Fire in the Darkness

Claire Black: Welcome to True Girl, a podcast for girls and their moms. I’m Claire Black. Together we’re exploring God’s truth for us . . . and we’re hoping for a hayride before too long!

[Tractor]

Yep. That’s Farmer Bob’s tractor, and it’s headed straight to a cozy bonfire under the stars where the whole True Girl team is enjoying the woods near Dannah Gresh’s farm.

There’s just one problem.Out here in the night, it can feel pretty dark. Maybe even a little . . . scary. But there’s one thing that makes the dark safe and warm—a glowing campfire. And, that’s exactly what God’s Word can do for our hearts.

This episode of the True Girl Podcast is all about finding comfort in His Word when life feels scary. Even in the hardest moments, delighting in God’s Word can bring peace, strength, and hope.

Now, before I hand you over to Dannah and Staci Rudolph, I want to pray for you. Remember, we’ve been asking God to open our eyes to the wonder of His Word this season.

Dear Jesus. Your word is wonderful, but we sometimes need help from you to truly see that. Open the eyes of our hearts so we can see what you want us to. Ignite the wonder in us. In Jesus’ name, amen!

Okay True Girl. Grab some marshmallows and graham crackers. It’s time to “Ignite the Wonder.” 

Let’s head out to that campfire and join the True Girl team. They’re singing “Kumbaya.” This is episode 3 of season 19. The title is “Fire in the Darkness.”

Singing:

Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah!
Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah!
Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah!
O Lord, kum ba yah!

Dannah Gresh: Wow, Staci. That was beautiful! Thanks for leading us.

Staci Rudolph: Anytime, Dannah . . . especially when ya pay me in hot cider with a dash of spicy hot cayenne pepper!

[Taking a sip] 

Yummy!

Dannah: I’m gonna take your word for it. I like mine sweet!

Ya know, I was wondering. What does kum ba yah mean? Do you know?

Staci: Actually, I looked it up. I didn’t want to be singing something weird at this bonfire!

[Group giggles]

Staci: Kum ba ya comes from the Gullah language. It’s spoken by African Americans in some of the Islands offshore of the United States.

Christian missionaries from the U.S. took the song to Africa and the Caribbean. When they returned home, they brought it into church gatherings and summer camps. And, voila! The world’s official campfire song was born.

Dannah: Cool . . . but what’s it mean?

Staci: Kum ba ya means “come by here.”

Dannah: So we’re singing, “Come by here, my Lord, come by here.”

Staci: Yep! Isn’t it a comforting song?

Dannah: Sure is.

[Camp fire sounds]

Staci: I don’t know about you, but after the world’s biggest s’more and that awesome cup of hot cider, I could just stretch out right here and sleep all night.

[Coyotes in the distance followed by group murmurs]

Staci: Cancel that! I’ve heard that sound before, when we were walking out here during the last podcast season! Dannah Gresh, remind me what that is? You said campfire, s’mores, hot cider, singing. You said not one thing about terrifying prey animals in the night.

Dannah: Okay, but remember what we did last time? We built a fire to at least act like we were keeping them away?

Staci: Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. 

Dannah: We’re perfectly safe here by the fire. Animals like coyotes are actually afraid of fire . . . and people. They keep their distance.

Staci: (still nervous) Coyotes?! Well, they can keep their distance all night if they want.

Dannah: Well, I was planning on sharing another power verse from Psalm 119. This seems like the right time.

In fact, this reminds me of something from Psalm 119. It’s verse 76. Let me find it here in my Bible.

Here we go: “Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant.”

Staci: (relaxing a little) Oh . . . comfort. That sounds like exactly what I need right now.

Dannah: Yep. Just like this fire is keeping the darkness—and the coyotes—at bay, God’s love does that for our fears. His steadfast love is like a shield that surrounds us.

Staci: So when I’m scared, I can ask Him for comfort—just like the psalmist did?

