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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Jill Devine Media Podcasts
We’ve come to the end of our journey together through God’s Big Story. But it’s not really the end! Our prayer is that families will keep learning together and growing together in faith! Talking about Heaven is a great place to start this week. Here are some ideas: Preschoolers: What do you want to do in Heaven? Who will you see there? How will you…
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By Jill Devine
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Today we are learning more about Paul. Parents, want to keep talking? Here are some ideas: Ask: How did Paul serve God? (He taught people about God). Paul travelled to Rome on a boat. How do you travel? How can you serve God? (ages 2-5) Paul says he doesn’t care if he goes to prison, he wants to finish the work that God gave him- which is to witnes…
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Imagine you were in Paul's sandals. For 30 years you devoted your life to zealously carrying out a mission, traveling far and wide to spread the Gospel. Church leaders valued your teachings and copies of your letters spread throughout the churches you help build. You were on fire for Jesus, but your ministry ends with you alone in a cell awaiting e…
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Today we heard the amazing story of Saul’s transformation into Paul! Parents, here are some conversation starters that can help you keep talking about this story! Preschoolers: Paul sang songs to God, even when he was in prison! What are some of your favorite songs to sing to God? Can singing songs to God help you feel better when you’re in a bad m…
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If you've ever doubted that Jesus can change the heart, just look to the example of Paul (aka, Saul). Once renowned for his violent persecution of early Christians, Paul has a conversion experience that knocks him to the ground (literally!). Days later, he sees the light (literally!) and emerges as one of the church's great leaders. Take a listen t…
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Today we are learning about the Holy Spirit. Parents, want to keep talking? Here are some ideas: Ask: What did God give his people? (the Holy Spirit to live inside them) Who can receive the Holy Spirit? (Everyone who believes in God) The Holy Spirit gave Jesus’ disciples the power to speak in other languages. Teach your child a few words in another…
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It was an exciting time to be alive in Jerusalem back around AD 30-33. Not only did you have the chance to run into Jesus in the flesh during His ministry years, but you would have heard first-hand accounts of (or even bore witness to!) His victory over death. Imagine getting in on the ground floor of the Jesus movement! Those church fathers (and m…
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Today you heard one of the very best stories ever told - the Easter story! Without Easter, none of the other Bible stories would matter. Here are some conversation prompts to keep your family talking about the importance of Easter: Preschool: What is a surprise? Have you ever had a happy surprise? Jesus' friends had a happy surprise on the first Ea…
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In last week’s episode, we looked at the interactions of Jesus and his disciples during the final evening of his earthly ministry. The events after that fateful night would forever alter their worlds (and ours). Imagine seeing the person you learned from, sacrificed for, and loved over the course of three years publicly executed—and someone you con…
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Today we are learning about the last things Jesus did on earth to show his great love for us! Parents, want to keep talking? Here are some ideas: Ask: What happened to Jesus in this Bible story? (Jesus had dinner with his friends, prayed in a garden and died on a cross) Why did Jesus die? (He died for our sins) How did Jesus show his love for us? (…
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For thousands of years God's people have had no trouble getting into trouble. They've repeatedly gone their own way, sinned on grand scales, and tested the patience of a very patient God. Now the time has come for God's wrath to be unleashed. But instead of punishing the ones who deserve it, he sacrifices his own son. Today, we'll see Jesus in all …
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Today we are learning that Jesus is the Son of God, and he is full of love! Parents, want to keep talking? Here are some ideas: Ask: What did the disciples say to the kids? (Go away!) What did Jesus say? (Come to me) Who loves you? Sing the songs “Jesus loves me” and “Jesus loves the Little Children” many times this week. If you don’t know the song…
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What if we told you that the Creator of the universe and the Savior of the world wants a relationship with YOU! YOU are His beloved child and He wants to meet you where you are. This week, Ryan Pfendler will be examining God's character as He is revealed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. If you’d like to dig deeper, check out these dis…
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Today we will learn that Jesus was a fantastic storyteller. Parents, want to keep talking? Here are some ideas: Ask: Tell me about your favorite story. What is your favorite Bible story? Can you tell me about some of the stories Jesus told? (The Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son) (ages 2-5) One of the coolest things Jesus did was walk on water. What…
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Chances are, you've experienced trouble in life. The list of things that can (and do) go wrong is a long one. Our problems can range from minorly inconvenient to devastatingly life-altering. If you've ever been afraid, you're in good company. Even the disciples, who saw Jesus perform miracles, had moments when fear overtook faith. In this week’s ep…
