Jodie Berndt's home page

Hey there! I’m Jodie, and I’m glad you’re here. I’m a wife, a mom, and a writer who thinks God is infinitely tender, infinitely strong, and infinitely the reason we can lives marked grace, purpose, and joy. He’s pretty amazing, and nothing make happier to talk about him with friends like you! Read More

On the Blog

God's instructions revive our weary soul (Psalm 19:7)

A Word for the Weary (plus a prayer plan for August)

July 30, 2022

Enjoying the fruit of the vine

Saints, sinners, and what Italy taught me about abiding

July 8, 2022

31 Days of Prayer Title

31 Days of Prayer – Coming in July!

June 25, 2022

FIND JODIE ON INSTAGRAM

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It’s National Book Lovers Day! And you can save BIG on already discounted prices from FaithGateway.com with the code BOOKLOVER. 📚❤️📚
Whoop!
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#prayingthescriptures #booklover #salealert @faithgateway 😊

“May God count you worthy of his calling and…fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.” (2 Thess. 1:11)
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That’s the first of 4 power-packed prayers Paul shares in his 2nd letter to the Thessalonians - a beloved group of folks facing all sorts of persecution, suffering, and trials.
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Can you spot the other three prayers? (Stop reading now if you wanna hunt for ‘em on your own. 😉)
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Here they are:
🤍 “May our Lord Jesus Christ…encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” (2v17)
🤍 “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.” (3v5)
🤍 “May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.” (3v16)
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Tag a friend who needs some peace, perseverance, or encouragement today - and as you do, borrow one (or more) of Paul’s prayers and make it your own on her behalf! 🥰
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#prayingthescriptures #prayer #peace #perseverance #encouragement #friends

Take 140 kids. Add 50 teenage helpers. Throw in a bunch of moms, grandmoms, a handful of hearty dads, and a whole bunch of BIBLE… and it all adds up to the best week of summer. 🔥
(And PS that’s my cute 82-yr-old mom in the last clip. How many VBS summers has she seen??? #Faithful 🥰)

Feeling weary? Discouraged? Just plain HOT and BOTHERED and tired of MELTING 🔥🔥🔥…?

THE BIBLE CAN FIX THAT! 😄

Take a dip on the refreshing waters of the PSALMS with me this August. 💦💦💦 Even if all you read is Psalm 1, you’ll figure out how to to stay fresh and green! 🌿
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More on the blog - link in bio!
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#prayingthescriptures #prayingthepsalms
#readyourbible #refreshing

“I don’t want to go. I don’t even know these people. We’ll probably have to ‘share,’ which I don’t really like doing with my friends, let alone with a bunch of strangers.”

That’s how one husband felt when his wife suggested getting together with a group of couples—folks who didn’t all know one another, and who lived all over the country—for a weekend away. Truth be told, most of the men (and at least one of the women 🙋‍♀️) probably felt the same way. It could get awkward.

That was 10 years ago. It turned out to be fun. And what began with one gal’s invitation to step out of our comfort zones has become an annual highlight as we do our best to mimic the folks in Acts 2:42, who “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

We laugh. We talk. And we do stuff the Bible doesn’t talk much about, like playing pickle-ball and cowboy-ing up for the rodeo. 🤠

I hesitated to share this story because I never want to post anything that might make someone feel jealous, and in a world where loneliness is epidemic, a post about 10 years of friendship can be tricky.

But I’m putting this out there for two reasons. The first is to thank God for putting this group together, forging life-giving connections that no one expected.

The second is to encourage you, if you are feeling isolated or lonely, to do the same thing. Reach out one or two other couples (or friends—singles have a place at this table!), and ask them to join you—and to invite someone else. Pick a place (we tend to gather in each other’s houses and cook for ourselves, but we’ve done the VRBO/restaurant thing too) and plan a few activities. Come with discussion starters or just let the conversations—and the friendships—develop organically. Invite God into the mix as you pray over your time, and watch what happens.

Will it be awkward? Maybe.

But it could also be pretty great. 😉

👉 What about you? If you’ve got a friendship-building story to share, I’d love to hear it—or tag someone who’s been an encouragement in your life just to let ‘em know you are grateful!

Broken-heartedness is real.
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God knows what it feels like to be betrayed, rejected, and abandoned by people you love. And he promises to “be close to the brokenhearted” (Psalm 34:18) and “comfort us in all our troubles” (2 Corinthians 1:4).
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Where do you need to sense God’s nearness today? What wounds need his healing touch?
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The Day 12 prayer is for all who are suffering. “Heal my broken heart; bind up my wounds.”
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Wherever you are, whatever you need, God understands. He hears your cry. And he longs to enfold you in his embrace. Lean in. 🤍
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#abideinchrist #31daysofprayer #prayerchallenge #Day12 #JoinUs (link in bio)

How to pray about…EVERYTHING! 🙌 More than 20,000 people (!) are #PrayingTheScriptures with us this month—and it’s not too late to jump in! 💃
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Today, we’re praying for our marriages, asking God to help us trust and protect one another. (Swipe 👉 to see the graphic.) These daily prayers are tiny but their power is BIG…can’t wait to see what God does as we take him up on his John 15:7 invitation: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you.”
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(Link in bio to download the calendar if you want to join us!)
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#prayer #abideinchrist #freedownload #31daysofprayer #prayerchallenge #marriage

“If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.”
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That’s an appealing invitation. We all want to be people if impact, right? Difference-makers. People whose lives produce what is healthy and life-giving and good.
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But what does that look like, exactly? What does Jesus mean when he says we can “remain” in him? 🤔
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We’re looking at that on the blog this week - and sharing the link to the 31-Day Prayer Challenge. It’s not too late to join us! 🙏🏽🍇
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Details on the blog - link in bio.
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#abideinchrist #31DaysofPrayer #prayerchallenge #PrayingtheScriptures #Italy ❤️🇮🇹