Shows
The Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenEpisode 33: Jesus Knew All AlongSend a textRemember when Jesus told his "Number One Disciple," Simon Peter, "Get behind me, Satan!" What was that all about? How would Simon have reacted and what can we as modern Christians learn to make sure Jesus doesn't say the same thing to us? In this episode Laurie explores just how deeply aware Jesus was of God's plan for him while he was engaged in his earthly ministry. And how difficult it must've been for this Son of God to get us humans to understand and get onboard.Laurie welcomes the delightful and ins...
2026-02-1739 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenEpisode 32: Praying for Miracles -- What if They Work? What if They Don't?Send a textLet's face it -- even though Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.” ... I've never once seen a mountain throw itself in the sea. How about you?What does that mean? That praying for miracles doesn't work? No ... because we've either witnessed or heard of many miracles that did work. Laurie and her guest Jennifer Tirrell dig into thi...
2026-02-1031 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenEpisode 31: Jesus As the Ultimate Project ManagerSend us a textLaurie draws parallels between Jesus's three-year earthly ministry and a job she used to perform, as a project manager of large, complicated efforts. Similarities do exist -- defining your scope, meeting regularly with your sponsor, developing and educating your core team, and staying determined to deliver the end product against all odds and adversity. However, where Laurie was managing projects that delivered systems and applications, Jesus was "managing a project" to deliver eternal redemption for all mankind. Stay with us and see if you can "pick up what Laurie's putting down." :) ...
2026-02-0331 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie Larsen3rd quarter promoSend us a textIn this look back over Laurie's third quarter of episodes, she shares several examples where her insightful guests have "blown her mind" with knowledge and interpretations she'd never heard of or thought of before!Also -- a call to action! Use the "Send Us a Text" link above, or the Contact form on Laurie's website to share any new knowledge you've gained that has made a difference in your own Bible journey.
2026-01-3106 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenEpisode 30: Will I Still Be Married In Heaven?Send us a textThis topic single-handedly garnered the most views and comments on my blog when I was posting my Bible findings once a week. If that tells us anything, it's that this is a topic on the minds and in the curiosities of a great deal of believers!The short answer to the question is ... no. We won't still be married in heaven. But our loving Father wouldn't just take that relationship away -- He is replacing it with something even better. Hopefully, if you came into this episode worried or str...
2026-01-2735 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenPodcastThon promoSend us a textPodcastThon? What on earth is PodcastThon?It's the biggest and most far-reaching charitable event in the Podcasting world and I'm thrilled that The Year I Read the Bible was invited to take part. On March 17 I'll dedicate an entire episode of the podcast to the charity of my choice, and 2000 other podcasters all over the world will be doing the same thing! How exciting to take part in such a thrilling movement!I chose a charity you've already heard about in episodes 23 and 26 -- Feed My Peeps! I'l...
2026-01-2602 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenEpisode 29: You Ever Feel Like Somebody's Watching You?Send us a textDid Jesus ever get angry? Of course, we're all familiar with the time he turned the tables in the Temple when the money changers were using the sacred ground for profit. But what about the incident listed in each of the four gospels called his "Woes to the Pharisees" speech. Jesus was angry that these men of God, these religious leaders were focused on all the wrong things, and completely disregarding the real message!This episode shares a one-hit wonder by the artist Rockwell from 1980. (If you know, you know!) Lau...
2026-01-2030 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenEpisode 28: Did John the Baptist Know Jesus ... Or Didn't He?Send us a textLearn a little more about the unique character of John the Baptist. God chose him to prepare the way for Jesus on earth, but of course, as all of us are, he was human. And to me, he came across as a little strange. And a little uncertain. Especially when he said things about Jesus such as "I didn't know him." Huh? He was related to Jesus, and I assume they knew each other growing up.Anyway, listen to my thoughts on the matter and make up your own mind. Then, I welc...
2026-01-1334 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenEpisode 27: What About Baptism?Send us a textWelcome back to new Bible study content after our short holiday break! Here's wishing a super new year for all of us!Laurie digs in deep about the Christian practice of baptism. Why do we do it? What's it for? What does the Bible say about it? Why do various Christian denominations argue about when a person should be baptized? If a believer dies before being baptized, will they go to heaven?Laurie welcomes a very knowledgeable guest to help her navigate the "waters" of this topic! Our warm welcom...
