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Introduction to Dr. Nurse Mama Show: Prescribing Hope for Healthy Families
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: Dr. Nurse Mama show prescribing hope for healthy families here on American Family Radio. Here's your host, professor, pediatric nurse practitioner and mom of four, Dr. Jessica Peck.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, hello there friends and welcome to my favorite time of day, getting to spend time with you prescribing Hope for healthy families. And I am big on hope, you know that.
The Hopeful Message of Heaven: How Eternity Shapes Our Present Lives
And today we are talking about the most hopeful message I could ever give you and one that needs to be given to all families, all people everywhere. We are living in a time that seems seems increasingly hopeless. But in the face of that, despite all of that, I find myself growing more hopeful. Now you know, you all know that. Who are regular listeners? I'm a nurse I take care of patients in the most vulnerable moments of life. And it seems that we live in a culture that is still really remarkably uncomfortable with the subject of death. And I know that seems like a downer, but it's really not if you're a Christian and you know the end of the story.
Dr. Jessica Peck: But we spend enormous amounts of energy trying not to think about death, not to talk about it, not to prepare for it. It feels frightening, it feels mysterious, it feels final. And we see that, according to research, almost half of people really fear the end of their life to some degree. But yet, for Christians, death is not the end of the story. The Bible gives us an entirely different framework. We are a people who believe in eternity, in resurrection, and forever ever in the presence of God, and the promise that one day faith will become sight. But here's the question. If heaven is our eternal home, what difference does that make in the reality that we live today? And that is the question at the heart of Jennifer Rothschild's newest devotional, heaven for today. 60 devotions on how the life to come changes your life right now. And this is releasing. You can order it. I encourage you to do that. It gives. It builds on her 2025 Bible study, Heaven When Faith Becomes Sight. It offers 60 daily devotionals, daily reflections that are designed to give readers a glimpse of eternity. Don't we all want that? And then helps them live with an eternal perspective. And her central message really cut to the core of who I am. Heaven is not a place that we go someday. It is the reality of how we view heaven.
Jennifer Rothschild's Ministry: Finding Hope and Courage Through Faith and Scripture
The reality of heaven existing shapes and changes how we live today. And that message really comes with particular weight, because for those of you who have not had the privilege and blessing of, being acquainted with Jennifer Rothschild's ministry, you need to know that. Jennifer has been blind since she was 15. And she says one of the greatest lessons she's learned in the dark is that circumstances don't have to be well for it to be well with your soul. And she has spent decades teaching scripture, writing books and Bible studies, encouraging people, including me, to find courage and hope in God's word. And now she is inviting readers to look beyond the shadows of this present world toward the eternal reality that God has promised. And if that doesn't sound hopeful, I don't know what is. Jennifer, I'm so delighted to have you here today. Thank you so much for joining us.
Jennifer Rothschild: Oh, my goodness. Dr. Jessica, that was so hopeful. Everything you just said made me ready to go. It just made me ready to go. Or at least live heaven now. So what a joy it is to be with you.
Personal Testimony: Facing Blindness with Faith and Finding Hope in God's Plan
Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, you know, I started really looking at heaven differently when my, my sweet granny, my grandmother, who I lived with all through nursing school, I was very close to her. She went to be with Jesus, a few years ago. And that just really changed my anticipation knowing that I'm gonna see her one day. We are going to be together forever in the presence of God. And this makes me hopeful. And I know that you are just such a hopeful person. Jennifer, anytime I've ever heard you speak, you just radiate optimism and hope. Tell us a little bit for maybe haven't heard your testimony before. Tell us a little bit about your life, how you came to know the Lord and how you radiate hope.
Jennifer Rothschild: Well, it's interesting, Jessica. A lot of people would just look at the surface of my story and say, well, that is actually hopeless. And technically, medically, yes, it probably could be called hopeless, though that's not a word I prefer because it doesn't fit into my paradigm of my life in Christ. But the reason that some might call my story or hopeless is because I was diagnosed as a teenager with a disease in both of my eyes called retinitis pigmentosa. Degenerative disease. So what it meant is that my retinas were deteriorating. And as a 15 year old girl, both of my eyes, both retinas had deteriorated to the extent that I was declared legally blind. But the nature of the disease was that that same kind of, loss and deterioration would continue over, you know, a nameless amount of years until eventually the remainder. And that meant the entirety of my retinas would be gone. And the prognosis of that is total blindness. So, you know, I was 15 when I became legally blind and learned that I would be totally blind. And at that point, Jessica, I was a, I loved to draw. I was an artist. And I remember coming home from the eye hospital and feeling my fingertips and realizing I'm not going to be able to draw. I'm not going to be able to be an artist. I couldn't at that point even read out of a book and feeling my fingertips and thinking, am I going to read Braille? I mean, my whole world was draped in shadows. Hopeless, right? Except, we are made for far more than longevity and for the circumstances in this life, we are made for eternity. And even then I think God in all of his grace, because I already knew Jesus, was installing in me this perspective that was beyond my circumstance, my perspective emotionally and spiritually. Was definitely beyond my experience.
Finding Peace Amidst Adversity: The Hymn 'It Is Well With My Soul' and God's Purpose
But that's only because of the grace of Jesus. And so we came home from the eye hospital as I sat in the back seat, silent, looking into my very dark future. And got home and I immediately sat down at our old upright piano. We'd had it for several years. And you mentioned this earlier and that's why I want to specifically mention this part of my story. The silence was broken from that day at the eye hospital as I sat down and I started to play the piano. And my parents hadn't said anything, I hadn't said anything. So the very first sound after that diagnosis was me playing the piano. And I played by ear for the very first time because even though I had had a few years of lessons, I wasn't a great pianist. But I played a song that day I'd never played before. And it was that old beloved hymn. It is well with my soul because the reality is the reason I am teeming with hope and brimming with hope is because God taught me even then, and he still deepens that lesson today, that it does not have to be well with my circumstances for it to be well with my soul. Thank you Lord.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Jennifer, that just, that gives me goosebumps all over, it really does. Because for someone to sit there in your circumstance and I am just picturing this 15 year old girl sitting in the back of the car and I've met with so many 15 year old girls that have so many different kinds of diagnoses or just challenges that they're facing. But that's a big one, Jennifer, that is a deal. Big, big one. The loss of your sight, the loss of your future and to sit down and the first sounds to come will be praised. You know, just recently I interviewed Tammy Trent who, who lost her husband on September 10, 2001 and she talked about the same thing, how just worship welled up from her soul and somehow God gave her a peace that passes understanding. And we can say it is well with our soul even when the world is anything but well. And I think Jennifer, that's something that God has used in your life to draw people to you because it doesn't make sense to the world. How can you have hope, how can you not be angry? How can you trust in a God that would allow that to happen? And yet from this, from that 15 year old girl who lost something precious, who made a choice to worship out of that God birthed a ministry that probably wouldn't have happened if that hadn't happened to you. How did your ministry come to be?
From Loss to Ministry: How Blindness Became a Platform for Sharing God's Goodness
And how have you seen God take your life in a different direction and confirm the calling that he's given you?
Jennifer Rothschild: You know, I love that question because I look at my life because I know me really well, Jessica. I can be a little sparky, I can be a little independent.
Dr. Jessica Peck: I love it.
Jennifer Rothschild: I can be very strong willed, all those things which, which under the lordship of Jesus are awesome qualities. But I look back at my life and I think, what if God had not in his severe mercy, allowed blindness to enter my life? Who would I have become? I wonder if I would have self sabotaged out of my own pride and selfishness what God had created me for because I would just have been so obstinate and full of myself. Honestly, there's been a humbling, a humbling buffeting effect of blindness, which I don't love, but I can see the merit of it. And so it was out of the loss, when God was just giving me so much hope and so much perspective, it was out of the loss that he built a platform. And I would say that to anyone listening when something in our life happens, when we are in Christ that we do not expect, do not expect that, that is the end of the sentence. That might be the ellipsis, that might be the comma that God is using to transition you into a greater platform, a greater empathy, something that is not about you, but that you can become a conduit to give to others. And so that's what God did. He opened doors for me to share my story. I used to sing and play, so I would go to churches and do music. And. And then God just transferred that into writing and teaching Bible studies. And as I look back, I realized that the native calling never changed. And it was to communicate the goodness of God. He did it through music, he did it through writing, he did it through speaking. But the point is he did it. And so when we have a loss in our life, oh, don't just assume that because you received a loss, that doesn't mean that you can't also receive a greater ministry because of it. God only allows thorns when he knows it's going to be for our good, for his glory, and for the good even of the generations to come. And so for that reason, I really can't say, after all these decades, it is. Well, and it's not because of my personality, it's not because of my drive, it's because of Jesus.
God's Sovereignty and Purpose: Trusting in His Plan Even Amidst Difficult Circumstances
It's because of Jesus.
Dr. Jessica Peck: But God uses those things, those giftedness, those areas of giftedness in your life. And you're reminding me of one of my favorite scriptures, Jennifer. Psalm 84:11. The Lord God is a sun and a shield. He gives grace and glory. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. And is such a blessing to me. In a era where you feel really pressured to create your. The best version of yourself, there's such a release in knowing that I am made in the image of God. And God crafted my life for a purpose and for a calling, just like you have lived that out so beautifully for us. And trusting in the sovereignty of God, even when something like that happens is so hard. And I say this all the time, that if God was small enough to be understood, he wouldn't be big enough to be worshiped. And so I had to come to a place of contentment, that some, some things are just beyond my control. But Jennifer, it's clear through your writing, through your speaking, through your ministry, that, that your experience, your life experience that you've had and then the ministry that you've had, it is deeply changed the way that you view how we live in the here and now.
Living with an Eternal Perspective: How the Hope of Heaven Transforms Today
And it has deeply changed the way that you view eternity. Can you give us a little preview? We're going to talk about that the rest of the time, but give us a little preview of how your, your life has changed, your perspective has changed about. And heaven.
