Though Christmas is typically a happy time of year, full of gifts and parties and celebrations, many find it hard to find joy at Christmas time. Maybe you’ve had a loss, or received some bad news, or a scary diagnosis. Through all the celebrating and good cheer, God still sees you. And in Him, you can draw strength that will never fail you. Jeremiah 33:3 tells us that God is just waiting to do mighty things if we’ll just reach out to Him. “Call to Me,” He says, “and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” We wish we could know what our future holds or if and when we’ll get out of a season of hurt and pain—but what we do know is that we can call on God and He will be there for us. His very existence assures us that we’re never alone. Our guests this week, country music star Steve Wariner and country gospel group The Isaacs know a little bit about what leaning on God looks like, and how He shows up not only in the Christmas songs and celebrations we hear and see at Christmas, but through times of confusion, doubt, pain, sickness and sorrow. 

Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:

Jesus Calling Podcast

Jeremiah 33:3 

Jesus Calling

Jesus Listens

Jesus Always

Past interview: Dave Pittman 

Upcoming interview: Amy Grant

Steve Wariner

Dottie West

Bobby Bare

Jim Ed Brown

Chet Atkins

Capitol Records

Burnin’ the Road House Down

COVID

Feels Like Christmas Time

The Isaacs

The Isaacs Foundation

Polish Jewish Holocaust survivors

Bergen-Belsen concentration camp 

Buna concentration camp 

Feldafing

Grand Ole Opry

www.theisaacs.com

Interview Quotes:

“I remember the first time I played music was in church, the first music I heard was in church.” - Steve Wariner

“During those really hard times when you look around and so many friends are going away and friends of friends or relatives that it was starting to get really close, the circle closer, I found myself really turning into faith a lot. And really, you know, you get down on your knees and you go, Man, this is an unprecedented time we're in. And you draw back on those early experiences in your life lessons and turn to those things. It's very humbling, these times, that’s for sure. And I try to turn to some people that need some help and help them if I can.” - Steve Wariner

“It really does my heart good to play that music and bring it out and sing beautiful melodies, and the real lyrics that really mean what Christmas is.” - Steve Wariner

“We recorded when we were just small children singing in harmony. And so it was something that was just surrounding us. And so it was a very natural fit for us to grow up loving music, different kinds of music…faith has been the core of everything that we are and everything that we've ever wanted to do, just to be whatever God wanted us to be. ” - Sonya Isaacs Yeary

“There was a banjo and a guitar and prayer in our home all the time.” - Rebecca Isaacs Bowman

“To be able to be where I am now and look bac