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[SPEAKER_00]: Christian parenting.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Are you searching for the perfect gifts to celebrate the special mom's stats and grads in your life?

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[SPEAKER_00]: We are thrilled to bring back the Christian parenting mom, stats, and grads gift guide.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And this year's edition is our best one yet.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Whether you're honoring a loving mom, a devoted dad, or an inspiring grad, we've got you covered with meaningful gifts they'll truly love.

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[SPEAKER_00]: From Bible's and study tools to encouraging folks your guarantee to find something special for everyone on your gift list this spring.

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[SPEAKER_00]: visit christianparenteen.org forward slash gifts.

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[SPEAKER_00]: That's christianparenteen.org forward slash gifts to explore the 2026 mom, stads and grads gift guide today.

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[SPEAKER_00]: The link is also in the show notes.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Hello and welcome to the True Seekers podcast, a true secret is someone who wants to know the truth.

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[SPEAKER_00]: They search for what's true and they won't rest until they find it.

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[SPEAKER_00]: I am a true secret and if you are to then you've come to the right place where we will search for truth each week in the stories of the Bible.

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[SPEAKER_00]: In our last episode we stood in the garden with Mary Magdalene as she discovered the most amazing truth anyone had ever heard.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus was alive.

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[SPEAKER_00]: What began as a morning full of sadness became a morning full of joy when Jesus called Mary by name.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Can you imagine trying to keep a secret like that?

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[SPEAKER_00]: Mary could not wait to tell the others, I have seen the Lord, but even after hearing Mary's news, the disciples were still confused and afraid.

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[SPEAKER_00]: The Bible tells us that later that same day, two of Jesus' followers were walking to a village called Amayas.

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[SPEAKER_00]: It was about seven miles from Jerusalem.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Seven miles is a long walk.

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[SPEAKER_00]: That's about the length of walking across an entire town.

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[SPEAKER_00]: As they walked along the dusty road, they talked about everything that had happened to Jesus.

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[SPEAKER_00]: They talked about the cross, they talked about the empty tomb, they talked about the strange reports from the women who said Jesus was alive.

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[SPEAKER_00]: One of the men was named Cleopis.

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[SPEAKER_00]: The Bible does not tell us the name of the other traveler, but both of them were trying to make sense of it all.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Have you ever had something happen that you just could not understand?

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[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe you kept replaying it in your mind over and over trying to figure it out.

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[SPEAKER_00]: That's what these men were doing.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And while they were talking and discussing these things together, someone came near and began walking with them.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Do you know who it was?

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[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus, but something very strange happened.

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[SPEAKER_00]: The Bible says they were kept from recognizing Him, just like Mary in the garden, they did not recognize Him at first.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Somehow they did not realize the man walking beside them was Jesus Himself.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus asked them,

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[SPEAKER_00]: The men stopped walking.

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[SPEAKER_00]: They looked sad.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Cleopest answered.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?

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[SPEAKER_00]: What things, Jesus asked?

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[SPEAKER_00]: The men began telling him all about Jesus of Nazareth.

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[SPEAKER_00]: They explained how Jesus had been a powerful prophet who did amazing miracles and taught the people about God.

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[SPEAKER_00]: They told how the religious leaders handed him over to be crucified, and then they said something heartbreaking.

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[SPEAKER_00]: We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.

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[SPEAKER_00]: We had hoped he was the Messiah we had waited for.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Did you hear those words?

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[SPEAKER_00]: We had hoped.

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[SPEAKER_00]: The disciples thought the story was over.

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[SPEAKER_00]: They thought they had lost, but they still did not understand that God's plan was bigger than they imagined.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Then they explained that some women had amazed them by reporting that the tomb was empty and the angels had said Jesus was alive.

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[SPEAKER_00]: As they walked, Jesus began explaining the scriptures to them.

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[SPEAKER_00]: True seekers, just like we have gone all the way back through the Old Testament.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus started with Moses and all the prophets.

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[SPEAKER_00]: He showed them how the scriptures pointed to the Messiah suffering and then entering glory.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Can you imagine that Bible lesson?