Jennifer Rothschild: Well, I think when we live with any awareness on this side of eternity that life is hard and like you said, we're not in control. And that, like the psalms say, we're. We're dust, we're dust, we're fragile. I think it gives us an opportunity to recognize that God made us for more than just this earth. And so I've been so attached to heaven because that's the place where my eyes will see. That's the place where there's no tears. That's the place where I'm reunited with my daddy who went to heaven, and I'll be with him forever. But you know what I've realized, Jessica? is the hope and the promise of heaven is not attached just to that day, to tomorrow, but because heaven is true and the promise is real, that reality can be today. It can be for today. And so as I begin to experience these little glimpses of eternity so that my shepherd wipes away my tears here on, this side day, I don't have to wait for that day. Then I begin to live with the real hope of heaven. And, you know, as I'm getting older. And we all are. We're inundated. We're inundated with this. Gotta look younger, gotta fix this, gotta do that. And I've recognized there is a peace and a relaxation that comes from realizing, oh, I'm, not just made for longevity. I'm made for eternity. And therefore, I'm not gonna lose heart. I'm not gonna wait for the promise of heaven to be fulfilled. Thom I'm going to live the promise of heaven today. And ultimately, you know what that is? The promise of heaven is being with Jesus forever.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Amen.
Jennifer Rothschild: We don't have to wait for then we can have that right now.
Preview of Discussion on Heaven and Listener Support for American Family Radio
Dr. Jessica Peck: We can have that right now. And all you have to do is just wait a little bit after this break, because I'm going to be right back with more from Jennifer Rothschild. And we're going to talk about heaven. What is it? How should we anticipate it? And more about how that should change our life today right here on Earth. The devotional is heaven for today. 60 devotions on how the life to come changes your life right now. Jennifer Rothschild. Don't go away. We'll be right back after this break with more help and hope. Hello, I'm Jessica peck, host of Dr. Nursemama. Did you know that this content is listener supported? Without people like you, this podcast would not exist. And that's why we need you. A generous monthly gift of any amount will help sustain American Family Radio and specifically this podcast. Please consider becoming a monthly financial partner today by visiting afr.net/give that's afr.net/give
It Is Well (With My Soul) by Jeremy and Adie Camp: When my faith shall be set. the clouds be wrought back. as a scroll. The trump shall resound. And the Lord shall declare even so. It is well with my soul. It is well. With my soul. It is, is well. It is well with my soul.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Welcome back, friends. That is It Is well with My Soul by Jeremy and Adie Camp. And I hope that you caught that line. With my faith shall be sight. That's what we're talking about today with Jennifer Rothschild. She is a speaker, an author, a writer, and a woman who's sharing her testimony of losing her sight at the age of 15 and still having hope in an eternity with Jesus. And if you're not familiar with that beloved hymn that was written by a man by named Horatio Spafford, who lost everything in the Great Chicago Fire and then lost his children following that in a tragic ship sinking. And as he was going to meet his wife and passing over the site where his children had lost their lives. He pinned the words to that. And those kinds of unshakable faith, those unshakable testimonies in the face of things that seem like they would cause you to lose hope, are in fact what gives hope to so many of us in the world. And what Jennifer has been describing is really challenging you to have a profound shift in your perspective. Instead of allowing our fears to dominate our thinking and our fears of all of the bad things that can happen in the world to us, to our family, to our kids, even to the point of death, what if the reality of eternity actually gave us greater freedom and joy to live in today? That is so important, especially when life hurts, when you're dealing with something tough. That is what we're talking about next. Because it's easy to talk about heaven when life is going well.
Heaven for Today Devotional: Comfort and Joy on This Side of Life
It's much harder when life seems hard. But heaven, for today, this devotional is just. It's not just, a devotional that's for someone who's curious about eternity. It's really designed to speak to people who are carrying those heavy things in life to remind you of the hope of heaven and how that can bring you comfort and joy on this side of life. Jennifer, you were just talking about your shift in perspective and thinking. I, That's so profound to me to think I don't need to wait for that someday. For my savior to wipe my tears from my eyes. He can wipe them away now. Talk about the inspiration for this devotional, the message of hope and encouragement that you're sharing and what you want people to know that they're missing out on today.
Jennifer Rothschild: Well, I think, I could sum it up in a conversation I had with my mom yesterday. She has a dear friend, neighbor who just learned that his cancer has spread. And of course, the prognosis is not good, given the degree of his cancer and his age. And she and I both said, without saying what we knew the end of his story would be, that it's going to end with death. And so she didn't say that out loud. She paused. And then she said, you know, Jim's not afraid to die, and neither am I. We're just, afraid of the process. And so what it made me realize is that when we're in Christ, often we're okay with this idea that when we die, we'll go to heaven. But between now and then, how do we live? Well, and one of the things I shared with my mom is, just like you said earlier, Jessica, we need to almost, in some Ways demystify death. And I open the book with talking about, what could death be like? We don't know. We've not experienced it. But here's what I wonder.
Death as Birth: Understanding Heaven as Our True and Eternal Home
I wonder if death is like a birth. And here's why. My daughter in law just had her fifth baby. And before that little baby was born, I remember touching Caroline's belly and feeling that little baby, feeling the elbows and the knees and thinking, that little baby, all ah, she knows is that safe, quiet world inside her mama's womb. She thinks that's freedom. She thinks that's beauty. And until the day that she's born and is born into the world that she was actually created for, she doesn't even know what freedom is. She doesn't even know what beauty is. That's heaven. Sometimes on this side of eternity, we fear, what is it going to be like if I die? Because we really don't know what life is. We don't really understand what freedom is. We don't really understand what beauty is because we think here and now is all there is. And so when we can daily partake of little slices of eternity and experience the beauty and the reality of heaven now, it awakens our appetite. It helps this beautiful ache for what we're made for grow within us. And I believe that gives us hope. Jessica.
: Huh?
Jennifer Rothschild: Because someday we're going to be born into the life we were created for, which is union with Christ forever in heaven.
Dr. Jessica Peck: That is such a beautiful analogy.
The Mystery and Beauty of Heaven: A Place Prepared for God's Family
In thinking of that and as you're describing that, that story, Jennifer, I can't help but think of the conversation that Jesus had with Nicodemus in the middle of the night. You know, like, how can a man be born again? Like, does he climb back in his mother's womb? Like, this is, this is crazy. You know, we can't. And we're, so limited in our earthly minds and how to think about that. But you're so right. It is going to be so much more beautiful. And I mentioned my granny earlier, and she had such a confidence about heaven. She knew where she was going. She was so ready to see her savior. But the process was difficult. It was painful. And I see this even in my nursing students. I teach health policy, Jennifer. And when I teach them that, my students, they get to choose a topic, a policy topic that they're passionate about. And I am always, just amazed at what percentage of my students will pick a policy that has to do with death. They usually will pick advanced directives because what we know from research is that Most people do not have advanced directives. That's orders that say what you want to do, if you are ever, you know, in a situation where your brain is not working or you're on life support. Because we don't want to think about those things. And so that process can be scary. And that is a human reaction. And even Jesus had that human reaction to the death that was set before him. But what did you learn, Jennifer, in this study about the greatness of heaven? I know our little minds, we can only see. You talk about it with shadows and whispers. And Paul said, we see through a glass darkly, but one day we'll see face to face. When you were writing this, what did you learn about heaven? What can you give us that's a tangible picture of what it will be like?
Jennifer Rothschild: Well, you know, I had a lot of questions about heaven.
Shifting Perspective: Realizing Heaven is About Jesus, Not Self-Centered Desires
We all have questions about heaven. And sometimes our questions are, oh, will I know my people when I get there there, or will I be able to. Will I have a glorified body or. I mean the questions are so many. And many of those questions the Bible does answer. Yet there's some mysteries of heaven that we just don't know. And so I found myself longing to understand heaven. And here's why. Because I wanted to go there and I wanted it to work for me. I want heaven to be what I want it to be. I don't want to be blind. I want to be able to dance on the streets of gold. I mean, like I was ready. The more I studied heaven, the more I realized that my perspective of heaven, and this is very liberating. It was liberating for me. I think it's going to be liberating for your listener. My perspective of heaven was very self centered. It was very Jennifer centered. And anytime we're trying to satisfy ourselves, we are setting ourselves up for dissatisfaction. And so the more I studied heaven, the more I realized, oh no, it's not about me, my needs, my comfort. It's about Jesus. And when I find my life in him, then every satisfaction I've ever longed for is met and exceeded. And I don't even have to wait for then to experience that. And it has given me such liberty because I've been able to decrease in my sense of self, which is so liberating. And it's given me such a longing for heaven because I know there's. There will be no striving, there will be no sin, there will be no self protection and promotion. We'll just be safe in the arms of our shepherd. And so I just challenge all of us to really look at what heaven is. It is designed for us. Jesus said, I, go to prepare a place for you.
Heaven as a Functional Family: God's Provision for Eternal Relationships and Service
And in my Father's house, there are many rooms. You know what that means? It means it's a place for family. There will be the sweetest satisfaction of the most functional family for eternity, where our needs are met and where we are even used to be servants to each other and to the one Jesus whom our souls love the most.
Dr. Jessica Peck: That's amazing to think about. I mean, when I started reading about heaven, learning more about heaven, as I shared with you, I really dug into that after my granny went there, because I felt like I lost my granny. And I would say, I lost my granny. And then I'd say, wait, I. I didn't lose her, though. I didn't lose her. I gained her forever. And she's just gone on ahead of me, But I haven't lost her. And one day I'll find her and she will introduce me to Jesus, and it will be so beautiful, and I can't wait. But it's going to be a physical place where we're going to have jobs and function, and God will allow us to work according to our giftedness. And when you're describing functional family, I hadn't thought about it in that way before, but that just definitely seems. Pie in the sky. That is like the height of wish thinking. But it's real, Jennifer. It's real.
