In an instant our beliefs can be challenged. Medical challenges and disability can force us to to wonder "do I really believe this?" Extensive and deep roots in the one, true God enable us to endure, sustain, and even thrive amidst life's greatest hardships.

Learn more about the heart behind the Bluestem Project and meet your hosts, husband and wife, Brandon and Amy Smith.

"Why is this happening?" "Why me?" "Why now?"

As people we are made with an intrinsic awareness that there's something bigger going on, something beyond ourselves and it often reveals itself when we are thrust into medical hardships. As we face challenges we long to use our pain in order to impact beyond ourselves.

Join us as we discuss meaning and purpose in our suffering - the things we can control.

God is at work in all things. We live under an illusion of control, when really we control so little. God's glory and goodness is what all things point to, whether we choose to acknowledge that truth or not. In all things, our circumstances are opportunities to demonstrate His worthiness to the world.

We are wired for meaning and purpose, so what is the meaning and purpose behind medical hardship and disability? How can this be beautiful? How can this bring Him glory? How can this be for my good?

Joy is knowing, trusting, and delighting in God. It is deep and can be sustained beyond circumstances, but how? Scripture is chalk full of passages on joy as a command and a work of His Spirit within his children. So how does this really work itself out when life feels impossible?

What happens after death? How can we be certain? Why does out view of what happens after death matter?

Christianity says we are eternal beings with the vast majority of our eternal life being spent beyond our time on earth as we know it. What we believe about this Jesus is crucial and makes all the difference for what we can anticipate for life after death.

A hospital bill for thousands of dollars. A second opinion that confirms a bleak prognosis. A sudden and drastic change to life as you know it from an accident. A surgery that didn't go as planned. A loss of a loved one.

How can gratitude be possible when the weight of the world seems to be crushing you? Hear from our guest, Chaplain Bruce Nelson, as he shares how grief can be a catalyst for gratitude.

Grieving and suffering people are fragile. Even with our best intensions we have all stuck our foot in our mouths. We've said stupid things or we've been on the receiving end of stupid things said to us. So we're going there. We are jumping into the awkward for the sake of suffering people.

Join us as we navigate the ditches we can all err on either side of the road of someone journeying through medical hardship, loss of a loved one, or health complications as we look to the gospel for our ultimate source of wisdom and hope along the way.

Emotions are deep and unknown, they can even be complete chaos. It can be challenging and weighty to "enter in" with those enduring heavy burdens.

Yet we must get over ourselves and enter in. We must put ourselves second. But we also caution against over empathizing. How do we find the balance and what does the Bible say?