Life has issues, and the Bible has the answers. Francie Taylor teaches the relevance of Scripture to daily life through these brief Bible application studies.
Episodes
Monday Apr 24, 2023
Monday Apr 24, 2023
Welcome to Teachback Tuesday, where we play the most popular episodes from the previous season. This week's episode, "Lessons from an Unexpected Diagnosis," struck a chord with many listeners last year, and it's still being downloaded as one of the top ten episodes from 2022. Receiving an unexpected diagnosis is like being drafted into a club that you never wanted to join.
We make our plans and go on with our lives, never really expecting any dramatic changes. This is human nature, but we often imagine that our lives will be mostly smooth sailing. Proverbs 27:1 tells us otherwise: "Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."
Here's a quote that gives us a dose of reality: "Smooth seas do not make skilled sailors."--Anonymous
If you've received a diagnosis that has you reeling, you will appreciate listening to someone who gets it. Share this episode with anyone going through the shock of an unexpected diagnosis. Valerie offers insights that are both helpful and hopeful.
Shop the "Mall of Keep the Heart"
Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions by Francie Taylor
Minerals for the Mind-A Study of Romans 12 by Kathy Ashley
Encouragement for Motherhood--A 30-Day Devotional by Charity Berkey & Team
Monday Apr 17, 2023
Monday Apr 17, 2023
Welcome to Teachback Tuesday, where we play the most popular episodes from the previous season. This week's episode, "Effective Problem Solving," received thousands of downloads over the year. This made me wonder if there are a lot of listeners out there just like me, who tried to solve a problem and ended up making it worse!
When things go wrong in our problem-solving, it's generally just a diagnosis that we need more wisdom from above. The Lord has a way of handling life's issues, and we benefit when we walk in His ways. This episode covers four biblical principles for effective problem solving, based on Proverbs chapter four. If you know someone who is wrestling with ineffective problem solving, share this episode with them.
Shop the "Mall of Keep the Heart"
Elegant Pink & Brown Leaf Motif Compact Bible
Rose Gold KJV Personal Size Bible
Monday Apr 10, 2023
Monday Apr 10, 2023
Have you ever smiled at someone and pretended that all was well between you when it really wasn’t? Or have you ever “overshared” information about someone else, even though you were asked to keep it confidential? Or maybe you’ve said some really unkind things about someone behind their back, but in their presence, you never mention these things?
What do these questions have in common? They are simple examples of being a great pretender, also known as a person corrupted by guile.
Basically, "guile" is deceit or treachery. We need God's help living genuinely in a world that values pretense and a false front. This episode shares four things that we can do to become people without guile. It's not easy, but it is possible.
Visit the Shop at Keep the Heart
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study by Francie Taylor
Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions by Francie Taylor
Book: The Mirror of God's Word: A Biblical View of Physical Beauty by Robin Parton
Devotional Book: Call Upon Him by Kathy Ashley
Encouragement for Women: A 30-Day Devotional by Charity Berkey and Team
Follow Keep the Heart on Instagram
Friday Apr 07, 2023
Friday Apr 07, 2023
Bonus Episode: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all have accounts of the life of Christ, including the final events leading to the cross. This episode covers Luke 22, with significant marks throughout the chapter. Did you remember that one of the reasons why the disciples fell asleep when they were supposed to be praying was because of sorrow?
Or do you remember reading about the blindfold? Yes, cruel men blindfolded Jesus for sport and then beat Him in the face while saying, "Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?" And this was only the beginning. Reading through the four gospels shows us glimpses of the real lives of those who walked closely with Jesus, even though at times it seems they took it for granted. So human. So like us.
Why did Jesus come to such a wicked place? "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10)
He was born to die, that we might live.
Bible Study: ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Leader Guide
Bible Study: ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Participant Guide
Visit the Shop at Keep the Heart
Follow Keep the Heart on Instagram
Monday Apr 03, 2023
Monday Apr 03, 2023
Welcome to Teachback Tuesday, where we play the most popular episodes from the previous season. Wait until you hear the buttery voice of this seasoned radio host, Janice Wolfe. She was my sub last year during conference season, and her episode continues to bless listeners a year later. Janice walks us through Luke chapter 15, which is a declaration of God’s love for the lost.