Jennifer Rothschild: It is.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Now, I will say I've seen this. This, you know, you talked about how it's not about you, it's about Jesus. I've seen this in your ministry. You wouldn't know this, but I was part of a planning team for a speaking event when you came to Houston once, and it was all about the women you were going to serve. That was, all that. Everything was about. We were there to pray for them, to prepare, to serve, for them to know what they were going to come in with, their burdens. And that really left an impression on me. And I know, Jennifer, you've spoken all over, and you've met women with so many issues, so many problems that are reflective of problems that anyone could have. Man, woman, teenager, just like you talked about. What do you see? What is the. What is. What is it that they're missing? What are. What are the pains that are.
The Power of Perspective: Fixing Our Eyes on the Unseen and Eternal
Are blinding them, metaphorically speaking, to. From seeing that hope? What. What. What veil needs to be lifted for them?
Jennifer Rothschild: Oh, girl, what a good question. Because, it's all about our perspective. It's funny. I think blindness has. Has really, acquainted me with the power of perspective. And it's not my perspective. It's the eternal perspective. Second Corinthians, chapter 4, verse 16 tells us about it. Paul is saying, therefore is how he starts it. We do not lose heart. And let's be honest, all those unseen things that we just kind of alluded to are what makes us lose heart. Jim has cancer. My husband. I'm not saying this about me. A woman might say, my husband is unkind to me. My teenager doesn't obey. Or they've made choices. I don't understand. I've been diagnosed with a disease. I mean, the list could go on and on. Things that make us lose heart. And Paul says in 2nd Corinthians 4:16, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we're wasting away. No true words have ever been said. We, are wasting away. We get sick, we're frail. Sin messes with us. I mean, we're wasting away. But the Bible says, but inwardly we're being renewed. And then here's what gets us to the changing of perspective. We don't ignore the fact that outwardly, other, inwardly we're wasting away. Life is hard, but we got to shift our perspective to see that. Okay, but something else is going on. Inwardly, I'm, being renewed because these light and temporary troubles, which don't feel light, they are working within me a, far greater weight of glory. And that's not just the glory of tomorrow in heaven, Jessica. That's the glory of now with the presence of Christ in our suffering. These light and temporary troubles are working within me a far greater weight of glory. And here's what we do about it.
Dr. Jessica Peck: It.
Jennifer Rothschild: So we fix our eyes not on what we can see, but we fix our eyes on what is unseen, because what is unseen is eternal, and what is seen is temporary. You know, even a terminal diagnosis of cancer in light of eternity is temporary. These blind eyes, which at this point have no hope for medical intervention so that I will see again on this side of eternity, could be considered hopeless, could be considered chronic. I will die with blind eyes. It's temporary. In light of eternity, God's faithfulness, his promise will far outlast any difficulty and trouble that we experience here on, this side of eternity.
Hope in Eternity: Temporary Troubles Compared to Eternal Glory and God's Promises
That's why I believe Paul calls that in Second Corinthians 4:15, temporary. And light doesn't mean it doesn't hurt, doesn't mean it's not heavy. But when we compare our heavy burden now to the glory that is being created for us in glory someday, then it weighs nothing compared to that far greater weight of glory that we will experience. That's why we have hope.
Dr. Jessica Peck: You know, I said earlier, Jennifer, that you're offering a very profound perspective shift, but you, you have just done that so beautifully. Because I really do believe, Jennifer, there will be people listening here, thinking, is she talking about earthly blindness as light and temporary? But one of the things that has really just stuck with me and resonated with me as we've been talking, Jennifer, is that you weave scripture into everything that you say. So much of what you're saying is straight from God's word. Even if you haven't given the scripture reference, you are speaking God's word and God's words, truth. And when you talk about, you know, we fix our eyes on what is unseen, it reminds me of the scripture. We fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who, for the joy set before him, endured the cross, despising it, shame, and now sits at the right hand of God. And he has gone to prepare a place for us, Jennifer. He's, preparing a place for you. He's preparing a place for me, and he is preparing a place for. For all who believes. Because God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. And that is an eternal truth that has resonated for 2000 years. So much so that you really can't even go to a football game without seeing somebody hold up a sign that says, Jon 3:16. Wake up. O sleepers. Look around and see the hope that Christ has given you. When we come back, we'll have more conversation with Jennifer Rothschild about her devotion. Heaven for today. 60 devotionals, on how the life to come changes your life right now. We'll talk more about what that looks like right on the other side of this break. Don't go away. I really don't want you to miss it.
Culture Warrior: Don Wildmon's Fight for Truth in a Hostile Cultural Landscape
During the Christmas season of 1976, I
: sat down one night to watch television. One man saw the battle coming. If we lose this cultural war, we're going to have a hedonistic, humanistic society. And he chose to stand and fight. If you will not respect our beliefs, then you will respect our money. And we're spending with somebody else. Reverend Wildmon. Reverend Wildmon. The Reverend Donald Wildmon.
: Discover the story of the culture warrior Don Wildmon and how he went head to head with Hollywood playboy, the homosexual agenda, and the Disney empire. Things were changing, and many people just sort of acclimated to it, and Don Wildmon didn't. They thought, I think, that they could just crush.
: The movement Don started paved the way for Christians to boldly stand for truth and righteousness in a hostile culture. Watch Culture Warrior today for free visit culturewarrior.movie
Homesick For Heaven by Phil Wickham: My heart belongs to a country in the king of a land I've always known But I've never seen Some call it paradise, or the land of the living well, I call it home and I'm homesick for heaven I want to walk with Moses on streets of gold and dance with David before your throne to thank you face to face for the grace you've given I want to see my children run to your arms and worship the Savior.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Welcome back, friends. That is Homesick for Heaven by Phil Wickham. That is a song that is definitely in my top 10 on blast these days. And, you know, I remember as a little girl sitting in church and hearing, old people, which they were probably like, 40, you know, at the time. I remember hearing them sing gospel songs about, I've never been this homesick before and all of those things. And it's a time when I was young, I didn't understand. I thought, oh, there's so much ahead of me. I want to get married. I want to have kids. I want to experience this life.
Living with Eternal Hope: How Heaven Changes Today's Disappointments and Relationships
And as we live this life, we know that there are hardships that come along with it, but there is also an eternal hope of heaven. Now, that doesn't mean that we just sit here in misery and just wait for the day that we can finally be with Jesus. How we live now is going to determine what our eternity looks. Looks like. And we have a purpose here on this earth. And the beautiful thing about an eternal perspective is that the whole point is not to pull you away from life. It's just changing the way that you live your today and hope of tomorrow. I'm talking today with author and speaker and writer Jennifer Rothschild. She has a new devotional called heaven for today, 60 devotionals on how the life to come changes your life right now. I have already been so encouraged and so inspired. And the truth is, if heaven is our true and lasting hope, then maybe, just maybe, we can learn to hold today's disappointments differently. Maybe we can get to the point, like Jennifer, where we call blindness a thing that's temporary and light in the face of eternity. We can face suffering with greater perspective. And we can treasure relationships more deeply and we can loosen our grip on, the things that don't last and just become more attentive to the things that do. My granny always told me, don't worry about that, Jessica. It's gonna be burned up in the fire. It's not gonna matter in eternity. Stand with open hands before the Lord. Don't hold on too tightly to things he tries to take. And don't have your hands closed when he tries to give.
God's Word as an Anchor: Finding Hope and Guidance Through Scripture
That is a message that I carry with me. And Jennifer has been just giving such encouragement. And Jennifer, before the break, I talked about how, how just encouraged, and refreshed I am to hear scripture, just infusing all of the messages that you're giving. I know you have a love for God's Word. Can you talk about seeing God's Word as your true. As your anchor for truth and what hope it's given you and studying it and learning it and trusting and knowing more about God?
Jennifer Rothschild: Well, Jessica, you're doing the same thing. And my just spirit resonates with. But you know, I don't know where it is exactly. It's in Psalm 119. Maybe it's verse 92 where the Psalmist said, if it were not for your law, meaning God's Word, I would have perished in my affliction. That is my story. If it were not for God's Word, I could not have hope in blindness. If it were not for God's Word, I would have no anchor. I'd have no clarity, I'd have no guidance. I'd have nothing beyond myself to understand myself. And so God's word has just totally, anchored me in a way that, that nothing else has outside my relationship, with Christ. But can I be honest? They go together because the Word is His word. And so to know Jesus is to know His Word and to spend time in his word is to spend time with Jesus.
Earth is Short, Heaven is Long: Navigating Life's Challenges with an Eternal Perspective
But you know, I was thinking when you were talking about your relationship with your granny, I wish I had known owner what a. What you found. But you know, the beauty is, Jessica, we're gonna be in heaven together someday. I can't wait to sit down with your granny and we'll just gonna tell
Dr. Jessica Peck: you to call her granny. She's gonna tell you to call her granny because that's what she did. And I already know like she. Yes, we'll put that down. It will happen.
Jennifer Rothschild: Let's have. It's going to be an eternal coffee date. I love it. but you know, I was thinking, relationships matter. So much. And I was in the kitchen with my daughter in law. She had just joined the family. And this was before the five babies, of course. It was her first holiday with us. It was Thanksgiving, and I was trying to do everything myself. And you know, with blindness, that's like virtually impossible. But I wanted to impress her and so I'm trying so hard. She keeps offering to help. I say, no, I got this. But the whole time I'm telling her, no, I've got this. I'm banging pots and burning my arm and just things are not going well. Well, finally, at one point, I had forgotten that I did not close the microwave door. And so when I walked up to it, I banged my face into it and it hurt. And I was humiliated. And my darling daughter in law says to me, man, blindness must be so hard. And I was super quiet because truly, you know, we, we don't dismiss that life is hard and things are hard. And at that moment I was just kind of. I just had this moment with the Lord where I was like, you know, if I weren't blind, I could do this and I could do that. And I'm so tired of not being able to do what I could do if my body would cooperate. And I'm embarrassed that other people have to help me with the simplest things. And I would love to be able to serve her instead of always being the one who's getting the help and being served. And it was like in this wash of emotion, God just downloaded this kindness to me. It wasn't, wasn't a Bible verse, but, oh, did it reflect the truth of scripture? I heard it in my heart. Earth is short and heaven is long. And that's the truth.
