Rick Lawrence, author of Jesus-Centered Life, unpacks what it means to live a life that pays ridiculous attention to Jesus. Each episode zooms in on a story of Jesus and looks at it to answer two very basic questions. Who do I say Jesus is? Who does Jesus say I am?
Season 10 Episode 7 - The Shocking Kindness of Jesus In Our Wilderness
Host Rick Lawrence and guest Becky Crawley explore Jesus's kindness in isolation, drawing insights from John the Baptist's story.
17 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT
Season 10 Episode 6 - The Shocking Kindness of Jesus... In Our Fears
Rick and the Becky-nator are back with the sixth episode in our new series “The Shocking Kindness of Jesus.” It’s a series based on a new book Rick is working on: Snakes & Stones: The Shocking Kindness of Jesus. In this episode, we’ll explore the kindness of Jesus in the midst of our fears. Fear narrows our world. It shrinks possibility, distorts reality, and convinces us that our circumstantial perils are beyond the reach of Jesus. The waves washing over us look bigger than they are, the howling winds louder than they are, and our rescue more impossible than it is. In the face of our fears, trust erodes before it sustains. The is why Jesus will speak into our fears before He speaks into our circumstances.
Check out Rick’s new book, Editing Jesus. Go to its Amazon page here: https://tinyurl.com/48erume9
Becky has another podcast project, co-hosted with her friend Steph. It’s called Orderly, and you can find it here: https://www.beckycrawley.com/orderly-podcast/
And if you’d like to listen to Rick’s ongoing conversations about the Jesus-centered life with radio host Carmen LaBerge, on her nationally syndicated program The Reconnect, check out this sample episode:
• Snakes and Stones - https://www.myfaithradio.com/programs/reconnect-with-carmen-laberge/the-pain-of-unrealized-hopes-and-good-desires-drew-hensley-snakes-and-stones-and-the-kindness-of-jesus-rick-lawrence-1768918500
And don’t forget to check out Rick’s daily devotional Jesus-Centered Daily—go to jesuscentereddaily.com to download a 10-day sampler of the devotion, or to order it for yourself or as a gift. Or head straight to Amazon to order it:
https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Centered-Daily-Touch-Smell-Taste/dp/1470759608/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Jesus-Centered+Daily&qid=1599794429&sr=8-1
Sign Up for the FREE 7-Day Devotional Series, Drawn from the Jesus-Centered Daily
https://www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-daily-download/?fbclid=IwAR2H19A3iHl53Rl7OUrJLWkq3NkFjSFlxTUnngBOAeZDvo2GHHUnnHWJQo0
Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on Him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, sneak peeks of new resources, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group.
Join Here- www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/
Join Rick’s Email List
ricklawrence.com/stay-connected/
Rick’s Email Addresses
rick@ricklawrence.com
rlawrence@vibrantfaith.org
Vibrant Faith
https://vibrantfaith.org
Related Books & Resources:
The Jesus-Centered Life
https://tinyurl.com/yxmdbafx
Jesus-Centered Daily
www.amazon.com/Jesus-Centered-Da…1593117629&sr=8-1
Following Jesus
A 40-lesson, interactive and experiential curriculum for youth or adult ministry, created by Rick Lawrence.
https://vibrantfaith.org/product/following-jesus/
The Suicide Solution
https://www.amazon.com/Suicide-Solution-Finding-Your-Darkness/dp/1684511593/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=the+Suicide+Solution&qid=1628897750&sr=8-2
Spiritual Grit: A Journey Into Endurance. Character. Confidence. Hope.
www.mylifetree.com/shop/spiritual-grit/
Growing Spiritual Grit for Teenagers: 40 Devotions
www.mylifetree.com/shop/growing-sp…s-40-devotions/
Growing Spiritual Grit: 52 Personal Devotions
www.mylifetree.com/shop/growing-sp…onal-devotions/
The Jesus-Centered Bible
www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible-shop-page/
The God Who Fights for You: How He Shows Up in Your Suffering
9 May 2026TRANSCRIPT
Season 10 Episode 5 - The Shocking Kindness of Jesus... In Our Disappointments
Rick and the Becky-nator are back with the fifth episode in our new series “The Shocking Kindness of Jesus.” It’s the theme of a new book Rick is working on: Snakes & Stones: The Shocking Kindness of Jesus. In this episode, we’ll explore the kindness of Jesus in the midst of our disappointments in life. To get at this, we’ll plunge into the story of maybe the most notorious person in history—Judas Iscariot… His deep disappointments led to a great betrayal. Likewise, our own disappointments in life can be weaponized against Jesus. But what does Jesus want us to know when we are immersed in disappointment? And what is He doing to redeem what we have lost?
