Episodes

What if one of the greatest revolutions in church history began... with an empty chair? On July 17, 1883, Arthur Flake was born in Texas. Though his name is unfamiliar to many today, his influence has shaped generations of churches across the Southern Baptist Convention. Flake believed that churches shouldn't simply pray for growth—they should prepare for it. In this episode of Moments Almanac, we explore the life of the businessman who became a pioneer in Sunday School ministry, and discover...

Psalm 3: The Lifter of My Head What do you do when the battle is close to home? Psalm 3 was written during one of the darkest moments of David's life as he fled from his own son, Absalom. Surrounded by enemies and weighed down by sorrow, David discovered that his greatest security was not in his own strength, but in the God who is "a shield around me, my glory, and the lifter of my head." In this quiet reflection, we'll linger over Psalm 3, exploring God's faithful presence in the middle of f...

Apollo 11, C.T. Studd, and the Journey That Lasts Forever On July 16, the world watched three astronauts launch toward the moon in one of history's greatest engineering achievements. But thirty-eight years earlier, on the same date, another remarkable journey quietly reached its destination. This episode of Moments Almanac contrasts the thunder of Apollo 11 with the faithful life of missionary C.T. Studd, who walked away from fame, fortune, and comfort to spend his life carrying the gospel to...

As dawn breaks over nineteenth-century Bristol, three hundred orphaned children gather around empty tables with nothing to eat. There is no bread, no milk, no money—only a prayer of thanksgiving spoken before the answer arrives. In The Empty Table, journey into the remarkable true story of George Müller, whose unwavering trust in God's provision became a testimony that has inspired believers for generations. Told with gentle narration and peaceful pacing, this sleep story invites you to lay dow...

What does a grieving painter have in common with a lonely spacecraft crossing millions of miles of empty space? On July 15, two remarkable stories converge. In 1606, Rembrandt was born—a man whose deepest losses transformed not only his art but the way generations would see the suffering Christ. More than three centuries later, Mariner 4 became the first spacecraft to reveal Mars as it truly was, replacing centuries of imagination with an unexpected reality. Together, these stories remind us ...

One date. Two revolutions. Two very different ways of changing the world. On July 14, 1789, the storming of the Bastille ignited the French Revolution, unleashing forces that would reshape Europe through violence and upheaval. Forty-four years later, on that same date, an English pastor named John Keble stepped into a pulpit with a different vision for renewal—one rooted not in rage, but in prayer. In this episode of Moments Almanac, we explore the surprising connection between the Bastille, ...

The world is loud. Headlines compete for our attention. Nations rage. Voices rise. Fear spreads faster than peace. Yet Psalm 2 lifts our eyes above the chaos to a breathtaking truth: while the earth trembles, heaven is not in turmoil. God is still seated on His throne. In this reflective meditation, we'll linger over one of Scripture's most surprising images—God's calm, knowing laughter in the face of humanity's restless striving. Together, we'll journey from the noise of our own anxious hear...

On July 13, 1813, Adoniram Judson stepped onto the shores of Burma with little more than conviction and a calling. What followed was a lifetime marked by unimaginable loss, imprisonment, sacrifice, and quiet faithfulness—but also by a harvest he would scarcely live to see. In this episode of Moments Almanac, we trace Judson's remarkable journey from a discouraged young missionary to the father of the Burmese church. Along the way, we'll reflect on Jesus' call to pray for laborers, hear the stir...

On July 12, 1739, a quiet young man in Connecticut encountered Christ. No one could have imagined that his life would one day inspire generations of missionaries around the world. David Brainerd died believing he had accomplished very little. Expelled from Yale, weakened by tuberculosis, and burdened by deep melancholy, his ministry often seemed marked more by disappointment than success. Yet God was writing a story Brainerd himself would never live to read. In today's Moments Almanac, we ...

July 11, 1850: a wealthy Baltimore family welcomes a daughter who will grow up to refuse every salary she's ever offered and write over 77,000 letters on behalf of missionaries she'd mostly never meet. On today's Moments Almanac, we mark the birthday of Annie Armstrong — the strong-willed, unpaid, occasionally infuriating laywoman behind the Woman's Missionary Union and the Easter offering that still bears her name. This one isn't a hero story. It's an honest one — and it might be better for it....

Sometimes the strongest act of faith is not having all the answers—it's trusting the One who does. In this brief Scattered Moment, Matt Tullos shares an original poem celebrating the sovereignty of God over every fear, every question, and every unseen tomorrow. When the world feels uncertain and our own plans seem fragile, we're reminded that God's purposes stand, His promises endure, and His hands never let go. Take a few quiet moments to lift your eyes from your circumstances to the King wh...

What keeps a life from coming apart? On this episode of Moments Almanac, we journey from the quiet monastery of Benedict of Nursia to the dueling grounds of Weehawken, where Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr settled a grievance with pistols at dawn. One man left behind a simple rhythm of prayer, work, and rest that has shaped Christian communities for fifteen centuries. The other two left a cautionary tale of what wounded pride can destroy in a single moment. Along the way, we reflect on Prov...

