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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/

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Welcome back to Nerd in the Word! I’m Gretchen, and I’m here again with my good friend and fellow nerd, Kristin.

Today we’re stepping into our fourth pillar of faith in our Blueprints of Grace series — The Doorway of Grace. If you’ve been following along, we’ve been building a spiritual house: Christ is the cornerstone, God’s Word frames our life, and faith stands as the beams that hold us steady. But now, we reach the doorway — the point where we enter in.

Grace is that doorway. It’s the threshold between the old life we once lived and the new life we’ve been invited into through Jesus Christ. It’s where mercy meets transformation. Titus 3:3–7 paints this picture beautifully:

“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray... But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit...”

Grace is what opens the door. Christ is the One who holds it wide. And by faith, we step through — leaving behind who we were, to become who we’re meant to be in Him.

So grab your Bible and your builder’s mindset — it’s time to explore the doorway of grace and what it really means to walk through it.

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! We’re so glad you’re here with us for Week 3 of our series, Building a House of Faith. Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve talked about laying the foundation and framing the structure of our faith—and today, we’re turning our attention to the roof beams: faith itself.

I’m once again joined by my fellow nerd in the Word and good friend, Kristin. Together, we’re diving into what it really means to live by faith—to trust God with confidence even when we can’t see what He’s doing.

In Hebrews 11, we’re reminded that faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen. Faith is what covers our hearts with confidence in God’s promises, protects us from the storms of doubt and fear, and completes the structure of our lives as we learn to rest in God’s faithfulness.

This conversation is all about learning to walk by faith, not by sight—trusting the Master Builder who holds it all together. So grab your Bible and your inner Bible nerd, and let’s dive in to discover the strength and beauty of the roof beams 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 Nerd in the Word! We’re so glad you’re here for week two of our series, Building a House of Faith. Last week, we laid the foundation—looking at what it means to build our lives on Christ alone. And this week, we’re moving to the next part of the build: the framework.

Every strong house needs structure—something that gives it shape, boundaries, and strength. The same is true in our spiritual lives. God’s Word is that framework. It’s the bedrock of knowledge that shapes what we believe, how we think, and the way we live in relationship with Him. Scripture isn’t just a set of rules or stories—it’s the divine blueprint that gives form and purpose to our faith.

Without it, our lives lose shape. But when we allow the Word of God to guide and ground us, our faith becomes steady, aligned, and ready to stand through whatever storms may come.

So grab your Bible, your notebook, and your inner Bible nerd—and let’s dive in to discover how God’s Word gives framework to a life built on faith.

Enjoy!

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 so glad you’re joining us for today’s episode, because it’s a very special one. Not only are we continuing to explore the richness of God’s Word, but I’m joined by a dear friend and fellow nerd in the Word.

Though she’s younger than I am, her walk with the Lord has been such an encouragement to me personally. She has learned, often through some very real challenges, what it means to lean into God at just the right moments—moments that could have left her discouraged or defeated. Instead, she chose to turn toward Him, and what she discovered is that God is always faithful to meet us right where we are.

Her story is marked by joy that shines even in the midst of sorrow, by a growing confidence in her identity in Christ, and by a deepening awareness of God’s love and grace. And what I love most is that her journey isn’t polished or perfect—it’s honest, it’s real, and it’s a beautiful testimony of what it looks like to abide in Jesus day by day.

So today, as we share this conversation, I invite you to listen with an open heart. My hope is that her words will encourage you to lean into God in your own story, to discover His faithfulness in fresh ways, and to remember that His love is deeper and stronger than anything we face.

Enjoy ~

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! We’re kicking off a brand-new 6-week series called Building a House of Faith.

Throughout Scripture, faith is often pictured like a building or a home. Jesus told us in Matthew 7 that the wise person builds their house on the rock. Paul calls Christ the cornerstone of our lives. And Peter reminds us that together, we’re living stones being built into a spiritual house.

So for the next six weeks, we’re going to lay down the building blocks of a strong and lasting faith in Christ. Each week we’ll add another part of the house — from the cornerstone, to the framework, to the beams, the doorway, the atmosphere, and even the roof. By the end, we’ll see how all these pieces fit together to make a house of faith that can weather any storm.

And since this is Nerd in the Word, you know we’ll be geeking out over some Greek and Hebrew words, pulling in supporting Scriptures, and even hearing from scholars who’ve wrestled deeply with these truths.

But more than information, our hope is that this series shapes transformation — that you’ll not only learn about the building blocks of faith, but actually live in them, making your life a dwelling place for the presence of God.

So let’s grab our tools, unroll the blueprint, and get ready to start with the very first piece — the cornerstone, Christ Himself.”

As always, I would love to hear how the podcast is encouraging you and helping to grow your faith in Christ. Especially, I would love to hear from you if you come to receive Christ as your personal Lord and Savior! Wow, what a joyful moment for you and I would love to celebrate and pray with you!

Again, enjoy

Gretchen

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/