Christianity has become known for judgy people, strange words, confusing rules, and a members-only mindset. This is why I stayed away from the church for so long, but it’s not supposed to be that way. I’m Jill Devine, a former radio music personality with three tattoos and a love for a good tequila. Join me on the Normal Goes A Long Way podcast where we seek answers to real questions with real people about how faith and life intersect.
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Hosted by Devin Pike and Matt Mungle, "Reel Geniuses" features with movie reviews, interviews with actors, directors and more, entertainment news, and grab-assery galore.
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How do you know a good book when you see it? What books are really worth reading? The purpose of this conversation is to help mothers and fathers identify books that will liberate their children to embrace truth, goodness, and beauty. We’ll be pondering questions of life and lifestyle as we seek to become people who live deeply and read deeply, drawing our children into the adventure of reading and living.
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Today we learned about Jeremiah, a young man who was called to share God’s message with the people. Parents, want to keep discussing today’s story? Here are some ideas: For your kiddos ages 2-4, say: God knows everything about us! He has big plans for you! What color are your eyes? God knows! He made them! How many hairs are on your head? God knows…
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As we read through these stories of the Hebrew people ignoring God, turning to pagan idols, and worshiping a false god like Baal, it's easy to spot where these ancient people went astray. We would never worship a shiny baby cow. We wouldn't ignore a prophet with a good track record of rightly speaking God's Word. We will always follow great advice.…
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Today we will learn about the prophet Isaiah. God's people were not good at listening, but Isaiah faithfully reminded the people of God's love and forgiveness. Parents, want to keep talking? Here are some ideas: Isaiah gave people good messages. Create some good messages to send to friends and family in the mail. (ages 2-4) Israel and Judah followe…
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Israel is a mess. We already know that, but it's going from bad to worse. Israel is divided and the northern region (also called Israel) has fallen. Southern Judah has a faithful king who puts God first, but trouble persists, and God's chosen people are in a battle for survival. In his message, Ryan Pfendler examines three themes: Identity in God: …
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Today we learned about prophets. They shared God’s messages and got to show off God’s power! Parents, keep talking about this story at home by using some of these discussion starters: *(ages 2-4) How do we hear from God? We read the Bible, we learn from parents and teachers and pastors. God is so powerful! God can do anything! *(ages 5-9) Have you …
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"The Story" continues with the story of Elijah from 1 Kings 18. The prophet Elijah stood boldly against the prophets of Baal, demonstrating unwavering faith in God amidst overwhelming opposition. The Dangers of Compromise: Pastor Jim reminded us of the dangers of compromising our values, drawing parallels between King Solomon's alliances and our mo…
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Listen in as we learn about a time when God's people got in a big fight and split in two. Parents, want to keep talking? Here are some ideas: *This week's story was about good kings and bad kings. What did the bad kings do? (They didn't follow God and they didn't learn from their mistakes). What did the good kings do? (They learned from their mista…
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Wow, those Israelites sure know how to ruin a good thing! Their 100+ year streak of relative stability under the kings they asked for ends in (spoiler alert) a kingdom torn in two. How did things get so bad? Well, we learned last week about Solomon's gradual slide into idol worship. His reign as king that started out with so much promise ended in c…
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Today we heard about King Solomon. He became the wisest king in history, because He asked God to bless him with wisdom! Keep talking about this story at home by using some of these discussion starters: *(ages 2-4) What is a good choice? What is a poor choice? Who can help you make good choices? Pray: Dear God, please help me make good choices! *(ag…
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How awesome would it be for God to grant you anything you wanted, and then give you EVEN MORE than what you asked for? That's just the situation King Solomon finds himself in. King David has died and his son inherits the throne of a nation with the slogan "no worries" minted on their coins (figuratively speaking). It's good to be king...and good to…
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Today we will learn about a time when David made a big mistake. God demonstrated extraordinary love to David and he shares that extraordinary love with us today. Parents, want to keep talking? Here are some ideas: *When necessary this week, stop and pray with your child asking God to forgive your child when he or she has done something wrong. In ap…
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When was the last time you committed adultery and arranged the killing of your mistress's spouse to conceal the affair? I imagine the answer is "never." After reading David's story, you might be feeling pretty good about the severity of your sins. After all, you've never murdered a guy so he doesn't find out you're having a baby with his wife. Your…
