{"version":"1.0.0","segments":[{"startTime":0.24,"endTime":3.36,"body":"You're listening to the My Morning Devotional podcast, episode"},{"startTime":3.36,"endTime":6.48,"body":"1287. Today's episode is called"},{"startTime":6.88,"endTime":10.72,"body":"Stretch Before Strength. Hey there. We're"},{"startTime":10.72,"endTime":14.48,"body":"the Aleskies, a ministry family working together in our church"},{"startTime":14.48,"endTime":18.16,"body":"in Miami, Florida. And if you're like us, when days get busy"},{"startTime":18.16,"endTime":22.0,"body":"and to do lists get longer, it can be hard to find devotional time."},{"startTime":22.24,"endTime":25.8,"body":"That's why we've partnered with our friend Allison to produce a five"},{"startTime":25.8,"endTime":29.5,"body":"minute daily dose of heaven. This is the My Morning"},{"startTime":29.5,"endTime":32.98,"body":"Devotional podcast. Hello, everyone, my name is Lauren"},{"startTime":32.98,"endTime":36.66,"body":"Alessi, and thank you for tuning in this morning. It's"},{"startTime":36.66,"endTime":40.22,"body":"gonna be a fun week. We're talking about stretching your faith, growing your"},{"startTime":40.22,"endTime":43.939,"body":"capacity, but at the same time becoming stronger. When I"},{"startTime":43.939,"endTime":47.66,"body":"kind of think about this image of becoming"},{"startTime":47.66,"endTime":51.38,"body":"stronger, stretching your capacity, I can't help but think"},{"startTime":51.38,"endTime":55.2,"body":"of like, exercising and working out. I really actually"},{"startTime":55.2,"endTime":58.68,"body":"enjoy working out. I know that sounds crazy, I don't love running,"},{"startTime":58.76,"endTime":62.56,"body":"but I do enjoy working out. I enjoy going to the gym, taking"},{"startTime":62.56,"endTime":66.28,"body":"my time there. But something that's really important when it comes to"},{"startTime":66.28,"endTime":69.96,"body":"exercising and increasing strength is stretching."},{"startTime":70.44,"endTime":74.16,"body":"And a lot of people will let you know if they've, you know, are"},{"startTime":74.16,"endTime":77.92,"body":"trainers or exercise, you know, fiends or whatever, that"},{"startTime":77.92,"endTime":81.72,"body":"if you don't stretch before or after you work out, it can actually increase"},{"startTime":82.04,"endTime":85.8,"body":"injury because stretching is an important part of gaining"},{"startTime":85.8,"endTime":89.52,"body":"muscle. And so that's why I'm like, I emphasize"},{"startTime":89.52,"endTime":92.96,"body":"and I'm obsessed with stretching every single time because one, it's just"},{"startTime":93.2,"endTime":96.56,"body":"nice and relaxing, but it's an important part of exercising."},{"startTime":97.12,"endTime":100.84,"body":"So we're going to talk about that today, about how God, he wants us to"},{"startTime":100.84,"endTime":104.68,"body":"become stronger spiritually, mentally, emotionally. But before"},{"startTime":104.68,"endTime":108.32,"body":"he does that, he's going to use a stretching in our faith"},{"startTime":108.32,"endTime":112.0,"body":"to show us things he's never shown us before, to use us in ways"},{"startTime":112.0,"endTime":115.65,"body":"he's never used us before. Our verse of the day is 2 Corinthians,"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":115.65,"endTime":118.97,"body":"15. I have probably read this a thousand times"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":119.77,"endTime":122.89,"body":"and I don't know why this verse hasn't stuck out to me, but it's super"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":122.89,"endTime":126.73,"body":"cool. I hope it blesses you like it blesses me. And it says this."},{"speaker":"10","startTime":127.05,"endTime":130.73,"body":"Our hope is that as your faith continues to grow,"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":131.05,"endTime":134.73,"body":"our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand."},{"speaker":"10","startTime":135.93,"endTime":139.49,"body":"The ESV version says it like this. We do not boast"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":139.49,"endTime":143.29,"body":"beyond limit in the labors of others, but our hope is that"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":143.29,"endTime":147.13,"body":"as your faith increases, our area of influence"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":147.13,"endTime":149.69,"body":"among you may be greatly enlarged."},{"speaker":"10","startTime":150.81,"endTime":154.65,"body":"Super cool verse. I've never that just like never sat with me before,"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":154.65,"endTime":158.37,"body":"and I've probably Skimmed over it several times. But just our hope"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":158.37,"endTime":161.85,"body":"is that as your faith continues to grow, as your faith is growing,"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":162.17,"endTime":165.69,"body":"our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand also."},{"speaker":"10","startTime":166.81,"endTime":170.66,"body":"So God here is calling us to expand"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":170.74,"endTime":174.1,"body":"even before we feel ready. And not just that"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":174.66,"endTime":178.06,"body":"God wants us to expand not just our faith, but our sphere of"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":178.06,"endTime":181.58,"body":"activity, what we do. This verse reminds me of. There's like a"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":181.58,"endTime":184.42,"body":"meme, and it's really funny. It talks about how"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":185.22,"endTime":188.9,"body":"when you bring. Like when you go to work and you bring a really great"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":188.9,"endTime":192.5,"body":"idea to the table, and then they're like, great, you can take that on."