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Welcome to the final episode of the Abide Podcast for this year. I’m so glad you’re here.

Before we step into today’s Christmas devotion, I want to pause and say thank you for listening, for walking with me, and for making space in your life to linger in God’s Word this past year. It has been a gift to journey together, especially through our Nerd in the Word conversations, where we’ve slowed down and explored Scripture—both Old and New Testament—allowing God to meet us there.

My prayer is that along the way, your heart has been gently shaped by His grace and strengthened by the truth of His Word. As we take a short break and prepare to return in February, I hope you carry with you a deeper assurance of God’s nearness and love.

As we close out this year, I invite you to settle in and receive this Christmas devotion—letting it quietly prepare your heart as we approach the joy and wonder of celebrating the birth of our Savior.

If you would like to support this ABIDE podcast and the other resources provided by my ministry, please consider donating at https://gretchenstevenson.com/donate/

Thank You!

Gretchen
https://gretchenstevenson.com/

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Welcome back to Nerd In The Word.

I’m Gretchen, and I am here again with my favorite co-nerd — my friend Kristin — as we step into the final episode of our Building a House of Faith series. We have spent the last several weeks laying spiritual lumber, digging deep into Scripture, and watching the framework of a life in Christ take shape piece by piece. And today… we place the final beam and raise the roof.

We began this journey with the Foundation — Jesus Christ, the rock beneath our feet.
We framed the house with God’s Word, strong and true.
We set the Beams of Faith, trusting what we cannot see.
We walked through the Doorway of Grace, into new life and redemption.
We breathed in the Atmosphere of Faith, watching how belief permeates every room of the heart.
And now, in this last pillar, we lift our eyes upward to the Covering of Hope and Perseverance — the roof that shelters every part of the house beneath it.

Because a house can only stand if it is covered —
covered by hope, covered by God’s promises,
covered by the One who holds tomorrow.

In this episode we’re going to open Hebrews 10 and Hebrews 12, nerd out on the Greek words elpis and hypomonē, and talk about how hope anchors us and perseverance strengthens us. We’ll look honestly at storms, at waiting seasons, at the long obedience of following Jesus — and how the God who calls us is faithful to finish what He began.

So grab your Bible, your journal, your coffee or tea —
and come spend one more episode building with us.

Let’s raise the covering together,
and step into the hope that shelters our House of Faith.

If you would like to support this ABIDE podcast and the other resources provided by my ministry, please consider donating at https://gretchenstevenson.com/donate/
Thank You!

Gretchen
https://gretchenstevenson.com/

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Welcome back to the Nerd In The Word podcast!

I’m Gretchen, and I’m here again with my fellow Scripture-nerd and dear friend, Kristin, as we continue building our “house of faith” in this series.

So far, we’ve looked at the foundation, the framework, the beams, and the doorway…and today we step into one of my favorite metaphors yet:
The Atmosphere of Faith.

Every home has a “feel”—a presence, a tone, an atmosphere. And in the life of a believer, that atmosphere is shaped by faith. Faith isn’t just a pillar we stand on; it’s the way we breathe, move, relate, rest, and grow in Christ. Faith infuses every room of our spiritual house.

In this episode, we’re walking through four rooms—four spaces of the heart—where God wants to cultivate a living, breathing atmosphere of faith:

• The Living Room — Fellowship (koinōnia)

A place of connection, community, and belonging.
We’ll nerd out on the Greek word koinōnia, explore Acts 2:42, and talk about how faith flourishes in shared life.

• The Kitchen — Nourishment (Jesus the Bread / rhema Word)

Where we are fed, strengthened, and sustained.
We’ll look at John 6, Matthew 4:4, and how the rhema (spoken, timely) Word nourishes our daily walk.

• The Bedroom — Rest and Peace

A space of safety, intimacy, and restoration.
Psalm 4:8, Matthew 11:28–30, and Hebrews 4 will guide our conversation about faith that lets us breathe and be still.

• The Basement — Storage, Brokenness, and Hidden Places

The room we’d rather keep closed off.
But faith invites Jesus even here—into the old, heavy, forgotten things.
We’ll visit Psalm 51, Romans 8:1, and the transforming work of the Spirit in our depths.

Through Scripture, stories, questions, and a bit of Greek word-nerding, we’ll explore how faith is more than belief—it’s an atmosphere God is cultivating within us. A climate of trust. A pattern of breathing. A way of inhabiting the life He has built.

So grab your Bible, your journal, maybe a cozy blanket—and let’s walk through the house, room by room, and discover how God fills each space with the life-giving atmosphere of faith.

If you would like to support this ABIDE podcast and the other resources provided by my ministry, please consider donating at https://gretchenstevenson.com/donate/
Thank You!

Gretchen
https://gretchenstevenson.com/