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Today learned about a shepherd boy named David. God used him to do an amazing thing – defeat Goliath! Parents, keep the conversation going this week with your family! Here are some ideas: *(ages 2-4) Talk about Goliath’s enormous size! Find something that is 9 feet tall, or use a measuring tape to show how big he was. Ask, “Who was David?” “Who was…
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It's like David vs. Goliath. You've likely heard this metaphor used any time an underdog goes up against something (or someone) they have little chance of defeating. It's an archetype of victory against all odds. It's also a story about trusting God to see you through your battles. That part gets left out of the cultural narrative, but we're going …
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138: KIDS VERSION - Standing Tall, Falling Hard
6:47
6:47
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6:47Today we will learn about Hannah, her son Samuel, and the power of prayer. Parents, want to keep talking? Here are some ideas: *With your child, make a simple poster about things to pray for by gluing pictures onto a piece of construction paper. In the middle, write, "God hears me when I pray." When your child wants to pray, he or she can look at t…
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Has there ever been a time in your life when you knew what God wanted you to do, but you did the opposite? Taking His law as a suggestion (instead of, well, law), you went ahead and did it your way. Obedience isn't our strong suit. God can certainly work through us when we do what is contrary to His will for our lives. But imagine how much sweeter …
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136: KIDS VERSION - The Faith of a Foreign Woman
6:37
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6:37Today we will hear about Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz. Parents, keep talking with your kids using these prompts: *Ages 2-4: Ruth worked hard to pick up grain in the field. Have a challenge to see how fast you can pick up your toys! (or, how many sticks/rocks/leaves can you pick up in one minute) Ask, “who takes care of you?” *Ages 5-9: God took care of Ru…
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As we continue our journey through “The Story”, Pastor Jim Mueller shared insights from the Book of Ruth, highlighting the remarkable story of Ruth and Naomi and what their faith and resilience can teach us today. Ruth's unwavering faith and loyalty shows us how faith can guide us through life's darkest moments, transforming bitterness into hope. R…
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134: KIDS VERSION - A Few Good Men and Women
6:28
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6:28Today we will learn the epic story of Samson. Listen with your kids as we learn about a strong and powerful man who knew he needed God's help. Want to keep talking? Here are some ideas: *Build towers of blocks together with your preschooler and then knock them down like Samson did. Talk about how we can use our strength to help others.(ages 2-4) *G…
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Have you ever considered the downsides of peace and prosperity? Believe it or not, a life of comfort in which our needs are met and our wants are satisfied can be problematic. We saw this last summer when we went through the Book of Judges. Over and over the Israelites lost their way when life was going well. They became complacent and stopped rely…
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Today we used our imagination hats to hear from Rahab! She was brave and helped God’s people. Parents, here are some fun conversation starters you can use this week: *(Ages 2-4) Ask, “What did God do that was amazing in this story?” The walls of Jericho fell down when the people waked around it and blew horns *(Ages 5-10) Ask, “What do you think th…
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The past few weeks of our journey through "The Story" has brought us to some pivotal moments in our faith history. We see the Israelites escape slavery, witness an awe-inspiring miracle at the Red Sea, and create a covenant with God. Then they wander in a desert for 40 years. The grumbling and complaining got too much for God. This week, they final…
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Today we will learn about explorers sent into God's promised land. Some responded in great fear, but Caleb and Joshua demonstrated great courage and faith! Parents, want to keep talking? Here are some ideas: *Ten explorers were scared. Tell about a time when you were scared. Joshua and Caleb had courage. Tell about a time when you had courage (ages…
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Episode 129: Wandering Sometimes it's hard to see God at work in our lives. When pressures weigh us down, it's easy to give up. And that's when God steps in. In this week's message, Ryan Pfendler will walk us through how God is with His people, fighting their battles. He's with you every step of the way! If you’d like to dig deeper, check out these…
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128: KIDS VERSION - New Commands and a New Covenant
8:20
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8:20In this episode, you’ll hear about how God gave us His rules for living – we call them the 10 Commandments. Parents, want to keep talking? Here are some ideas: *Ask: What are some rules that we have at home? What are some rules you have at school? Are they good? (ages 2-4) *Ask: What would the world look like if no one followed any of God’s rules? …