This episode will remind us that we were among the lost that have been found, and it reveals our value to the Seeker. The undying love that our Savior has for lost souls compels us to have a heart for the lost as well. This lesson is part of “The Loser Bible Study Series.” Discover more about this series on the eleven2one blog at faithmusicradio.com.
During the busy conference season, I (Francie) live in airport waiting areas, airplanes and hotels while teaching around the country. It’s not always possible to record new podcast episodes when the schedule overflows, so we call in reinforcements to help us! There’s nothing like a friend who’s not afraid of microphones. Thanks, Janice Wolfe and team at Faith Music Radio and eleven2one!
Shop the "Mall of Keep the Heart"
Elegant Pink & Brown Leaf Motif Compact Bible
Rose Gold KJV Personal Size Bible
Encouragement for Women--A 30-Day Devotional
Thursday Mar 30, 2023
Thursday Mar 30, 2023
Welcome to the seventh and final segment of Psalm 119 on Build Your Bible Habit. As you may already know, Psalm 119 has 176 verses divided into 22 sections called stanzas. The last four stanzas sound like prayers of a troubled heart, mingled with hope and praise.
This is also the end of the chapter. Now that you’ve finished the largest chapter of the Bible, you can go back to the beginning and replay these segments. If you’ve never tried listening to the Bible before bedtime, these segments would be a great place to start. Soon, you’ll find that God’s Word has embedded itself into your soul, providing guidance and peace. Here's a familiar closing verse about great peace from Psalm 119:165:
"Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them."
Bible Study: ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Leader Guide
Bible Study: ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Participant Guide
Book: The Mirror of God's Word: A Biblical View of Physical Beauty
Devotional Book: Call Upon Him by Kathy Ashley
Friendship Book: Sister Friends by Francie Taylor
Monday Mar 27, 2023
Monday Mar 27, 2023
Relationships have moments, don’t they? We shouldn’t be surprised by that because humans are included, but there are things we could do to prepare ourselves to have better responses and fewer overreactions. Not perfect, but better.
Imperfect people can’t have perfect relationships, but God left us with the wisdom of scripture to help us do a better job, if we’ll employ this wisdom. This episode shares three verses that are great for our interactions with each other. When we have better relationship habits, we'll have better relationships.
Visit the Shop at Keep the Heart
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study by Francie Taylor
Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions by Francie Taylor
Ponder the Path: A 31-Day Devotional by Francie Taylor
Encouragement for Women: A 30-Day Devotional by Charity Berkey and Team
Follow Keep the Heart on Instagram
Friday Mar 24, 2023
Friday Mar 24, 2023
Welcome to the sixth segment of Psalm 119 on Build Your Bible Habit. This passage is full of personal prayer requests. All of the requests are related to a transformed life. You’ll hear words such as, “Teach me, be merciful unto me, deliver me, and many others. This segment reads like a tutorial in how to pray.
God is personally interested in our lives, and we can speak with Him about all our concerns. We can also ask Him to help us in areas where we have weaknesses. It’s human to have weaknesses, and we don’t have to pretend to be perfect with God He knows us. Here’s a great prayer request from Psalm 119:133: "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."
Bible Study: ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Leader Guide
Bible Study: ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Participant Guide
Book: The Mirror of God's Word: A Biblical View of Physical Beauty
Devotional Book: Call Upon Him by Kathy Ashley
Friendship Book: Sister Friends by Francie Taylor
Monday Mar 20, 2023
Monday Mar 20, 2023
Welcome to Teachback Tuesday, where we play the most popular episodes from the previous season.
This time last year, we had the incredible surprise of being selected as one of the podcasts of the week at Podbean, the podcast hosing platform for Keep the Heart. This resulted in thousands of new listeners from all over the world! As part of the collaboration with Podbean, Keep the Heart wrote four mini-episodes that were bookended with a brief shout out to Podbean.
