In this week's best-of episode, we're looking at the life of Joseph and exploring the theme of integrity. Joseph consistently makes the right choices, even when faced with difficulties. Standing firm in doing what is right, even when it may not lead to immediate blessings, is the life of integrity we should strive for. Listen in to hear what it looks like to make tough choices and stand firm in difficult situations.

Joseph is our model for seasons in our own life that feel confining. He perseveres in doing the next right thing, even when he finds himself in a place that feels not like what he signed up for. Anybody relate to that? When you're in a season that isn't what you wanted, what does it look like to do the next right thing?

Here's the secret. The secret is not trying harder. It's not gripping more tightly to what you wish was true. It's not shaming yourself into being better. True love and true righteousness do not materialize by gripping for it. This kind of love and righteousness comes from fixing our eyes on Jesus. That's what gives us the ability to stand up against the forces of the world that often come against us.

Our faith is grown in difficult seasons. And in those difficult seasons, we get a very narrow focus and we focus on one day at a time. We ask God to give us the strength to show up with humility and love for the day that he has for us.

Here are all the episodes in Nicole's study on Joseph:

1. Not What I Signed Up For: How to Think about Life’s Hardest Seasons (A Bible Study on Joseph)
2. Navigating Life's Unexpected Seasons: Lessons from Joseph
3. Finding Hope in the Midst of Suffering: A Guide to Biblical Lament
4. What Does Redemption Mean? Lessons from Joseph’s Family Reunion (A Bible Study on Genesis 42)
5. Embracing Restoration: The End of Joseph's Story and Its Relevance Today

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In this best-of episode, Nicole invites us to explore the Lord’s Prayer, found in the Gospels, particularly in Matthew, emphasizing that prayer is not just about saying the right words or following a formula, but about having a personal and intimate conversation with God.

Nicole guides us through the passage in Matthew 6, verses 5-8, where Jesus teaches us how to pray. We’ll examine the contrast between those who pray for show, those who pray in secret, and those who babble like pagans. Nicole highlights the importance of understanding the principles behind Jesus’ teaching, rather than just following a formula. We’ll explore how to create a space for intimacy and connection with our Heavenly Father, and how to experience God in our daily lives.

Nicole shares that prayer is not about getting God to respond to our actions, but about submitting to His will and desires. We’ll discuss how to avoid the pitfalls of hypocrisy and instead, cultivate a genuine relationship with God. This episode sets the stage for the rest of the series, where we’ll delve into the Lord’s Prayer and explore its significance in our lives.

If you’re feeling uncertain about your prayer life or wondering if you’re doing it “right,” this series is for you. Join Nicole as we explore the principles of effective prayer and how to deepen your relationship with God.

Want to listen to the rest of the series? We created a playlist on Spotify with each episode. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2fHv6yxAydcsLstrfoVvPZ

You can also find all of the episodes on this page of Lifeaudio.com: https://www.lifeaudio.com/podcasts/how-to-study-the-bible/?page=24

Connect with Nicole: https://nicoleunice.com/

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This is it, friends. Our final episode. And I can't think of a more perfect place to land than right here, in the very process that brought me to this moment of saying goodbye.

Today we're walking through the actual steps of discernment, a rigorous, Holy Spirit-led process rooted in Ignatian spirituality that is so much more than a pros and cons list. And I want you to know, this process took me seven months to work through for this decision. Seven months of going back and forth, consulting spiritual advisors, wrestling, praying, and waiting. That's very different from how the world tells us to make decisions. But the freedom on the other side of it? There are no words.

The Five Steps of Discernment

1. Identify the actual decision in front of you
2. Ask the Holy Spirit to transform your thoughts — work toward sacred detachment
3. Ask the Holy Spirit to influence your will — gather data, write pros and cons, evaluate findings
4. Ask the Holy Spirit for spiritual consolation — wait for settled, deep confidence
5. Confirm the decision and move forward in faith

Want More?

• 📥 Download the free four-week Decisions study guide at NicoleUnice.com/decisions — includes Nicole's notes from today's episode and reflection prompts for the whole series
• 📖 Scriptures from today: Matthew 26:39–45 · Romans 12:2 · 2 Peter 1:3–4 · Galatians 6:14 · 2 Timothy 1:7 · Psalm 94:19 · Matthew 11:28
• 📱 Follow Nicole's next chapter on Instagram @NicoleUnice and on Substack for weekly essays and updates on the church plant in Richmond, Virginia
• 🙏 Would you pray for Nicole, her husband Dave, and the city of Richmond, Virginia, as they begin this church planting journey?
• 🎙️ All 300+ episodes of How to Study the Bible remain available — go back and keep exploring God's word!
• ⭐ Leave a review and share the podcast with someone who needs it — even now that the show is wrapping up, your review helps new listeners find these episodes.
• 🎧 For more faith-filled podcasts, visit lifeaudio.com

"May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you. May the Lord lift up His countenance unto you and give you His peace, both now and forever, and until we meet in heaven. Amen." — Nicole Unice

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.