Episodes

On June 27, two remarkable lives remind us that God delights in giving people a voice. In 1736, a young George Whitefield stepped into the pulpit to preach his very first sermon. He began awkwardly, surrounded by family and friends, but before long the Holy Spirit filled him with boldness. That hesitant beginning would grow into one of the most influential preaching ministries of the Great Awakening. More than a century later, Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama. Deaf and blind from e...

On June 26, two men stood under extraordinary pressure and uttered words that history has never forgotten. In 363, the Roman Emperor Julian—remembered as "Julian the Apostate"—died after spending two years trying to reverse the rise of Christianity. Tradition says his final words were, "Thou hast conquered, O Galilean." Sixteen centuries later, in 1963, President John F. Kennedy stood before a divided Berlin and declared, "Ich bin ein Berliner"—"I am a Berliner"—offering hope to a city surroun...

On June 25, two remarkable moments—separated by more than three centuries—ask the same enduring question. In 1530, Philip Melanchthon stood before the Holy Roman Emperor as the Augsburg Confession was read aloud, declaring the convictions of the Protestant Reformation before the most powerful ruler in Europe. In 1865, Hudson Taylor sat alone on a beach in Brighton, England, and prayed for twenty-four missionaries to carry the gospel into inland China. That quiet prayer became the China Inland ...

On June 24, 64 AD, Emperor Nero began the brutal persecution of Christians in Rome. Men and women were arrested, crucified, and even burned as human torches in the emperor's gardens. Nero believed fire could silence the faith. Nearly fifteen centuries later, on the same date, John of the Cross was born in Spain. Imprisoned by his own religious order and confined to a dark cell, he discovered something remarkable: sometimes God does His deepest work in the dark. From that prison came The Dark Ni...

On June 23, 1683, William Penn signed a remarkable treaty with the Lenni Lenape people of Pennsylvania—a peace agreement built not on force or fear, but on mutual respect and trust. Penn believed God's law was already written on the human heart. Nearly two centuries later, on June 23, 1868, Christopher Latham Sholes received a patent for an invention that would change the way ideas travel through the world: the typewriter. One man used words to build peace. Another built a machine that would c...

The Run-On Sentence of Grace This may be the longest sentence we’ve ever attempted on Scattered Moments. A breathless list of all the things we use to measure ourselves—and each other: weight, IQ, credit score, parenting success, athletic ability, Facebook friends, square footage, the size of your boat, the shine on your floor, and about a hundred other things that seem important until they aren’t. The good news? God’s love isn’t hanging on any of them. Not your résumé. Not your failures. N...

On June 22, 1714, Matthew Henry died on the road at fifty-one — thrown from his horse, laid down in a stranger's house, his great commentary on Scripture unfinished. His last words: "A life spent in the service of God and communion with him is the most comfortable and pleasant life anyone can live." Thirteen men finished the work after he was gone. On June 22, 1750, Jonathan Edwards was fired from his Northampton congregation — 230 votes to 23, after twenty-three years of ministry. He received ...

On June 21, 1892, Reinhold Niebuhr was born. Though some of his theology remains a matter of debate among evangelical Christians, his influence on American religious thought is impossible to ignore. More than anything else, he is remembered for a simple prayer written during the turmoil of the twentieth century—words that would find their way into church bulletins, hospital rooms, recovery groups, and countless hearts: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage ...

On June 20, Moments Almanac remembers two missionary milestones separated by five years and thousands of miles. In 1880, Samuel Robbins Brown, one of the first American missionaries to Japan, died after a lifetime of faithful service. His work in education and discipleship helped shape a generation during a pivotal season in Japan's history. Then, in 1885, Moravian missionaries arrived in Alaska and established the Bethel Mission, carrying the Gospel to one of the most remote frontiers in Nort...

A Guided Meditation on Isaiah 40:31 Life has a way of draining us. Responsibilities pile up. Worries linger. Even faithful hearts can grow weary. In this guided meditation, we slow down and rest in one of Scripture's most beloved promises: "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength..." — Isaiah 40:31 Through gentle reflection, prayerful pauses, and the calming truth of God's Word, you'll be invited to release your burdens, breathe deeply, and remember that your strength does...

On June 19, 1865, freedom arrived in Galveston, Texas, with the reading of General Order No. 3, announcing that enslaved people were free. More than two centuries earlier, on June 19, 1623, Blaise Pascal was born—a brilliant scientist, mathematician, and Christian thinker who spent his life exploring the mysteries of the human heart. In this episode of Moments Almanac, we reflect on two kinds of freedom: freedom proclaimed and freedom discovered. From the celebration of Juneteenth to Pascal's s...

Scattered Moments — Moments Almanac | June 18 Held Up June 18 carries two stories four centuries apart — and they say the same thing. In 1546, a twenty-five-year-old woman named Anne Askew was convicted of heresy in London for believing what most Baptists believe about communion. She was racked in the Tower of London, carried to the stake on a chair because she could no longer walk, and burned. She never recanted. She never gave up a name. And from her prison cell she wrote words of pure wors...

