What do you do when God feels silent and your prayers seem to go unanswered?

David, Habakkuk, Job, and even Jesus cried out to God in seasons when heaven seemed dark. The silence can feel especially painful in a culture where we expect immediate answers—but God’s quietness does not mean He has abandoned us.

In this episode of The Lauren Turner Podcast, Lauren explores what Scripture teaches us about walking through seasons when we cannot hear God clearly. Sometimes the silence invites us to wait and trust. Other times, God may be waiting for us to obey something He has already told us to do.

Through David’s prayer in Psalm 139, we learn how to invite the Holy Spirit to search our hearts and reveal anything standing between us and God. Lauren examines how disobedience and selfish ambition can create distance in our relationship with Him—and how the stories of Adam and Eve and Jonah remind us that turning back is always possible.

Not every quiet season is correction, however. Sometimes silence becomes sanctification. When God doesn’t give us a play-by-play, our faith grows as we learn to trust His character instead of relying on what we can see, hear, or understand.

In this episode:

• What to do when God feels distant
• Why unanswered prayer does not mean God has left you
• How to practice honest biblical self-examination
• Whether disobedience could be delaying your next step
• How silence develops deeper faith and trust
• Why waiting on God is never wasted time
• How to hold onto hope when heaven feels dark

Even when you cannot hear the Shepherd, He has not stopped caring for His sheep. God promises never to leave or forsake you. He is present in the silence, faithful in the waiting, and working even when you cannot see it.

Scriptures referenced: Psalm 13:1–2, Habakkuk 1:2–4, Job 13:24, Job 23:8–10, Psalm 139:23–24, Genesis 3, James 4:4–10, Proverbs 3:5–6, Joshua 24:15, Jonah 2, Lamentations 3:25–26, Psalm 62:5–8, Jeremiah 17:7, Romans 15:13, Psalm 56, Matthew 28:20, Deuteronomy 31:6, Isaiah 41:10, Luke 12:27, and Psalm 100:3.

Subscribe or follow The Lauren Turner Podcast for biblical teaching, honest conversations, and faith-filled encouragement for everyday life.

What do you do when life leaves you angry, grieving, and bitter toward God?

Naomi lost her home, her husband, and both of her sons. When she returned to Bethlehem, she asked the people to call her Mara—meaning “bitter”—because she believed her life had become empty. But Naomi’s story wasn’t over, and neither is yours.

In this episode of The Lauren Turner Podcast, Lauren walks through Naomi’s journey in the book of Ruth and what it teaches us about trusting God through hardship. Even in her anger and grief, Naomi made the decision to turn back toward the Lord. She couldn’t yet see what He was doing, but God was already working through her pain.

We also explore the importance of faithful community. Ruth’s loyalty helped pull Naomi out of despair, reminding us that who we allow to speak into our lowest seasons matters.

Lauren shares practical biblical encouragement for walking through trials, including:

• How to acknowledge painful feelings without believing destructive lies
• Why trials produce endurance, character, and hope
• How to preach truth to your own soul as David did
• Why feeding your spirit matters before hardship comes
• How bitterness can blind us to the blessings already in front of us
• What it means to offer God a sacrifice of praise in the in-between

Naomi couldn’t see it at the time, but God was using her loss to bring Ruth into the family line that would lead to King David—and ultimately to Jesus. What felt like the end of Naomi’s story became part of something far greater than she could imagine.

If you’re walking through disappointment, grief, or a season that doesn’t make sense, this episode will encourage you to keep turning toward God. He is still present, still working, and still able to redeem your pain.

Scriptures referenced: Ruth 1:1–22, Ruth 4:13–17, John 16:33, Psalm 46, James 1:2–4, Romans 5:3–5, Job 1:6–12, Psalm 103:1–2, James 4:7, Psalm 116:14–17, and Isaiah 41:10.

Subscribe or follow The Lauren Turner Podcast for biblical teaching, honest conversations, and faith-filled encouragement for everyday life.

The enemy knows Scripture—but do you know how to use God’s Word when the battle comes?

In this episode of The Lauren Turner Podcast, Lauren explores the Sword of the Spirit, the only offensive weapon in the armor of God. Through Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, we learn how to recognize the enemy’s lies and answer them with biblical truth.

