Cultivate with Kelly Minter

A new year comes with much to do, plan for, and be excited about. But, at the start of these 365 days, it’s important that we take time to position our hearts before the Lord. It’s easy to focus on all of the doing, but what if we focus on the being—being at the feet of Jesus and listening to what He has to say to us? When we spend time with Him, our serving and productivity will flow out of that time.

In this episode, we’re looking at Mary and Martha’s encounter with Jesus in Luke 10:38-42. He called them to a place of discipleship and a posture of choosing quality time with Him as superior to being anxiously busy for Him. Jesus invited these two sisters, as he invites us, to a deeper communion with Him. He said that this is the better choice because time spent with Him can never be taken away. Don’t we want to be about the things that can never be taken away from us?

We don’t know what the year ahead holds, the hard times and the good times, but the quality time we invest with Jesus today is treasure stored for tomorrow. At the end of these 365 days, I want to have stored up something special. I want Jesus to look at our lives—our love for Him and for others, the time that we spend with Him and the time that we give to others—and say, “That is a treasure.”

January is the perfect time to start a Bible study. Check out Kelly’s newest study, Ruth: Loss, Love & Legacy (video access included with study),and also her study, Encountering God, which is about the spiritual disciplines—a great focus for the new year.

Cultivate is brought to you in part by the Dwell Bible App. Save 30% at dwellapp.io/Cultivate.

Cultivate is sponsored in part by "When You Pray." Find out more at Lifeway.com/WhenYouPray

Check out Kelly's new book "The Blessed Life" at TheBlessedLifeBook.com or search for it on Amazon.

Learn more about Hope for the Heart’s upcoming Mental Health and the Church event here.

“She sat at His feet in the good times, she fell at His feet in the hard times.”

Today’s Episode
Perhaps you’ve wondered how you can have a relationship with Jesus so intimate that you trust Him with all you hold dear. Today, we’ll trace Mary of Bethany’s story through the Gospels. She was the one who anointed Jesus’s body before His burial. She’s also the one who sat at His feet while her sister Martha worked in the kitchen. And she’s the one who lost her brother Lazarus when Jesus could have saved him.
The question for us is how did Mary get to the place where she was willing to trust Jesus with everything? What are you and I missing about the Savior that makes what we’re holding onto seem so powerful? What of our alabaster jars are we still clutching? In today’s episode we’ll ponder these questions as we reflect on Mary’s relationship with Jesus. When we see Him for who He truly is we’ll want to give Him everything. Let’s follow Mary’s lead and spend time at the feet of The Teacher today.
Character Focus: Mary of Bethany
Scripture References:

Mark 14:3

Luke 10:38-42

John 11:5-6

John 11:17-20

John 11:28-29

John 11:45

John 11:32

John 12:3

Reference to James 1:22

Relevant Links

*No Other Gods: The Unrivaled Pursuit Of Christ

*Subscribe to accessmore.com or wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss an episode.

*Sign up for Kelly’s newsletter at Kellyminter.com and receive a 21-Day Devotional called The Blessed Life for a limited time.

*Follow Kelly on Instagram at Kelly_Minter. Or Facebook at KellyMinterAuthor.

*Kelly works closely with Justice & Mercy International in the Amazon and in Moldova. You can check out their work here: justiceandmercy.org.

*If you like the opening music to The Cultivate Podcast you can find it on Kelly’s record Hymns & Hallelujahs. The song is Time For Singing.

Learn more about Hope for the Heart’s upcoming Mental Health and the Church event here.

“The miracle took place somewhere in the midst of the servant’s obedience”
Today’s Episode
We’re so glad you’re back for another episode of the Cultivate Podcast with Kelly Minter. Continuing to work our way down Kelly’s “Top Hits” of her favorite Scripture passages, today we’re getting dressed up and going to a wedding! Many of you are familiar with the story of Jesus turning water into wine, but Kelly will bring your attention to some overlooked characters who play a vital role in this joyous occasion. (No spoilers, though.)
The word obedience can feel joyless and stifling. We want its benefits and blessings without the effort or surrender. But in John 2 we’ll see that the ones who obeyed Jesus were the ones who discovered the secret—the Source of the wine. We’ll discover how powerful and important even the smallest and simplest acts of obedience and servanthood can be, as Kelly invites you into the story of John 2 and the ways it has impacted her personally.
Scripture Reference:
John 2:1-11

Relevant Links

*Subscribe to the Cultivate Podcast at accessmore.com or wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss an episode.

*Sign up for Kelly’s newsletter at Kellyminter.com and receive a 21-Day Devotional for a limited time.

*Follow Kelly on Instagram at Kelly_Minter. Or Facebook at KellyMinterAuthor.

*Kelly works closely with Justice & Mercy International in the Amazon and in Moldova. You can check out their work here: justiceandmercy.org

*If you like the opening music to The Cultivate Podcast you can find it on Kelly’s record Hymns & Hallelujahs. The song is Time For Singing.

Learn more about Hope for the Heart’s upcoming Mental Health and the Church event here.

During difficult seasons, we can be tempted to turn back to our old ways of numbing pain. We can begin to question if God is actually good and if he cares about us. But these are not the times to forfeit what we have with Him. These are the times to struggle and weep with our faces pointed toward the Lord, trusting who he is when we can’t see what lies ahead.

I can hardly wait to start studying the book of Ruth with you in today’s Cultivate podcast. As we look at the first chapter, we’ll see three women showing us different ways of weeping. One goes back to her old life, the second turns toward God with bitterness, and the third turns toward Him with total commitment amidst the unknown. Her story–the story of Ruth–is a beautiful picture of how God is not limited by our impossible circumstances.

Weeping will come for all of us, but the direction we weep in is what makes the difference. I hope this episode will encourage you to turn toward Jesus, continuing with the things he has called you to do. There will be a day that your tears will reap shouts of joy (Ps. 126:5-6).

Scripture References

Ruth 1:1-18; Psalm 126:5-6

How do we cultivate this in our lives?

Determine the direction you want to go. Ask God to help you move toward him in these times of weeping.

Don’t walk alone. We need a godly community walking with us. Join a local or virtual Bible study group.

Remember this is a season. You can sow seeds right now in your tears, trusting that there is a joyful harvest coming.

Stuff we think you’ll like:

Cook the delicious grilled salmon with lemon sauce recipe Kelly mentioned in this episode! It’s included in the first week of her Ruth Bible study. Or, check out her full cookbook, A Place at the Table.

Cultivate is brought to you in part by Kelly's Ruth Bible Study. Find out more by visiting this link.

Cultivate is brought to you in part by the Dwell Bible App. Save 30% at dwellapp.io/Cultivate.

Learn more about Hope for the Heart’s upcoming Mental Health and the Church event here.

It’s easy to settle into patterns of darkness and dysfunction without even realizing it. This is what had happened in a Gentile region on the other side of the lake of Galilee. When Jesus brought His light and healing to the town, the people didn’t want the disruption of change. Perhaps you know the feeling. On the other side of the lake, Jesus responded to the faith of a group of friends. Have you ever considered how much your faith in Christ affects the people around you? It’s the third week of our Jesus Changes Everything collection in Matthew 8-9!

In this episode we’ll see Jesus bring peace to two oppressed individuals, as well as heal a paralyzed man both physically and spiritually. Truly we’ll see the goodness and power of Jesus’ Kingdom coming on earth! Join me on this journey as we learn more about the healings and miracles of Jesus in this collection of episodes called Jesus Changes Everything.

For more from Kelly and to check out the full show notes visit KellyMinter.com

Learn more about Hope for the Heart’s upcoming Mental Health and the Church event here.