Dannah: Exactly. Let’s zoom out on this verse for some important context. Remember, Psalm 119 is this big, beautiful chapter all about God’s Word. It’s written by someone who had his own dark, scary moments. 

And as we zoom in on this verse right here—76—he’s asking God to let His promises and His love calm his heart.

You know, my friends, sometimes I think we forget—this book we call the Bible, it’s not just a book. It’s not just ancient words on thin, crinkly pages.

It’s a love letter.

Think about it. Every page, every story, every promise—it’s God saying to you: “I see you. I know you. I love you more than you can imagine.”

When we open our Bibles, we’re not checking off a to-do list or reading a school assignment. We’re meeting with Someone who loves us deeply and wants to spend time with us, and who can comfort us.

It’s like sitting right here by this fire. 

[Campfire and night sounds]

God draws close in His Word. He warms us, comforts us, and reminds us: “I’ll never leave you. You are mine.”

So when the world feels cold or scary—whether it’s coyotes howling outside or fears howling inside—His steadfast love is the place to run.

Staci: You know, I’ve felt that.Growing up, I hated the night time because I had trouble sleeping. When the sun would start to go down, I would become really anxious and nervous because I knew everyone else would start getting ready for bed, and they’d fall fast asleep right away. Me on the other hand, I knew that I’d spend a couple hours just laying awake listening for scary sounds in the night and wishing I could go to sleep. 

One day after hearing 2 Timothy 1:7 in Sunday school, I wrote that verse out and taped it to my wall. It reminded me that God had not given me a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind. I would read it at night when I couldn’t fall asleep and before you know it, I’d start to calm down and drift off into dreamland.

Dannah: That’s so powerful. That’s exactly what Psalm 119:76 is talking about. God’s promises don’t just give us facts—they bring us comfort because they come from Someone who loves us.

[Distant sound of tractor]

Dannah: Oh, do you guys hear that?

[Murmurs “sure do”]

Staci: That’d be Farmer Bob. It’s time for the hay ride! I’m pretty sure hayrides count as cardio. Let’s move!

Dannah: [giggles] Yeah, I need it after all those s’mores. They’re like potato chips for me—I can never eat just one.

Staci: Yeah, I noticed! That’s why I’m saying, someone who shall remain nameless, needs the cardio!

Claire: Wow, the Bible is a love letter from God! Did you hear Dannah say that!? That’s one reason it’s such a comfort. 

Spending time in God’s Word isn’t just about filling your brain with words. It’s about filling your heart with Jesus Himself. The New Living Translation of John 1:1 says, “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” 

That’s talking about Jesus. He is the Word. That means every time you open your Bible, you’re not just reading words on a page. You’re spending time with the One who wrote them.

Here’s a pro tip to ignite the wonder in God’s Word: when you sit down to read, pause and pray, “Jesus, meet me here.” Because He will. Maybe you could even sing “Kum ba yah,” or “Come by here, Lord.” 

And speaking of coming by, Dannah and Staci would love for you to come by one of the next True Girl Pop-Up Parties. There’s one this September in Wisconsin. And in October, they’ll be in Houston, Texas. We’ve had girls from all over the world come to these events! Girls and moms from Luxembourg, Canada, and the Dominican Republic have flown in and said they’d do it again. So, we hope you’ll join us, too. It’s your chance to experience worship, Bible teaching, and a whole weekend of wonder in God’s Word. Go to MyTrueGirl.com to learn more.

And come back for the next episode when we’ll climb onto Farmer Bob’s hay wagon for a ride under the stars. The fire may be behind us, but we’re not done exploring God’s Word together. We’ll learn how to spot sin creeping into our lives—and how to snuff it out before it grows.

Until then, keep the fire burning by spending time in God’s Word every single day.

The True Girl Podcast is produced by Revive Our Hearts, calling women of all ages to freedom, fullness, and fruitfulness in Christ.

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