Upstream Pursuit
The leadership podcast for Christian women going against the current. The Upstream Pursuit calls women to go against the current by measuring everything against the Truth of God’s word. Join Narcely every other Monday for energizing conversations and practical tips on how to live and lead in pursuit of unchanging Christian values. To learn more about joining our community, visit us at narcelyruiz.com or on our Facebook or Instagram!
Episodes
204 episodes
Pursuing Gospel Advancement Over Personal Comfort (Philippians 1:12–18)
In this episode, we continue our journey through Philippians by studying Philippians 1:12–18. As Paul writes from confinement under Roman authority, he reframes his circumstances not as a setback, but as a means by which the gospel advances. We...
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Season 10
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Episode 5
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13:35
Pursuing Trust in God’s Work (Philippians 1:1–11)
In this episode, we begin a journey through the book of Philippians. Starting with Philippians 1:1–11, we explore Paul’s gratitude for the Philippian believers, the beauty of shared partnership in the gospel mission, and his prayer that their l...
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Season 10
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Episode 4
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14:58
The Pursuit Continues: What to Expect from The Upstream Pursuit in 2026
In this episode, we reflect on the heart of this podcast: a short, Scripture-centered discipleship space designed to ground you, challenge you, and realign your walk with Christ each week. With biblical clarity, personal reflection, and a re...
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Season 10
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Episode 3
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13:38
When Seasons Shift: Friendship, Fostering, and New Pursuits (with Erica)
Five years ago, The Upstream Pursuit began with a conversation between two friends saying yes to God. In this special anniversary conversation, I’m joined by my best friend Erica Reese as we reflect on what God has been doing in her li...
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Season 10
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Episode 2
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14:58
Happy New Year, Pursuers!
Happy New Year, Pursuers! In this very short episode, I am inviting you to begin the year with intentional pursuit of Jesus. In the next few weeks, we will be diving into what to expect from the podcast in 2026.
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Season 10
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Episode 1
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2:11
2025: The Year I Became a Wife, a Dog Mom, and a Solo Host
2025 was a year of change, growth, and unexpected blessings. In this episode, I reflect on the highs and lows of a year that reshaped my life—stepping into solo podcasting, getting married and adjusting to married life, becoming a dog mom, and ...
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Season 9
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Episode 48
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14:58
Waiting Has a Sound: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
In this episode, we connect Simeon’s story in Luke 2 with the history of this ancient Advent hymn, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, and discover how both call us to trust God’s timing, remain attentive to His Spirit, and recognize His presenc...
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Season 9
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Episode 47
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14:56
Christmas Shout Out: Simeon, Advent, and the Faithfulness of God
In this episode, we sit with Simeon in Luke 2:25–32, a righteous and devout man who waited faithfully for the consolation of Israel in a season marked by political tension, spiritual dryness, and generations of unanswered longing. We explore wh...
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Season 9
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Episode 46
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14:49
How Santa Contradicts the Gospel
In this episode, we take an honest look at the subtle ways the Santa myth shapes our understanding of goodness, gifts, behavior, and belief. We explore how the lie of Santa contradicts the Truth at the heart of the Gospel and how it can uninten...
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Season 9
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Episode 45
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14:48
1 Thessalonians 5:18: Gratitude That Stays When the Season Ends
This episode explores how gratitude is more than a holiday feeling — it’s a spiritual discipline rooted in Scripture. Through an exegesis of 1 Thessalonians 5:18, the story of the woman with the alabaster jar, and practical ways to stay grat...
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Season 9
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Episode 44
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12:29
Convos With Gen Z Finale: The Girls Ask Me Questions
In this final episode of our Gen Z series, the girls turn the tables and ask me the questions. We talk about navigating spiritual dry seasons and staying rooted in Christ while juggling the many roles we carry. It’s a reminder that no ...
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Season 9
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Episode 43
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11:06
Convos with GenZ: Going Upstream as a Christian Teenager
In today’s episode, I sit down once again with Sebathany, Mikaela, Ana Karina, and Yasmine—four teenage girls from my church who have been sharing boldly and beautifully about pursuing Christ in their generation. Instead of focusing on where th...
