Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus Podcast

Ep. 356: Becoming Whom You Worship

SHOW NOTES
 
In Podcast Episode 356, “Becoming Whom You Worship,” Kim discusses the importance of choosing wisely what or whom we devote our reverence, focus, and energy. In today’s passage, we see that the idolatrous Israelites' worship of worthless idols led to them becoming like what they worshipped. Yet, just as worshipping an unworthy object can turn us into what we worship, we can also become more like Christ when we choose to bow down and worship Him.
 
Our focal passage for this episode is 2 Kings 17:5-15, with 15 as the focal verse:
 
15 They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors, and they despised all his warnings. They worshiped worthless idols, so they became worthless themselves. They followed the example of the nations around them, disobeying the Lord’s command not to imitate them.
 
 
WEEKLY ENGAGEMENT FEATURE:
 
If you become whom you worship, who will you be? Would you be proud to be that person?
 
Additional Resources and Scriptures:
 
"What people revere, they resemble, either for ruin or for restoration.” (G. K. Beale)
4 Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. 5 They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. 6 They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell. 7 They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk, and throats but cannot make a sound. 8 And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them. (Ps. 115:4-8)
16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. (2 Corinthians 3:16-18)
29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. (Romans 8:29)
EMAIL — encouragingothersinlovingjesus@gmail.com
Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus
X - https://x.com/eoinlovingjesus?s=21&t=YcRjZQUpvP7FrJmm7Pe1hg
INSTAGRAM -  https://www.instagram.com/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/
“Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus” YouTube Channel: Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/@EncouragingOthersInLovingJesus
 
I WANT TO BEGIN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.
 
RESOURCES USED FOR BOOK OF 1 & 2 Kings PODCASTS:
“The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: The Complete Old Testament OT in One Volume”
“Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings” by Tony Merida
“The Tony Evans Bible Commentary: Advancing God’s Kingdom Agenda”
“Life Application Study Bible”
“The Swindoll Study Bible: NLT” by Charles R. Swindoll
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
“The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary” by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays (Editors)
Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): Old Testament, 2004, by Kenneth L. Barker, John R. Kohlenberger, III.
xAI. (2026). Grok [Large language model]. https://x.ai/grok/chat 
 
 
"Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus" Facebook Group:
 
Our Facebook Group is devoted to providing a place for us to encourage each other through all the seasons of life. Follow the provided link to request admittance into “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus”—https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ Feel free to invite others who will be good encouragers and/or need encouragement to follow Jesus.
 
This podcast is hosted by Kim Smith, a small town Country Girl who left her comfort zone to follow Jesus in a big City World. Now, she wants to use God's Word and lessons from her faith journey to encourage others in loving Jesus.
 
In each episode, Kim will share insights regarding a portion of God's Word and challenge listeners to apply the lessons to their daily lives.
 
If you want to grow in your faith and learn how to encourage others in loving Jesus, subscribe and commit to prayerfully listening each week.
 
Remember, “It’s Always a Trust & Obey Kinda Day!”
 
If you have questions or comments or would like to learn more about how to follow Jesus, please email Kim at EncouragingOthersinLovingJesus@gmail.com.
 
 
National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
 
988
 
https://988lifeline.org/
 
Reference:
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Tyndale House Publishers. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Wheaton, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004.
 
Podcast recorded through Cleanfeed and edited through GarageBand. The soundtrack, entitled “Outlaw John McShane” was obtained from Pixabay.
 
 
The HIDDEN Episodes: 
If you can't access episodes 1-50 on your podcast app (the podcast was then entitled "A Country Girl in a City World - Loving Jesus"), you can get all the content at my Podbean site at https://acountrygirlinacityworldlovingjesus.podbean.com/
 

Ep. 355: We're Not Graded on a Curve

SHOW NOTES
 
In Podcast Episode 355, “We’re Not Graded on a Curve,” Kim discusses the dangers of Christ-followers comparing their walk to others. In today’s text, we see the story of someone who did evil, but his evil was not as bad as others. May we get our eyes on Christ, the only example we should be chasing, and get off the comparison wheel.
 
Our focal passage for this episode is 2 Kings 17:1-4, with 2 as the focal verse:
 
2 He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, but not to the same extent as the kings of Israel who ruled before him.
 
 
WEEKLY ENGAGEMENT FEATURE:
 
Spend a few prayerful minutes reading Matthew 5-7.
 