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Can you recall a time this past week when you lived up to God's law? When you kept His commandments, loved Him with all you had, and put the needs of your neighbor above your own? Probably not, but you tried, right? Unfortunately, it's in our nature to sin. It's very easy for all of us to go our own way and decide right from wrong based on our desi…
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Today we will learn about the amazing life of Moses. Listen with your kids as we learn about God watching over him from the time he was a tiny baby. In this part of God's Big Story, God shows up for his people in powerful, jaw-dropping ways! Want to keep talking? Here are some ideas: *Ask: How did God watch over his people? (He sent Moses to lead t…
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This week we enter the Book of Exodus and meet Moses. For hundreds of years, the Israelites have been enslaved in Egypt. Their deliverer is one of their own who was raised in Pharaoh's household and lacked any notable qualifications to lead a revolt. But with God, anything is possible and Moses comes to lead his people to the Promised Land. Take a …
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124: KIDS VERSION - Joseph, From Slave To Deputy Pharaoh
8:12
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8:12Today we will learn the story of Joseph. This part of God's Big Story reminds us that God is with us, taking care of us during good time and hard times. Parents, want to keep talking? Here are some ideas: For ages 2-4: Sing the following song to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell”. God takes care of me, God takes care of me! God took care of Josep…
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123: Joseph, From Slave To Deputy Pharaoh
29:35
29:35
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29:35Life is full of ups and downs. No one knows this more than Joseph, the apple of his father Jacob's eye and a man in possession of a very colorful coat. For Joseph, life was going very well, and he had that fancy outerwear to prove it. But then he gets sold into slavery and things start to go south for Joseph. Life improves...and then it knocks him …
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Today we will learn the story of Abraham and how God blessed him beyond measure. Listen with your children and reflect on the blessings that God has lavished on you! This part of God's Big Story reminds us that God's dreams for us are bigger than we can imagine! Want to keep talking? Here are some ideas: *Pretend to move with your preschooler. Pack…
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What does it look like to heed God's calling? If He told you to sell all your possessions and move to a foreign country, would you do it? That's just what He asked of Abram! In this week's episode, Ryan Pfendler will be guiding us through these questions as we look at Abram's calling: What does it mean to be a disciple? Can I follow Jesus and still…
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Today, we’ll learn about the very first story in the Bible, Creation! Listen along with your kids as Hannah tries to capture the awe and wonder of this amazing part of God’s Big Story! Want to Keep Talking? Here are some ideas: Play “I spy” and then say, “God created that!” (ages 0-4) Ask, “How can you see God’s amazing workmanship outdoors? Where …
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Today marks our first episode of our new series based on "The Story", which will take us through our history from beginning to end. We'll get going with the creation account in Genesis. You've probably heard it before. God creates the heavens and the earth and everything in it. That's what He did, but what about the why behind it? The answer there …
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118: KIDS VERSION -Discover Your Life Within "The Story"
2:24
2:24
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2:24New to Normal Goes A Long Way this season is the addition of a KIDS VERSION episode, which will be released on Thursdays over the course of 31 weeks. Families, you’re invited to join our hosts, Hannah Lang and April Mueller, and follow along as they bring kids into God's big story through engaging storytelling. Why do we have a KIDS VERSION episode…
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Happy New Year and welcome to Season 7 of Normal Goes A Long Way! This season, we will be releasing weekly episodes on Tuesdays and Thursdays (KIDS VERSION) over the course of 31 weeks. We invite you to join our host, Jill Devine, and follow along as we go through the story of the Bible through the words of “The Story”. At the end of Season 7, our …
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116: A Special Christmas Eve Episode Presented By 2nd Graders
11:33
11:33
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11:33‘Twas the night before Christmas ... Merry Christmas Eve! Joining Jill Devine for a special Christmas Eve episode are three 2nd Graders; Luella, Lu, and Stella. They shared what they know about why we celebrate Christmas, their family traditions, ways to learn about Jesus, and much more. From everyone at Normal Goes A Long Way, we wish you a Merry …
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This week’s episode was inspired by Louie Giglio’s Waiting Here For You, An Advent Journey of Hope. “Advent is a season of expectant waiting and preparation. This devotional is perfect for those who are in periods of waiting or facing uncertainty. Through the story of the coming of Jesus, Advent teaches that waiting is the means God often uses to c…
