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A children’s book has a way of telling the truth we avoid. If you give a mouse a cookie, he’ll ask for more—and so will the quiet appetites that live in us. We follow that trail from playful banter to piercing insight, asking what happens when you feed entitlement, revenge, or misplaced hope—and what changes when you starve them.

We start with the subtle voice of “I deserve,” the mindset that turns gratitude into grumbling and caps what grace can do. From instant delivery culture to scorekeeping in relationships, we trace how pride disguises itself as fairness and leaves us empty. Then we pivot to the “I’ll show them” trap: a candid ministry story reveals how proving people wrong drained purpose, stalled growth, and hijacked the heart. The breakthrough came when we stopped performing for critics and started loving the people in front of us. Two anchors emerged—time tells and let the fruit speak—shifting us from image management to character formation.

The conversation deepens with “I hope they…”—the hope we place in apologies, recognition, or changed behavior that may never come. We share a raw account of forgiving without an apology, the physical toll of offense, and the freedom that followed. Scripture grounds the journey—James 4:6, Philippians 4:19, Psalm 62:5—pointing us back to a God who supplies what people withhold. We also tackle a harder test: when someone hurts the person you love. Do we poison them with our outrage, or become purpose in their pain? Choosing purpose breaks the cycle and protects the heart.

By the end, you’ll have a simple way to respond: name the mouse, find the cookie, starve the appetite, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the smaller seeds before they grow. Expect practical language, honest stories, and a closing prayer that invites real change. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs encouragement, and leave a review—then tell us: which “mouse” are you evicting this week?

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