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When life pushes past your limits, where do you run first? We walk through Psalms 60–62 to trace David’s journey from defeat to dependence, showing how confession, clear promises, and “God alone” trust rebuild courage when feelings are faint and circumstances refuse to budge.

We start with the battlefield backdrop of Psalm 60, where an early defeat exposes deeper spiritual fracture. David doesn’t spin the loss; he owns it, prays for restoration, and points to God’s banner—the rallying signal that shows wounded hearts where to find safety and direction. From there we unpack why anchoring to God’s promises outruns the rise and fall of our emotions. If God cannot lie, then forgiveness and hope stand on bedrock, not on the mood of the day. That shift from feelings to promises is not theory; it is survival for a soul that wants to stand again.

Then we move into Psalm 61’s cry, “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I,” and explore what it means to live on granite instead of clay. Dependence is not weakness; it is wise architecture. Finally, Psalm 62 confronts backup-plan spirituality with a single stubborn word: alone. God alone is our rock, salvation, and fortress—not God plus bank accounts, reports, or reputation. We talk about how “alone” simplifies decisions, quiets panic, and strengthens patience, turning setbacks into stepping stones toward a steadier, braver faith.

If you’re navigating lingering needs, recurring battles, or a heart that feels faint, this conversation offers a path forward: confess clearly, run to the banner, hold to the promise, and stand on the Rock. Listen now, share it with a friend who needs courage today, and if it helps you, subscribe and leave a review so others can find their footing too.

The first of Stephen's two volumes set through the Book of Revelation is now available. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FQ3XCJMY

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Caves, closets, and courage meet in one sweeping story about refuge that holds when fear refuses to blink. We open with Corrie Ten Boom’s family watch shop in the Netherlands, where a secret room saved hundreds of Jewish neighbors and eventually led Corrie through prison, loss, and a line that still steadies the heart: there is no pit so deep that God is not deeper still. From there, we step into David’s cave at En Gedi and watch an almost unthinkable choice—an easy chance to end Saul’s life—give way to a harder road of restraint and trust.

Across Psalms 57 to 59, David names the reality most of us would rather outrun: trials are unrelenting, injustice stings, and enemies circle like stray dogs. Yet his prayers turn a corner we need—away from shortcuts and toward the character of God. We talk about imprecatory prayer without flinching, why a world allergic to judgment quietly starves justice, and how the cross lets mercy flow without watering down the standard. David’s language is blunt, but his focus is not on fear; it is on a fortress he can sing about before sunrise.

This conversation threads Scripture, history, and honest questions into a single claim: refuge is not an escape hatch but a person. When power is misused, when timing feels cruel, when anxiety paces the room, we learn how to cry for justice, wait with integrity, and sing toward morning. Corrie’s testimony and David’s songs converge on a hiding place deeper than the pit, stronger than the pack, and near enough to carry you through the night.

If this encouraged you, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review to help others find their way to this conversation.

The first of Stephen's two volumes set through the Book of Revelation is now available. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FQ3XCJMY

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Dark nights have a way of bending our sense of direction. We think we’re level, but the gauges tell another story. We take you to Psalm 56—David’s raw prayer from Gath—where fear doesn’t vanish, yet trust takes the lead. Through the lens of a real aviation tragedy and the metaphor of flying by instruments, we explore why instincts can betray you and how God’s word becomes the steady panel that keeps you from a graveyard spiral.

We walk through David’s desperate choices, including his risky escape from the hometown of Goliath while carrying the giant’s sword. From there, three anchors rise: God’s word is consistently appropriate for trouble, God is consciously aware of every wandering and sleepless toss, and God is compassionately attentive to each tear. The ancient image of tear bottles comes alive as a tender promise—your sorrow is seen, counted, and kept. Fear and faith can coexist, and that tension is not failure; it’s the place where trust matures.

Along the way, we trade clichés for concrete practices. Engage Scripture like an instrument panel, especially when visibility drops. Replace gut-driven reactions with rehearsed promises. Name the enemies that lurk—anxiety, cynicism, shame—and counter them with truth spoken aloud. Then lift your eyes to the horizon: a future where God wipes every tear and empty bottles stay empty for good. If you’ve been flying by feel, it’s time to switch on the autopilot of God’s promises and steady your course.

If this helped level your wings, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s navigating a long night, and leave a review to help others find hope when the lights go out.

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Stephen's latest book, The Disciples Prayer, is available now. https://www.wisdomonline.org/store/view/the-disciples-prayer-hardback