2026-01-0636 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenBONUS episode: Laurie's fictionSend us a textHow does someone who had always dreamed of becoming an author, actually push through and get started? For Laurie, it all came down to a visit to the Margaret Mitchell House in Atlanta, Georgia. That one random decision changed her life in ways she could never imagine.We're taking a break from the Bible essays this week to share more about Laurie's vast backlist of fiction. Take a short listen and maybe you'll find a book or two to start off your New Year right!Laurie's website is the bes...
2025-12-3011 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenRE-RELEASE for the holiday week: A Clarifying Look at Jesus's BirthSend us a textHere's a repeat performance of the episode I previously did with Melissa Henderson (Oct 28) all about those elements that we've come to accept as modern Christians as it relates to the Christmas story -- but that modern Bible researchers are now thinking are NOT necessarily true.It'll make you go "hmmmm" but remember that the true message of Christ's birth is just as meaningful, and just as true, and just as important as ever.Enjoy! And merry Christmas everyone!
2025-12-2341 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenEpisode 26: What’s So Bad About Samaritans?Send us a textThe Samaritan woman at the well having a conversation with Jesus about living water. The "Good Samaritan" who helped a Jewish traveler who was beaten and left for dead along the side of the road, as if being good was an exception for a Samaritan. Several other mentions of Samaritans in the New Testament which don't paint them in a good light ... all lead me to wonder about today's topic.We'll learn about the history of Samaritans -- how they came to be, and why Jews of Jesus's time disrespected them. Joi...
2025-12-1633 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenEpisode 25: What About Me?Send us a textHere's a question for you: if you were walking around the region of Galilee in about 30 AD, and this man named Jesus was preaching about a New Way and gaining followers, would you believe? Or would you be doubtful?I honestly don't know, but I'll tell you one thing ... I'm so glad God put me on earth right now, when we have the benefit of the entire Bible, centuries of books and ministries and missionaries available to read and what about all the video resources we can put our ha...
2025-12-0936 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenEpisode 24: Why the Secrecy?Send us a textHave you ever tried to promote a product or service? Did you spread the word far and wide so more and more people are aware of what you’re offering? When Jesus was walking the earth conducting his ministry, he often performed a miracle, then told people not to say anything to anyone! Didn't he want the promotion? In this essay Laurie uncovers several reasons why Jesus would do this. Then Laurie welcomes her guest, Leslie Caperton -- friend, neighbor, devoted Christian and also a Pampered Chef...
2025-12-0224 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenEpisode 23: Odd Things Jesus DidSend us a textIs it disrespectful to our perfect Lord Jesus to label some of the miracles he performed as "odd?" Hmmm. How about those that involved spit? There are several of them! Laurie will share them, and also a very intriguing story that involved Jesus writing something mysterious in the dirt, along with several viable theories from Bible commentators regarding what exactly he was writing that caused a unanimous reaction from the Pharisees.Laurie's guest today is the amazing Jacki Brey, founder of the charitable organization, Feed My Peeps. Jack...
2025-11-2537 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenEpisode 22: Did Jesus Help Abraham Lincoln Get Elected?Send us a textWhat is the United States' 16th President Abraham Lincoln doing in a series about the Bible? Listen to find out and make up your own mind as to whether Jesus helped Honest Abe get elected!My guest today is fellow former resident of the Land of Lincoln, and personal friend Beth Dulee. Beth shares her insight on whether God gets involved in the results of our elections. And she shares a great example of situations when you work really hard to make something come true, and you truly want it...
2025-11-1833 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenEpisode 21: Jesus Is Not Afraid of Messy – the Story of LegionSend us a textWe all go through bad times. It’s part of the human condition. Life is not easy or perfect for anyone. But sometimes life becomes so hopeless and out of control that you can’t imagine ever turning the tide.Jesus wants to help you get your life back. In Mark 5, Jesus got in a boat, dragging his hesitant disciples specifically visit a demon-possessed, dirty, smelly, ostracized man in a predominantly pagan area who had never heard his message of forgiveness and redemption. WHY? Because he will go to whatever lengths necessar...