Knowing God's Voice: The Power of His Word to Bring Life and Guidance
Earth is short, heaven is long. That's why we don't lose hope.
Dr. Jessica Peck: I've heard, I have not heard that before, but I have heard people saying about, like having babies, like the longest days and the shortest years are when your babies are little. And, and we're still, and in some ways we're, we're still infants and toddlers in our spiritual when we become adults and to have that maturity to walk with the Lord. Jennifer that's one of the most precious things to me that has been in my faith is to know God's voice in my life. And when I hide his word in my heart, he brings it back to me. And sometimes that's just a presence, sometimes that's just a feeling. And sometimes it's just those straight words that come back to me and remind me that I am not alone. That I have a father who knows me, who. Who sees me, who loves me, who cares, who loves to give good gifts to me. I mean, how much we know the earthly fathers. Most earthly fathers will do that. How much more so will our heavenly Father love to give us good gifts? And so to walk with him and to know his voice is just one of the greatest treasures of my life. And I know that you have that same experience. It's one of the most common questions I get, Jennifer. How do you get to that place where you walk with the Lord and you know his voice, and you have that shepherd, shepherd who wipes the tears away from your eyes today. How do you develop that kind of intimacy with God now?
Jennifer Rothschild: You stay in His Word because my words, your words, they may be inspiring, but they're not alive. And only life gives us life. And so God's words are alive. I literally do it as simply as this, Jessica. And that's why I want people to know this. You don't have to be a Bible scholar to know Jesus through His Word, even if you just pick one verse a day. That's what I do. I literally pick one verse a day. I pray it and meditate, upon it. I try to memorize it because it allows me to walk with the truth. And so that's why when I'm standing in front of the microwave feeling humiliated, that's why I can say, earth is short and heaven is long. Because the Lord has already installed in me the truth. That therefore I don't lose heart. Though outwardly I'm wasting away, oh, inwardly I'm being renewed. And so the hope of heaven is that the words we will hear for eternity that come from the throne where God is saying, behold, the dwelling of God is among men. And behold, I am making all things new. That same word we will hear someday in eternity.
The Living Testimony: How Our Faith Impacts Family and Those Around Us
We can hear right now through the written word, where we hear that Jesus said, says, I will never leave you. I am making my dwelling with you, so abide with me. I will say this, and I hear it in your voice also. We cannot function, much less thrive without the living word of God giving us life and giving us guidance. And I'm so very thankful that we can trust His Word. And without it, I would have, just as Psalm 119, 119 says, I would have perished in my affliction.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, you know, Jennifer, you. You've lived out your testimony and your faith in such a public way, and you've even described this so vulnerably, this. This scenario of trying to cook, which it amazes me that you even try. Like, I'm impressed by that. I think, like, that, is really incredible that you're even trying and knowing that your family is watching this, your family is helping you. How do you think your experience has changed their faith? And I ask you this because it's not to say like, oh, yes, I did this, and this impacted their faith, but there's people out there who need hope to know that their living testimony is making a difference.
Jennifer Rothschild: Well, children and family members do see how we live, and we may not ever recognize the impact, but I remember when our oldest son was 6 years old and we were playing a game. Game.
God's Plan for Us: Delaying Earthly Longings to Increase Our Love for Heaven
And it's, hard to find games, of course, that he and I can play together. Back in the day that he didn't win. He had found a new game and it was not going well. Little marbles were rolling and tactile men were flying and it just wasn't going well. So I said, clayton, you need to clean up the game. Let's pick another game we can play. Well, I knew he was frustrated. I was frustrated. And he had already at that point been asking me questions about out my eyes. And he would pray that God would heal my eyes. It was precious. So this day, when he finally cleaned up the game and he put the lid on the game, he said, mom, I was thinking, and I was listening carefully because I could tell he had been really processing something. He said, mom, I was thinking, I don't think God is going to heal you here on earth.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Earth.
Jennifer Rothschild: And I paused and I asked, well, why Clayton? I knew how much he wanted God to heal me. Why do you think God would not heal me here on earth? And he said, because I think God wants you to love heaven more. And if, he healed you here on earth, you might love earth more. And heaven is best. I don't think I need to say anything else.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Else.
Jennifer Rothschild: I think God spoke through a six year old that sometimes he allows our greatest longings to be delayed and to be met in heaven. Because maybe if we got every single thing we ever longed for here on this earth, we would love earth more. And perhaps God has saved the best for last.
Heaven is a Person: Experiencing Jesus' Presence and Fulfillment Today
Because heaven is best.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Oh, my goodness, Jennifer. Out of the mouths of babes. We so underestimate the way that God uses children to minister, to encourage. Their lives are so precious. And what a precious moment and a precious lesson. And it reminds me of Jesus telling the rich young ruler that it's easier to go through the eye of a needle than for a cam. to the. For a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven. And what he meant was exactly what you were just describing. That maybe if we have so much, if our life is so good, we love this earth more and we lose that hope of heaven. And Jennifer, it's just been so inspiring to hear you talk again. you just, you radiate optimism and you radiate hope. What is the one thing that you hope that your readers will take away from this journey you're inviting them to take with 60 devotionals on how the life to come changes your life right now.
Jennifer Rothschild: I want you to never forget that heaven is not just a place and heaven is not just a promise.
Living Between Realities: How Heaven Transforms Grief, Anxiety, Suffering, and Ordinary Days
But ultimately heaven is the person of Jesus who we will be with forever. When we pass from this life to the next, we'll be fully united with the one our souls love. We'll be finally home. But we can experience those fullness of the person of heaven right now as we receive Christ as our Savior. We don't have to wait till someday to be born into heaven. We can be born again right now and live every day of this life until heaven with the person of heaven who is Jesus. And that's where our greatest fulfillments are.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Jennifer, I cannot thank you enough for this, this sweet conversation, this just sweet time together. I think in a world full of doom scrolling and full of bad news and full of hopelessness, you have just been a refreshing, bright breath of fresh air. You really have. And you've reminded us over and over the heaven is not just a place that we think about that we're going to go to and sit on a cloud and play harps when our life is over. It is a promise that changes the way we live our life right now. It's not just a place, it's a promise. And for those who are grieving, who are longing for people who are in heaven, as both Jennifer and I are, heaven reminds us that separation is not goodbye forever. And for those who are anxious, heaven reminds you that today's uncertainty doesn't have to have the final word in your life. It is temporary and it's light, as Jennifer said. And for those who are suffering, heaven reminds us this world is not all there is. You do not have to come up with your own best life and this is it. This is the best that you can hope for. And for those of us who are just moving through ordinary days, heaven just gives us a reason to lift our eyes beyond what is temporary and unseen and fix our eyes on what is eternal and unseen. And the Christian life is lived between these two realities. What we can see right now and what God has has promised, we will see one day clearly. And Jennifer's message, I hope, has resonated with you. You don't have to wait until heaven for that hope to transform you today. Jennifer, thank you so much for helping us look beyond the shadows and whispers of this present world toward the radiance and splendor and joy that God will give us.
Final Blessing and Closing Remarks for the Dr. Nurse Mama Show
I pray over my listeners, as I always do, that the Lord will bless you and keep you and make his face to shine right radiantly upon you and give you peace. I'll see you right back here next time.
Sponsor Recognition: Preborn Continues to Rescue Babies and Support Young Moms
We'd like to thank our sponsors, including PreBorn. PreBorn has rescued over 400,000 babies from abortion and every day their network clinics rescue 200 babies lives. Will you join PreBorn in loving and supporting young moms in crisis? Save a life today. Go to preborn.com/AFR the views and
Jeff Chamblee: opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.
Sponsor Message: Preborn Provides Ultrasounds to Save Babies and Support Mothers
Dr. Jessica Peck: We would like to take a moment to thank our sponsor, PreBorn. When a mother meets her baby on ultrasound and hears their heartbeat, it's a divine connection. And the majority of the time she will choose life. But they can't do it without our help. Preborn needs us, the pro life community, to come alongside them. One ultrasound is just $28. To donate, dial pound 250 and say the keyword baby or visit preborn.com/AFR friend we're living in a defining moment today. A woman facing an unexpected pregnancy can order the abortion pill online, often before anyone has the chance to tell her she is loved, that she's not alone, or that there is hope. That's why you are needed right now. You were made for this moment. At PreBorn Network clinics, mothers are welcomed with compassion, practical support and a free ultrasound. And when she sees her baby and hears that tiny heartbeat for the very first time, fear often gives way to hope. In fact, more than 80% of abortion vulnerable women choose life after seeing their baby on an ultrasound at a PreBorn Network clinic. That one moment can save a baby's life and open a mother's heart to the hope of Jesus Christ. This is our moment to stand. For those who cannot speak for themselves, just $28 provides one life saving ultrasound. $140 helps rescue five babies. Please don't wait. Dial pound 250 and say the keyword baby. That's pound 250 baby.
Introduction to Dr. Nurse Mama Show: Prescribing Hope for Healthy Families
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: Dr. Nurse Mama show prescribing hope for healthy families here on American Family Radio. Here's your host, professor, pediatric nurse practitioner and mom of four, Dr. Jessica Peck.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, hello there friends and welcome to my favorite time of day, getting to spend time with you prescribing Hope for healthy families. And I am big on hope, you know that.
The Hopeful Message of Heaven: How Eternity Shapes Our Present Lives
And today we are talking about the most hopeful message I could ever give you and one that needs to be given to all families, all people everywhere. We are living in a time that seems seems increasingly hopeless. But in the face of that, despite all of that, I find myself growing more hopeful. Now you know, you all know that. Who are regular listeners? I'm a nurse I take care of patients in the most vulnerable moments of life. And it seems that we live in a culture that is still really remarkably uncomfortable with the subject of death. And I know that seems like a downer, but it's really not if you're a Christian and you know the end of the story.