Wrecks Welcome There was a man in our accountability group years ago who made the rest of us look pretty good—or so I thought. For about three seconds. In this episode of Scattered Moments, Matt reflects on the difference between the wreckage everyone can see and the hidden struggles we work so hard to conceal. From public failures to private battles with pride, resentment, greed, and ambition, we discover that we're all standing on the same ground before God. Drawing from Psalm 130, this epi...

What do a fiery preacher and a towering statue have in common? On this episode of Moments Almanac, we explore the birth of John Wesley on June 17, 1703, and the arrival of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor on June 17, 1885. One carried a spiritual flame that helped spark a worldwide revival. The other lifted a torch that welcomed generations seeking hope and a new beginning. Along the way, we reflect on Wesley's stirring challenge: "Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but si...

🦋 🌊 June 16 – The Storm and the Butterfly What does a butterfly have to do with the resurrection? And what can a storm-tossed ocean teach us about compassion? In this episode of Moments Almanac, we remember two remarkable stories connected to June 16. First, we meet Joseph Butler, the eighteenth-century bishop and apologist who challenged skeptics by pointing to the natural world itself. Looking at the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly, Butler saw evidence that God had written ...

A Scattered Moments Sleep Story Travel beneath a canopy of stars and across quiet ocean waters as you journey through the life of Lottie Moon. This gentle sleep story follows the beloved missionary from the familiar shores of Virginia to the distant villages of China, where faith, courage, and simple obedience shaped a remarkable life. Along the way, you'll encounter lantern-lit evenings, peaceful sea voyages, whispered prayers, and reminders of God's faithful presence in every season. Design...

On this episode of Moments Almanac, we remember Josiah Henson, born June 15, 1789. Born into slavery, he became a preacher, abolitionist, community builder, and advocate for freedom. His story reminds us that while we cannot always choose our circumstances, we can choose our character. Through faith, integrity, and perseverance, Josiah Henson overcame evil with good and left a legacy that still speaks today. Share Your Thoughts

On this episode of Moments Almanac, we reflect on two stories connected by a common thread of compassion. Born on June 14, 1811, Harriet Beecher Stowe used her pen to awaken a nation's conscience, reminding readers of the humanity of those trapped in slavery. More than a century later, during the Titanic hearings of 1912, Second Officer Charles Lightoller spoke of "the law of human nature and Christian chivalry" as he described the principle of putting women and children first in the lifeboats....

What if growing older isn't supposed to make us cynical? On this episode of Moments Almanac, we remember two remarkable figures connected to June 13: Saint Anthony of Padua, remembered as the patron saint of lost things, and Christian writer Dorothy L. Sayers, whose faith-filled imagination continues to inspire readers around the world. Along the way, we explore what it means to recover the wonder, hope, and curiosity that life sometimes causes us to misplace. Drawing from Sayers' beautiful r...

On June 12, 1929, Anne Frank was born. On June 12, 1963, Medgar Evers was murdered. One entered the world on this day. One left it. Yet both continue to speak. In this episode of Moments Almanac, we remember two lives shaped by courage in the face of hatred and injustice. From a hidden attic in Nazi-occupied Europe to a driveway in Jackson, Mississippi, Anne Frank and Medgar Evers remind us that even the smallest light can shine through the deepest darkness. Drawing from John 1:5 and the endu...

What do an ancient encourager, a modern ocean explorer, and a timeless proverb have in common? On this June 11 edition of Moments Almanac, we remember Barnabas—the Son of Encouragement—and celebrate the birthday of Jacques Cousteau, whose journeys revealed the wonders hidden beneath the sea. Together, their stories remind us that the deepest journeys of life and faith are rarely made alone. Drawing from Proverbs 27:17, this episode explores the power of encouragement, friendship, forgiveness,...

What can two very different dogs teach us about the Christian life? In this episode of Scattered Moments, Matt Tullos shares the humorous story of Frank, a dachshund whose life mission was escaping every fence ever built, and Arthur, a faithful companion who had the freedom to go anywhere but simply wanted to stay close to the people he loved. Along the way, you'll discover a gentle truth about God's boundaries, our tendency to wander, and the surprising freedom found in abiding with Christ. ...

The world celebrates noise, urgency, and constant activity. Scripture offers a different path. In this episode of Moments Almanac, we reflect on June 10 through the lens of a quiet and faithful life: Thomas à Kempis and reflect on Paul's gentle encouragement in 1 Thessalonians 4:11: "Seek to lead a quiet life." We'll reflect on the simple wisdom of Rich Mullins, and consider how God often does His deepest work not through applause or spectacle, but through ordinary faithfulness. The kingdom o...

Tonight, we climb a quiet mountain with Jesus. In this gentle Christian sleep story, you'll journey alongside Christ and His disciples as they ascend the mountain where the veil between heaven and earth seems to grow thin. Inspired by the biblical account of the Transfiguration, this story invites you to imagine the peace of resting in the presence of Jesus—the place where God's Kingdom is most fully known. With slow narration, calming imagery, and a focus on Christ's nearness, this episode i...