2025-11-1135 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenEpisode 20: If it Worked For Him, It'll Work For UsSend us a textWhat worked? And who did it work for?This episode is all about when Jesus, after being baptized by John the Baptist, went into the wilderness for forty days and forty nights, and in his hungry and thirsty state, was tempted by the Devil himself. But Jesus stood strong by fighting Satan with God's word, the same words we read in our Bible.Satan tempts Jesus's followers to this day, and we can fight him the same way. But it takes some preparation now, while life is peaceful so we...
2025-11-0438 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenEpisode 19: A Clarifying Look at Jesus’s BirthSend us a textWell, the super stores have Christmas merchandise out so ... yeah ... it's not too early to talk about Christmas! When you pull out your Nativity sets to decorate your home every December have you ever given thought to whether or not they're historically accurate? Turns out ... most of what we think we know about the setting of Jesus's birth is NOT how we celebrate it. Of course, the most important fact of the holiday IS clear ... that our loving Father sent his Son to show us how much he loves us. THAT will never ch...
2025-10-2840 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenEpisode 18: The Role Zechariah and Elizabeth Play in the Jesus StorySend us a textOur God is a god of the big and massive. But he's also a god in the small details. This concept is so evident in the story of Zechariah in the New Testament. When you learn exactly how miraculous the circumstances were around the angel Gabriel's visit to Zechariah in the Temple to give him the news that his aged wife Elizabeth would give birth to the Messiah's predecessor -- it's gonna blow your mind!Laurie's guest today is Christina Sinisi -- author, professor, friend and repeat guest from las...
2025-10-2129 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenEpisode 17: What Does the Name “Jesus” Mean?Send us a textGod leaves nothing to chance! When he sends angels to go talk to the future earthly mother and father of his beloved son, he tells them exactly what to name the child. Did you know the name Jesus means "The Lord Saves" and "Yahweh Saves." And Emmanuel means "God Is With Us." It's all right there in the name!Laurie has a heartwarming conversation with friend and author Christina Sinisi today. Christina shares insightful comments about how God shows himself in our lives -- in the big and the smal...
2025-10-1432 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenEpisode 17: What Does the Name “Jesus” Mean?Send us a textGod leaves nothing to chance! When he sends angels to go talk to the future earthly mother and father of his beloved son, he tells them exactly what to name the child. Did you know the name Jesus means "The Lord Saves" and "Yahweh Saves." And Emmanuel means "God Is With Us." It's all right there in the name!Laurie has a heartwarming conversation with friend and author Christina Sinisi today. Christina shares insightful comments about how God shows himself in our lives -- in the big and the smal...
2025-10-1434 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenSecond quarter promoSend us a textWhy listen to The Year I Read the Bible podcast? A quick half-hour burst of Christian Bible learning and discussion every week. Research that maybe will teach you something you didn’t know or present a new way to think about a concept you’re already familiar with. Then, a discussion between friends, sharing experiences and insight. Let's face it, the way the world is going, can you think of a better way to spend thirty minutes?Included is an insightful excerpt from my interview with Bible expert Beth Spr...
2025-10-1003 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenEpisode 16: Who Were the Authors of the Gospels? (Part 2 of 2)Send us a textWelcome back to the second of Laurie's 2-part series on Who Were the Authors of the Gospels? Today she covers Luke and John. From debating who Luke was referring to when he addressed "The Most Excellent Theophilus" to why John repeatedly referred to himself as "the one Jesus most loved," you will learn all you ever wanted to know about these two far-reaching gospel writers.Next, Laurie welcomes back inspirational and informative guest Robin Stearns Lee, back from her first appearance in episode 13. Robin shares such wonderful insight about both Luke an...
2025-10-0737 minThe Year I Read the Bible with Laurie LarsenEpisode 15: Who Were the Authors of the Gospels? (Part 1 of 2)Send us a textLaurie starts a two-part series on the authors of the four gospels. Today is a deep dive into what we know about Matthew and Mark. Matthew was a despised tax collector who cheated his countrymen when Jesus asked him to follow him. Matthew dropped everything to do just that. Mark is only mentioned obscurely once in the story of Jesus. He didn't know him personally. How is he qualified to write a gospel?Laurie's guest today is the delightful Melissa Henderson, friend and author of children's books and hundreds of sho...
2025-09-3034 min