This week’s episode, “Co-Workers Can Work Your Nerves” provides three suggestions for ways that we can park our expectations at the curb and get along better with our perfectly imperfect co-laborers. Is someone getting on your nerves at work? You’re not alone, you’re too late to be the first, and hey, let’s all remember that sometimes WE’RE the coworker working the nerves!
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study
Marriage Book: Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions by Francie Taylor
Devotional Book: Call Upon Him by Kathy Ashley
Friendship Book: Sister Friends by Francie Taylor
Thursday Mar 16, 2023
Thursday Mar 16, 2023
Welcome to the fifth segment of Psalm 119 on Build Your Bible Habit. This passage begins in verse 97 with the declaration, "O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day." This is what happens when we’re in God’s Word. It becomes the focal point of our thoughts.
Build Your Bible Habit was launched as a special bonus segment Keep the Heart Podcast in 2022 with Proverbs, and now it includes Psalm 119. Have you ever wondered which way to turn in a situation? Psalm 119:105 reminds us that the Bible is the "lamp" and "light" that we need:
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
Bible Study: ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Leader Guide
Bible Study: ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Participant Guide
Book: The Mirror of God's Word: A Biblical View of Physical Beauty
Devotional Book: Call Upon Him by Kathy Ashley
Friendship Book: Sister Friends by Francie Taylor
Monday Mar 13, 2023
Monday Mar 13, 2023
(Note: This episode originally aired on Valentine's Day 2023, which was an "inappropriate day" to promote this hard topic! We're providing this rebroadcasted episode for those who missed it.)
Inappropriate relationships are common, but common does not equal normal. The Bible devotes an entire chapter of Proverbs to paint a picture of what this is and how it happens. At the root of any inappropriate relationship is a selfish desire to have our own way. This is so Old Testament: "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts." (Proverbs 21:2)
Proverbs chapter seven is both cautionary and instructional. You may want to sit down with your Bible opened for this episode. God has provided us with a vivid example of how things can quickly slide from a seemingly innocent stroll through the field of temptation with an "I can handle it" attitude, to a life that has been destroyed.
Visit the Shop at Keep the Heart
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study
Monday Mar 06, 2023
Monday Mar 06, 2023
Welcome to Teachback Tuesday, where we play the most popular episodes from the previous season.
It's conference season, and I’m also wrapping up a first draft of the next 31-day devotional, so we will need to tap into our podcast archives now and then, just to keep up until the end of conferences. New podcast episodes are in production and coming soon.
This week’s Teachback Tuesday episode has two Taylors on one podcast! My daughter-in-love, Jessica Taylor, co-hosted on the topic of "How Not to Become a Monster-in-Law" back in February 2022, and thousands of downloads later, it has landed in the top five most-downloaded episodes of the season! Even if you’re not an in-law, the suggestions in this episode are good for all relationships. This is a fun rerun!
Wait until you get to the part where Jessica-the-younger-Mrs. Taylor loses her train of thought. It's a funny blooper, so we left it in there...okay, well maybe it was Francie that left it in there, but Jessica will make you smile.
Whether you're a MIL, DIL, SIL, or just dealing with extended relationships of any kind, this episode will give you some ideas for getting along, remembering that our loved ones are in our lives as gifts from God.
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study
Marriage Book: Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions by Francie Taylor
Devotional Book: Call Upon Him by Kathy Ashley
Friendship Book: Sister Friends by Francie Taylor
Friday Mar 03, 2023
Friday Mar 03, 2023
Welcome to the fourth segment of Psalm 119 on Build Your Bible Habit. These verses sound like a prayer-filled and very personal conversation with God. In fact, we could pray these verses for our own lives.
Build Your Bible Habit was launched as a special bonus segment Keep the Heart Podcast in 2022 with Proverbs, and now it includes Psalm 119. During these unsettling times, it is so good to know that God's Word is settled forever and will never change. Psalm 119:89 is our reminder of this truth:
"For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven."
