How can you truly get the most out of Lent—without burnout, guilt, or unrealistic expectations?

In this episode of The Bible Made Real Podcast, Kathy Abraham offers a deeply practical and spiritually rich guide to walking through Lent in a way that actually transforms your heart, habits, and inner life.

Lent is not just about giving things up.
It’s about getting free.

Together, we explore:

• Simple, sustainable Lenten practices for real life
• The deeper biblical meaning of fasting and repentance
• How the Epistle to the Hebrews reveals Lent as a journey of drawing near to God
• Christ’s victory in the wilderness—and how Lent becomes participation in His strength
• A week-by-week walkthrough of the Eight Sundays of Lent, forming the soul step-by-step toward resurrection

Whether you feel motivated, overwhelmed, distracted, or unsure where to begin, this episode will help you enter Lent with clarity, peace, and purpose—so that Easter becomes not just a celebration, but the beginning of new life.

• Why Lent is a sacred “tithe of the year” that creates space to receive God’s love
• How a digital fast can restore attention, silence, and prayer
• The importance of keeping a Lenten rule doable, honest, and consistent
• The three pillars of Lent: Reflection, Repentance, and Reconciliation
• How fasting joins us to Christ’s victory in the wilderness
• The spiritual roadmap of the Eight Sundays of Lent, from preparation to resurrection
• Practical ways to pray, give, forgive, and grow during the season

1. Preparation Sunday — Reordering loves and seeking hidden life with God
2. Temptation Sunday — Fighting with truth, not willpower
3. Prodigal Son Sunday — Repentance as a joyful return home
4. Samaritan Woman Sunday — Discovering the living water that truly satisfies
5. Paralytic Sunday — Healing, persistence, and rising from stuck places
6. Blind Man Sunday — Receiving spiritual sight and illumination
7. Palm Sunday — Welcoming Christ as King through humility
8. Resurrection Sunday — Entering joy, victory, and new creation

• St. Mary of Egypt — A witness of radical repentance and transformation
• The Ladder of Divine Ascent – St. John Climacus
• Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives – Elder Thaddeus
• The Gift of Faith – Tadeusz Dajczer

• Establish a consistent daily prayer time and place
• Add a small, sustainable spiritual practice
• Practice almsgiving through generosity, forgiveness, service, and love
• Keep Lent focused not on performance—but on returning to God

• Drawing near to God with endurance and sincerity (Hebrews)
• Christ’s faithfulness in the wilderness versus Adam’s failure in Eden
• Repentance, healing, illumination, humility, and resurrection life

If this episode encouraged you:

• Share it with a friend walking through Lent
• Follow and leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show
• Visit kathyabraham.com for Bible studies, devotionals, and spiritual resources

Welcome to The Bible Made Real.

Be sure to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes.

You can connect with Kathy on Instagram @kathyabidinglight and learn more at kathyabraham.com.

Episode Summary

What does it mean to be loved personally by Jesus—not in theory, but in a way that changes everything?

In this powerful episode of Bible Made Real, Kathy Abraham explores a love that calls you by name—a love that forgives deeply, heals completely, stays faithful through suffering, and ultimately sends us with purpose.

Through the story of Mary Magdalene, the first witness of the Resurrection, Kathy reveals a profound spiritual truth:
the depth of our love for Christ is directly connected to the depth of forgiveness we are willing to receive from Him.

From the feet of Jesus in repentance, to the foot of the Cross in loyalty, to the garden tomb in grief, this episode walks through a transformative journey of mercy, devotion, and personal encounter with the risen Lord.

This teaching is deeply biblical, theologically rich, and personally invitational—calling each listener to hear Jesus speak their name and respond with a life of surrendered love.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why Jesus revealed Himself first to Mary Magdalene after the Resurrection
• How forgiveness becomes the gateway to deeper love and devotion
• Why awareness of sin is not condemnation, but an invitation to mercy
• What true deliverance produces in the life of a believer
• Why real love remains faithful when it costs something
• How Jesus meets us in grief without rebuking our sorrow
• What it means when Jesus asks, “Why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”
• The power of Jesus calling someone by name—and what that means for you
• How encounter always leads to commission
• Why those who love Jesus are entrusted with His message