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[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus Himself, explaining all the clues hidden throughout the Old Testament, the clues that pointed to Him.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe He reminded them of Isaiah's prophecy about the suffering servant.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe He reminded them of Jonah spending three days in the belly of the fish.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe He showed them that God's rescue plan had been there all along.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Little by little, their hearts begin to change.

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[SPEAKER_00]: They felt hope.

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[SPEAKER_00]: They felt peace.

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[SPEAKER_00]: They felt joy.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Finally, they reached the village of Amais.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus acted as though he were going farther, but the men urged him strongly, please stay with us for it is nearly evening.

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[SPEAKER_00]: So Jesus went in to stay with them.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Then they sat down together at the table to eat.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus took the bread, gave thanks, broke it, and began to give it to them.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And suddenly, in that moment, their eyes were opened.

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[SPEAKER_00]: It was Jesus.

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[SPEAKER_00]: The whole time they had been walking beside the risen savior and did not even know it.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And just as quickly as they recognized him, Jesus disappeared from their sight.

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[SPEAKER_00]: The men looked at each other in amazement and said, We're not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened this scriptures to us.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Immediately they got up and hurried all the way back to Jerusalem.

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[SPEAKER_00]: They had to tell the others what had happened.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Can you imagine running seven miles after already walking all day?

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[SPEAKER_00]: But they were too excited to stay quiet.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Just like Mary, they had to tell the good news.

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[SPEAKER_00]: When they found the disciples they announced it is true, the Lord has risen.

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[SPEAKER_00]: What a change had taken place.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Earlier that day they were sad, confused, and hopeless, but after encountering Jesus, they were filled with joy, courage, and excitement.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Dear True Seekers, what truth do we learn in today's story today?

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[SPEAKER_00]: There's something important for us to remember.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Sometimes Jesus is closer than we realized,

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[SPEAKER_00]: The two disciples thought they were walking alone in confusion, but Jesus was right there beside them the whole time.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Sometimes in our lives, we may not understand what God is doing.

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[SPEAKER_00]: We may feel disappointed, confused, or afraid.

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[SPEAKER_00]: We may even think God is far away.

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[SPEAKER_00]: but just like on the road to Emmaus, Jesus walks with his people even when they do not recognize him.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And do you know what helped the disciples recognize truth?

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[SPEAKER_00]: The Bible, the scriptures.

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[SPEAKER_00]: As Jesus explained, God's word, their hearts begin to awaken.

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[SPEAKER_00]: God still speaks to us through His word today.

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[SPEAKER_00]: The more we read the Bible, the more we begin to recognize His voice, trust His promises and understand His plan.

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[SPEAKER_00]: The disciples thought the cross meant defeat, but it was actually victory, and what looked like the end of the story was only the beginning.

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[SPEAKER_00]: If you'd like to read today's story in your Bible, you can find it in Luke chapter 24 verses 13 through 35.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Let me pray with you before we go.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you that you walk with us even when we do not realize it.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you that when we are confused, disappointed, or afraid, you do not leave us alone.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Just like the disciples on the road to Amaz, help our hearts burn within us as we hear your word and learn more about you.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Open our eyes to recognize your presence in our lives.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Teach us to trust your plans, even when we do not fully understand them yet.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And help us share the good news that Jesus is alive with courage and joy.

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[SPEAKER_00]: In Jesus' name, amen.

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[SPEAKER_00]: All right, they're just a couple reviews before we go.

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[SPEAKER_00]: This one says, hello, I'm Bev from Minnesota, USA.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And I just love your podcast.

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[SPEAKER_00]: I ask for every night.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Well, thanks, Bev.

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[SPEAKER_00]: I love that you listen to it every night.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for that review.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And this one says, we love your podcast.

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[SPEAKER_00]: We hope you make more.

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[SPEAKER_00]: We give you 100 billion stars for it.

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[SPEAKER_00]: We want to be your best friends forever.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Since the early Esther, who's six years old, and her dad Garrett, well, I am all up for being your best friends forever because you can never have too many best friends.

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[SPEAKER_00]: So consider it done.

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[SPEAKER_00]: All right, thank you for joining me, and I look forward to our time together next week.

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