This episode explores the Marcan theology of the love commandment in Mark 12:29–31, where Jesus says what matters most plain and simple: love God fully and love your neighbor as yourself. No need to dress it up, overwork it, or drag in a committee meeting—love is still the center of it all.

Now come here, friend—let Grandma ask you something: where is God when it hurts? In this episode of Grandma Went to Seminary, we sit with grief, illness, heartbreak, and loneliness—and we refuse the quick, tidy answers that sound spiritual but don’t hold up in the hospital room. With Hebrews 4:15 as our starting point, Grandma pulls up Thomas Aquinas and asks what it really means to say God is unchanging love… and still not distant from our pain. We’ll talk about why Aquinas pushes back on the idea of a “suffering God,” how the cross puts God’s nearness on full display in Jesus Christ, and how Christ so identifies with the suffering that He can say, “I was hungry… I was sick… I was in prison.” So if you know what’s good for you—and if you want a slice of Grandma’s famous apple pie—pull up a chair and let’s talk about my Jesus.

If you’ve ever thought faith had to be serious all the time (no laughing, no smiling, definitely no dancing), this episode is for you. We’ll talk about the difference between shallow “everything’s fine” happiness and the deep, steady joy God gives—joy that isn’t a personality quirk, but part of the Christian life.