God’s Word also protects us defensively. Scripture reveals who God is, exposes beliefs that contradict His character, and transforms the way we think and live. But simply knowing Bible verses isn’t enough. The Pharisees knew the law and were still trapped by religion. To wield the Sword of the Spirit effectively, we must approach Scripture with humility and invite the Holy Spirit to teach us.

Lauren also examines why we can trust the Bible—including manuscript evidence, archaeology, fulfilled prophecy, and its internal consistency—and shares practical ways to make Scripture part of your daily life through Bible apps, audio Bibles, reading plans, and study resources.

Finally, the Sword of the Spirit was given to fight the enemy—not to attack other believers. When disagreements arise, we are called to pursue truth with love, follow biblical reconciliation, and pray for one another. No friendly fire.

In this episode:

• How to fight the enemy’s lies with Scripture
• Why the Bible is both an offensive and defensive weapon
• Why we need the Holy Spirit to understand God’s Word
• Evidence that supports the reliability of the Bible
• Practical ways to build a daily Bible-reading rhythm
• How to speak truth without weaponizing Scripture against others

Scriptures referenced: Ephesians 6:10–17, Hebrews 4:12, Luke 4:1–4, Psalm 119:11, 2 Timothy 3:16, Matthew 23, Matthew 7:7, John 6:63, 2 Peter 1:20–21, Luke 22:50–51, and Matthew 18:15–17.

Subscribe or follow The Lauren Turner Podcast for biblical teaching, honest conversations, and faith-filled encouragement for everyday life.

Are you living with confidence in your salvation—or still trying to earn God’s love and approval?

In this episode of The Lauren Turner Podcast, Lauren explores the Helmet of Salvation and why it is essential to the armor of God. Just as a helmet protects a soldier’s most vulnerable area, the confidence of our salvation protects our minds from condemnation, hopelessness, and the enemy’s lies.

Through Ephesians 6:17, the story of the prodigal son, and other powerful passages of Scripture, Lauren explains that salvation is an invitation to accept—not a reward for good behavior. She unpacks what it means to be justified, made new, and continually formed into the likeness of Christ.

You’ll also discover how salvation brings deliverance, lasting hope, and joy that doesn’t depend on your circumstances. No matter your past or how far you believe you have wandered, the Father’s arms remain open.

It’s time to stop striving, accept what Jesus has already accomplished, and live with the confidence that you are forgiven, covered, and secure in Him.

Subscribe or follow The Lauren Turner Podcast for biblical devotions, honest conversations, and faith-filled encouragement for everyday life.

How do you keep trusting God when what you're experiencing doesn't look anything like what He promised?

In Ephesians 6, Paul tells us to take up the shield of faith—a piece of the Armor of God designed to extinguish the fiery arrows of the enemy. But what does that actually look like when you're facing fear, doubt, temptation, disappointment, or circumstances you simply don't understand?

In this episode, Lauren explores what biblical faith really means and why our faith ultimately rests not in our ability to believe perfectly, but in the unchanging trustworthiness of God.

Lauren also shares a deeply personal story from the beginning of her marriage. After believing the Lord had told her that Sean would not deploy, she watched him receive deployment orders, married him just days before he left, and found herself wrestling with anger, confusion, and whether she could still trust what God had said.

What followed became a defining lesson in her journey of faith: God remains faithful even when our own faith falters.

Through Abraham's faith, the father's cry of "I believe; help my unbelief," and Paul's picture of the Roman shield, Lauren unpacks how faith protects us from the lies, accusations, fear, and discouragement of the enemy.

In this episode:
• What the shield of faith represents in the Armor of God
• What biblical faith actually means
• How faith extinguishes the "fiery darts" of the enemy
• How to trust God when circumstances don't make sense
• What to do when you're struggling with doubt and unbelief
• Why God's faithfulness isn't dependent on the strength of your faith
• How Scripture helps expose the enemy's lies
• Why we need other believers when our own faith is weak
• What Abraham teaches us about believing God before seeing the promise
• How to keep clinging to God when you don't understand what He's doing

Faith isn't pretending that you never doubt. It isn't ignoring difficult circumstances or forcing yourself to feel certain.

Faith says, "Lord, even when I don't see it, I know You're working. I trust Your character and Your heart even when I don't understand. I'm choosing to stay submitted and keep clinging to You."

And when your prayer is simply, "I believe; help my unbelief," Jesus meets you there too.

