Southern Soul Chats

What is the Kingdom of God worth to you? In Matthew 13:44–46, Jesus shares two parables: the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Value. Through these stories, we explore what it means to recognize the incredible worth of God's Kingdom and what happens when we truly discover it. 
Join us as we dig into Scripture, ask meaningful questions, and consider what we treasure most. 
Because when you discover something of immeasurable value, it changes everything. 
Open your Bible, grab your companion study guide, and let's grow together! 
Follow Stepping Forward Ministries for more Bible studies, encouragement, and conversations about living out our faith. 
Biblical Rooting: 
Matthew 13:44-46 (NIV) 
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Value 
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” 

Show Resources: 
10 Day Bible Companion Guide Ep.3 Click here ←– 
Bible Study Playlist 
Recommened Text : Grasping God’s Word, Duvall & Hays 
Current Day Parable Video ->Parable of the Hidden Treasure 
(Please note: We may share links to external resources for your convenience. However, this does not imply full endorsement of the entire site, author, or organization. The views expressed may differ from our own.) 
Your Support Matters: 
This podcast is a branch of Stepping Forward Ministries, a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to using the unwavering truths of God’s Word to teach, equip, and empower people to step forward in their relationship with Christ. One of the ways we fulfill this mission is through this podcast! To learn more about us, visit www.steppingfwd.org. 
Want to connect, support, or take a step of faith? Whether you have a story to share, want to sponsor our podcast, support the mission, or learn how to follow Jesus—we’d love to hear from you. Let’s put faith into action together! 
👉 Click here to connect with us. Don’t forget to add us on your social media accounts! You can find us at @steppingfwdministries across all platforms! 
Disclaimer: 
Southern Soul Chats and Stepping Forward Ministries are not a church, pastoral authority, or licensed counseling service. While we aim to equip and encourage you through biblical truth and personal testimonies, all content shared is for spiritual encouragement and educational purposes only. By listening, you acknowledge that you

What does it mean that the Kingdom of God is already here, yet still to come? In Session One of our Bible study series, “The Kingdom of God: Here but Not Yet,” we begin exploring what Jesus meant when He announced that the Kingdom had arrived.
We’ll look at Scripture, unpack what the Kingdom meant in Jesus’ time, and begin discovering what it means for us to live as citizens of God’s Kingdom right now.
The Kingdom is here. The question is: Are we living like it?
Biblical Rooting: 
Matthew 13:31-33 (NIV)
The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast
31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”
33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds[b] of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
Show Resources:
Bible Study Companion…. Week 1
 10 Day Bible Companion Guide Ep. 2 Click here ←–
Bible Study Playlist
Grasping God’s Word, Duvall & Hays
(Please note: We may share links to external resources for your convenience. However, this does not imply full endorsement of the entire site, author, or organization. The views expressed may differ from our own.)
Your Support Matters:
This podcast is a branch of Stepping Forward Ministries, a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to using the unwavering truths of God’s Word to teach, equip, and empower people to step forward in their relationship with Christ. One of the ways we fulfill this mission is through this podcast! To learn more about us, visit www.steppingfwd.org.
Want to connect, support, or take a step of faith? Whether you have a story to share, want to sponsor our podcast, support the mission, or learn how to follow Jesus—we’d love to hear from you. Let’s put faith into action together!
👉 Click here to connect with us. Don’t forget to add us on your social media accounts! You can find us at @steppingfwdministries across all platforms!
Disclaimer:
Southern Soul Chats and Stepping Forward Ministries are not a church, pastoral authority, or licensed counseling service. While we aim to equip and encourage you through biblical truth and personal testimonies, all content shared is for spiritual encouragement and educational purposes only. By listening, you acknowledge that you engage with this content voluntarily and accept full responsibility for how you apply it in your life.