Dr. Jessica Peck: But we spend enormous amounts of energy trying not to think about death, not to talk about it, not to prepare for it. It feels frightening, it feels mysterious, it feels final. And we see that, according to research, almost half of people really fear the end of their life to some degree. But yet, for Christians, death is not the end of the story. The Bible gives us an entirely different framework. We are a people who believe in eternity, in resurrection, and forever ever in the presence of God, and the promise that one day faith will become sight. But here's the question. If heaven is our eternal home, what difference does that make in the reality that we live today? And that is the question at the heart of Jennifer Rothschild's newest devotional, heaven for today. 60 devotions on how the life to come changes your life right now. And this is releasing. You can order it. I encourage you to do that. It gives. It builds on her 2025 Bible study, Heaven When Faith Becomes Sight. It offers 60 daily devotionals, daily reflections that are designed to give readers a glimpse of eternity. Don't we all want that? And then helps them live with an eternal perspective. And her central message really cut to the core of who I am. Heaven is not a place that we go someday. It is the reality of how we view heaven.
Jennifer Rothschild's Ministry: Finding Hope and Courage Through Faith and Scripture
The reality of heaven existing shapes and changes how we live today. And that message really comes with particular weight, because for those of you who have not had the privilege and blessing of, being acquainted with Jennifer Rothschild's ministry, you need to know that. Jennifer has been blind since she was 15. And she says one of the greatest lessons she's learned in the dark is that circumstances don't have to be well for it to be well with your soul. And she has spent decades teaching scripture, writing books and Bible studies, encouraging people, including me, to find courage and hope in God's word. And now she is inviting readers to look beyond the shadows of this present world toward the eternal reality that God has promised. And if that doesn't sound hopeful, I don't know what is. Jennifer, I'm so delighted to have you here today. Thank you so much for joining us.
Jennifer Rothschild: Oh, my goodness. Dr. Jessica, that was so hopeful. Everything you just said made me ready to go. It just made me ready to go. Or at least live heaven now. So what a joy it is to be with you.
Personal Testimony: Facing Blindness with Faith and Finding Hope in God's Plan
Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, you know, I started really looking at heaven differently when my, my sweet granny, my grandmother, who I lived with all through nursing school, I was very close to her. She went to be with Jesus, a few years ago. And that just really changed my anticipation knowing that I'm gonna see her one day. We are going to be together forever in the presence of God. And this makes me hopeful. And I know that you are just such a hopeful person. Jennifer, anytime I've ever heard you speak, you just radiate optimism and hope. Tell us a little bit for maybe haven't heard your testimony before. Tell us a little bit about your life, how you came to know the Lord and how you radiate hope.
Jennifer Rothschild: Well, it's interesting, Jessica. A lot of people would just look at the surface of my story and say, well, that is actually hopeless. And technically, medically, yes, it probably could be called hopeless, though that's not a word I prefer because it doesn't fit into my paradigm of my life in Christ. But the reason that some might call my story or hopeless is because I was diagnosed as a teenager with a disease in both of my eyes called retinitis pigmentosa. Degenerative disease. So what it meant is that my retinas were deteriorating. And as a 15 year old girl, both of my eyes, both retinas had deteriorated to the extent that I was declared legally blind. But the nature of the disease was that that same kind of, loss and deterioration would continue over, you know, a nameless amount of years until eventually the remainder. And that meant the entirety of my retinas would be gone. And the prognosis of that is total blindness. So, you know, I was 15 when I became legally blind and learned that I would be totally blind. And at that point, Jessica, I was a, I loved to draw. I was an artist. And I remember coming home from the eye hospital and feeling my fingertips and realizing I'm not going to be able to draw. I'm not going to be able to be an artist. I couldn't at that point even read out of a book and feeling my fingertips and thinking, am I going to read Braille? I mean, my whole world was draped in shadows. Hopeless, right? Except, we are made for far more than longevity and for the circumstances in this life, we are made for eternity. And even then I think God in all of his grace, because I already knew Jesus, was installing in me this perspective that was beyond my circumstance, my perspective emotionally and spiritually. Was definitely beyond my experience.
Finding Peace Amidst Adversity: The Hymn 'It Is Well With My Soul' and God's Purpose
But that's only because of the grace of Jesus. And so we came home from the eye hospital as I sat in the back seat, silent, looking into my very dark future. And got home and I immediately sat down at our old upright piano. We'd had it for several years. And you mentioned this earlier and that's why I want to specifically mention this part of my story. The silence was broken from that day at the eye hospital as I sat down and I started to play the piano. And my parents hadn't said anything, I hadn't said anything. So the very first sound after that diagnosis was me playing the piano. And I played by ear for the very first time because even though I had had a few years of lessons, I wasn't a great pianist. But I played a song that day I'd never played before. And it was that old beloved hymn. It is well with my soul because the reality is the reason I am teeming with hope and brimming with hope is because God taught me even then, and he still deepens that lesson today, that it does not have to be well with my circumstances for it to be well with my soul. Thank you Lord.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Jennifer, that just, that gives me goosebumps all over, it really does. Because for someone to sit there in your circumstance and I am just picturing this 15 year old girl sitting in the back of the car and I've met with so many 15 year old girls that have so many different kinds of diagnoses or just challenges that they're facing. But that's a big one, Jennifer, that is a deal. Big, big one. The loss of your sight, the loss of your future and to sit down and the first sounds to come will be praised. You know, just recently I interviewed Tammy Trent who, who lost her husband on September 10, 2001 and she talked about the same thing, how just worship welled up from her soul and somehow God gave her a peace that passes understanding. And we can say it is well with our soul even when the world is anything but well. And I think Jennifer, that's something that God has used in your life to draw people to you because it doesn't make sense to the world. How can you have hope, how can you not be angry? How can you trust in a God that would allow that to happen? And yet from this, from that 15 year old girl who lost something precious, who made a choice to worship out of that God birthed a ministry that probably wouldn't have happened if that hadn't happened to you. How did your ministry come to be?
From Loss to Ministry: How Blindness Became a Platform for Sharing God's Goodness
And how have you seen God take your life in a different direction and confirm the calling that he's given you?
Jennifer Rothschild: You know, I love that question because I look at my life because I know me really well, Jessica. I can be a little sparky, I can be a little independent.
Dr. Jessica Peck: I love it.
Jennifer Rothschild: I can be very strong willed, all those things which, which under the lordship of Jesus are awesome qualities. But I look back at my life and I think, what if God had not in his severe mercy, allowed blindness to enter my life? Who would I have become? I wonder if I would have self sabotaged out of my own pride and selfishness what God had created me for because I would just have been so obstinate and full of myself. Honestly, there's been a humbling, a humbling buffeting effect of blindness, which I don't love, but I can see the merit of it. And so it was out of the loss, when God was just giving me so much hope and so much perspective, it was out of the loss that he built a platform. And I would say that to anyone listening when something in our life happens, when we are in Christ that we do not expect, do not expect that, that is the end of the sentence. That might be the ellipsis, that might be the comma that God is using to transition you into a greater platform, a greater empathy, something that is not about you, but that you can become a conduit to give to others. And so that's what God did. He opened doors for me to share my story. I used to sing and play, so I would go to churches and do music. And. And then God just transferred that into writing and teaching Bible studies. And as I look back, I realized that the native calling never changed. And it was to communicate the goodness of God. He did it through music, he did it through writing, he did it through speaking. But the point is he did it. And so when we have a loss in our life, oh, don't just assume that because you received a loss, that doesn't mean that you can't also receive a greater ministry because of it. God only allows thorns when he knows it's going to be for our good, for his glory, and for the good even of the generations to come. And so for that reason, I really can't say, after all these decades, it is. Well, and it's not because of my personality, it's not because of my drive, it's because of Jesus.
God's Sovereignty and Purpose: Trusting in His Plan Even Amidst Difficult Circumstances
It's because of Jesus.
Dr. Jessica Peck: But God uses those things, those giftedness, those areas of giftedness in your life. And you're reminding me of one of my favorite scriptures, Jennifer. Psalm 84:11. The Lord God is a sun and a shield. He gives grace and glory. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. And is such a blessing to me. In a era where you feel really pressured to create your. The best version of yourself, there's such a release in knowing that I am made in the image of God. And God crafted my life for a purpose and for a calling, just like you have lived that out so beautifully for us. And trusting in the sovereignty of God, even when something like that happens is so hard. And I say this all the time, that if God was small enough to be understood, he wouldn't be big enough to be worshiped. And so I had to come to a place of contentment, that some, some things are just beyond my control. But Jennifer, it's clear through your writing, through your speaking, through your ministry, that, that your experience, your life experience that you've had and then the ministry that you've had, it is deeply changed the way that you view how we live in the here and now.
Living with an Eternal Perspective: How the Hope of Heaven Transforms Today
And it has deeply changed the way that you view eternity. Can you give us a little preview? We're going to talk about that the rest of the time, but give us a little preview of how your, your life has changed, your perspective has changed about. And heaven.
Jennifer Rothschild: Well, I think when we live with any awareness on this side of eternity that life is hard and like you said, we're not in control. And that, like the psalms say, we're. We're dust, we're dust, we're fragile. I think it gives us an opportunity to recognize that God made us for more than just this earth. And so I've been so attached to heaven because that's the place where my eyes will see. That's the place where there's no tears. That's the place where I'm reunited with my daddy who went to heaven, and I'll be with him forever. But you know what I've realized, Jessica? is the hope and the promise of heaven is not attached just to that day, to tomorrow, but because heaven is true and the promise is real, that reality can be today. It can be for today. And so as I begin to experience these little glimpses of eternity so that my shepherd wipes away my tears here on, this side day, I don't have to wait for that day. Then I begin to live with the real hope of heaven. And, you know, as I'm getting older. And we all are. We're inundated. We're inundated with this. Gotta look younger, gotta fix this, gotta do that. And I've recognized there is a peace and a relaxation that comes from realizing, oh, I'm, not just made for longevity. I'm made for eternity. And therefore, I'm not gonna lose heart. I'm not gonna wait for the promise of heaven to be fulfilled. Thom I'm going to live the promise of heaven today. And ultimately, you know what that is? The promise of heaven is being with Jesus forever.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Amen.
