Twenty episodes ago, I started Friends With God with a simple idea: I’m just an average Joe trying to figure out my own friendship and walk with God, and maybe sharing that journey could help someone else create their own relationship with God too.

Now, 20 episodes in, I wanted to look back and ask: What have I actually learned?

In this episode, I share seven lessons that have continued to reveal themselves throughout this journey. Fear is often happening in my own head. I don’t have to know all the answers. I do have to trust. Distractions are real. Renewing the mind is a daily practice. Surrender makes life easier. And maybe most importantly, I’m remembering that I have a friendship with God and I don’t have to do any of this alone.

We also explore Philippians 4 and the practical invitation to bring our worries to God through prayer, thanksgiving, and trust, while intentionally choosing what we allow our minds to dwell on.

This isn’t about having faith completely figured out. It’s about practicing it. Showing up. Renewing the mind. Learning to surrender. And having enough courage to be exactly where we are, even when we don’t know what comes next.

As you listen, I invite you to reflect on your own journey: What have you learned lately about your relationship with God?

And if you have a story about your own friendship with God that you’d like to share, reach out. I’m excited to begin welcoming guests onto Friends With God and hearing how God has shown up in your life.

Friends With God: an average Joe learning to know Jesus, one day at a time.

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Are your thoughts coming from faith or fear? Are you trusting God's plan, or allowing doubt to keep you stuck?

In this episode of Friends With God, Joe Longo explores the connection between renewing your mind, choosing faith over fear, and learning to trust God even when you cannot see what comes next.

Inspired by Romans 12:2, James 1:2-8, and a thought-provoking quote from Pico Iyer's The Art of Stillness, Joe invites us to examine how much of our lives we spend replaying old memories, imagining worst-case scenarios, and allowing fear to influence our decisions.

What if changing the way we think could change the way we experience life?

Together, we explore how negative thought patterns, doubt, and distractions can pull us away from the present moment, and how faith, awareness, prayer, and surrender can help us reconnect with God's wisdom and guidance.

In this episode, you'll explore:

• What Romans 12:2 teaches us about renewing the mind.

• How James 1 connects faith, doubt, perseverance, and wisdom.

• Why our thoughts and imagination influence how we experience life.

• How to recognize fear-based thinking and consciously choose faith.

• What it means to surrender worry and trust God's plan.

• A practical five-step Faith or Fear Check-In to use throughout your week.

Joe also shares a simple guided prayer to help you release fear, reconnect with God's presence, and find the courage to take your next step.

Your invitation this week: Notice your thoughts. Question the stories you're telling yourself. Return to faith. Choose a new thought. Take one intentional step.

You don't need to see the entire path to take the next step.

Join Our Fall Monday Night Mastermind

We're continuing our journey of renewing the mind, building trust, and growing in faith together. Join Joe for two Monday evening gatherings in November as we explore what it means to trust God's timing and guidance.

Participation is free, with optional contributions of $10 or $20.

REGISTER HERE

About Friends With God

Friends With God: One Day at a Time is a podcast hosted by Joe Longo, an average Joe learning to know Jesus, one day at a time. Through honest conversations, biblical reflection, mindfulness, and personal experiences, Joe explores what it means to live with greater faith, awareness, and trust in God.

If this episode resonates with you, share it with someone who could use a reminder to choose faith over fear today.

Scriptures referenced: Romans 12:2, James 1:2-8, Philippians 4:13, Isaiah 54:17, and the teaching about faith as small as a mustard seed.

Have you ever started your morning by setting an intention, surrounding yourself with protective white light, or asking for spiritual guidance throughout your day?

What if the Bible has been teaching us something similar for thousands of years?

In this episode of Friends With God, I'm exploring Ephesians 6:10–18 and the Armor of God, making connections between the spiritual practices I've taught and experienced over the years and the biblical wisdom I'm rediscovering through my growing friendship with Jesus.

From the helmet of salvation and shield of faith to the power of prayer and renewing our minds, we're exploring what it means to prepare ourselves spiritually for everyday life.

I also share why I once pushed the Bible aside, how my journey through yoga, meditation, and New Age spirituality shaped my understanding, and why I'm learning to stop placing limits on how God can work in our lives.

We'll close with a guided meditation inviting you to put on the Armor of God, connect with the Holy Spirit, and prepare for the day ahead.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Grab your printable Armor of God infographic, featuring our everyday Average Joe putting on his spiritual armor. Print it out and hang it somewhere you'll see it each morning as a reminder to begin your day with faith, truth, peace, and prayer.

FREE DOWNLOAD

I'm just an average Joe learning to know Jesus, one day at a time.

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10–18