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114: A Thanksgiving Reflection and Blessing
13:58
13:58
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13:58As you prepare for Thanksgiving, Dr. Laura Fleetwood invites you to be still and reflect on the goodness of God, to meditate on the blessings in your life, to give yourself grace, and to give thanks to God. Her prompts in this week’s episode will help you do all those things. Have a Happy Thanksgiving! Normal Goes A Long Way Website: https://www.no…
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113: Lesser Known Parables In The Bible (Part 2)
31:26
31:26
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31:26Jesus was a master storyteller. Through the use of parables, He could reveal His true nature and communicate important spiritual truths. The stories His followers recorded hold our attention, stir our emotions, and help us remember His teachings. The most popular are recognized by those outside the faith (e.g., the Good Samaritan) and the teachings…
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Reading The Aeneid Together: Aeneid Book 3 and Book 4
44:52
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44:52Ready for more? Don't lose your nerve--keep reading the Aeneid with Charity! Take a closer look at Book 3 and Book 4. Let's wonder together: Why does Virgil have Aeneas sail around so much before meeting Dido? Before landing in Italy? Why is Aeneas lingering so long in Carthage? Is Aeneas a hero or an unfaithful lover? More than a year ago, Charity…
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Reading The Aeneid Together: Introduction, Book 1, Book 2
40:44
40:44
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40:44More than a year ago, Charity hoped to bring you along with her as she read and taught some of the great texts of the Western Tradition. Finally, you can get excited about reading the Aeneid, together with Charity! Can it really be that hard to read and understand? (Trust us: If teenagers can do it, you can too!) Read in community with Charity and …
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112: Lesser Known Parables In The Bible (Part 1)
20:08
20:08
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20:08Jesus was a master storyteller. Through the use of parables, He could reveal His true nature and communicate important spiritual truths. The stories His followers recorded hold our attention, stir our emotions, and help us remember His teachings. The most popular are recognized by those outside the faith (e.g., the Good Samaritan) and the teachings…
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Devin Rose, YA Author of Chasing the Seeds
51:38
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51:38Who doesn't love a conspiracy theory...or two?! Join Charity as she interviews Devin Rose, discussing Chasing the Seeds, the Fiefdom Chronicles, Book 1. Explore how Bitcoiners, anarcho-capitalists, preppers, libertarians, the Virgin Mary and the FBI can all be crucial plot elements in a single adventure! Discover in Chasing the Seeds a YA book that…
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Join Laura Fleetwood as she invites you to spend time with God in this guided prayer for SELF-CONTROL, one of the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5. Click here for Messiah’s message series on the Fruit of the Spirit. https://messiahstcharles.org/what-the-world-needs-now/ Normal Goes A Long Way Website: https://www.normalgoesalongway.com/ N…
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Join Laura Fleetwood as she invites you to spend time with God in this guided prayer for GENTLENESS, one of the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5. Click here for Messiah’s message series on the Fruit of the Spirit. https://messiahstcharles.org/what-the-world-needs-now/ Normal Goes A Long Way Website: https://www.normalgoesalongway.com/ Nor…
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Join Laura Fleetwood as she invites you to spend time with God in this guided prayer for FAITHFULNESS, one of the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5. Click here for Messiah’s message series on the Fruit of the Spirit. https://messiahstcharles.org/what-the-world-needs-now/ Normal Goes A Long Way Website: https://www.normalgoesalongway.com/ N…
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Join Laura Fleetwood as she invites you to spend time with God in this guided prayer for GOODNESS, one of the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5. Click here for Messiah’s message series on the Fruit of the Spirit. https://messiahstcharles.org/what-the-world-needs-now/ Normal Goes A Long Way Website: https://www.normalgoesalongway.com/ Norma…
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Join Laura Fleetwood as she invites you to spend time with God in this guided prayer for KINDNESS, one of the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5. Click here for Messiah’s message series on the Fruit of the Spirit. https://messiahstcharles.org/what-the-world-needs-now/ Normal Goes A Long Way Website: https://www.normalgoesalongway.com/ Norma…
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Join Laura Fleetwood as she invites you to spend time with God in this guided prayer for PATIENCE, one of the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5. Click here for Messiah’s message series on the Fruit of the Spirit. Normal Goes A Long Way Website: https://www.normalgoesalongway.com/ Normal Goes A Long Way Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/…
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