Jennifer Rothschild: We don't have to wait for then we can have that right now.
Preview of Discussion on Heaven and Listener Support for American Family Radio
Dr. Jessica Peck: We can have that right now. And all you have to do is just wait a little bit after this break, because I'm going to be right back with more from Jennifer Rothschild. And we're going to talk about heaven. What is it? How should we anticipate it? And more about how that should change our life today right here on Earth. The devotional is heaven for today. 60 devotions on how the life to come changes your life right now. Jennifer Rothschild. Don't go away. We'll be right back after this break with more help and hope. Hello, I'm Jessica peck, host of Dr. Nursemama. Did you know that this content is listener supported? Without people like you, this podcast would not exist. And that's why we need you. A generous monthly gift of any amount will help sustain American Family Radio and specifically this podcast. Please consider becoming a monthly financial partner today by visiting afr.net/give that's afr.net/give
It Is Well (With My Soul) by Jeremy and Adie Camp: When my faith shall be set. the clouds be wrought back. as a scroll. The trump shall resound. And the Lord shall declare even so. It is well with my soul. It is well. With my soul. It is, is well. It is well with my soul.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Welcome back, friends. That is It Is well with My Soul by Jeremy and Adie Camp. And I hope that you caught that line. With my faith shall be sight. That's what we're talking about today with Jennifer Rothschild. She is a speaker, an author, a writer, and a woman who's sharing her testimony of losing her sight at the age of 15 and still having hope in an eternity with Jesus. And if you're not familiar with that beloved hymn that was written by a man by named Horatio Spafford, who lost everything in the Great Chicago Fire and then lost his children following that in a tragic ship sinking. And as he was going to meet his wife and passing over the site where his children had lost their lives. He pinned the words to that. And those kinds of unshakable faith, those unshakable testimonies in the face of things that seem like they would cause you to lose hope, are in fact what gives hope to so many of us in the world. And what Jennifer has been describing is really challenging you to have a profound shift in your perspective. Instead of allowing our fears to dominate our thinking and our fears of all of the bad things that can happen in the world to us, to our family, to our kids, even to the point of death, what if the reality of eternity actually gave us greater freedom and joy to live in today? That is so important, especially when life hurts, when you're dealing with something tough. That is what we're talking about next. Because it's easy to talk about heaven when life is going well.
Heaven for Today Devotional: Comfort and Joy on This Side of Life
It's much harder when life seems hard. But heaven, for today, this devotional is just. It's not just, a devotional that's for someone who's curious about eternity. It's really designed to speak to people who are carrying those heavy things in life to remind you of the hope of heaven and how that can bring you comfort and joy on this side of life. Jennifer, you were just talking about your shift in perspective and thinking. I, That's so profound to me to think I don't need to wait for that someday. For my savior to wipe my tears from my eyes. He can wipe them away now. Talk about the inspiration for this devotional, the message of hope and encouragement that you're sharing and what you want people to know that they're missing out on today.
Jennifer Rothschild: Well, I think, I could sum it up in a conversation I had with my mom yesterday. She has a dear friend, neighbor who just learned that his cancer has spread. And of course, the prognosis is not good, given the degree of his cancer and his age. And she and I both said, without saying what we knew the end of his story would be, that it's going to end with death. And so she didn't say that out loud. She paused. And then she said, you know, Jim's not afraid to die, and neither am I. We're just, afraid of the process. And so what it made me realize is that when we're in Christ, often we're okay with this idea that when we die, we'll go to heaven. But between now and then, how do we live? Well, and one of the things I shared with my mom is, just like you said earlier, Jessica, we need to almost, in some Ways demystify death. And I open the book with talking about, what could death be like? We don't know. We've not experienced it. But here's what I wonder.
Death as Birth: Understanding Heaven as Our True and Eternal Home
I wonder if death is like a birth. And here's why. My daughter in law just had her fifth baby. And before that little baby was born, I remember touching Caroline's belly and feeling that little baby, feeling the elbows and the knees and thinking, that little baby, all ah, she knows is that safe, quiet world inside her mama's womb. She thinks that's freedom. She thinks that's beauty. And until the day that she's born and is born into the world that she was actually created for, she doesn't even know what freedom is. She doesn't even know what beauty is. That's heaven. Sometimes on this side of eternity, we fear, what is it going to be like if I die? Because we really don't know what life is. We don't really understand what freedom is. We don't really understand what beauty is because we think here and now is all there is. And so when we can daily partake of little slices of eternity and experience the beauty and the reality of heaven now, it awakens our appetite. It helps this beautiful ache for what we're made for grow within us. And I believe that gives us hope. Jessica.
: Huh?
Jennifer Rothschild: Because someday we're going to be born into the life we were created for, which is union with Christ forever in heaven.
Dr. Jessica Peck: That is such a beautiful analogy.
The Mystery and Beauty of Heaven: A Place Prepared for God's Family
In thinking of that and as you're describing that, that story, Jennifer, I can't help but think of the conversation that Jesus had with Nicodemus in the middle of the night. You know, like, how can a man be born again? Like, does he climb back in his mother's womb? Like, this is, this is crazy. You know, we can't. And we're, so limited in our earthly minds and how to think about that. But you're so right. It is going to be so much more beautiful. And I mentioned my granny earlier, and she had such a confidence about heaven. She knew where she was going. She was so ready to see her savior. But the process was difficult. It was painful. And I see this even in my nursing students. I teach health policy, Jennifer. And when I teach them that, my students, they get to choose a topic, a policy topic that they're passionate about. And I am always, just amazed at what percentage of my students will pick a policy that has to do with death. They usually will pick advanced directives because what we know from research is that Most people do not have advanced directives. That's orders that say what you want to do, if you are ever, you know, in a situation where your brain is not working or you're on life support. Because we don't want to think about those things. And so that process can be scary. And that is a human reaction. And even Jesus had that human reaction to the death that was set before him. But what did you learn, Jennifer, in this study about the greatness of heaven? I know our little minds, we can only see. You talk about it with shadows and whispers. And Paul said, we see through a glass darkly, but one day we'll see face to face. When you were writing this, what did you learn about heaven? What can you give us that's a tangible picture of what it will be like?
Jennifer Rothschild: Well, you know, I had a lot of questions about heaven.
Shifting Perspective: Realizing Heaven is About Jesus, Not Self-Centered Desires
We all have questions about heaven. And sometimes our questions are, oh, will I know my people when I get there there, or will I be able to. Will I have a glorified body or. I mean the questions are so many. And many of those questions the Bible does answer. Yet there's some mysteries of heaven that we just don't know. And so I found myself longing to understand heaven. And here's why. Because I wanted to go there and I wanted it to work for me. I want heaven to be what I want it to be. I don't want to be blind. I want to be able to dance on the streets of gold. I mean, like I was ready. The more I studied heaven, the more I realized that my perspective of heaven, and this is very liberating. It was liberating for me. I think it's going to be liberating for your listener. My perspective of heaven was very self centered. It was very Jennifer centered. And anytime we're trying to satisfy ourselves, we are setting ourselves up for dissatisfaction. And so the more I studied heaven, the more I realized, oh no, it's not about me, my needs, my comfort. It's about Jesus. And when I find my life in him, then every satisfaction I've ever longed for is met and exceeded. And I don't even have to wait for then to experience that. And it has given me such liberty because I've been able to decrease in my sense of self, which is so liberating. And it's given me such a longing for heaven because I know there's. There will be no striving, there will be no sin, there will be no self protection and promotion. We'll just be safe in the arms of our shepherd. And so I just challenge all of us to really look at what heaven is. It is designed for us. Jesus said, I, go to prepare a place for you.
Heaven as a Functional Family: God's Provision for Eternal Relationships and Service
And in my Father's house, there are many rooms. You know what that means? It means it's a place for family. There will be the sweetest satisfaction of the most functional family for eternity, where our needs are met and where we are even used to be servants to each other and to the one Jesus whom our souls love the most.
Dr. Jessica Peck: That's amazing to think about. I mean, when I started reading about heaven, learning more about heaven, as I shared with you, I really dug into that after my granny went there, because I felt like I lost my granny. And I would say, I lost my granny. And then I'd say, wait, I. I didn't lose her, though. I didn't lose her. I gained her forever. And she's just gone on ahead of me, But I haven't lost her. And one day I'll find her and she will introduce me to Jesus, and it will be so beautiful, and I can't wait. But it's going to be a physical place where we're going to have jobs and function, and God will allow us to work according to our giftedness. And when you're describing functional family, I hadn't thought about it in that way before, but that just definitely seems. Pie in the sky. That is like the height of wish thinking. But it's real, Jennifer. It's real.
Jennifer Rothschild: It is.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Now, I will say I've seen this. This, you know, you talked about how it's not about you, it's about Jesus. I've seen this in your ministry. You wouldn't know this, but I was part of a planning team for a speaking event when you came to Houston once, and it was all about the women you were going to serve. That was, all that. Everything was about. We were there to pray for them, to prepare, to serve, for them to know what they were going to come in with, their burdens. And that really left an impression on me. And I know, Jennifer, you've spoken all over, and you've met women with so many issues, so many problems that are reflective of problems that anyone could have. Man, woman, teenager, just like you talked about. What do you see? What is the. What is. What is it that they're missing? What are. What are the pains that are.
The Power of Perspective: Fixing Our Eyes on the Unseen and Eternal
Are blinding them, metaphorically speaking, to. From seeing that hope? What. What. What veil needs to be lifted for them?