Additional Resources and Scriptures:
 
48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)
1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)
5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-8)
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:8-10)
EMAIL — encouragingothersinlovingjesus@gmail.com
Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus
X - https://x.com/eoinlovingjesus?s=21&t=YcRjZQUpvP7FrJmm7Pe1hg
INSTAGRAM -  https://www.instagram.com/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/
“Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus” YouTube Channel: Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/@EncouragingOthersInLovingJesus
 
I WANT TO BEGIN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.
 
RESOURCES USED FOR BOOK OF 1 & 2 Kings PODCASTS:
“The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: The Complete Old Testament OT in One Volume”
“Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings” by Tony Merida
“The Tony Evans Bible Commentary: Advancing God’s Kingdom Agenda”
“Life Application Study Bible”
“The Swindoll Study Bible: NLT” by Charles R. Swindoll
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
“The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary” by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays (Editors)
Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): Old Testament, 2004, by Kenneth L. Barker, John R. Kohlenberger, III.
xAI. (2025). Grok [Large language model]. https://x.ai/grok/chat 
 
 
"Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus" Facebook Group:
 
Our Facebook Group is devoted to providing a place for us to encourage each other through all the seasons of life. Follow the provided link to request admittance into “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus”—https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ Feel free to invite others who will be good encouragers and/or need encouragement to follow Jesus.
 
This podcast is hosted by Kim Smith, a small town Country Girl who left her comfort zone to follow Jesus in a big City World. Now, she wants to use God's Word and lessons from her faith journey to encourage others in loving Jesus.
 
In each episode, Kim will share insights regarding a portion of God's Word and challenge listeners to apply the lessons to their daily lives.
 
If you want to grow in your faith and learn how to encourage others in loving Jesus, subscribe and commit to prayerfully listening each week.
 
Remember, “It’s Always a Trust & Obey Kinda Day!”
 
If you have questions or comments or would like to learn more about how to follow Jesus, please email Kim at EncouragingOthersinLovingJesus@gmail.com.
 
 
National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
 
988
 
https://988lifeline.org/
 
Reference:
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Tyndale House Publishers. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Wheaton, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004.
 
Podcast recorded through Cleanfeed and edited through GarageBand. The soundtrack, entitled “Outlaw John McShane” was obtained from Pixabay.
 
 
The HIDDEN Episodes: 
If you can't access episodes 1-50 on your podcast app (the podcast was then entitled "A Country Girl in a City World - Loving Jesus"), you can get all the content at my Podbean site at https://acountrygirlinacityworldlovingjesus.podbean.com/
 

Ep. 354: No One Can Keep You from God

SHOW NOTES
 
In Podcast Episode 354, “No One Can Keep You from God,” Kim discusses the attempt of King Ahaz to shut down all access to God. Kim encourages listeners who are Christ-followers to celebrate their eternal access to God. Because of our great High Priest, we can go boldly to God…but do we?
 
Our focal passage for this episode is 2 Chronicles 28:20-27, with 22-25 as the focal verses:
 
22 Even during this time of trouble, King Ahaz continued to reject the Lord. 23 He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus who had defeated him, for he said, “Since these gods helped the kings of Aram, they will help me, too, if I sacrifice to them.” But instead, they led to his ruin and the ruin of all Judah.
24 The king took the various articles from the Temple of God and broke them into pieces. He shut the doors of the Lord’s Temple so that no one could worship there, and he set up altars to pagan gods in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 He made pagan shrines in all the towns of Judah for offering sacrifices to other gods. In this way, he aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of his ancestors.
 
 
WEEKLY ENGAGEMENT FEATURE:
 
Given that nothing can stand between you and God, be honest—how frequently do you come confidently before His throne?
 
Additional Resources and Scriptures:
 
14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (Hebrews 4:14-16)
EMAIL — encouragingothersinlovingjesus@gmail.com
Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus
X - https://x.com/eoinlovingjesus?s=21&t=YcRjZQUpvP7FrJmm7Pe1hg
INSTAGRAM -  https://www.instagram.com/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/
“Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus” YouTube Channel: Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/@EncouragingOthersInLovingJesus
 
 
I WANT TO BEGIN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.
 
RESOURCES USED FOR BOOK OF 1 & 2 Kings PODCASTS:
“The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: The Complete Old Testament OT in One Volume”
“Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings” by Tony Merida
“The Tony Evans Bible Commentary: Advancing God’s Kingdom Agenda”
“Life Application Study Bible”
“The Swindoll Study Bible: NLT” by Charles R. Swindoll
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
“The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary” by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays (Editors)
Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): Old Testament, 2004, by Kenneth L. Barker, John R. Kohlenberger, III.
xAI. (2025). Grok [Large language model]. https://x.ai/grok/chat 
 
 
"Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus" Facebook Group:
 
Our Facebook Group is devoted to providing a place for us to encourage each other through all the seasons of life. Follow the provided link to request admittance into “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus”—https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ Feel free to invite others who will be good encouragers and/or need encouragement to follow Jesus.
 
