Ever open your Bible and think, "Where do I even start?" You're not alone — and you don't have to stay stuck.

In this week's podcast episode, Barb talks with Ellen Krause, Ashley Armijo, and Taylor Krause, co-authors of The Easy Bible Study Method, about how to approach Scripture with a simple 4-step framework that helps you actually understand what you're reading — and delight in it.

If you've been craving a deeper walk with God but feel overwhelmed by Bible study, this conversation is for you.

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The Easy Bible Study Method: A Guide to Understanding, Applying, and Delighting in God's Word

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ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST

ELLEN KRAUSE, aka Mentor Mama, is cofounder of Coffee and Bible Time with daughters Ashley and Taylor. She hosts the CBT Podcast, which equips people to delight in God's Word and thrive in Christian Living! Ellen has been involved in women's ministry for over 20 years and mentors women worldwide through CBT. Her MA in marketing and her years in corporate America help CBT flourish. In her free time, she enjoys working out, doing mixed media art, sewing, gardening, and cooking.

ASHLEY ARMIJO is cofounder of Coffee and Bible Time, a ministry that helps women learn how to delight in God's Word and thrive in Christian living. She is an alumna of the Moody Bible Institute with a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Ministry Studies. It is Ashley's passion to teach women how to study and delight in God's Word whether that is online through Coffee and Bible Time or opening up her home to young women in the community. When Ashley doesn't have her nose in the Bible, she is spending time with her family, painting, and homemaking.

TAYLOR KRAUSE holds a bachelor's degree in pre-counseling and has devoted herself to extensive academic and personal study of the Bible. She is passionate about helping women apply biblical principles to their everyday lives, guiding them to grow closer to God through His Word. With a deep commitment to integrating spiritual and mental health, Taylor encourages women to embrace their true selves and feel fully loved. In her free time, she enjoys writing music, playing games with family, and taking time to relax.

What if stress isn't just a problem to manage — but a signal to rest?

In this episode, Barb talks with nurse and author Tracie Braylock about Radical Relaxation — a healing, faith-filled approach to dealing with stress that goes beyond self-care checklists.

You'll learn how engaging your God-designed relaxation response can lead to real peace, deeper trust, and lasting transformation — mind, body, and spirit.

Listen now and discover why rest might be the most radical act of faith you can take today.

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Radical Relaxation: Releasing the Stress You Were Never Meant to Carry

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ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST

Tracie Braylock (MSN, BSN, RN) is a holistic nurse educator, writer, and wellness consultant. As a former operating room nurse, she advocates for mind, body, spirit well-being, holistic wellness experiences, and liberating relaxation. Her work has been featured in the American Holistic Nurses Association New Beginnings magazine, Proverbs 31 Ministries, and Hallmark Mahogany. Tracie teaches workshops, leads retreats, and lectures on issues related to nursing, writing, self-care, and healing lifestyles. She lives in Ohio with her family.

Are you doing all the "right" Christian things but still struggling to feel joy? You're not alone.

In this heartfelt conversation with special guest, Asheritah Ciuciu, we talk about what it means to move from duty to delight—from trying to earn God's love to truly enjoying it.

Together we'll explore the simple rhythms that restore joy and the freeing truth that we were created for delight—not performance. If your faith feels weary or stuck, this episode will remind you that joy isn't just for eternity; it's for right now.

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Delighting in Jesus: Rhythms to Restore Joy When You Feel Burdened, Broken, or Burned-Out

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ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST

Asheritah Ciuciu is a bestselling author, national speaker, and host of the Prayers of Rest podcast. Asheritah is the author of many books, including Full, Prayers of Rest, and Unwrapping the Names of. A Romanian missionary kid, she's passionate about helping people around the world enjoy through creative spiritual habits. Asheritah is married to her high school sweetheart, and together they raise their three spunky kiddos in NE Ohio. Discover your creative devotional type at www.OneThingAlone.com.

What do you really believe about heaven?

When faced with her own terminal diagnosis, author Colleen Chao discovered that heaven wasn't a faraway idea. It was a living hope that changed how she faced each day.

In this moving episode, Colleen shares the peace, beauty, and courage that come from fixing our eyes on eternity—even when life on earth is marked by suffering. Her words will stir your heart, strengthen your faith, and remind you: this isn't the end of the story.

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On Our Way Home: Reflections on Heaven in the Face of Death

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ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST

Colleen Chao is an editor, writer, and former English teacher. During her unexpected chapter of singleness, she traveled and explored new places, mentored young women, sang and acted, and spent unhealthy amounts of time at coffee shops. In 2010, at age 34, she married strong and handsome Eddie Chao, and eleven months later she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named Jeremy.

In 2017, after a long journey through chronic pain and illness (both her own and her son's) Colleen was diagnosed with breast cancer. After intensive chemotherapy and a double mastectomy, Colleen enjoyed two years of clear test results—but in Spring 2021 she learned that the cancer was back, and it was terminal this time. Out of this indescribable sorrow has come stunning beauty, and Colleen's desire is to spend the remainder of her days sharing this beauty with others who suffer.