Jennifer Rothschild: Oh, girl, what a good question. Because, it's all about our perspective. It's funny. I think blindness has. Has really, acquainted me with the power of perspective. And it's not my perspective. It's the eternal perspective. Second Corinthians, chapter 4, verse 16 tells us about it. Paul is saying, therefore is how he starts it. We do not lose heart. And let's be honest, all those unseen things that we just kind of alluded to are what makes us lose heart. Jim has cancer. My husband. I'm not saying this about me. A woman might say, my husband is unkind to me. My teenager doesn't obey. Or they've made choices. I don't understand. I've been diagnosed with a disease. I mean, the list could go on and on. Things that make us lose heart. And Paul says in 2nd Corinthians 4:16, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we're wasting away. No true words have ever been said. We, are wasting away. We get sick, we're frail. Sin messes with us. I mean, we're wasting away. But the Bible says, but inwardly we're being renewed. And then here's what gets us to the changing of perspective. We don't ignore the fact that outwardly, other, inwardly we're wasting away. Life is hard, but we got to shift our perspective to see that. Okay, but something else is going on. Inwardly, I'm, being renewed because these light and temporary troubles, which don't feel light, they are working within me a, far greater weight of glory. And that's not just the glory of tomorrow in heaven, Jessica. That's the glory of now with the presence of Christ in our suffering. These light and temporary troubles are working within me a far greater weight of glory. And here's what we do about it.
Dr. Jessica Peck: It.
Jennifer Rothschild: So we fix our eyes not on what we can see, but we fix our eyes on what is unseen, because what is unseen is eternal, and what is seen is temporary. You know, even a terminal diagnosis of cancer in light of eternity is temporary. These blind eyes, which at this point have no hope for medical intervention so that I will see again on this side of eternity, could be considered hopeless, could be considered chronic. I will die with blind eyes. It's temporary. In light of eternity, God's faithfulness, his promise will far outlast any difficulty and trouble that we experience here on, this side of eternity.
Hope in Eternity: Temporary Troubles Compared to Eternal Glory and God's Promises
That's why I believe Paul calls that in Second Corinthians 4:15, temporary. And light doesn't mean it doesn't hurt, doesn't mean it's not heavy. But when we compare our heavy burden now to the glory that is being created for us in glory someday, then it weighs nothing compared to that far greater weight of glory that we will experience. That's why we have hope.
Dr. Jessica Peck: You know, I said earlier, Jennifer, that you're offering a very profound perspective shift, but you, you have just done that so beautifully. Because I really do believe, Jennifer, there will be people listening here, thinking, is she talking about earthly blindness as light and temporary? But one of the things that has really just stuck with me and resonated with me as we've been talking, Jennifer, is that you weave scripture into everything that you say. So much of what you're saying is straight from God's word. Even if you haven't given the scripture reference, you are speaking God's word and God's words, truth. And when you talk about, you know, we fix our eyes on what is unseen, it reminds me of the scripture. We fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who, for the joy set before him, endured the cross, despising it, shame, and now sits at the right hand of God. And he has gone to prepare a place for us, Jennifer. He's, preparing a place for you. He's preparing a place for me, and he is preparing a place for. For all who believes. Because God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. And that is an eternal truth that has resonated for 2000 years. So much so that you really can't even go to a football game without seeing somebody hold up a sign that says, Jon 3:16. Wake up. O sleepers. Look around and see the hope that Christ has given you. When we come back, we'll have more conversation with Jennifer Rothschild about her devotion. Heaven for today. 60 devotionals, on how the life to come changes your life right now. We'll talk more about what that looks like right on the other side of this break. Don't go away. I really don't want you to miss it.
Culture Warrior: Don Wildmon's Fight for Truth in a Hostile Cultural Landscape
During the Christmas season of 1976, I
: sat down one night to watch television. One man saw the battle coming. If we lose this cultural war, we're going to have a hedonistic, humanistic society. And he chose to stand and fight. If you will not respect our beliefs, then you will respect our money. And we're spending with somebody else. Reverend Wildmon. Reverend Wildmon. The Reverend Donald Wildmon.
: Discover the story of the culture warrior Don Wildmon and how he went head to head with Hollywood playboy, the homosexual agenda, and the Disney empire. Things were changing, and many people just sort of acclimated to it, and Don Wildmon didn't. They thought, I think, that they could just crush.
: The movement Don started paved the way for Christians to boldly stand for truth and righteousness in a hostile culture. Watch Culture Warrior today for free visit culturewarrior.movie
Homesick For Heaven by Phil Wickham: My heart belongs to a country in the king of a land I've always known But I've never seen Some call it paradise, or the land of the living well, I call it home and I'm homesick for heaven I want to walk with Moses on streets of gold and dance with David before your throne to thank you face to face for the grace you've given I want to see my children run to your arms and worship the Savior.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Welcome back, friends. That is Homesick for Heaven by Phil Wickham. That is a song that is definitely in my top 10 on blast these days. And, you know, I remember as a little girl sitting in church and hearing, old people, which they were probably like, 40, you know, at the time. I remember hearing them sing gospel songs about, I've never been this homesick before and all of those things. And it's a time when I was young, I didn't understand. I thought, oh, there's so much ahead of me. I want to get married. I want to have kids. I want to experience this life.
Living with Eternal Hope: How Heaven Changes Today's Disappointments and Relationships
And as we live this life, we know that there are hardships that come along with it, but there is also an eternal hope of heaven. Now, that doesn't mean that we just sit here in misery and just wait for the day that we can finally be with Jesus. How we live now is going to determine what our eternity looks. Looks like. And we have a purpose here on this earth. And the beautiful thing about an eternal perspective is that the whole point is not to pull you away from life. It's just changing the way that you live your today and hope of tomorrow. I'm talking today with author and speaker and writer Jennifer Rothschild. She has a new devotional called heaven for today, 60 devotionals on how the life to come changes your life right now. I have already been so encouraged and so inspired. And the truth is, if heaven is our true and lasting hope, then maybe, just maybe, we can learn to hold today's disappointments differently. Maybe we can get to the point, like Jennifer, where we call blindness a thing that's temporary and light in the face of eternity. We can face suffering with greater perspective. And we can treasure relationships more deeply and we can loosen our grip on, the things that don't last and just become more attentive to the things that do. My granny always told me, don't worry about that, Jessica. It's gonna be burned up in the fire. It's not gonna matter in eternity. Stand with open hands before the Lord. Don't hold on too tightly to things he tries to take. And don't have your hands closed when he tries to give.
God's Word as an Anchor: Finding Hope and Guidance Through Scripture
That is a message that I carry with me. And Jennifer has been just giving such encouragement. And Jennifer, before the break, I talked about how, how just encouraged, and refreshed I am to hear scripture, just infusing all of the messages that you're giving. I know you have a love for God's Word. Can you talk about seeing God's Word as your true. As your anchor for truth and what hope it's given you and studying it and learning it and trusting and knowing more about God?
Jennifer Rothschild: Well, Jessica, you're doing the same thing. And my just spirit resonates with. But you know, I don't know where it is exactly. It's in Psalm 119. Maybe it's verse 92 where the Psalmist said, if it were not for your law, meaning God's Word, I would have perished in my affliction. That is my story. If it were not for God's Word, I could not have hope in blindness. If it were not for God's Word, I would have no anchor. I'd have no clarity, I'd have no guidance. I'd have nothing beyond myself to understand myself. And so God's word has just totally, anchored me in a way that, that nothing else has outside my relationship, with Christ. But can I be honest? They go together because the Word is His word. And so to know Jesus is to know His Word and to spend time in his word is to spend time with Jesus.
Earth is Short, Heaven is Long: Navigating Life's Challenges with an Eternal Perspective
But you know, I was thinking when you were talking about your relationship with your granny, I wish I had known owner what a. What you found. But you know, the beauty is, Jessica, we're gonna be in heaven together someday. I can't wait to sit down with your granny and we'll just gonna tell
Dr. Jessica Peck: you to call her granny. She's gonna tell you to call her granny because that's what she did. And I already know like she. Yes, we'll put that down. It will happen.
Jennifer Rothschild: Let's have. It's going to be an eternal coffee date. I love it. but you know, I was thinking, relationships matter. So much. And I was in the kitchen with my daughter in law. She had just joined the family. And this was before the five babies, of course. It was her first holiday with us. It was Thanksgiving, and I was trying to do everything myself. And you know, with blindness, that's like virtually impossible. But I wanted to impress her and so I'm trying so hard. She keeps offering to help. I say, no, I got this. But the whole time I'm telling her, no, I've got this. I'm banging pots and burning my arm and just things are not going well. Well, finally, at one point, I had forgotten that I did not close the microwave door. And so when I walked up to it, I banged my face into it and it hurt. And I was humiliated. And my darling daughter in law says to me, man, blindness must be so hard. And I was super quiet because truly, you know, we, we don't dismiss that life is hard and things are hard. And at that moment I was just kind of. I just had this moment with the Lord where I was like, you know, if I weren't blind, I could do this and I could do that. And I'm so tired of not being able to do what I could do if my body would cooperate. And I'm embarrassed that other people have to help me with the simplest things. And I would love to be able to serve her instead of always being the one who's getting the help and being served. And it was like in this wash of emotion, God just downloaded this kindness to me. It wasn't, wasn't a Bible verse, but, oh, did it reflect the truth of scripture? I heard it in my heart. Earth is short and heaven is long. And that's the truth.
Knowing God's Voice: The Power of His Word to Bring Life and Guidance
Earth is short, heaven is long. That's why we don't lose hope.