This podcast is hosted by Kim Smith, a small town Country Girl who left her comfort zone to follow Jesus in a big City World. Now, she wants to use God's Word and lessons from her faith journey to encourage others in loving Jesus.
 
In each episode, Kim will share insights regarding a portion of God's Word and challenge listeners to apply the lessons to their daily lives.
 
If you want to grow in your faith and learn how to encourage others in loving Jesus, subscribe and commit to prayerfully listening each week.
 
Remember, “It’s Always a Trust & Obey Kinda Day!”
 
If you have questions or comments or would like to learn more about how to follow Jesus, please email Kim at EncouragingOthersinLovingJesus@gmail.com.
 
 
National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
 
988
 
https://988lifeline.org/
 
Reference:
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Tyndale House Publishers. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Wheaton, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004.
 
Podcast recorded through Cleanfeed and edited through GarageBand. The soundtrack, entitled “Outlaw John McShane” was obtained from Pixabay.
 
 
The HIDDEN Episodes: 
If you can't access episodes 1-50 on your podcast app (the podcast was then entitled "A Country Girl in a City World - Loving Jesus"), you can get all the content at my Podbean site at https://acountrygirlinacityworldlovingjesus.podbean.com/
 

Ep. 353: When God Humbles You

SHOW NOTES
 
In Podcast Episode 353, “When God Humbles You,” Kim discusses the choices we make daily, either to humble ourselves before God or experience consequences orchestrated by God to humble us. In today’s text, we encounter the latest events in the life and rule of King Ahaz of Judah. Not only did he not humble himself before the Lord, but he was “utterly unfaithful to the Lord” and “encouraged his people to sin.” Let’s learn from his poor choices and live daily in humble submission to the Lord and His plans.
 
Our focal passage for this episode is 2 Chronicles 28:16-19, with 19 as the focal verse:
 
19 The Lord was humbling Judah because of King Ahaz of Judah, for he had encouraged his people to sin and had been utterly unfaithful to the Lord.
 
 
WEEKLY ENGAGEMENT FEATURE:
 
Which would you choose — humble yourself before the Lord OR have Him humble you because of your sin?
 
Additional Resources and Scriptures:
 
2 Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands. 3 Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord…16 He fed you with manna in the wilderness, a food unknown to your ancestors. He did this to humble you and test you for your own good. (Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 16)
1 It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!    The whole earth is filled with his glory!” 4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke. 5 Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.” 8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.” (Isaiah 6:1-8)
EMAIL — encouragingothersinlovingjesus@gmail.com
Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus
X - https://x.com/eoinlovingjesus?s=21&t=YcRjZQUpvP7FrJmm7Pe1hg
INSTAGRAM -  https://www.instagram.com/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/
“Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus” YouTube Channel: Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/@EncouragingOthersInLovingJesus
 
I WANT TO BEGIN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.
 
RESOURCES USED FOR BOOK OF 1 & 2 Kings PODCASTS:
“The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: The Complete Old Testament OT in One Volume”
“Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings” by Tony Merida
“The Tony Evans Bible Commentary: Advancing God’s Kingdom Agenda”
“Life Application Study Bible”
“The Swindoll Study Bible: NLT” by Charles R. Swindoll
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
“The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary” by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays (Editors)
Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): Old Testament, 2004, by Kenneth L. Barker, John R. Kohlenberger, III.
xAI. (2025). Grok [Large language model]. https://x.ai/grok/chat 
 
 
"Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus" Facebook Group:
 
Our Facebook Group is devoted to providing a place for us to encourage each other through all the seasons of life. Follow the provided link to request admittance into “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus”—https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ Feel free to invite others who will be good encouragers and/or need encouragement to follow Jesus.
 
This podcast is hosted by Kim Smith, a small town Country Girl who left her comfort zone to follow Jesus in a big City World. Now, she wants to use God's Word and lessons from her faith journey to encourage others in loving Jesus.
 
In each episode, Kim will share insights regarding a portion of God's Word and challenge listeners to apply the lessons to their daily lives.
 
If you want to grow in your faith and learn how to encourage others in loving Jesus, subscribe and commit to prayerfully listening each week.
 
Remember, “It’s Always a Trust & Obey Kinda Day!”
 
If you have questions or comments or would like to learn more about how to follow Jesus, please email Kim at EncouragingOthersinLovingJesus@gmail.com.
 
