In this episode, Lauren Stipton asks listeners to consider what it means to trust Jesus when anxiety grips. She opens with the familiar prayer of the desperate father in Mark 9:24, "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief," and invites us to examine how that confession might shift our own sense of peace.

What Does a Cry of Doubt Reveal?

Stipton reflects on the father’s raw admission of doubt amid desperation. She wonders whether speaking faith aloud can become a turning point in the midst of fear, and how that moment of confession might change the way we experience anxiety.

How Does a Woman Who Has Suffered for Years Find the Courage to Seek Healing?

She recalls the woman who had bled for twelve years, who, exhausted by treatments and isolated by her condition, still approached Jesus with bold confidence. Stipton asks whether her trust was rooted in hope alone or in a deeper confidence that Jesus could do more than we imagine.

When Grief Seeks Presence, Does Belief Become an Act of Trust?

Stipton shares Mary’s lament after her brother Lazarus died and Jesus’ challenge in John 11:40, "Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" She probes whether belief is a passive assent or an active, anxious trust that seeks God’s presence even when outcomes seem bleak.

What Does It Mean to Trust the One Who Sends Us?

She reflects on the crowd of five thousand who witnessed Jesus feed the multitude and on the disciples who were instructed to heal and drive out evil spirits. Stipton questions whether their confidence came from witnessing miracles or from a deeper trust in the One who sent them, and how that trust might translate into everyday work and relationships.

These stories raise questions about faith, doubt, and confidence that invite listeners to explore how they might lean on Jesus when anxiety arises. To hear how Stipton weaves Scripture, personal reflection, and practical insight into this conversation, listen to the full episode.