Key Scriptures Referenced

• 1 Corinthians 13
• Luke 7:36–50
• Luke 8:2
• John 19:25
• John 20:1–18
• John 10:3
• Isaiah 43:1

Core Truths Shared

• Forgiveness always comes before calling
• Those who are forgiven much love much
• Deep healing produces deep devotion
• True love stays when it no longer benefits
• Jesus is not offended by grief rooted in love
• Love recognizes the voice of Christ
• Encounter with Jesus always leads to mission

Reflective Questions for the Listener

• What am I seeking right now instead of Jesus?
• Where have I been placing something above Him in my heart?
• Am I allowing myself to fully receive Christ’s forgiveness?
• Can I hear Jesus calling me by name?
• How is He inviting me to respond?

Takeaway for the Week

Ask God to help you receive His forgiveness more deeply.

As you do, notice how love begins to overflow—
toward Jesus, and toward others.

Be forgiven much, and you will love much.

Closing Blessing

May you hear the voice of the Good Shepherd calling you by name.
May mercy open your heart wider to love.
And may your life become an overflow of gratitude, devotion, and truth.

Connect With Kathy

• Visit kathyabraham.com for Bible study tools and resources
• Follow on Instagram & TikTok: @KathyAbidingLight
• Subscribe, follow, and share this episode to help others experience the Word of God made real

Welcome to The Bible Made Real.

Be sure to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes.

You can connect with Kathy on Instagram @kathyabidinglight and learn more at kathyabraham.com.

How to Hear the Voice of God

Have you ever wondered if God is really speaking to you—and how to recognize His voice amidst the noise of your thoughts, emotions, and daily distractions? In this episode of Bible Made Real, Kathy Abraham breaks down what it truly means to hear the voice of God in a way that is biblical, grounded, and accessible for everyday life.

This episode brings clarity to a question many believers wrestle with: How do I know it’s God and not just my own thoughts? Through Scripture, practical teaching, and spiritual insight, Kathy explains how God speaks, why we often miss His voice, and how to posture our hearts to hear Him more clearly.

If you desire deeper intimacy with God, confidence in discernment, and a faith that is led—not confused—this episode will help you tune your heart to His voice.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• What the Bible says about hearing the voice of God
• How God speaks today and the different ways He communicates
• The difference between God’s voice, your own thoughts, and fear or emotion
• Why silence, stillness, and Scripture matter in discernment
• How to grow in spiritual sensitivity without confusion or pressure
• Common obstacles that block us from hearing God clearly
• How obedience strengthens clarity over time

Key Themes

• Discernment vs. emotion
• Scripture as the foundation for hearing God
• Stillness and surrender
• Trusting God’s character when seeking His guidance
• Growing confidence in spiritual listening

Practical Takeaways

• Learn how to quiet competing voices and distractions
• Anchor your discernment in God’s Word, not feelings
• Develop habits that create space for God to speak
• Practice listening prayer rooted in Scripture
• Move forward in obedience, even when clarity feels small

Reflection Question

What might God be inviting you to quiet in order to hear Him more clearly?

Encouragement

God is not distant, silent, or confusing. He desires relationship, not perfection. Hearing His voice is not reserved for a select few—it grows through humility, Scripture, and trust.

Connect & Resources

• Visit cathyabraham.com for free Bible study tools and weekly devotionals
• Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @KathyAbidingLight

Welcome to The Bible Made Real.

Be sure to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes.

You can connect with Kathy on Instagram @kathyabidinglight and learn more at kathyabraham.com.

Episode Summary

Anxiety can feel overwhelming, isolating, and even shameful—especially for Christian women. In this powerful episode of Bible Made Real, Kathy Abraham opens up about her personal battle with anxiety and panic attacks and shares how God’s Word became the turning point in her healing.

Through Scripture, personal testimony, and practical tools, Kathy shows how anxiety is not a failure of faith—but an invitation to run to God as our refuge. You’ll learn how to replace fear with faith, retrain your mind with truth, and experience genuine peace by anchoring your thoughts in God’s promises.