 
National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
 
988
 
https://988lifeline.org/
 
Reference:
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Tyndale House Publishers. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Wheaton, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004.
 
Podcast recorded through Cleanfeed and edited through GarageBand. The soundtrack, entitled “Outlaw John McShane” was obtained from Pixabay.
 
 
The HIDDEN Episodes: 
If you can't access episodes 1-50 on your podcast app (the podcast was then entitled "A Country Girl in a City World - Loving Jesus"), you can get all the content at my Podbean site at https://acountrygirlinacityworldlovingjesus.podbean.com/
 

Ep. 352: Healthy Response to Godly Confrontation

SHOW NOTES
 
In Podcast Episode 352, “Healthy Response to Godly Confrontation,” Kim discusses the importance of accepting godly confrontation with humility. Not only should Christ followers accept godly confrontation well, but confronting others in a godly manner is also important. Kim provides two scriptural examples of those courageous enough to confront others and the godly responses of the recipients.
 
Our focal passage for this episode is 2 Chronicles 28:9-15 with 9, 12-13 as the focal verses:
 
9 But a prophet of the Lord named Oded was there in Samaria when the army of Israel returned home. He went out to meet them and said, “The Lord, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah and let you defeat them. But you have gone too far, killing them without mercy, and all heaven is disturbed. 
 
12 Then some of the leaders of Israel—Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berekiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai—agreed with this and confronted the men returning from battle. 13 “You must not bring the prisoners here!” they declared. “We cannot afford to add to our sins and guilt. Our guilt is already great, and the Lord’s fierce anger is already turned against Israel.”
 
 
WEEKLY ENGAGEMENT FEATURE:
 
How do you respond to Godly confrontation?
 
Additional Resources and Scriptures:
 
Apollos Instructed by Priscilla and Aquila - Acts 18:24-28 
EMAIL — encouragingothersinlovingjesus@gmail.com
X - https://x.com/eoinlovingjesus?s=21&t=YcRjZQUpvP7FrJmm7Pe1hg
INSTAGRAM -  https://www.instagram.com/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/
“Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus” YouTube Channel: Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/@EncouragingOthersInLovingJesus
 
I WANT TO BEGIN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.
 
RESOURCES USED FOR BOOK OF 1 & 2 Kings PODCASTS:
“The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: The Complete Old Testament OT in One Volume”
“Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings” by Tony Merida
“The Tony Evans Bible Commentary: Advancing God’s Kingdom Agenda”
“Life Application Study Bible”
“The Swindoll Study Bible: NLT” by Charles R. Swindoll
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
“The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary” by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays (Editors)
Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): Old Testament, 2004, by Kenneth L. Barker, John R. Kohlenberger, III.
xAI. (2025). Grok [Large language model]. https://x.ai/grok/chat 
 
 
"Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus" Facebook Group:
 
Our Facebook Group is devoted to providing a place for us to encourage each other through all the seasons of life. Follow the provided link to request admittance into “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus”—https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ Feel free to invite others who will be good encouragers and/or need encouragement to follow Jesus.
 
This podcast is hosted by Kim Smith, a small town Country Girl who left her comfort zone to follow Jesus in a big City World. Now, she wants to use God's Word and lessons from her faith journey to encourage others in loving Jesus.
 
In each episode, Kim will share insights regarding a portion of God's Word and challenge listeners to apply the lessons to their daily lives.
 
If you want to grow in your faith and learn how to encourage others in loving Jesus, subscribe and commit to prayerfully listening each week.
 
Remember, “It’s Always a Trust & Obey Kinda Day!”
 
If you have questions or comments or would like to learn more about how to follow Jesus, please email Kim at EncouragingOthersinLovingJesus@gmail.com.
 
 
National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
 
988
 
https://988lifeline.org/
 
Reference:
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Tyndale House Publishers. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Wheaton, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004.
 
Podcast recorded through Cleanfeed and edited through GarageBand. The soundtrack, entitled “Outlaw John McShane” was obtained from Pixabay.
 
 
The HIDDEN Episodes: 
If you can't access episodes 1-50 on your podcast app (the podcast was then entitled "A Country Girl in a City World - Loving Jesus"), you can get all the content at my Podbean site at https://acountrygirlinacityworldlovingjesus.podbean.com/
 

Ep. 351: When Personal Choices Destroy Many

SHOW NOTES
 
In Podcast Episode 351, “When Personal Choices Destroy Many,” Kim discusses the poor choices made by King Ahaz of Judah and how those negatively impacted hundreds of thousands of his own people. Rarely do any of us realize just how much impact our personal choices can make on others.
 