},{"speaker":"10","startTime":193.23,"endTime":195.87,"body":"And like, now you have a project that you have to take over for the"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":195.87,"endTime":199.43,"body":"next six months. And you're like, why did I mention my idea? But"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":199.43,"endTime":203.27,"body":"sometimes it's like that with God. You have big dreams, you have big ideas, and"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":203.27,"endTime":206.95,"body":"God's like, great, now you take care of that, and you lead the charge of"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":206.95,"endTime":210.27,"body":"that for the next year, for the next two years. And you're like, what? I"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":210.27,"endTime":213.95,"body":"just kind of wanted you to do it for me. So God"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":214.19,"endTime":217.79,"body":"wants to use our big dreams, our big ideas to stretch"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":217.79,"endTime":221.44,"body":"us, to expand us, even before we feel ready for it."},{"speaker":"10","startTime":221.92,"endTime":225.68,"body":"Because God sees our future. He doesn't just see what our"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":225.68,"endTime":229.36,"body":"present limits are, our present limitations. He sees our whole"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":229.36,"endTime":233.04,"body":"future. So before increase, before just"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":233.04,"endTime":236.6,"body":"the blessing, before the gift of all of our"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":236.6,"endTime":240.32,"body":"answered prayers, we have to stretch our faith. We have to stretch our"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":240.32,"endTime":243.2,"body":"capacity even beyond what feels comfortable."},{"speaker":"10","startTime":244.0,"endTime":247.52,"body":"And to be honest, that is what stretching is. Stretching is never"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":247.52,"endTime":250.86,"body":"comfortable. And if you try to touch your toes and you're sore or you're not"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":250.86,"endTime":254.7,"body":"someone who could, you know, just naturally touch your toes, that"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":254.7,"endTime":258.34,"body":"is uncomfortable, you know. Or if you try to do some crazy yoga stretch, and"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":258.34,"endTime":262.06,"body":"you're not into yoga, it's uncomfortable. But that's what"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":262.06,"endTime":265.46,"body":"God wants to do in us in order to"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":266.42,"endTime":270.18,"body":"strengthen our capacity in our emotional life, in our mental life, in"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":270.18,"endTime":273.98,"body":"our spiritual life, God is making room for more. In your life,"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":273.98,"endTime":277.66,"body":"you were made for more. More influence, more character,"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":277.9,"endTime":281.74,"body":"more purpose. So why is this verse so good?"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":282.38,"endTime":285.9,"body":"This verse highlights that as faith grows, so does your capacity,"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":286.06,"endTime":289.9,"body":"your capacity to influence. Maybe that's in your church and your family, your"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":289.9,"endTime":293.18,"body":"capacity to lead, your capacity to step into more."},{"speaker":"10","startTime":293.74,"endTime":297.46,"body":"And remember, he's not just doing it randomly. God"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":297.46,"endTime":301.02,"body":"just isn't going to bless you randomly. God's going to stretch your faith"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":301.02,"endTime":304.44,"body":"more. And then through that, your capacity will grow."},{"speaker":"10","startTime":304.76,"endTime":308.12,"body":"He grows it through deepening your faith. And as you trust in him,"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":308.6,"endTime":312.4,"body":"then as you trust in him, he entrusts"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":312.4,"endTime":315.96,"body":"to you so let's pray Lord we"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":315.96,"endTime":319.36,"body":"sense right now that Lord as we dream for more because we were made for"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":319.36,"endTime":322.92,"body":"more God we sense you stretching us and Lord we know it's not always easy"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":323.32,"endTime":327.08,"body":"but Lord we trust you Lord we just pray to expand"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":327.08,"endTime":330.77,"body":"the borders of our heart, our thinking and our faith God and"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":330.77,"endTime":334.57,"body":"just help us with the uncomfortableness of it all Lord Help us"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":334.57,"endTime":337.97,"body":"to not hold back when you are calling us to grow Lord and"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":337.97,"endTime":341.61,"body":"strengthen us Lord when you are enlarging us God in"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":341.61,"endTime":345.21,"body":"Jesus name we pray. Amen. So there you have it. Your"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":345.21,"endTime":348.85,"body":"5 minute daily dose of heaven. Thank you so much for tuning in"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":348.85,"endTime":352.69,"body":"today. We pray these devotionals empower you to take on your day."},{"speaker":"10","startTime":352.77,"endTime":356.49,"body":"If you found value in this devotional, share it with a friend, leave a"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":356.49,"endTime":360.33,"body":"comment or review for us on the app you're using right now. Until"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":360.33,"endTime":363.97,"body":"tomorrow. We pray that your latte is strong but your love for Jesus"},{"speaker":"10","startTime":364.05,"endTime":364.85,"body":"is stronger."}]}