Hi, friend. I'm so grateful you've joined me on the Jesus Over Everything show. If you haven't heard the news, we have gone retro this summer. For the months of June and July, we are featuring our five word prayers daily. The show, this show started as, and so many of you love so much, five-minute podcast shows on topics of all kinds, the short inspiration you need for every day of the week.

So enjoy these shows, keep listening all summer, and see you right here back in August for a

powerful season six.

Hi, and welcome to the Five Word Prayers Daily, a five day a week, daily devotional where we share the

word, prayers in our heart.

I'm Lisa Whittle, and I welcome you to just five minutes with me, which I trust and pray

will be five minutes well spent.

This is a great show for you to be listening to today because one of my favorite author,

Shannon Martin, is our guest host.

Shannon wrote one of my all-time favorite books, Falling Free, and she has now released a brand new book, The Ministry of Ordinary Places.

I'm moved by so many things about her, most of all her heart for justice, real life hurts of our neighbors, and all of us who matter so much to God, how she responds to the gospel, even when it's not convenient.

And really, I could go on and on.

She's a wife and a mom and my friend, and I'm honored to have her in the guest host seat today.

So welcome, Shannon, to the Five Word Prayers Daily.

It was a November Wednesday afternoon, and the sun was shining.

I wasn't sure if I was glad for the glint of optimism it cast over us, warming our cheeks,

filtering through the maple leaves still clinging to the branches.

In some ways, I'd have preferred the solidarity of gray skies, maybe even some rain.

The news cycle was a clash of gloom and confusion, another day, another bad news loop,

force-feeding us empty calories of impossibility and fracture. Politicians were taking sides,

families and communities were gridlocked in conflict. I couldn't turn away. Everything feels so

complicated, I thought. The problems are huge, and I'm just one woman, feeling smaller than ever.

...