Our focal passage for this episode is 2 Chronicles 28:1-8, with 5-6 as the focal verses:
 
5 Because of all this, the Lord his God allowed the king of Aram to defeat Ahaz and to exile large numbers of his people to Damascus. The armies of the king of Israel also defeated Ahaz and inflicted many casualties on his army. 6 In a single day Pekah son of Remaliah, Israel’s king, killed 120,000 of Judah’s troops, all of them experienced warriors, because they had abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 
 
 
WEEKLY ENGAGEMENT FEATURE:
 
When have you experienced collateral damage from someone else’s bad choices?
 
Additional Resources and Scriptures:
 EMAIL — encouragingothersinlovingjesus@gmail.com
X - https://x.com/eoinlovingjesus?s=21&t=YcRjZQUpvP7FrJmm7Pe1hg
INSTAGRAM -  https://www.instagram.com/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/
“Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus” YouTube Channel: Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/@EncouragingOthersInLovingJesus
 
I WANT TO BEGIN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.
 
RESOURCES USED FOR BOOK OF 1 & 2 Kings PODCASTS:
“The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: The Complete Old Testament OT in One Volume”
“Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings” by Tony Merida
“The Tony Evans Bible Commentary: Advancing God’s Kingdom Agenda”
“Life Application Study Bible”
“The Swindoll Study Bible: NLT” by Charles R. Swindoll
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
“The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary” by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays (Editors)
Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): Old Testament, 2004, by Kenneth L. Barker, John R. Kohlenberger, III.
xAI. (2025). Grok [Large language model]. https://x.ai/grok/chat 
 
 
"Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus" Facebook Group:
 
Our Facebook Group is devoted to providing a place for us to encourage each other through all the seasons of life. Follow the provided link to request admittance into “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus”—https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ Feel free to invite others who will be good encouragers and/or need encouragement to follow Jesus.
 
This podcast is hosted by Kim Smith, a small town Country Girl who left her comfort zone to follow Jesus in a big City World. Now, she wants to use God's Word and lessons from her faith journey to encourage others in loving Jesus.
 
In each episode, Kim will share insights regarding a portion of God's Word and challenge listeners to apply the lessons to their daily lives.
 
If you want to grow in your faith and learn how to encourage others in loving Jesus, subscribe and commit to prayerfully listening each week.
 
Remember, “It’s Always a Trust & Obey Kinda Day!”
 
If you have questions or comments or would like to learn more about how to follow Jesus, please email Kim at EncouragingOthersinLovingJesus@gmail.com.
 
 
National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
 
988
 
https://988lifeline.org/
 
Reference:
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Tyndale House Publishers. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Wheaton, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004.
 
Podcast recorded through Cleanfeed and edited through GarageBand. The soundtrack, entitled “Outlaw John McShane” was obtained from Pixabay.
 
 
The HIDDEN Episodes: 
If you can't access episodes 1-50 on your podcast app (the podcast was then entitled "A Country Girl in a City World - Loving Jesus"), you can get all the content at my Podbean site at https://acountrygirlinacityworldlovingjesus.podbean.com/
 

Ep. 350: Who Do You Imitate?

SHOW NOTES
 
In Podcast Episode 350, “Who Do You Imitate?” Kim discusses the importance of being very careful in choosing who you imitate. Kim shared the sentiment of a song written about 20 years ago that showed what it might look like when someone imitates another’s not so honorable behaviors, but also how the imitation of healthy behaviors might look. Be careful who you imitate, making sure to live a life that points any who choose to follow you to Christ and Christlikeness.
 
Our focal passage for this episode is 2 Chronicles 28:1-4, with 2 and 3 as the focal verses:
 
2 Instead, he followed the example of the kings of Israel. He cast metal images for the worship of Baal. 3 He offered sacrifices in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, even sacrificing his own sons in the fire. In this way, he followed the detestable practices of the pagan nations the Lord had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites. 
 
 
WEEKLY ENGAGEMENT FEATURE:
 
The Apostle Paul told the Corinthians to imitate him as he imitated Christ. Is your current Christ walk so that you would be willing to tell someone to imitate you? If not, what needs to change?
 
 
Additional Resources and Scriptures:
 1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1)
Watching You by Rodney Atkins, Written by Songwriters: Brian Gene White / Rodney A. Atkins / Steven A. Dean
EMAIL — encouragingothersinlovingjesus@gmail.com
X - https://x.com/eoinlovingjesus?s=21&t=YcRjZQUpvP7FrJmm7Pe1hg
INSTAGRAM -  https://www.instagram.com/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/
“Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus” YouTube Channel: Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/@EncouragingOthersInLovingJesus
 
I WANT TO BEGIN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.
 