This episode is both deeply biblical and refreshingly practical, offering hope, clarity, and real steps you can use the moment anxiety strikes.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why anxiety does not mean you are weak in faith
• How God’s Word renews the mind and breaks anxious thought patterns
• The connection between Scripture, neuroscience, and peace
• How to replace fear-driven thoughts with God’s truth
• What it means to make God your refuge in moments of panic
• Why faith is not the absence of fear, but the redirection of it
• How to identify the deeper fears fueling anxiety
• Practical, Scripture-based tools to calm your mind and body

• Key Scriptures Referenced
• Psalm 46:1, 10
• Romans 12:2
• Isaiah 26:3
• Proverbs 23:7
• Philippians (written from prison)
• Matthew 6:25–34
• 1 Peter 5:7

The Four Core Truths Shared

1. Anxiety shrinks when God’s protection becomes your focus
2. Your mind must be trained, not trusted
3. Your thoughts shape your reality
4. Faith is not the absence of anxiety—it’s redirecting it to God

Practical Tools to Use When Anxiety Hits

• Breath Prayer(Psalm 46:10)
• A simple breathing exercise to calm the nervous system while anchoring your heart in God’s presence
• Redirect Your Mind Out Loud
• Speaking Scripture or truth aloud to interrupt anxious spirals
• Write the Lies, Cross Them Out, Replace With Truth
• Journaling fears and countering them with God’s promises
• Invite Jesus Into the Moment
• Calling on Jesus by name and welcoming His presence into your anxiety

Takeaway for the Week

Choose one practice from this episode and commit to using it every time anxiety shows up. Small, faithful steps create new patterns where fear no longer leads—and God’s truth becomes your anchor.

Closing Prayer

“May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus.”

Connect With Kathy

• Visit cathyabraham.com for free Bible study tools and weekly devotionals
• Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @KathyAbidingLight
• Subscribe, follow, and leave a review to help more listeners find Bible Made Real

Welcome to The Bible Made Real.

Be sure to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes.

You can connect with Kathy on Instagram @kathyabidinglight and learn more at kathyabraham.com.

Have you ever felt intimidated by the Bible or unsure where to start? In this episode ofThe Bible Made Real, Kathy Abraham teaches you how to read Scripture in a way that actually makes sense by seeing the Bible as one cohesive, unified story.Rather than approaching the Bible as fragmented passages or isolated books, Kathy walks through the big-picture framework that helps everything connect. You’ll learn the Bible’s overarching meta-narrative, understand different biblical genres, and gain practical tools to study Scripture with clarity, depth, and confidence.This episode lays the foundation for a richer, more meaningful relationship with God’s Word and shows how every book of the Bible ultimately points to Christ.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why the Bible should be read as one unified story rather than disconnected parts
• The four major meta-narratives of Scripture: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration
• How the 66 books of the Bible fit together across the Old and New Testaments
• The 10 biblical genres and why genre matters when reading Scripture
• Practical Bible study tools that deepen understanding without overcomplicating the process
• How to ask the right questions before reading a passage (the 5 W’s)
• How to always find Christ throughout the Bible, including the Old Testament
• How Exodus reveals Christ through symbolism like the Passover lamb, manna, baptism, and the tabernacle
  

Key Takeaways:

• Context brings clarity when studying Scripture
• Understanding genre changes how you read and apply the text
• Every book of the Bible ultimately reveals Christ
• The Old Testament is deeply relevant to Christian life today
• Scripture is meant to transform your life, not intimidate you

Scripture Themes Highlighted:

• Christ as the greater Moses
• The Passover Lamb as a foreshadowing of Christ
• Baptism symbolized through the Red Sea
• Jesus as the Bread of Life and Living Water
• God dwelling with His people, from the tabernacle to believers today

If you enjoyed this framework for studying Scripture, Kathy invites you to journey through the Bible together using this approach. This podcast is designed to help you slow down, stay rooted in God’s Word, and experience true transformation through Scripture.

• Follow The Bible Made Real so you never miss an episode!
• Share this episode with a friend!
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show!

Connect with Kathy:

• Visit KathyAbraham.com for Bible study tools, resources, and to sign up for the weekly devotional
• Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @KathyAbidingLight for daily encouragement and behind-the-scenes content
  

Thank you for listening. See you in the next episode!

Welcome to The Bible Made Real.

Be sure to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes.

You can connect with Kathy on Instagram @kathyabidinglight and learn more at kathyabraham.com.