Bible Study: ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Leader Guide
Bible Study: ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Participant Guide
Book: The Mirror of God's Word: A Biblical View of Physical Beauty
Book: Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions
Book: This Liberty of Yours: Unlocking Your Liberty in Christ
Monday Feb 27, 2023
Monday Feb 27, 2023
Welcome to Teachback Tuesday, where we play the most popular episodes from the previous season.
This week’s episode, “Food Won’t Fix That Problem,” opens with a true story of a time when I was trying to eat my way through a storm of grief. Since the problem wasn’t hunger, food didn’t fix it. Do you find yourself alternating between healthy and unhealthy eating habits? To paraphrase a saying, “It’s not what you’re eating. It’s what’s eating you.” Let’s listen again to three suggestions that can help us handle this matter wisely.
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study
Marriage Book: Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions by Francie Taylor
Devotional Book: Call Upon Him by Kathy Ashley
Friendship Book: Sister Friends by Francie Taylor
Bible Study Book: This Liberty of Yours by Tim Zacharias
Devotional Book: Ponder the Path: 31-Day Devotional by Francie Taylor
Monday Feb 20, 2023
Monday Feb 20, 2023
Welcome to the third segment of Psalm 119 on Build Your Bible Habit. In this passage, we can tell that the Psalmist was going through hard times with various people, especially the proud-hearted. You'll also notice that these problems quickly became prayer requests. We can copy that!
Build Your Bible Habit was launched as a special bonus segment Keep the Heart Podcast in 2022 with Proverbs, and now it includes Psalm 119. A great verse for the week is in Psalm 119:71, which also provides an unusual way to view affliction. We don't normally see it as a good thing, but the Bible shows the benefit.
"It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes."
Bible Study: ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Leader Guide
Bible Study: ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Participant Guide
Book: The Mirror of God's Word: A Biblical View of Physical Beauty
Book: Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions
Book: This Liberty of Yours: Unlocking Your Liberty in Christ
Monday Feb 13, 2023
Monday Feb 13, 2023
Inappropriate relationships are common, but common does not equal normal. The Bible devotes an entire chapter of Proverbs to paint a picture of what this is and how it happens. At the root of any inappropriate relationship is a selfish desire to have our own way. This is so Old Testament: "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts." (Proverbs 21:2)
Proverbs chapter seven is both cautionary and instructional. You may want to sit down with your Bible opened for this episode. God has provided us with a vivid example of how things can quickly slide from a seemingly innocent stroll through the field of temptation with an "I can handle it" attitude, to a life that has been destroyed.
Visit the Shop at Keep the Heart
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study
Thursday Feb 09, 2023
Thursday Feb 09, 2023
Welcome to the second segment of Psalm 119 on Build Your Bible Habit. The Psalmist makes statements that could easily come from the heart of anyone who has been going through a lengthy time of trial and adversity, but you'll also hear hope and trust within this passage.
Build Your Bible Habit was launched as a special bonus segment Keep the Heart Podcast in 2022 with Proverbs, and now we're expanding it to include Psalm 119. The Bible helps us to live the Christian life with passion and victory. Psalm 119:27 makes a great theme verse for the week, and also makes a great prayer request: "Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works."
ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Leader Guide
ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Participant Guide
NEW! The Mirror of God's Word: A Biblical View of Physical Beauty
It's BACK! Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions
This Liberty of Yours: Unlocking Your Liberty in Christ
Monday Feb 06, 2023
Monday Feb 06, 2023
Have you ever told a “little white lie?” This phrase refers to "lies that are told about small or unimportant matters to avoid hurting a person.”
"White lies" are a manmade concept, and they sound like these examples:
Your friend comes out of the fitting room in an outfit that’s too tight. She asks you, “Does this fit alright?” You say yes, even though your mind is screaming, “That’s waaaaay too small.”
Or maybe you’ve been served something for dinner and you really hated it, but you didn’t want to hurt the feelings of the hostess, so you lied and said, “This is really good!” That earned you a second helping. Oh oh.
Or perhaps you’ve had a run-in with someone that’s still unresolved. The other person asked you, “Is everything okay between us now?” Your mouth said, “Yeah, we’re all good,” but your mind said, “Not even close.” You’re trying to avoid confrontation and conflict, but you’re not telling the truth.