RESOURCES USED FOR BOOK OF 1 & 2 Kings PODCASTS:
“The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: The Complete Old Testament OT in One Volume”
“Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings” by Tony Merida
“The Tony Evans Bible Commentary: Advancing God’s Kingdom Agenda”
“Life Application Study Bible”
“The Swindoll Study Bible: NLT” by Charles R. Swindoll
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
“The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary” by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays (Editors)
Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): Old Testament, 2004, by Kenneth L. Barker, John R. Kohlenberger, III.
xAI. (2025). Grok [Large language model]. https://x.ai/grok/chat 
 
 
"Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus" Facebook Group:
 
Our Facebook Group is devoted to providing a place for us to encourage each other through all the seasons of life. Follow the provided link to request admittance into “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus”—https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ Feel free to invite others who will be good encouragers and/or need encouragement to follow Jesus.
 
This podcast is hosted by Kim Smith, a small town Country Girl who left her comfort zone to follow Jesus in a big City World. Now, she wants to use God's Word and lessons from her faith journey to encourage others in loving Jesus.
 
In each episode, Kim will share insights regarding a portion of God's Word and challenge listeners to apply the lessons to their daily lives.
 
If you want to grow in your faith and learn how to encourage others in loving Jesus, subscribe and commit to prayerfully listening each week.
 
Remember, “It’s Always a Trust & Obey Kinda Day!”
 
If you have questions or comments or would like to learn more about how to follow Jesus, please email Kim at EncouragingOthersinLovingJesus@gmail.com.
 
 
National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
 
988
 
https://988lifeline.org/
 
Reference:
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Tyndale House Publishers. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Wheaton, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004.
 
Podcast recorded through Cleanfeed and edited through GarageBand. The soundtrack, entitled “Outlaw John McShane” was obtained from Pixabay.
 
 
The HIDDEN Episodes: 
If you can't access episodes 1-50 on your podcast app (the podcast was then entitled "A Country Girl in a City World - Loving Jesus"), you can get all the content at my Podbean site at https://acountrygirlinacityworldlovingjesus.podbean.com/
 

Ep. 349: Be Careful to Live in Obedience to God

SHOW NOTES
 
In Podcast Episode 349, “Be Careful to Live in Obedience to God,” Kim discusses the difference between the legacies of the kings Uzziah and his son Jotham. King Jotham made one choice his father obviously did not, at least when their power continued to grow: “he was careful to live in obedience to the Lord his God.” Let’s all learn from his example and determine how to be more careful in our lives.
 
Our focal passage for this episode is 2 Chronicles 27:1-9, with 6 as the focal verse, compared to 2 Chronicles 26:16:
 
6 King Jotham became powerful because he was careful to live in obedience to the Lord his God.
 
16 But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord his God by entering the sanctuary of the Lord’s Temple and personally burning incense on the incense altar. 
 
 
WEEKLY ENGAGEMENT FEATURE:
 
In which area of your life do you need to be more careful to live in obedience to God?
 
Consistently Make Wise Choices
Avoid Personal Danger Zones
Reset on a Regular Basis
Expect More from Yourself Each Day
Fail Forward
Use the Tools You Have Available
Live a Life Worthy of Being the Lord’s Ambassador.
 
 
Additional Resources and Scriptures:
 
EMAIL — encouragingothersinlovingjesus@gmail.com
X - https://x.com/eoinlovingjesus?s=21&t=YcRjZQUpvP7FrJmm7Pe1hg
INSTAGRAM -  https://www.instagram.com/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/
“Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus” YouTube Channel: Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/@EncouragingOthersInLovingJesus
 
I WANT TO BEGIN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.
 
RESOURCES USED FOR BOOK OF 1 & 2 Kings PODCASTS:
“The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: The Complete Old Testament OT in One Volume”
“Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings” by Tony Merida
“The Tony Evans Bible Commentary: Advancing God’s Kingdom Agenda”
“Life Application Study Bible”
“The Swindoll Study Bible: NLT” by Charles R. Swindoll
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
“The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary” by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays (Editors)
Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): Old Testament, 2004, by Kenneth L. Barker, John R. Kohlenberger, III.
xAI. (2025). Grok [Large language model]. https://x.ai/grok/chat 
 
 
"Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus" Facebook Group:
 
Our Facebook Group is devoted to providing a place for us to encourage each other through all the seasons of life. Follow the provided link to request admittance into “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus”—https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ Feel free to invite others who will be good encouragers and/or need encouragement to follow Jesus.
 
