It's a question I would dare say most of us have asked at one time in our lives. When life gets difficult, we so often assume God has left us or abandoned us, even though He tells us that He will never do that.

Psalm 23 has long been a favorite passage for me because I do understand what it means to walk through the darkest valley. And it was in that valley that God proved to me that He really is who He says He is.

The imagery in Psalm 23 is so deep and meaningful. The Lord is my Shepherd. It could say, "The Lord is my cattle herder!" Can you imagine serving a God who drives you, whips you and brands you? No! You serve a God who leads you, loves you, carries you, runs after you, shelters you, and never leaves you.

Johnny and I talk through this beloved scripture on the heels of some major events in our lives lately that have made it even sweeter. And, to be fully transparent, I even needed to be reminded of this as I type these words to you. Life can be so hard at times. But God is always so good. And so near. And so perfect in all His ways.

We pray you leave this episode encouraged and inspired to go on and allow God to teach you more about Himself in your valleys.

Thank you to The Vine Christian Bookstore in Baton Rouge, LA, for your continued sponsorship!

I'm so excited to bring you this episode! My oldest son, Sam Furlow, joins me on the podcast for a conversation about his life, his path to Christ, his struggles after losing his dad, and his battle with sin. He is now 26 years old and is working in full-time ministry, but the road to get here was long and winding.

If you have a prodigal child, I strongly encourage you to listen to this episode. I pray it will encourage you to continue believing for God to work through the struggles of this life to bring them to their knees. And in the end, it is only God who will call them home.

Let this testimony encourage you!

Thank you to The Vine Christian Bookstore for their sponsorship of these episodes!

Pastor Lee Shipp, of First New Testament Church, joins me again in this episode. Episode 9 was so good that we stayed right where we were and just kept talking to bring you another episode that is incredibly rich. We discuss how brokenness gives God the ability to conform us into the image of Christ.

My favorite part is toward the end where Pastor Lee encourages our listeners to let go of failures and guilt so you can allow God to have His perfect work. He is gracious and kind. He wants you to see His love for you.

We pray these episodes are a resource for you that compliments your own study of the Word. We pray that God is helping you and challenging you as you listen.

Please go see Tessa, Kayla and Haley at The Vine Christian Bookstore and tell them you are listening to the podcast!

Y'all!!!! I'm so excited to bring you this episode filmed in a new location and with a new co-host! It's just temporary...don't worry. Johnny will be back soon.

This episode captures a conversation between me and my dear friend, Pastor of 20 years, former boss, and hero of the faith - Pastor Lee Shipp. Pastor Lee is the Pastor of First New Testament Church, where Clay and I attended for 20 years, and the church we attended during his illness. They were our family. And so many of the members of FNT remain my very dearest friends.

Pastor Lee is on the Board of Directors for Cloth & Clay ministries, and remains a huge influence in my life. His direct leadership shaped the way I understood my suffering, and his friendship helped Clay and I to make it well. After Clay's passing, I went to work full-time for the church and threw myself into ministry alongside Pastor Lee. Then, when God's timing was just right, Pastor Lee was instrumental in my purchase of The Hill and the launch of Cloth & Clay Ministries. He also played a huge role in helping me as I prayed for God's will in my relationship with Johnny.

This episode is filmed in John and my living room! So, welcome to our home! We hope you enjoy this conversation and that you leave this episode deeply encouraged. These truths are heavy, but so helpful. There is great purpose in the plans of God and we desire to see all believers built up in the truth and brought to maturity in their faith!

You are going to love Pastor Lee! Please listen and be blessed.

Also....just a little hint....the conversation was so good that we just stayed right where we are sitting and filmed another episode immediately. So, you'll get two episodes and I know you are going to enjoy it.

Thank you The Vine Christian Bookstore for your continued faithful partnership. I love you, Tessa, and thank God for you!

Hebrews 10:35-39 is a powerful passage in which the writer of Hebrews is begging the early church to hold onto their confidence. They are enduring hardship but he is reminding them how they've already endured hardship and they made it through. Now, they are growing weary, and he is encouraging them to hold on.

This episode will bring encouragement and hope to you if you are weary and worn out.

And this episode will help you to prepare for moments of weariness.

Don't miss this encouragement!

Thank you to our sponsor, The Vine Christian Bookstore! Go see them and tell them that you are listening to the podcast!

In this episode, we study one of the most impactful scriptures as it relates to spiritual growth.

2 Peter Chapter 1 lays out a progression of growth that is critical to the development of our spiritual life. Peter tells us to "supplement our faith" with a list of characteristics that ultimately lead us to Agape Love!

Don't miss this episode. You will be encouraged to continue moving closer to the Lord and applying His Word to your life.

Thank you to The Vine Christian Bookstore for your sponsorship! Y'all go visit The Vine and tell them you are listening.

In this episode, Johnny and Kristy discuss the process of the threshing floor. Though difficult, it is so productive. The analogy is so amazing! The more we understand about the process, the more we see how God uses the trials of our life to refine us and make us useful.

Let the Holy Spirit encourage you and help you accept the process of what God is doing in your life.

Thank you to our sponsor - The Vine Christian Bookstore!

In this episode, Johnny and Kristy tell the story of how God led them to sell The Hill. If you've been following along, you know that The Hill has been one of the greatest gifts of Kristy's entire life. God has used it to launch Cloth & Clay Ministries, and it has been the location of many significant moments.

His plan, though completely shocking, was to transfer ownership to Greg & Courtney Bienvenu. They took ownership of The Hill on December 1, 2025.

The story is an amazing testimony of God's faithfulness and His love. They teach Biblical truth of the value of following God's leadership and the miracle of how God sees all that we can't see!

You are going to love this episode! Get ready!

Thank you to The Vine Christian Bookstore and Style Encore for sponsoring these episodes. If you are interested in partnering with us, please email us at info@clothandclay.org.