We’re back! And this season of Southern Soul Chats is going to look a little different.
For our fall season opener, Jeremy, my husband, joins me for a conversation about what God has been doing in our lives over the past year—and what happens when He asks you to step into something you didn’t expect.
We’re sharing a little of our story, including a major step of obedience that changed the direction of our family and ministry. But you’ll have to listen to hear the story unfold.
And this season, we’re going deeper.
We’re launching a Bible study together through the Gospel of Matthew, exploring the Kingdom of God and the parables Jesus used to teach us what it looks like to live as citizens of His Kingdom.
So welcome back to Southern Soul Chats. We’re glad you’re here. Let’s chat.
Biblical Rooting: 
Colossians 2:6–7 (NIV)
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”
Show Resources:
Bible Study Companion….Before the Parable:
 10 Day Bible Study Prep Work Click here ←–
(Please note: We may share links to external resources for your convenience. However, this does not imply full endorsement of the entire site, author, or organization. The views expressed may differ from our own.)
Your Support Matters:
This podcast is a branch of Stepping Forward Ministries, a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to using the unwavering truths of God’s Word to teach, equip, and empower people to step forward in their relationship with Christ. One of the ways we fulfill this mission is through this podcast! To learn more about us, visit www.steppingfwd.org.
Want to connect, support, or take a step of faith? Whether you have a story to share, want to sponsor our podcast, support the mission, or learn how to follow Jesus—we’d love to hear from you. Let’s put faith into action together!
👉 Click here to connect with us. Don’t forget to add us on your social media accounts! You can find us at @steppingfwdministries across all platforms!
Disclaimer:
Southern Soul Chats and Stepping Forward Ministries are not a church, pastoral authority, or licensed counseling service. While we aim to equip and encourage you through biblical truth and personal testimonies, all content shared is for spiritual encouragement and educational purposes only. By listening, you acknowledge that you engage with this content voluntarily and accept full responsibility for how you apply it in your life.

In this second part of Holding On While Letting Go, Courtney and Phil Collins share the more difficult part of their story—the loss of their son Lucas and the weight of grief that followed.With honesty and vulnerability, they reflect on what happened, how their world shifted, and what it has looked like to navigate life after loss. Some parts of this conversation include more detailed and emotional descriptions of their experience, shared with care and a desire to honor Lucas’s life and legacy.Through the pain, we also hear about faith that has been tested, identity that has been reshaped, and a God who remains present even in deep sorrow.This is not just a story of loss—it is a story of love that continues, faith that endures, and a family choosing to live like Lucas in his honor.**This episode contains a conversation around the loss of a child and includes some details surrounding grief and death. We share this with care and respect, and we encourage listeners to proceed with gentleness if this is a sensitive topic for you.**Biblical Rooting: Psalm 34:18“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”Show Resources:(Please note: We may share links to external resources for your convenience. However, this does not imply full endorsement of the entire site, author, or organization. The views expressed may differ from our own.)Your Support Matters:This podcast is a branch of Stepping Forward Ministries, a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to using the unwavering truths of God’s Word to teach, equip, and empower people to step forward in their relationship with Christ. One of the ways we fulfill this mission is through this podcast! To learn more about us, visit www.steppingfwd.org.Want to connect, support, or take a step of faith? Whether you have a story to share, want to sponsor our podcast, support the mission, or learn how to follow Jesus—we’d love to hear from you. Let’s put faith into action together!👉 Click here to connect with us. Don’t forget to add us on your social media accounts! You can find us at @steppingfwdministries across all platforms!Disclaimer:Southern Soul Chats and Stepping Forward Ministries are not a church, pastoral authority, or licensed counseling service. While we aim to equip and encourage you through biblical truth and personal testimonies, all content shared is for spiritual encouragement and educational purposes only. By listening, you acknowledge that you engage with this content voluntarily and accept full responsibility for how you apply it in your life.

In this first part of Holding On While Letting Go, Courtney and Phil Collins open up their story from the beginning—how they met, the life they built together, and the family they love deeply.
We hear about their children, the joys of parenting, and their son Lucas, whose life would ultimately shape their hearts and purpose in ways they never expected. This conversation lays the foundation of who they were as a family before loss entered their story.
We also begin to see how God’s presence was woven through their everyday life long before grief ever came.
This is a story of love, family, and faith—before everything changed.

**This episode contains a conversation around the loss of a child and includes some details surrounding grief and death. We share this with care and respect, and we encourage listeners to proceed with gentleness if this is a sensitive topic for you.**

Biblical Rooting: 
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Show Resources:
(Please note: We may share links to external resources for your convenience. However, this does not imply full endorsement of the entire site, author, or organization. The views expressed may differ from our own.)
Your Support Matters:
This podcast is a branch of Stepping Forward Ministries, a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to using the unwavering truths of God’s Word to teach, equip, and empower people to step forward in their relationship with Christ. One of the ways we fulfill this mission is through this podcast! To learn more about us, visit www.steppingfwd.org.
Want to connect, support, or take a step of faith? Whether you have a story to share, want to sponsor our podcast, support the mission, or learn how to follow Jesus—we’d love to hear from you. Let’s put faith into action together!
👉 Click here to connect with us. Don’t forget to add us on your social media accounts! You can find us at @steppingfwdministries across all platforms!
Disclaimer:
Southern Soul Chats and Stepping Forward Ministries are not a church, pastoral authority, or licensed counseling service. While we aim to equip and encourage you through biblical truth and personal testimonies, all content shared is for spiritual encouragement and educational purposes only. By listening, you acknowledge that you engage with this content voluntarily and accept full responsibility for how you apply it in your life.
Psalm 34:18