This podcast is hosted by Kim Smith, a small town Country Girl who left her comfort zone to follow Jesus in a big City World. Now, she wants to use God's Word and lessons from her faith journey to encourage others in loving Jesus.
 
In each episode, Kim will share insights regarding a portion of God's Word and challenge listeners to apply the lessons to their daily lives.
 
If you want to grow in your faith and learn how to encourage others in loving Jesus, subscribe and commit to prayerfully listening each week.
 
Remember, “It’s Always a Trust & Obey Kinda Day!”
 
If you have questions or comments or would like to learn more about how to follow Jesus, please email Kim at EncouragingOthersinLovingJesus@gmail.com.
 
 
National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
 
988
 
https://988lifeline.org/
 
Reference:
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Tyndale House Publishers. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Wheaton, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004.
 
Podcast recorded through Cleanfeed and edited through GarageBand. The soundtrack, entitled “Outlaw John McShane” was obtained from Pixabay.
 
 
The HIDDEN Episodes: 
If you can't access episodes 1-50 on your podcast app (the podcast was then entitled "A Country Girl in a City World - Loving Jesus"), you can get all the content at my Podbean site at https://acountrygirlinacityworldlovingjesus.podbean.com/
 

Ep. 348: They Refused to Turn from the Sins

SHOW NOTES
 
In Podcast Episode 348, “They Refused to Turn from the Sins,” Kim discusses the ungodly patterns that can carry forward in families and organizations. In today’s text, we see evil patterns in families and in non-familial leadership lines. Always remember you can choose to stop unhealthy patterns and pass along healthy ones to future generations.
 
Our focal passage for this episode is 2 Kings 15:8-31, with 9 as the focal verse:
 
9 Zechariah did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, as his ancestors had done. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.
 
 
WEEKLY ENGAGEMENT FEATURE:
 
What unhealthy patterns have you refused to turn from?
 
Additional Resources and Scriptures:
 
6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. (Deut. 6:6-7)
EMAIL — encouragingothersinlovingjesus@gmail.com
X - https://x.com/eoinlovingjesus?s=21&t=YcRjZQUpvP7FrJmm7Pe1hg
INSTAGRAM -  https://www.instagram.com/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/
“Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus” YouTube Channel: Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/@EncouragingOthersInLovingJesus
 
 
I WANT TO BEGIN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.
 
RESOURCES USED FOR BOOK OF 1 & 2 Kings PODCASTS:
“The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: The Complete Old Testament OT in One Volume”
“Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings” by Tony Merida
“The Tony Evans Bible Commentary: Advancing God’s Kingdom Agenda”
“Life Application Study Bible”
“The Swindoll Study Bible: NLT” by Charles R. Swindoll
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
“The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary” by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays (Editors)
Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): Old Testament, 2004, by Kenneth L. Barker, John R. Kohlenberger, III.
xAI. (2025). Grok [Large language model]. https://x.ai/grok/chat 
 
 
"Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus" Facebook Group:
 
Our Facebook Group is devoted to providing a place for us to encourage each other through all the seasons of life. Follow the provided link to request admittance into “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus”—https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ Feel free to invite others who will be good encouragers and/or need encouragement to follow Jesus.
 
This podcast is hosted by Kim Smith, a small town Country Girl who left her comfort zone to follow Jesus in a big City World. Now, she wants to use God's Word and lessons from her faith journey to encourage others in loving Jesus.
 
In each episode, Kim will share insights regarding a portion of God's Word and challenge listeners to apply the lessons to their daily lives.
 
If you want to grow in your faith and learn how to encourage others in loving Jesus, subscribe and commit to prayerfully listening each week.
 
Remember, “It’s Always a Trust & Obey Kinda Day!”
 
If you have questions or comments or would like to learn more about how to follow Jesus, please email Kim at EncouragingOthersinLovingJesus@gmail.com.
 
 
National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
 
988
 
https://988lifeline.org/
 
Reference:
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Tyndale House Publishers. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Wheaton, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004.
 
Podcast recorded through Cleanfeed and edited through GarageBand. The soundtrack, entitled “Outlaw John McShane” was obtained from Pixabay.
 
 
The HIDDEN Episodes: 
If you can't access episodes 1-50 on your podcast app (the podcast was then entitled "A Country Girl in a City World - Loving Jesus"), you can get all the content at my Podbean site at https://acountrygirlinacityworldlovingjesus.podbean.com/
 

Ep. 347: Power, Pride, and the Plummet

SHOW NOTES
 
In Podcast Episode 347, “Power, Pride, and the Plummet,” Kim discusses the humiliating fall of the puffed-up King Uzziah of the Southern Kingdom. As long as he feared the Lord and sought guidance from the Lord, he had a successful life, and the kingdom of Judah thrived. Yet, at some point, his eyes left the Lord and his purposes, and began to consider himself above respect for God and His law. May each of us learn from Uzziah’s tragic end.
 
