Followed By Mercy
The Followed By Mercy Podcast
Real Grace, Honest Hope
You might notice a new name and a fresh look, but the heart behind this podcast is the same. After years as the World Evangelism Podcast, I sensed God leading me to a deeper, more personal path centered on His relentless mercy and the kind of honest hope that can reach into every hurting place. That’s why this show is now called Followed By Mercy Podcast. The format may shift, and the tone may be a bit more personal, but my mission hasn’t changed: I still believe the world desperately needs to hear the good news of God’s love in Jesus Christ. You are welcome here if you’ve been with me from the beginning or just found us now.
What if God’s love is more personal, stubborn, and relentless than you ever imagined?
Welcome to The Followed By Mercy Podcast, where we get honest about pain, hope, and the kind of grace that finds you right where you are, five days a week. This isn’t about religious performance or church routines. It’s for anyone who’s ever felt worn out, unseen, or unsure if they belong in the story of God’s love. Every conversation is rooted in this reality: God loves you right now, just as you are, and He isn’t giving up on you.
Here’s what you’ll find in every episode:
Experience God’s Relentless Love
Every show starts by reminding you that the Shepherd knows your name, cares about your story, and isn’t offended by your failures or questions. This is personal—it’s about God’s unwavering affection for you.
Find Your Place in His Heart
Once you grasp how fiercely you’re loved, sharing that love with others doesn’t feel forced. It becomes the most natural thing in the world. Real grace overflows.
Prayer That Changes You
We pray together—not just for the world “out there,” but for the battles and hopes you’re carrying right now. These prayers are honest, rooted in Scripture, and meant for hearts that need a gentle touch from the Shepherd.
Discover Your Unique Role
Whether you’re called to go, give, serve, or show kindness in your corner of the world, God’s mercy meets you where you are. You’re not just a bystander. You are His beloved, invited into the story He’s writing.
When life knocks the wind out of you, this is a place to catch your breath. You’ll hear the encouragement that meets you on your hardest days, and your honest questions will be welcomed. No pretending, no heavy-handed advice—just the reminder that your Shepherd is right there with you, walking every step with you, even when you feel like giving up.
Why does this matter? Because some days, it feels like nobody sees you or cares what you’re going through. But the truth is, you have a Shepherd who never takes His eyes off you, lets you slip through the cracks, and never gives up on you. That kind of love can put you back on your feet, and it might be the hope someone else is waiting to see in you, too.
If you’re longing for more than just religious talk—if you want to know you’re not alone and that God’s mercy is following you all the way home, you’re in the right place. Whether you listen in the car, on a walk, or in a quiet moment, let every episode remind you: God’s mercy is after you right now, ready to bring real grace and honest hope.
Subscribe today and join a community to discover what happens when loved people become loving people. The journey’s just beginning, and there’s a place for you here.
Followed By Mercy
Unveiling Divine Purpose: Aligning Your Life with God's Call
What if understanding God's call on your life could transform your daily existence? Join us as we embark on a heartfelt journey of discovering divine purpose, drawing from personal experiences and the timeless wisdom of figures like Spurgeon. Listen to inspiring stories of early callings, such as feeling a mission to Peru, and learn how a consistent relationship with God is crucial for discerning His will. We'll explore the significance of daily obedience, trust, and aligning your unique gifts with God's plan, ensuring a clear sense of direction and purpose unfolds over time.
Curious about how to prepare for a potential call to ministry? We provide practical steps to evaluate your abilities and qualifications against biblical standards. By focusing on fulfilling today's tasks and seizing opportunities for growth and service, you can gradually unveil God's will in your life. Reflecting on key scriptural references and personal anecdotes, this episode will motivate you to live each day fully committed to God's guidance, with the reassurance that clarity and direction will come as you faithfully serve. Don't miss out on this deep and engaging conversation about aligning your life with divine purpose.
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Well, I'm very glad I get to talk to you about God's call on our lives. I can't imagine of anything more beautiful, more special, more wonderful. I fully remember as God began calling me. I definitely remember when God dealt with my heart about being a missionary at the age of 11. I remember when God broke my heart to start a church and I did that first time. I remember when God was convicting me strongly to be a missionary to Peru and he just worked in my heart in such a way. I remember those things so very well.
Austin Gardner:You want to know God's leading you, so I want to challenge you with that when you arrive at the end of our discussion this week. I will give you a checklist as we finish. And Spurgeon said it in a paragraph that was above. He said you need to figure out if you're really called. He trained a lot of men, he had a lot of wisdom and he was just saying to you just because it seems cool doesn't mean it's right. Just because you have a desire, just because you like the pastor, doesn't mean that God's necessarily called you as you seek to know God's will for your life or if he's calling you to the mission field.
Austin Gardner:I point out to you that your personal relationship with God is where it all begins. If you have an on-again, off-again relationship, you shouldn't expect much direction. As you deepen your relationship with God and love him more every day, then you will obey him more and more. As you trust, love and obey, you'll want to please him more every day. That is the first step in knowing what God wants you to do with your life. You need to know I'm in it all the way. I'm obeying God on a daily basis. This is not something I think about today and don't think about tomorrow. God is really working in my life.
Austin Gardner:The challenge is to consider how God gifted you. He will not call you to do something he hasn't gifted you to do. If you're of the female persuasion, then he didn't call you to preach or lead a church. That's basic Bible understanding 1 Timothy 2 and verse 12. He doesn't want a woman to take authority over men. So look over your gifting, check your abilities, check what God gave you. Are you able to talk to people? Can you teach and preach effectively? And then I'll leave today's session with you at this.
Austin Gardner:Check out the qualifications found in 1 Timothy 3 and in Titus, chapter 1. Be sure that you're qualified to be in the ministry. We desire the office of the bishop and that's where it begins. We need to be sure that we qualify and that's why God gave us an entire list to look at and see and know whether or not we are called to be in the ministry. So check it out Every day.
Austin Gardner:Serve God to the best of your ability, do what he wants you to do today, and do it again tomorrow, and do it again the next day. If you live that way, then his will clears up for you. You won't know everything God wants you to do from now to the end of your life. You can know what he wants you to do today. One of my favorite verses is Matthew, chapter 6 and verse 34, and the Bible says sufficient to the day is the evil thereof. In other words, do today what you know to do, and tomorrow will take care of itself. You'll have more troubles tomorrow, but you don't need to worry about them. You had troubles yesterday, but you don't need to worry about them. Just do today whatever it is that God's called you to do. Whatever's before you. Deal with today and let tomorrow take care of itself. Prepare to do whatever God will have you to do. Take every ministry opportunity that presents itself. Go through every open door. Learn and receive all the training that you can. Somewhere along the way you'll start realizing where you fit in. So you do what's at hand, you do what you know to do, and God clarifies the rest.
Austin Gardner:I need to remind you you don't know God's will. If God had told Paul at the very beginning that he was going to suffer like he was going to suffer and go through all he was going to go through, there's a good chance Paul might not have surrendered to the ministry. But Paul went to the ministry saying I'll do what God wants me to do today, and he took it step by step and went all the way to where God had for him. If a job in the ministry is beneath you, then you are not missionary material. I recently heard a young preacher say that he couldn't help moving the chairs in the church because he doesn't like to sweat. He is probably not qualified to be in any role in church leadership.
Austin Gardner:So I just want to challenge you to take the time to go over your call. Make sure that God's dealing, to go over your call. Make sure that God's dealing with you in your heart. Make sure you're figuring out what God would have you do. Don't just flippantly enter into this. It calls for more than that in your life. God has a plan for your life and God is at work. Follow him, honor him and obey him.
