The Best of You

The Difference Between Sacrificial Love and Self-Abandonment

Today's Scripture: John 15:12–13 Jesus calls us to love sacrificially. But how do you know when you're making a healthy sacrifice for someone you love—and when you're sl

Why You Can't Stop People-Pleasing (Even When You Want To)

Today's Scripture: Proverbs 29:25 Have you ever said yes when you wanted to say no—or agreed with someone just to avoid conflict? People-pleasing can become an automatic

How to Be Discerning Without Becoming Cynical

Today's Scripture: 1 John 4:1–2 How do you become wise about who to trust without growing suspicious of everyone? In a world full of charismatic leaders, confident voice

231: How to Know Who You Can Trust in a Narcissistic Age: Charisma, Character & the Signs of Real Change with Dr. Chuck DeGroat

How do you know you can trust someone? In a world where charisma, confidence, and even vulnerability can be carefully performed, knowing who we can trust feels more impo

3 Ways to Build Stronger, Healthier Friendships

Today's Scripture: Proverbs 27:9, 17 Finding good friends as an adult can be surprisingly difficult. Friendships change, life circumstances shift, and loneliness can cre

How to Stay Strong When Others Question Your Choices

Today's Scripture: Matthew 16:21–23 What happens when someone who genuinely loves you questions a decision you know you need to make? Even Jesus faced resistance from a

When You're Not Ready to Act: The Wisdom of Waiting on God

Today's Scripture: Psalm 31:14–20 Have you ever been in a painful situation where others are urging you to take action, but something deep within you is telling you to w

When Your Mind Turns Against You: How to Resist the Lies

Today's Scripture: James 4:7 (listener request) How do you know whether painful thoughts are coming from a wounded part of your soul or from spiritual opposition? When w

230. When Rest Isn’t Enough: Dr. Henry Cloud on Burnout, Boundaries, and What Your Soul Needs

Have you ever wondered whether you're truly burned out or simply depleted? And what happens when, in the process of meeting everyone else's needs, you lose touch with imp

What to Do When Someone Insists on Misunderstanding You

Today's Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:28-30 (Listener request) Have you ever felt like you're always the one being blamed or misunderstood in your family or relationships? When

Do You Want to Be Well? When Healing Doesn't Look Like You Expected

Today's Scripture: John 5:1-6 Is there an area of your life where you've longed for healing but have almost given up on things changing? Maybe you've prayed, sought help

When Your Soul Is Asking for Connection

Today's Scripture: Psalm 139:13–16 Have you ever found yourself reaching for your phone, looking for something to eat when you're not hungry, or compulsively checking th

Letting God's Love Reach Every Part of You

Today's Scripture: Ephesians 3:14–21 You may know in your head that God loves you. But what does it mean to actually experience that love in the deepest places of who yo

229. Why Your Soul Needs Quiet in a Noisy World with John Mark Comer

What happens when we finally get quiet enough to encounter ourselves, God, and what’s underneath all the noise? In this episode, Dr. Alison Cook is joined by former past

How to Stop Fighting the Season You’re In

Today's Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1–11 What if the season you’re in isn’t something to escape, but something to name honestly? In today’s episode, Dr. Alison reflects on

Loving Your Inner Enemy

Today's Scripture: Luke 10:29–37 What if the part of you you most want to get rid of is also carrying something important?In today’s episode, Dr. Alison reflects on the

What to Do When Too Many Voices Are Pulling You Apart

Today's Scripture: Psalm 86:11 There are so many voices competing for our attention—telling us what to believe, what to fear, who to distrust, and where our loyalty belo

228. The Surprising Problem With Trying to Be Secure: Attachment, Parts Work & Emotional Honesty with Dr. Marisa G. Franco

What happens when trying to be more secure (on the surface) backfires? This week, Dr. Alison talks with Dr. Marisa Franco, about her new book, Worth. They explore a diff

227. What Trusting God Really Looks Like When You Can’t Control the Outcome with Susie Larson

What happens to your capacity to trust God when life has taught you to brace for disappointment? You may still believe God is good. You may know the Scriptures and have

226. When Sexual Wounding Shapes Your Story—or Someone You Love: Healing Shame, Trust, and the Body with Dr. Dan Allender

Sexual wounding shows up in so many different ways, and it affects so many men and women.  Maybe something happened that felt off, invasive, confusing, or inappropriate,