Our focal passage for this episode is 2 Chronicles 26:16-23, with 16 as the focal verse:
 
“But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord his God by entering the sanctuary of the Lord’s Temple and personally burning incense on the incense altar.”
 
 
WEEKLY ENGAGEMENT FEATURE:
 
Humbly pray the prayer provided below and fully submit to the Spirit’s leading.
 
PRAYER AGAINST PRIDE
 
Heavenly Father,
You are the Lord Almighty, the One who resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).
We come before You today, confessing that pride has crept into our hearts like a silent thief, stealing our dependence on You.
 
Forgive us, Lord, when we have thought too highly of ourselves,
when we have sought our own glory instead of Yours.
Like King Uzziah, we have sometimes trusted in our success, our strength, our wisdom—
and forgotten that “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).
 
Break our hearts where pride has taken root.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).
Search us and reveal any arrogance, self-reliance, or desire to be seen by others.
Help us to “humble ourselves under Your mighty power” (1 Peter 5:6),
knowing that You alone are worthy of praise.
 
Teach us to walk in the fear of the Lord,
for “true humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life” (Proverbs 22:4).
Clothe us with humility, as You clothed Your Son, Jesus,
who “humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8).
 
May we never stand on the precipice of pride,
but instead “boast only about the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:31),
and “take delight in honoring each other” (Romans 12:10).
 
Guard our hearts, our words, and our actions.
Let “everything we do… bring glory to God” (1 Corinthians 10:31),
and keep us low at the foot of the cross,
where true greatness is found in serving, not in being served.
 
In the name of Jesus Christ, our humble King, we pray.
Amen. (Grok, Oct. 31, 2025)
 
 
Additional Resources and Scriptures:
 
8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. (James 4:8-10)
16 There are six things the Lord hates—no, seven things he detests: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, 18  a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, 19  a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family. (Proverbs 6:16-19)
18 Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18)
2 Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2)
Isaiah 6:1-8
EMAIL — encouragingothersinlovingjesus@gmail.com
X - https://x.com/eoinlovingjesus?s=21&t=YcRjZQUpvP7FrJmm7Pe1hg
INSTAGRAM -  https://www.instagram.com/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/
“Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus” YouTube Channel: Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/@EncouragingOthersInLovingJesus
 
 
I WANT TO BEGIN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.
 
RESOURCES USED FOR BOOK OF 1 & 2 Kings PODCASTS:
“The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: The Complete Old Testament OT in One Volume”
“Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings” by Tony Merida
“The Tony Evans Bible Commentary: Advancing God’s Kingdom Agenda”
“Life Application Study Bible”
“The Swindoll Study Bible: NLT” by Charles R. Swindoll
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
“The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary” by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays (Editors)
Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): Old Testament, 2004, by Kenneth L. Barker, John R. Kohlenberger, III.
xAI. (2025). Grok [Large language model]. https://x.ai/grok/chat 
 
 
"Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus" Facebook Group:
 
Our Facebook Group is devoted to providing a place for us to encourage each other through all the seasons of life. Follow the provided link to request admittance into “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus”—https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ Feel free to invite others who will be good encouragers and/or need encouragement to follow Jesus.
 
This podcast is hosted by Kim Smith, a small town Country Girl who left her comfort zone to follow Jesus in a big City World. Now, she wants to use God's Word and lessons from her faith journey to encourage others in loving Jesus.
 
In each episode, Kim will share insights regarding a portion of God's Word and challenge listeners to apply the lessons to their daily lives.
 
If you want to grow in your faith and learn how to encourage others in loving Jesus, subscribe and commit to prayerfully listening each week.
 
Remember, “It’s Always a Trust & Obey Kinda Day!”
 
If you have questions or comments or would like to learn more about how to follow Jesus, please email Kim at EncouragingOthersinLovingJesus@gmail.com.
 
 
National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
 
988
 
https://988lifeline.org/
 
Reference:
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Tyndale House Publishers. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Wheaton, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004.
 
Podcast recorded through Cleanfeed and edited through GarageBand. The soundtrack, entitled “Outlaw John McShane” was obtained from Pixabay.
 
 
The HIDDEN Episodes: 
If you can't access episodes 1-50 on your podcast app (the podcast was then entitled "A Country Girl in a City World - Loving Jesus"), you can get all the content at my Podbean site at https://acountrygirlinacityworldlovingjesus.podbean.com/