Lying is a tough habit, but it’s a breakable one. Let’s consider three ways we can begin to get rid of this ugly habit.
Bible studies, Bibles, Books & More in the Shop at Keep the Heart!
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study
Saturday Feb 04, 2023
Saturday Feb 04, 2023
Welcome to SayItAgain Saturday, where we replay popular episodes from the previous season! This episode first aired in January 2022, and we can tell by the downloads that it hit a nerve. After all, giving advice can lead to unexpected drama.
Are you able to listen to someone sharing a problem without trying to fix it? In other words, can you just listen, or are you formulating a solution as you listen, waiting to blurt it out as soon as the other person stops talking?
Listening to someone tell you that they’re about to make an unwise decision is really hard. We may want to try to talk the person out of their plans, but we know that by inserting ourselves like this, we could end up creating tension in the relationship. By saying nothing, it may seem like we’re agreeing, but if we speak the truth in love, we may get slapped into submission by a verbal rejection. Unsolicited advice is a field of land mines.
We can usually sense when a conversation is taking a sharp turn, and this can easily happen if we swerve into giving advice without having been asked. Unsolicited advice is easy to give but hard to take. If you've ever had someone deliver an analysis about your life that you never requested, you know how this lands on the ears.
What happens if we say something that then things blow up and we get chewed out? How can we sit by and watch someone running straight for the edge of an unseen cliff that we have in full view? Giving advice is tricky terrain. Let’s consider three things to keep in mind when we’re trying to discern when to speak and when to be silent.
Visit the Shop at Keep the Heart
ICU--In Christ Unconditionally: Heart Conditions Bible Application Study
Friday Feb 03, 2023
Friday Feb 03, 2023
Build Your Bible Habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 4 on the 4th etc.). Here's a verse from chapter 4, reminding us that wisdom is the "principle thing," which is another way of saying, "first things first":
"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding." (Proverbs 4:7)
Thursday Feb 02, 2023
Thursday Feb 02, 2023
Build Your Bible Habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 3 on the 3rd etc.). Here's a familiar passage from chapter 3, with instructions both to trust the Lord for direction and to avoid running ahead of God with our own agendas:
"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Tuesday Jan 31, 2023
Tuesday Jan 31, 2023
Proverbs LibraryBuild Your Bible Habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 1 on the 1st etc.). Here's a verse from chapter 1, reminding us that following God's Word brings peace and quiet even in the midst of difficult times:
"But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil." (Proverbs 1:33)
Monday Jan 30, 2023
Monday Jan 30, 2023
Welcome to the first segment of Psalm 119 on Build Your Bible Habit. This is the longest chapter in the Bible, so we’ll divide it into seven episodes. Psalm 119 is loaded with thoughts, instructions, and observations written to turn our hearts to a closeness with God. This chapter is written in twenty-two parts, following the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and each part consists of eight verses for a total of 176 verses. This episode begins with verses 1-24.
Build Your Bible Habit was launched as a special bonus segment Keep the Heart Podcast in 2022 with Proverbs, and now we're expanding it to include Psalm 119. The more we're in the Word, the greater we comprehend how to live. Psalm 119:18 makes a great theme verse for the week, and also makes a great prayer request: "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."
ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Leader Guide
ICU-In Christ Unconditionally-Old Testament Participant Guide
NEW! The Mirror of God's Word: A Biblical View of Physical Beauty
It's BACK! Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions
This Liberty of Yours: Unlocking Your Liberty in Christ
Sunday Jan 29, 2023
Sunday Jan 29, 2023
Build Your Bible Habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 30 on the 30th etc.). Here's a verse from chapter 30, teaching us that God is a protector to those who trust Him.
"Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him." (Proverbs 30:5)
Friday Jan 27, 2023
Friday Jan 27, 2023
Build Your Bible Habit with the popular daily Proverb system. Read one Proverb daily, corresponding with the day of the month (chapter 28 on the 28th etc.). Here's a verse from chapter 28, teaching us that "following your heart" is an unwise practice:
"He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered." (Proverbs 28:26)