The Next Step Podcast
Season 2: Ponder Anew
Episode 2: “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”
Date: 16 June 2020
Guest: Emily Adams, one of the illustrators for Ponder Anew
Also available on: iTunes
Season 2 of the Next Step Podcast focuses on the resource, Ponder Anew: A Hymn Journal of Trust and Confidence, brought to you by Next Step Press.
In Episode 2, we welcome Emily Adams to the podcast for the first time. Emily is one of the Visual Faith™ Illustrators for Ponder Anew; her art is featured in Chapters 2 and 3. In today’s interview, Justin Rossow from Next Step Press talks to Emily about the hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” You might want to add color to page 13 of your hymn journal as you listen along.
After a brief introduction, you will hear Justin pray and Emily read the Scripture verses on page 15. They then discuss these verses in the context of the hymn and talk about what it means to cast your anxieties or burdens on Jesus, “all our sins and griefs to bear.”
Emily lets us in on what she was thinking when she drew the hands on page 13, and Justin and Emily talk about all of the hands that show up in this chapter. If you are familiar with Visual Faith™ Ministry, you might recognize the Big Rocks Prayer on page 19 as a variation of the Stained Glass Prayer. This version of the prayer experiment helps us prioritize and share our burdens with Jesus. But the video tutorial on the Stained Glass Prayer would still be a real help, especially if this kind of prayer is newer to you.
In this episode, you will also hear Justin read the devotion on page 16, and both Emily and Justin get to talk about a favorite verse from the hymn. Before the podcast ends, they jump ahead to Chapter 3 to look briefly at Emily’s art on page 29.
As the podcast winds down, Emily and Justin both help each other wonder what small next step Jesus is inviting them to take this week. You have an open invitation to take your burdens and anxieties to Jesus. The scars on your Savior’s hands are present and visible in a unique way as Jesus receives and carries your burdens.
We follow Jesus better when we follow Him together, so we invite you to join the Facebook Pop Up Group sharing this hymn journal experience here: The Ponder Anew Facebook Group.
This podcast was made possible in part by the support of Next Step Patrons. Today we recognize Brandon and Becky, who became Next Step Patrons this month. Thank you, Brandon and Becky, for helping us equip others for their next step following Jesus!
You can help make Season 2 possible by providing regular, monthly support for content like this podcast: become a Next Step Patron today.
The intro and outro music for Season 2: Ponder Anew was arranged and performed by Brendan Knorp. All rights reserved.
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