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Today we will learn about Jesus performing many miracles and allowing people to experience the power of God. Parents, want to keep talking? Here are some ideas: *Tell me some things that are powerful. What do you think is the most powerful thing on earth? How did Jesus show God’s power (He performed many miracles) (ages 2-5) *When John baptized Jes…
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If you confess Jesus as your Savior, every day you're being targeted. Satan wants nothing more than to separate God from His people, and he's really, really good at knowing how to go about it. We all have trials and temptations in life, and Satan has a great sense of timing. He knows when we're most vulnerable to his lies and what he can use to tem…
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Today we will learn about how Jesus was born into this world to be our rescuer! Parents, want to keep talking? Here are some ideas: Ask: What special baby was born? Why did God send his Son? (To save all people) When do we celebrate Jesus’ birth? (at Christmastime) What is your favorite part of celebrating Jesus’ birth? (ages 2-5) What would you sa…
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After a nice summer break, we're returning to our message series based on "The Story" and looking at the Christmas narrative in Chapter 22. See that simple manger? Removed from the pageantry we typically associate with the season, its humbleness reflects the values of the kingdom that Jesus ushers in. He arrives in an unexpected form to a world whe…
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We hope your summer has been going great! In this bonus episode, Hannah and April reflect on past episodes and what they're looking forward to with future episodes. Join Hannah and April on Thursday, August 7th for a brand new episode of Normal Goes A Long Way For Kids!By Jill Devine
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We hope your summer break is going well! In this week's episode, our host, Jill Devine, provides an update on when regular episodes resume and what to expect after summer break. Make plans to join us on Tuesday, August 5th for a new episode based on Messiah's sermon series, "The Story".By Jill Devine
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Today we learned about when God helped Nehemiah rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. Parents, want to extend the discussion with your kids? Here are some discussion questions: For your kiddos ages 2-4, say: What did Nehemiah and God’s people build? Walls can make a city feel safe. What makes you feel safe? For your kiddos ages 5-9, say: Nehemiah didn…
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We've reached the end of Old Testament section in The Story. We’ve seen the cycle of the story- God’s people sin, receive judgment, cry out, God saves them, and they fall back into their old patterns of sin again. Now that they've been rescued from slavery, it might seem like we'll know what happens next- God's people fall back into idolatry. But t…
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158: KIDS VERSION - The Queen of Beauty and Courage
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Today we will learn about Esther and the amazing story of how she became a queen and helped save God’s people. Parents, want to keep talking? Here are some ideas: Ask: Who was Esther (Esther was a Jewish girl who was made a queen) What hard things might you have to do? Who can help you? (ages 2-5) What do you think Esther made for the big dinner wi…
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Over the past few months, we've seen God come to the aid of His people over and over again. Whether through dreams or prophets, God guides the Hebrew people in times of war and times of peace. Perhaps you find it hard to relate to stories of people whom our God is constantly revealing Himself to. If so, Esther's story might be one you can identify …
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Today we learned about when God’s people got to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. Parents, want to extend the discussion with your kids? Here are some discussion questions: For your kiddos ages 2-4, say: What did God’s people build? Who did God’s people promise to follow? Who do you follow? (Play follow the leader!) For your kiddos ages 5…
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We've come to a pivotal point in "The Story." The Hebrew people have been released from the Babylonian exile and given a chance to return to their homeland and rebuild the destroyed temple in Jerusalem. Finally, the people are turning back to the God who never left them! But despite the backing of a king, the project is slow going. Both internal an…
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Today we will hear the incredible story of Daniel and the lion's den. Life can be scary at times, but God will always take care of us. Parents, want to keep talking? Here are some ideas: Ask: Who protected Daniel? (God sent an angel to protect Daniel). Who prayed to God? (Daniel) What can you pray about? (ages 2-4) Daniel followed God’s rules inste…
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Daniel's a guy who's got everything going for him. He's a winner in life, enjoying championship status in sports, intellectual pursuits, and the Judah Hot Dog League. All this success attracts the attention of the conquering Babylonians, and Daniel is sent into the service of their king...and gods. It's here that he really shines. With courage and …
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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
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Today 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
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Today 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
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Today 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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