📖 SCRIPTURES DISCUSSED

Ephesians 6:10–20
Hebrews 11:1
Matthew 4:3–4
Revelation 12:11
Romans 4:16–24
Luke 5:18–20
Acts 9:8–19
Proverbs 27:17
Mark 9:20–25

Subscribe to The Lauren Turner Podcast for conversations and biblical teaching about faith, family, purpose, and learning to walk boldly with God.

#ShieldOfFaith #ArmorOfGod #TrustGod #Faith #SpiritualWarfare

How do you protect your heart in the middle of spiritual warfare? In Ephesians 6, Paul tells believers to put on the full Armor of God—including the breastplate of righteousness and the shoes of the gospel of peace.

Follow along with this episode and go deeper with the Righteousness & Peace Worksheet.

In this teaching, Lauren explores what those two pieces of spiritual armor actually mean and how we can put them on in everyday life.

The breastplate protected a soldier's most vital organs—especially the heart. In the same way, God's righteousness protects us from guilt, shame, condemnation, compromise, and the accusations of the enemy. But this isn't about trying harder to "be good." Our righteousness begins with what Jesus has already done for us and then transforms the way we live.

Lauren also unpacks the shoes of peace and why the gospel gives us the ability to remain grounded, prepared, and secure—even in the middle of a spiritual battle.

In this conversation, you'll learn:

• What the breastplate of righteousness represents
• The difference between imputed and imparted righteousness
• How righteousness protects your heart from spiritual attack
• Why righteous living isn't the same as self-righteousness
• What the "shoes of peace" mean in Ephesians 6
• How salvation gives us peace with God
• Why peace doesn't mean passivity
• How to remain spiritually alert, prepared, and grounded in Christ

The Armor of God isn't something we manufacture through our own strength. It belongs to God, and He gives it to us so that we can stand firm against the schemes of the enemy.

This week, ask the Lord to show you what it means to put on the breastplate of righteousness and walk in the shoes of peace. Invite Him to expose areas of your heart, mind, and actions that aren't aligned with Him—and ask Him to teach you how to rest securely in what Jesus has already accomplished.

📖 SCRIPTURES DISCUSSED
Ephesians 6:10–20
Isaiah 59:17
Proverbs 4:23
2 Corinthians 5:21
Matthew 5:6
Matthew 6:33
Proverbs 24:16
Deuteronomy 5:33
Psalm 37:25
Romans 3:10, 23
Ephesians 6:15
Acts 10:36
Colossians 1:21–22
Matthew 5:9
1 Thessalonians 5:6
Proverbs 3:5–6
Romans 15:13

Subscribe to The Lauren Turner Podcast for conversations about faith, family, purpose, and learning to walk boldly with God.

#ArmorOfGod #SpiritualWarfare #BreastplateOfRighteousness #Ephesians6 #ChristianPodcast

In Episode 2 of The Lauren Turner Podcast, Lauren begins exploring the armor of God by focusing on the Belt of Truth. She shares why followers of Jesus must remain alert and sober-minded, recognize the reality of spiritual warfare, and avoid entering the battle unprepared.

Drawing from Luke 14:25–35, Lauren discusses what it means to count the cost of following Jesus. She also explains how an ancient soldier’s belt secured his clothing, supported his weapons, and prepared him to move effectively—and how God’s truth provides that same essential foundation in our spiritual lives.

In a world where truth is often treated as relative, how can we stand firmly on the absolute truth of God’s Word? Lauren offers practical encouragement for putting on the Belt of Truth by reading Scripture, meditating on it, and using it to confront the enemy’s lies.

When lies threaten to distort your identity or trip you up, return to what Scripture says about who you are. God’s truth prepares, protects, and equips you to stand firm.

Subscribe or follow The Lauren Turner Podcast for biblical devotions, honest conversations, and faith-filled encouragement for everyday life.

Welcome to the very first episode of The Lauren Turner Podcast!

Follow along and go deeper with Lauren’s show notes.

In this episode, Lauren shares practical prayer strategies, biblical wisdom, and meaningful lessons God has taught her through different seasons of life. Whether you are seeking direction, growing in your faith, or simply needing encouragement, this conversation will help you approach prayer with greater purpose and confidence.

Join Lauren as she reflects on the power of prayer, the importance of seeking God’s wisdom, and the truths that have shaped her journey.

Subscribe or follow The Lauren Turner Podcast for biblical devotions, honest conversations, and faith-filled encouragement for everyday life.