In this episode of the Shepherd Press Podcast, Carl Hargrove joins Shannon K. McCoy to discuss his new book, A Thankful Journey, and provide practical advice to help anchor your gratitude in God's character, remain thankful amid difficulty, and turn to the Psalms for guidance on your own thankful journey.

This discussion serves as an honest reminder to rest in God's character and walk in thankfulness through both blessings and trials because of who He is.

Recommended Resources:

A Thankful Journey: Meditations on the Psalms

In this highlight episode, we revisit a conversation on holiness between Jon Scurtu and Shannon K. McCoy, where they share the meaning of our union with Christ and how it empowers us to pursue holiness. They also discuss God's power at work in us, our responsibility to pursue holiness, and the Holy Spirit's role in equipping us for that pursuit.

Recommended Resources:

Growing out of Sin and into Holiness

In this episode of the Shepherd Press Podcast, host Anthony Russo converses with Deborah Howard, a retired RN and CHPN, and author of 'Help: Someone I Love Has Cancer.' They explore cancer's nature, causes, and the journey of caregiving. Deborah shares her experience in hospice care and emphasizes the importance of educating oneself about cancer and grounding oneself in the Gospel. They also highlighted how suffering can lead to Christlikeness and bring glory to God when surrendered to Him. The conversation provides insights into how both caregivers and patients can navigate this path in a Christ-centered manner.

00:31 Meet Deborah Howard

03:47 Understanding Cancer: Causes and Misconceptions

06:00 Confronting Cancer with Knowledge and Faith

12:35 Cancer and the Christian Perspective

18:15 The Role of Faith in Facing Death

23:58 Conclusion and Next Steps

Grab a copy of our mini-book 'Help: Someone I Love Has Cancer' here: https://www.shepherdpress.com/products/help-someone-i-love-has-cancer/

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Confrontation. For many of us, that word alone stirs anxiety, avoidance, or memories of conversations that did not go well. But what if confrontation is not opposed to love? What if it is actually an essential expression of Christlike love?

In this episode of the Shepherd Press Podcast, Shannon chats with Bill Newton, author of Confrontation: The Missing Element in Christlike Love. Drawing from decades of leadership in the military, business, and pastoral ministry, Bill shares how loving well sometimes requires speaking hard truths — and how avoiding confrontation can cause long-term relational and spiritual damage.

With humility and honesty, Bill reflects on both personal failures and growth, reminding us that confrontation, when done biblically reflects Christlike love.

This episode unpacks:

1. How Christians often misunderstand love as avoiding hard conversations
2. What Scripture reveals about God as the ultimate confronter
3. Why fear, self-protection, and comfort keep us from confronting
4. The importance of examining our motives before engaging in confrontation
5. How humility and repentance restore relationships
6. Why church discipline reflects Christlike love — not harsh judgment
7. How to respond faithfully when confrontation is rejected
8. Wisdom for receiving confrontation with humility instead of defensiveness

Recommended Resources:

1. Confrontation: The Missing Element in Christlike Love by Bill Newton

In this hope-filled conversation, our host Shannon welcomes author and biblical counselor Molly Bertles to address a topic rarely talked about: biblical counsel for women struggling with masturbation. Molly shares her story, explains why this matters deeply in the church, and offers gospel-centered help and encouragement to women who feel isolated by shame—along with specific verses and action steps to fight against this sin.

Listeners will hear about:

1. What masturbation is and why women battle it too
2. The dangers of secrecy and shame in sexual sin
3. How the gospel brings freedom, forgiveness, and ongoing transformation
4. Practical steps for women feeling stuck in this life-dominating sin

Recommended Resources:

You Are Not Alone by Molly Bertles

Harvest USA Transforming Love Free Course

Dig Deeper: Discussion Questions

1. How does defining masturbation as “solo sex” help us understand why it falls outside God’s design?
2. What lies or false beliefs tend to fuel ongoing patterns of sexual sin in women?
3. How would knowing your relationship with God is not based on performance comfort and strengthen you to fight against this sexual sin?
4. How does knowing “You are not alone” change the way you fight masturbation?
5. What specific comforts can you find in Jesus’ death to pursue holiness and purity?
6. What does compassionate, wise accountability look like in situations like these?
7. Why is simply trying to “stop the behavior” ineffective without addressing the heart?
8. Discuss the idea of “broken cisterns” (Jeremiah 2:13) — what promises does sin make that it can’t deliver on?

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In this episode of the Shepherd Press Podcast, Shannon Kay McCoy sits down with Dr. Stanley Gale to explore how the book of Ecclesiastes speaks honestly to life “under the sun” while directing us to rest in God’s sovereign care.

Throughout the conversation, Gale highlights how themes like vanity, joy, work, grief, and the fear of the Lord shape a faithful, grounded life. Ecclesiastes teaches us to embrace our creaturely limits, reject idolatry, and enjoy God’s good gifts without depending on them for ultimate meaning.

This episode is especially helpful for pastors, counselors, and everyday Christians seeking biblical wisdom for navigating hardship with humility and hope.

1. What “life under the sun” really means
2. Why embracing human limitations leads to rest and wisdom
3. How the fear of the Lord anchors emotional and spiritual stability
4. How Ecclesiastes speaks to suffering, grief, and unmet expectations
5. How enjoyment of life fits within a God-centered worldview
6. How Ecclesiastes ultimately points us to Christ and eternal hope

Under the Sun: Redemptive Reality in the Book of Ecclesiastes by Stan Gale

Also by Stan Gale: God's Good News-The Gospel for Life

We are so excited to announce our 10 Days of Giving with Sufficiency of Scriptures! During the next 10 days, you can enjoy 20% off all our resources, and we will match that with a 20% donation to S.O.S. Ministries. This is an amazing opportunity to resource yourself with gospel-centered, heart-focused content while supporting S.O.S. Ministries and their vision to raise faithful believers in Uganda. Running from now to December 15!

You can browse our resources here

You can donate directly to S.O.S. Ministries here

In this episode of the Shepherd Press Podcast, host Anthony Russo interviews Leighton Upton about his mini-book, 'Help! I Want to Be a Leader'. They delve into the essence of true leadership as modeled by Jesus Christ, emphasizing that leadership is about influencing people by serving them. Leighton answers questions such as, "What makes a good leader?" and "How do I become one?" He also shares how teenagers, often influenced by contemporary 'influencers', can embody true biblical leadership by listening, receiving, knowing, and abiding in Christ. The discussion is filled with practical advice on how Christians can influence others by prioritizing their needs and serving them humbly.

00:54 Introducing Leighton Upton

01:45 Leighton's Background and Insights on Leadership

04:11 Biblical Leadership vs. Worldly Leadership

08:05 Practical Ways to Lead

12:22 Biblical Stories on Leadership

21:09 Leadership Lessons from Personal Experiences

24:23 Further Resources for Teens

28:15 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Grab a copy of our mini-book "Help! I Want to Be a Leader"

Check out our LifeLine for Teens Mini-Book Series

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