What does it really mean to be a godly woman?

In this episode of Bible Made Real, Kathy Abraham reframes godliness—not as performance, productivity, or perfection, but as formation. Drawing from Scripture and the life of Mary of Bethany, Kathy shows that godliness is not about what we do for God, but about who we are becoming through proximity to Jesus.

Through a deep look at Luke 10, John 11, and John 12, this episode reveals why intimacy with Christ is the foundation of a godly life, why busyness can quietly replace devotion, and how choosing “the better portion” leads to lasting fruit that cannot be taken away.

This teaching is an invitation to step out of striving and into abiding—and to rediscover what it means to live as a woman formed by Christ Himself.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why godliness is about formation, not performance
• What Scripture teaches about being a godly woman
• How Christ is formed in us through proximity and discipleship
• Why Mary of Bethany is a biblical model of godliness
• The difference between productivity and intimacy
• How busyness can replace closeness with God
• Why choosing Jesus’ presence is always the “better portion”
• How identity in Christ must come before output
• What bold devotion looks like in everyday life

Key Scriptures Referenced

• Luke 10:38–42
• John 11
• John 12:1–8
• 2 Corinthians 3:18
• Galatians 4:19
• Romans 12:2
• Psalm 1
• Proverbs 31

Reflection Questions:

• Where has busyness replaced intimacy with God in my life?
• Who or what is discipling me right now?
• Am I choosing what is good—or what is better?

Encouragement:

God is not calling women into anxiety, performance, or spiritual striving. He is calling us into abiding. When intimacy comes first, fruitfulness follows naturally. The invitation remains the same today as it was for Mary: Come, sit at My feet.

Connect & Resources

• Visit kathyabraham.com for free Bible resources and devotionals
• Follow on Instagram & TikTok: @KathyAbidingLight
• Subscribe, follow, and leave a review to help others find Bible Made Real

Welcome to The Bible Made Real.

Be sure to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes.

You can connect with Kathy on Instagram @kathyabidinglight and learn more at kathyabraham.com.

Life gets busy—and spiritual growth is often the first thing we unintentionally neglect.

In this episode of The Bible Made Real, Kathy Abraham shares how to stay close to God in the midst of full schedules, constant demands, and everyday responsibilities. Rather than adding more pressure or unrealistic expectations, this conversation focuses on simple, faithful practices that create real intimacy with God.

You’ll learn what it means to set the Lord before you, how small daily decisions can honor God, and why consistency matters more than perfection. Kathy also introduces the five-minute rule—short, intentional touch points with God that can transform your relationship with Him over time.

This episode is an encouragement for anyone who feels stretched thin but still longs for a deep, abiding walk with God. Even in busy seasons, God meets us with grace, presence, and peace.

Key themes:
Daily devotion • Prayer • Intimacy with God • Spiritual growth • Obedience in ordinary life

If you desire closeness with God but feel overwhelmed by life’s pace, this episode will help you take small, faithful steps toward Him—right where you are.

Welcome to The Bible Made Real.

Be sure to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes.

You can connect with Kathy on Instagram @kathyabidinglight and learn more at kathyabraham.com.

Waiting is one of the hardest parts of the Christian life—especially when heaven feels silent and prayers seem unanswered.

In this episode of The Bible Made Real, Kathy Abraham walks through the biblical story of Hannah to show us how God forms faith, obedience, and worship in seasons of waiting. Through Hannah’s journey, we see how pain can turn into prayer, bitterness into surrender, and waiting into worship.

This episode explores the emotional and spiritual tension of delayed answers, reminding us that waiting is not punishment—and silence does not mean God is absent. You’ll learn how honest prayer, faithful presence, and worship before breakthrough can transform both your heart and your future.

Kathy also shares practical steps for waiting well, including keeping open hands before God, pouring out your heart in prayer, and staying rooted in community even when waiting feels lonely.

Scripture referenced: 1 Samuel 1

If you’re in a season of waiting, this episode will encourage you to stay close to God, trust His timing, and believe that what you surrender in faith can become a legacy of blessing.

Welcome to The Bible Made Real.

Be sure to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes.

You can connect with Kathy on Instagram @kathyabidinglight and learn more at kathyabraham.com.