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Season 9
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Episode 42
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14:36
Convos with GenZ: Community and Change
In today’s conversation, Yasminee, Mikaela, Sebathany, and Ana Karina share how community strengthens our walk with Christ and how faith in Him leads to real transformation — the kind that shows up in how we serve, give, and love others. ...
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Season 9
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Episode 41
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14:35
Convos with GenZ: The Cost and Reward of Obedience
In a world that tells Gen Z to “do what feels right,” my teenage guests are choosing something different — obedience to Jesus. In this conversation, Yasminee, Mikaela, Sebathany, and Ana Karina share what it means to walk in obedience and...
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Season 9
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Episode 40
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13:58
Hungry for His Word: Gen Z Voices on Surrender and Spiritual Rhythm
In this episode, we continue our conversation with four incredible Gen Z girls from my church. This time we are hearing from Sebathany and Karina. Both young women share how Christ became real to them in powerful and personal ways.The au...
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Season 9
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Episode 39
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14:58
When Jesus Becomes Personal: A Conversation with Gen Z
I sat down with four amazing teenage girls—Yasmine, Mikaela, Sebathany, and Ana Karina—to talk about what it looks like to Pursue Christ, community and change in their generation. In this first episode, Yasmine and Mikaela share how Christ b...
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Season 9
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Episode 38
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14:53
A Tribute to My Pastors with Voices from the Next Generation
We’re stepping away from our regular programming for a special episode in honor of Pastor Appreciation Month. I sat down with four Gen Z girls from our church to share heartfelt encouragement and gratitude for our pastors. Their words bea...
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Season 9
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Episode 37
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6:10
I Visited Charlie Kirk’s Memorial at TPUSA… and This Is What I Saw
I had the opportunity to visit the memorial set up outside the Turning Point USA building in Phoenix, Arizona. In this episode, I talk about what I saw, felt, and experienced, share some thoughts on the memorial service and reflect on how Go...
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Season 9
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Episode 36
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12:54
Repentant Lament: When Sin Breaks More Than Just You (Psalm 51:18–19)
In this closing episode of our Repentant Lament series, we explore the final verses of Psalm 51, where David’s prayer shifts from personal forgiveness to the restoration of God’s people. Sin is never just private—it weakens famil...
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Season 9
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Episode 35
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14:59
Repentant Lament: The Sacrifice God Actually Wants (Psalm 51:13–17)
What if the very thing you’ve been running from, your guilt, your failure, your brokenness, was the one thing God actually wanted you to bring Him? Forgiven people become worshipers and witnesses. In this episode, we explore how David moves ...
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Season 9
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Episode 34
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14:51
Repentant Lament: When Tragedy Forces Us to Look Inward (Psalm 51:7–12)
In a world full of division, anger, and grief, how do we respond as followers of Christ? In this episode, we reflect on the tragic death of Charlie Kirk not to dwell on politics, but to examine our own hearts and the sin that dulls our aware...
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Season 9
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Episode 33
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14:58
Repentant Lament: The Freedom of Coming Clean (Psalm 51:3–6)
No excuses. No blame-shifting. Just honest confession before God. In this episode, we continue our journey through Psalm 51, David’s raw and honest prayer of repentance after his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah. We unpack David’s words in ve...
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Season 9
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Episode 32
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14:59
Repentant Lament: Mercy for the Broken (Psalm 51:1–2)
In this episode, we begin our journey through Psalm 51 with David’s opening cry: “Have mercy on me, O God.” After being confronted with his sin, David doesn’t excuse or justify himself; he throws himself on the mercy o...
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Season 9
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Episode 31
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14:59
Repentant Lament: A Journey through Psalm 51
What does true repentance look like? Before we dive into Psalm 51, this introduction sets the stage with David’s backstory, the structure of the psalm, and the themes of mercy, confession, renewal, worship, and corporate revival. Discover wh...
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Season 9
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Episode 30
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14:59
Practicing Lament: Bringing Our Sorrows Before God
In this follow-up episode, we move from understanding biblical lament to practicing it. Drawing from the pattern in Psalm 13, we explore how to bring our grief, confusion, and pain honestly before the Lord—whether alone or in community. Lame...
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Season 9
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Episode 29
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14:57