When she's not visiting a doctor or wrangling words, Colleen enjoys the beautiful outdoors, side-splitting laughter, and half-read books piled bedside. She makes her home just outside Boise, Idaho with Eddie and Jeremy, and their dog, Willow.

Do you ever feel left out, overlooked, or like you don't quite belong? In a world where loneliness is at an all-time high, what if the belonging you've been searching for has already been given to you? In today's conversation, Dr. Carmen Joy Imes invites us to rediscover God's vision for community and connection. In her new book, Becoming God's Family, Carmen helps us see how the Bible reshapes our understanding of belonging—not as something we achieve, but as a gift we receive in Christ. If you need one reason to give God's family one more try, join us for this important conversation.

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Becoming God's Family: Why the Church Still Matters

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ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST

Dr. Carmen Joy Imes is associate professor of Old Testament at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, in Southern California. She is the author of Bearing God's Name: Why Sinai Still Matters, Being God's Image: Why Creation Still Matters, and Becoming God's Family: Why the Church Still Matters. Carmen has a YouTube channel where she releases weekly Torah Tuesday videos and you can find her writing on various websites, including Christianity Today, The Well, and The Politics of Scripture blog. Carmen is passionate about equipping the church to engage the Old Testament well and to see its relevance for the Christian life.

Does your faith feel fragile, distant, or broken? You're not alone. In this episode, Jason Hague and Catherine McNiel share how a mid-faith crisis can actually be the doorway to a deeper, more resilient walk with God.

Doubt isn't the end of your faith—it may be the beginning of something new. In this powerful conversation, my guests share their personal stories of grief, unmet expectations, and doubt—and how God met them in the middle of the mess. Together, we'll explore why seasons of crisis can be fertile ground for deeper growth, how to let go of false certainties, and how to embrace a faith that is more resilient, honest, and rooted in God's goodness.

RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE

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Mid-Faith Crisis Book

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ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST

Catherine McNiel is a chaplain, author, editor, and speaker searching for the creative, redemptive work of God in our ordinary lives. She lives in the Chicagoland area with her husband, three children, and one enormous garden. Catherine holds an MA in human service counseling and is finishing a Master of Divinity at North Park Theological Seminary. Her previous books include Fearing Bravely, All Shall Be Well, and Long Days of Small Things, which was an ECPA finalist for New Author.

Jason Hague is the associate pastor of Christ's Center Church near Eugene, Oregon, and the author of Aching Joy: Following God Through the Land of Unanswered Prayer. Jason has written extensively on the subject of the Christian faith and autism, special needs families, and his own spiritual journey toward hope for his own nonspeaking autistic son. His writing has appeared in Christianity Today, Focus on the Family, and Fathom. He and his wife have five children.

What if the weight you've been carrying isn't just pain—but offense? In this honest and hope-filled conversation, author and speaker Alexandra Hoover joins Barb to talk about her new book, You Can Let Go, and the freedom that comes when we trust Jesus with our wounds.

Together, they explore how to navigate hurt, why offense can keep us stuck, and how letting go doesn't mean forgetting—it means healing.

Whether you're holding onto quiet resentment or walking through deep pain, this episode will encourage you to lay it down, let the light in, and move forward in the wholeness God has for you.

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You Can Let Go: Make Peace with Your Past, Break Free from Offense, and Move Forward with God

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ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST

Alexandra Hoover is a compassionate writer, a sought-after speaker, and the author of Eyes Up and Without Wavering. With a heart for inspiring others, she combines biblical wisdom, practical insights, and a deep passion for helping people navigate life's challenges with faith and hope. A proud Latina, Alexandra serves her local church and is pursuing a master of arts in women and theology at Northern Seminary. As a wife and mother of three, she treasures balancing family life with ministry, finding joy in serving, and inspiring others.

What if anxiety wasn't a sign of spiritual failure but an invitation to meet Jesus in the middle of your fear? In this episode of Bold, Brave, and Beautiful, bestselling author and Bible teacher Becky Keife shares her powerful story of moving from shame and striving to freedom and peace. Drawing from her new book A Verse a Day for the Anxious Soul, Becky reminds us that anxiety doesn't disqualify us from God's love—it's the very place where His grace meets us. With honest stories, practical peace practices, and biblical truth, Becky offers hope for anyone longing to calm their anxious heart and experience God's presence in a fresh way.

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A Verse A Day For The Anxious Soul

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ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST

Becky Keife is the author of A Verse A Day For The Anxious Soul and a Bible teacher, speaker, and author passionate about helping people hear's voice, embrace their true identity, and step into their purpose. A dedicated mental health advocate, Becky equips individuals and churches to understand anxiety biblically and experience Jesus wholly. She loves long naps, puffy clouds, and shady trails. Becky lives in Southern California with her husband and three always-hungry teenage sons.