a way of life, not just a moment. We believe intergenerational relationships are a powerful force within God’s people, and we want to see them become the norm. Our heartbeat is simple: Gather, Grow, Go. Gather — because we weren’t made to walk alone. Grow — letting Scripture shape you, not just inform you. Go — taking brave steps into discipleship, where transformation leads to multiplication. Each episode is designed to equip you with practical tools and meaningful resources to live this out.&nbsp; Learn more at bravegirlsgather.com—and be sure to follow us on the Bible App!

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