Audra Jennings

Transformation Happens During Renovation The Bathesheba Battle helps women find hope  in the unexpected and unplanned When you hear the name, Bathsheba, what is the first thing that comes to mind—vixen or victim? Bathsheba, typically misrepresented as an adulteress, is one of the most misunderstood women in the Bible. Despite an unexpected turn in her life, which resulted in tragic circumstances beyond her control, there are glimmers of hope in her story. In The Bathsheba Battle: Finding Hope When Life Takes an Unexpected Turn , Natalie Chambers Snapp leads readers through an exploration of Bathsheba’s story, providing practical insights for the journey to wholeness after life has taken an unplanned twist. Who hasn’t had their lives turned upside down when things haven’t gone as planned? We understand there are consequences to our decisions, but how do we deal with the aftereffects of the choices of others? There are other times when things happen beyond anyone’s c...

What do Jeremiah’s prophesies have to do with our world today?   Jeremiah found himself in a nation known for materialism, economic crisis,  political globalization, and religious plurality. Does any of that sound familiar? As Melissa Spoelstra , author of Dare to Hope: Living Intentionally in an Unstable World (Abingdon Press), writes, “ Jeremiah was referred to as the weeping prophet because he brought a message that didn’t feel very hopeful. God used Jeremiah as a mouthpiece to tell the people how they had gotten off course. Though there were times when Jeremiah experienced depression and discouragement, he still knew where to turn. When he poured out his heart, God reassured and encouraged him. Jeremiah chose to dare to hope based on God’s faithfulness rather than the trials he and his nation experienced.” In the Book of Jeremiah, God calls out to His people, continually asking them to place their hope in Him instead of political alliances, material poss...

Part 2 of an interview with Melissa Spoelstra, Author of Dare to Hope     In  Dare to Hope , Melissa Spoelstra draws upon her best-selling Bible study  Jeremiah: Daring to Hope in an Unstable World  to examine this hope-filled message, reminding readers that God is rich in mercy and love and has good plans for his people. Finding the source of our hope means believing with confidence that God has good plans in store for us—even when life takes an unexpected or tragic turn. She explores six incredibly relevant themes that lift right off the pages of Jeremiah’s manuscript, providing practical guidelines for hope filled living: 1. Surrender                                            2. Reject Counterfeits 3. Listen 4. Check Your Heart 5. ...

Part 1 of an interview with Melissa Spoelstra, Author of Dare to Hope Looking at today’s world, hope usually isn’t the first word that comes to mind. We live in a polarizing world where everyone is taking sides over issues large and small, leaving us to wonder what the future may hold. On a personal front, marriages fail, bank accounts run low, friendships end, and the everyday demands of a fast-paced life get us down. However, what the world is experiencing today isn’t all that different than what the prophet Jeremiah experienced thousands of years ago, and as author Melissa Spoelstra shares in her new book, Dare to Hope: Living Intentionally in an Unstable World (Abingdon Press), God is calling out to His people with a message of hope—a message that intentional living is possible even in an uncertain world. Q: Several years ago, you wrote a Bible study based on the book of Jeremiah. What persuaded you to revisit Jeremiah and the subject of hope in your new book, Dare to...

  As in the days of Jeremiah, God is calling out to his people with a message of hope. Looking at today’s world, hope usually isn’t the first word that comes to mind. We live in a polarizing world where everyone is taking sides over issues large and small, leaving us to wonder what the future may hold. On a personal front, marriages fail, bank accounts run low, friendships end, and the everyday demands of a fast-paced life get us down. However, what the world is experiencing today isn’t all that different than what the prophet Jeremiah experienced thousands of years ago, and as author Melissa Spoelstra shares in her new book, Dare to Hope: Living Intentionally in an Unstable World , God is calling out to His people with a message of hope—a message that intentional living is possible even in an uncertain world. “If we allow our thoughts to linger on things such as the national debt, the condition of the environment, the increase in violence toward even our most inno...

Part 2 of an interview with Lindsey R. Dennis, Author of Buried Dreams At 20 weeks pregnant, Lindsey R. Dennis and her husband were told the child she was carrying would not live due to a fatal diagnosis. Later, in another stunning blow, they were told the same news with her second pregnancy. Through the crushing of their hopes and dreams, they came to know the kind of resurrection hope that can rise from the grave. This experience of infant loss revealed how sorrow and suffering are instruments in the hands of God to forge in us a greater joy and hope than one can ever know. This kind of joy can only be discovered when we walk through the deep pain of burying our most precious dreams. Buried Dreams offers an uplifting perspective, sharing how devastating loss of personal dreams can give way to unimaginable hope and how death can give way to life. Framing her own story of staggering loss and soaring hope with biblical perspective, Dennis highlights that we can never pla...

Part 1 of an interview with Lindsey R. Dennis, Author of Buried Dreams Lindsey R. Dennis and her husband, Kevin, had only been married a few months when they found out they were pregnant. Excited and hopeful about the new life she was carrying and the future of their family, they were devastated to learn at their 20-week ultrasound that the baby would not live due to a fatal diagnosis. They would relive their grief again as they buried their second daughter fourteen months after their first. In Buried Dreams: From Devastating Lost to Unimaginable Hope (Abingdon Press), Dennis shares not only her story of grief and loss, but how to live out a hope that is greater than our dreams. Q: In Buried Dreams, you share about the loss of your two daughters who each only lived a few hours after their births. Why did you decide to write a book about such personal and difficult losses? I talk to many people who are struggling to know how to walk through the disappointment that h...