Dr. Jessica Peck: I've heard, I have not heard that before, but I have heard people saying about, like having babies, like the longest days and the shortest years are when your babies are little. And, and we're still, and in some ways we're, we're still infants and toddlers in our spiritual when we become adults and to have that maturity to walk with the Lord. Jennifer that's one of the most precious things to me that has been in my faith is to know God's voice in my life. And when I hide his word in my heart, he brings it back to me. And sometimes that's just a presence, sometimes that's just a feeling. And sometimes it's just those straight words that come back to me and remind me that I am not alone. That I have a father who knows me, who. Who sees me, who loves me, who cares, who loves to give good gifts to me. I mean, how much we know the earthly fathers. Most earthly fathers will do that. How much more so will our heavenly Father love to give us good gifts? And so to walk with him and to know his voice is just one of the greatest treasures of my life. And I know that you have that same experience. It's one of the most common questions I get, Jennifer. How do you get to that place where you walk with the Lord and you know his voice, and you have that shepherd, shepherd who wipes the tears away from your eyes today. How do you develop that kind of intimacy with God now?
Jennifer Rothschild: You stay in His Word because my words, your words, they may be inspiring, but they're not alive. And only life gives us life. And so God's words are alive. I literally do it as simply as this, Jessica. And that's why I want people to know this. You don't have to be a Bible scholar to know Jesus through His Word, even if you just pick one verse a day. That's what I do. I literally pick one verse a day. I pray it and meditate, upon it. I try to memorize it because it allows me to walk with the truth. And so that's why when I'm standing in front of the microwave feeling humiliated, that's why I can say, earth is short and heaven is long. Because the Lord has already installed in me the truth. That therefore I don't lose heart. Though outwardly I'm wasting away, oh, inwardly I'm being renewed. And so the hope of heaven is that the words we will hear for eternity that come from the throne where God is saying, behold, the dwelling of God is among men. And behold, I am making all things new. That same word we will hear someday in eternity.
The Living Testimony: How Our Faith Impacts Family and Those Around Us
We can hear right now through the written word, where we hear that Jesus said, says, I will never leave you. I am making my dwelling with you, so abide with me. I will say this, and I hear it in your voice also. We cannot function, much less thrive without the living word of God giving us life and giving us guidance. And I'm so very thankful that we can trust His Word. And without it, I would have, just as Psalm 119, 119 says, I would have perished in my affliction.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, you know, Jennifer, you. You've lived out your testimony and your faith in such a public way, and you've even described this so vulnerably, this. This scenario of trying to cook, which it amazes me that you even try. Like, I'm impressed by that. I think, like, that, is really incredible that you're even trying and knowing that your family is watching this, your family is helping you. How do you think your experience has changed their faith? And I ask you this because it's not to say like, oh, yes, I did this, and this impacted their faith, but there's people out there who need hope to know that their living testimony is making a difference.
Jennifer Rothschild: Well, children and family members do see how we live, and we may not ever recognize the impact, but I remember when our oldest son was 6 years old and we were playing a game. Game.
God's Plan for Us: Delaying Earthly Longings to Increase Our Love for Heaven
And it's, hard to find games, of course, that he and I can play together. Back in the day that he didn't win. He had found a new game and it was not going well. Little marbles were rolling and tactile men were flying and it just wasn't going well. So I said, clayton, you need to clean up the game. Let's pick another game we can play. Well, I knew he was frustrated. I was frustrated. And he had already at that point been asking me questions about out my eyes. And he would pray that God would heal my eyes. It was precious. So this day, when he finally cleaned up the game and he put the lid on the game, he said, mom, I was thinking, and I was listening carefully because I could tell he had been really processing something. He said, mom, I was thinking, I don't think God is going to heal you here on earth.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Earth.
Jennifer Rothschild: And I paused and I asked, well, why Clayton? I knew how much he wanted God to heal me. Why do you think God would not heal me here on earth? And he said, because I think God wants you to love heaven more. And if, he healed you here on earth, you might love earth more. And heaven is best. I don't think I need to say anything else.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Else.
Jennifer Rothschild: I think God spoke through a six year old that sometimes he allows our greatest longings to be delayed and to be met in heaven. Because maybe if we got every single thing we ever longed for here on this earth, we would love earth more. And perhaps God has saved the best for last.
Heaven is a Person: Experiencing Jesus' Presence and Fulfillment Today
Because heaven is best.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Oh, my goodness, Jennifer. Out of the mouths of babes. We so underestimate the way that God uses children to minister, to encourage. Their lives are so precious. And what a precious moment and a precious lesson. And it reminds me of Jesus telling the rich young ruler that it's easier to go through the eye of a needle than for a cam. to the. For a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven. And what he meant was exactly what you were just describing. That maybe if we have so much, if our life is so good, we love this earth more and we lose that hope of heaven. And Jennifer, it's just been so inspiring to hear you talk again. you just, you radiate optimism and you radiate hope. What is the one thing that you hope that your readers will take away from this journey you're inviting them to take with 60 devotionals on how the life to come changes your life right now.
Jennifer Rothschild: I want you to never forget that heaven is not just a place and heaven is not just a promise.
Living Between Realities: How Heaven Transforms Grief, Anxiety, Suffering, and Ordinary Days
But ultimately heaven is the person of Jesus who we will be with forever. When we pass from this life to the next, we'll be fully united with the one our souls love. We'll be finally home. But we can experience those fullness of the person of heaven right now as we receive Christ as our Savior. We don't have to wait till someday to be born into heaven. We can be born again right now and live every day of this life until heaven with the person of heaven who is Jesus. And that's where our greatest fulfillments are.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Jennifer, I cannot thank you enough for this, this sweet conversation, this just sweet time together. I think in a world full of doom scrolling and full of bad news and full of hopelessness, you have just been a refreshing, bright breath of fresh air. You really have. And you've reminded us over and over the heaven is not just a place that we think about that we're going to go to and sit on a cloud and play harps when our life is over. It is a promise that changes the way we live our life right now. It's not just a place, it's a promise. And for those who are grieving, who are longing for people who are in heaven, as both Jennifer and I are, heaven reminds us that separation is not goodbye forever. And for those who are anxious, heaven reminds you that today's uncertainty doesn't have to have the final word in your life. It is temporary and it's light, as Jennifer said. And for those who are suffering, heaven reminds us this world is not all there is. You do not have to come up with your own best life and this is it. This is the best that you can hope for. And for those of us who are just moving through ordinary days, heaven just gives us a reason to lift our eyes beyond what is temporary and unseen and fix our eyes on what is eternal and unseen. And the Christian life is lived between these two realities. What we can see right now and what God has has promised, we will see one day clearly. And Jennifer's message, I hope, has resonated with you. You don't have to wait until heaven for that hope to transform you today. Jennifer, thank you so much for helping us look beyond the shadows and whispers of this present world toward the radiance and splendor and joy that God will give us.
Final Blessing and Closing Remarks for the Dr. Nurse Mama Show
I pray over my listeners, as I always do, that the Lord will bless you and keep you and make his face to shine right radiantly upon you and give you peace. I'll see you right back here next time.
Sponsor Recognition: Preborn Continues to Rescue Babies and Support Young Moms
We'd like to thank our sponsors, including PreBorn. PreBorn has rescued over 400,000 babies from abortion and every day their network clinics rescue 200 babies lives. Will you join PreBorn in loving and supporting young moms in crisis? Save a life today. Go to preborn.com/AFR the views and
Jeff Chamblee: opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.
Jessica talks with author and Bible teacher Jennifer Rothschild about how the promise of heaven should change how we live each day.
https://www.jenniferrothschild.com/
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Chapters:
(00:00) Sponsor Message: Preborn Provides Ultrasounds to Save Babies and Support Mothers
(01:28) Introduction to Dr. Nurse Mama Show: Prescribing Hope for Healthy Families
(02:14) The Hopeful Message of Heaven: How Eternity Shapes Our Present Lives
(04:19) Jennifer Rothschild's Ministry: Finding Hope and Courage Through Faith and Scripture
(05:25) Personal Testimony: Facing Blindness with Faith and Finding Hope in God's Plan
(08:08) Finding Peace Amidst Adversity: The Hymn 'It Is Well With My Soul' and God's Purpose
(10:39) From Loss to Ministry: How Blindness Became a Platform for Sharing God's Goodness
(13:07) God's Sovereignty and Purpose: Trusting in His Plan Even Amidst Difficult Circumstances
(14:15) Living with an Eternal Perspective: How the Hope of Heaven Transforms Today
(16:09) Preview of Discussion on Heaven and Listener Support for American Family Radio
(20:08) Heaven for Today Devotional: Comfort and Joy on This Side of Life
(21:57) Death as Birth: Understanding Heaven as Our True and Eternal Home
(23:25) The Mystery and Beauty of Heaven: A Place Prepared for God's Family
(25:06) Shifting Perspective: Realizing Heaven is About Jesus, Not Self-Centered Desires
(26:57) Heaven as a Functional Family: God's Provision for Eternal Relationships and Service
(28:57) The Power of Perspective: Fixing Our Eyes on the Unseen and Eternal
(31:46) Hope in Eternity: Temporary Troubles Compared to Eternal Glory and God's Promises
(34:14) Culture Warrior: Don Wildmon's Fight for Truth in a Hostile Cultural Landscape
(36:57) Living with Eternal Hope: How Heaven Changes Today's Disappointments and Relationships
(38:32) God's Word as an Anchor: Finding Hope and Guidance Through Scripture
(39:56) Earth is Short, Heaven is Long: Navigating Life's Challenges with an Eternal Perspective
(42:03) Knowing God's Voice: The Power of His Word to Bring Life and Guidance
(44:33) The Living Testimony: How Our Faith Impacts Family and Those Around Us
(45:58) God's Plan for Us: Delaying Earthly Longings to Increase Our Love for Heaven
(47:35) Heaven is a Person: Experiencing Jesus' Presence and Fulfillment Today
(48:44) Living Between Realities: How Heaven Transforms Grief, Anxiety, Suffering, and Ordinary Days
(51:06) Final Blessing and Closing Remarks for the Dr. Nurse Mama Show
(51:22) Sponsor Recognition: Preborn Continues to Rescue Babies and Support Young Moms
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