On this episode of Moments Almanac, we journey from Renaissance France to a Tennessee courtroom, with a stop at one of London's great fires, discovering what three very different events have to teach us about conviction, humility, and Christian witness. Meet John Calvin, whose lifelong pursuit of Scripture and scholarship helped shape Protestant theology. Stand in Dayton, Tennessee, as the famous Scopes Trial turns questions of faith and science into a national spectacle. Then reflect on a fire...

Discover the quiet strength found in Psalm 1. In this episode of Psalms Meditations, we reflect on the opening words of the Psalms and the beautiful image of a tree planted by streams of water. In a world that prizes speed, visibility, and constant achievement, Psalm 1 reminds us that the deepest work of God often happens beneath the surface. Together we'll consider what it means to delight in God's Word, remain rooted in Christ, and trust Him to produce fruit in its proper season. Whether yo...

On July 9, history offers two very different tragedies. In 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion, a Chinese governor lured missionaries and Chinese Christians into a place that promised safety—only to order their execution. Among them was a fifteen-year-old believer who refused to deny Christ. Eighteen years later, on the same date, two passenger trains collided at Dutchman's Curve near Nashville, Tennessee, in one of the deadliest rail disasters in American history. This time, no one intended the...

Same date, two New England moments, one hard question: can you force someone into real faith — or scare them into it? On July 8, 1663, Roger Williams's Rhode Island secured one of the first charters on earth guaranteeing full liberty of conscience. On July 8, 1741 — seventy-eight years later — Jonathan Edwards preached the most famous fire-and-brimstone sermon in American history at Enfield, Connecticut. Today's Scattered Moments Almanac holds these two side by side and asks what they actually h...

Welcome to Psalm Meditations, an ongoing series from Scattered Moments—quiet, reflective journeys into the songs of Scripture. Some passages of the Bible are meant to be studied. Others are meant to be lived. The Psalms have a remarkable way of finding us in our joy, our grief, our questions, and our hope, giving voice to prayers we didn't know how to pray. In this episode, "Hidden Rooms," we enter the breathtaking world of Psalm 139—a psalm that reminds us we are completely known and complete...

Three doors. One calendar date. Three very different choices. On July 7, Lottie Moon leaves the comfort of home to carry the light of the gospel to China. Decades later, a misunderstanding at the Marco Polo Bridge erupts into a war that will cost millions of lives. Then, in 1944, the faithful ministry of George W. Truett comes to a close after nearly half a century of opening the doors of the church to all who would come. In this episode of Moments Almanac, we explore how one date in history ...

Some passages of Scripture don't simply teach us—they find us. In this reflective episode of Scattered Moments, we journey into the haunting beauty of Psalm 42, where waves, tears, longing, and hope meet in one of the Bible's most deeply personal prayers. Through an original spoken-word meditation, we'll explore how our deepest disappointments can become the very places where we encounter God's deepest mercy. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by grief, weighed down by unanswered questions, or f...

On July 6, 1415, Jan Hus was condemned and burned at the stake for insisting that Scripture — not church councils — held final authority, a conviction that would resurface a century later in Martin Luther. On July 6, 1885, Louis Pasteur risked his reputation to give an untested rabies vaccine to a dying boy. Two men, centuries apart, staked everything on a truth they couldn't yet prove — and both truths outlived them. Today's Moments Almanac looks at what it costs to hold to the truth, and why i...

Some laws reveal the way the universe works. Others reveal the condition of the human heart. On July 5, 1687, Isaac Newton's Principia Mathematica introduced the laws of motion and gravity, describing an invisible force that acts with perfect impartiality. One hundred sixty-five years later, on July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass stood before an Independence Day audience in Rochester, New York, and exposed a nation whose laws promised equality while denying it to millions. What do these two rema...

25 Ways to Share Grace Grace isn't just something we receive from God—it's something we're called to pass along. In this episode of Scattered Moments, Matt Tullos explores twenty-five simple, practical ways to show grace in everyday life. From the words we choose to the way we listen, serve, react, and walk with God, these aren't grand gestures reserved for extraordinary people. They're small, intentional acts of kindness that anyone can practice. You don't have to do all twenty-five. In fact...

Every Fourth of July, we celebrate with fireworks, flags, and familiar stories. But hidden beneath the celebration are fascinating moments that many Americans have never heard. In this special Independence Day edition of Moments Almanac, we uncover ten little-known facts about July 4, 1776—from the surprising day America actually voted for independence to the real story behind the Liberty Bell, the risks taken by the signers, and the remarkable coincidence that brought two Founding Fathers to t...

Twelve spies entered the same land. They walked the same hills, carried the same fruit, and looked at the same giants. Yet ten came back talking about fear, while two came back talking about faith. In this dramatized reading, journey into one of Scripture's most unforgettable moments from Numbers 13. With multiple voices, a touch of humor, and a timeless challenge, this episode reminds us that our perspective often shapes our future. Are you staring at the giants... or celebrating the grapes G...