Check out Rick’s new book, Editing Jesus. Go to its Amazon page here: https://tinyurl.com/48erume9
Becky has another podcast project, co-hosted with her friend Steph. It’s called Orderly, and you can find it here: https://www.beckycrawley.com/orderly-podcast/
Check out a masterpiece of music that targets our disappointment with Jesus—Andrew Osenga’s album The Painted Desert.
And if you’d like to listen to Rick’s ongoing conversations about the Jesus-centered life with radio host Carmen LaBerge, on her nationally syndicated program The Reconnect, check out these sample episodes:
• Snakes and Stones - https://www.myfaithradio.com/programs/reconnect-with-carmen-laberge/the-pain-of-unrealized-hopes-and-good-desires-drew-hensley-snakes-and-stones-and-the-kindness-of-jesus-rick-lawrence-1768918500
• Miraculous Things Do Happen - https://www.myfaithradio.com/programs/reconnect-with-carmen-laberge/miraculous-things-do-happen-rick-lawrence-helping-men-have-conversations-around-redemptive-masculinity-peter-ostapko-1767103200
And don’t forget to check out Rick’s daily devotional Jesus-Centered Daily—go to jesuscentereddaily.com to download a 10-day sampler of the devotion, or to order it for yourself or as a gift. Or head straight to Amazon to order it:
https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Centered-Daily-Touch-Smell-Taste/dp/1470759608/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Jesus-Centered+Daily&qid=1599794429&sr=8-1
Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on Him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, sneak peeks of new resources, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group.
Join Here- www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/
Join Rick’s Email List
ricklawrence.com/stay-connected/
Rick’s Email Addresses
rick@ricklawrence.com
rlawrence@vibrantfaith.org
Vibrant Faith
https://vibrantfaith.org
Related Books & Resources:
The Jesus-Centered Life
https://tinyurl.com/yxmdbafx
Jesus-Centered Daily
www.amazon.com/Jesus-Centered-Da…1593117629&sr=8-1
Following Jesus
A 40-lesson, interactive and experiential curriculum for youth or adult ministry, created by Rick Lawrence.
https://vibrantfaith.org/product/following-jesus/
The Suicide Solution
https://www.amazon.com/Suicide-Solution-Finding-Your-Darkness/dp/1684511593/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=the+Suicide+Solution&qid=1628897750&sr=8-2
Spiritual Grit: A Journey Into Endurance. Character. Confidence. Hope.
www.mylifetree.com/shop/spiritual-grit/
Growing Spiritual Grit for Teenagers: 40 Devotions
www.mylifetree.com/shop/growing-sp…s-40-devotions/
Growing Spiritual Grit: 52 Personal Devotions
www.mylifetree.com/shop/growing-sp…onal-devotions/
The Jesus-Centered Bible
www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible-shop-page/
The God Who Fights for You: How He Shows Up in Your Suffering
www.amazon.com/God-Who-Fights-Yo…ing/dp/073697704X
Inside a recent episode
Season 10 Episode 7 - The Shocking Kindness of Jesus In Our Wilderness
Published 23 Sept 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] So maybe it seems a little bit callous that he's like, look at all the things that I've done here. But in other ways, I think he's reminding his cousin, this is who I am. I am the Messiah, and here's all the proof and reasons that that is. Yeah, it's a little bit playful in this sense, because Jesus knows by answering this way, John will instantly recognize these descriptions in the Old Testament of what the Messiah would be doing. He's just listing the things that John already knows the Messiah is supposed to do in the Old Testament. And so there's a little bit of a, I'm going to say something that sounds like a little bit of a stretch, but I think it's true. […]
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