What if the voice you've been attributing to God isn't His voice at all? What if the harsh, condemning thoughts you've been hearing are actually keeping you from recognizing God's voice and experiencing His love?

In this episode of Java with Jen, author Caitlin Hawk shares her incredible testimony of overcoming addiction, shame, religious condemnation, and destructive patterns after encountering Jesus in the most unexpected place—at a party, while drunk, high, and five months pregnant with twins!

Raised with a picture of God as harsh, demanding, and constantly disappointed in her, Caitlin spent years searching for her worth through athletic accomplishments, relationships, drugs, and alcohol. But when she finally cried out to Jesus, everything began to change.

And her journey to freedom was anything but easy!

Caitlin shares the painful realities of recovering from addiction, walking through nine months of intense spiritual torment, struggling with shame after becoming pregnant a second time, and learning to recognize the difference between God's conviction and the enemy's condemnation.

You'll discover how the lies you believe about yourself can affect your ability to hear God's voice, why understanding your identity in Christ matters, and practical ways to renew your mind with Scripture.

• God's voice vs. Satan's voice: How to recognize when condemnation is masquerading as God's correction.

• Why shame keeps people stuck: How believing you're unworthy can affect your relationship with God and your decisions.

• An unexpected encounter with Jesus: What happened when Caitlin cried out to God at a party while battling addiction and pregnant with twins.

• Why freedom can be a process: What Caitlin learned through recovery, spiritual battles, and difficult setbacks.

• How to retrain your thinking: A practical exercise Caitlin learned from John 8:31–32 to identify lies and replace them with biblical truth.

• How to break destructive patterns: The importance of godly mentorship, healthy relationships, and learning to live from your identity in Christ.

• How to hear God's voice without fear: Recognizing His character and learning to distinguish conviction from condemnation.

• Romans 2:4 — God's kindness leads us toward repentance.

• John 8:31–32 — Knowing the truth that sets us free.

• 2 Corinthians 5:17 — Becoming a new creation in Christ.

• Romans 8:1 — No condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

• 1 Corinthians 15:33 — The influence of our relationships.

Enjoyed this episode? Share it with a friend who struggles to believe God is pleased with them. Sometimes the biggest obstacle to hearing God's voice is the picture we've formed of the One who's speaking.

⭐ Follow Java with Jen and leave a review to help more people discover these conversations!

☕ CONNECT WITH CAITLIN & JEN

📖 Caitlin Hawk — Overcomer, Overcome
Website & Book: https://caitlinhawk.com

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How to hear God's voice, God's voice vs Satan's voice, discerning God's voice, condemnation vs conviction, hearing God through shame, Christian addiction recovery, overcoming shame through Jesus, identity in Christ, renewing your mind with Scripture, religious trauma and healing, spiritual warfare, how God speaks, overcoming fear, freedom from addiction, Caitlin Hawk testimony, Overcomer Overcome, Java with Jen podcast.

Dr. Mark Virkler says he's had a 100% success rate teaching people to recognize God's voice using his powerful 4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice method! But what are these four keys, and could they be the breakthrough you've been missing in your own prayer life?
Have you ever sat down to pray, desperate to hear God speak, only to walk away wondering, "Was that God or just my own thoughts?" Maybe you've tried reading more Scripture, sitting in silence, or praying harder, but you STILL struggle to recognize when God is speaking.
You're going to LOVE this conversation!
Dr. Mark Virkler, founder of Christian Leadership University and Communion With God Ministries, spent TEN YEARS struggling to hear God's voice. He even completed a 40-day fast trying to experience what other Christians seemed to recognize so easily!
Then one morning, everything changed.
Today, after more than 40 years of teaching Christians around the world how to hear God's voice, Mark joins Jenilee Samuel on *Java with Jen* to share the four biblical keys he discovered in Habakkuk 2—and why combining them could transform your daily conversations with God.
**But here's where things get REALLY interesting…**
What if one of the missing pieces in your prayer life is something you've been taught to dismiss—your IMAGINATION?
We dive into how the imagination may play a role in hearing God's voice, why overthinking can interrupt your prayer time, and how to recognize spontaneous thoughts without immediately second-guessing yourself.
In this episode, you'll discover:

- Why Mark struggled for ten years to recognize God's voice—and what finally changed.
- How to hear God's voice when all you seem to hear are your own thoughts.
- The surprising connection between imagination, biblical meditation, and spiritual vision.
- Why your analytical mind may be getting in the way of recognizing God's voice.
- How to discern God's voice from your own thoughts through Scripture and wise counsel.
- How to teach your CHILDREN to recognize God's voice, including Jenilee's fascinating personal story.
- A simple prayer journaling exercise you can try TODAY!
MARK VIRKLER'S 4 KEYS TO HEARING GOD'S VOICE

1. Stillness
2. Vision
3. Spontaneity
4. Journaling
And don't miss the END! Mark shares a simple two-way love letter exercise you can try during your next quiet time, followed by a prayer for those who desire to grow in hearing God's voice.
Whether you're new to Christianity or you've been following Jesus for decades, this episode tackles one of the most common questions believers ask: **How do I know when God is speaking to me?**
SCRIPTURES DISCUSSED
Habakkuk 2:1–2,
John 10:27,
Hebrews 12:1–2,
Ephesians 1:17–18,
Psalm 16:8,
Acts 2:25.
CONNECT WITH DR. MARK VIRKLER:
Website: https://www.cwgministries.org
FREE Four Keys to Hearing God's Voice resources:
https://www.cwgministries.org/Four-Keys-to-Hearing-Gods-Voice
CONNECT WITH JEN
Website: https://www.jenileesamuel.com
Instagram: @javawithjen
https://www.instagram.com/javawithjen/
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If this episode encouraged you, SHARE IT with someone who's been struggling to hear God's voice!
And if you try the journaling exercise, tag @javawithjen on Instagram. We'd love to hear about your experience!
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#HearingGodsVoice #MarkVirkler #JavaWithJen #HolySpirit #ChristianPodcast

Did They Find Noah’s Ark? World Renown Archeologist, Scott Stripling on Shiloh, Mount Ebal, and the Evidence for (or against?) Noah's Ark Finding.

Could Noah’s Ark have been found on Mount Ararat?

Archaeologist Dr. Scott Stripling explains why he questions the recent claims—and what kind of evidence he would need to see before calling a discovery authentic.

We also talk about Shiloh, where the biblical tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant stood, and Mount Ebal, where Stripling’s team found a small lead "curse" tablet in old excavation material.

He explains why he believes the tablet matters to the debate over If Moses and Joshua WERE in fact literate. Throughout the conversation, we talk about how to weigh exciting archaeology claims against the evidence.

In this episode:

• Why Shiloh mattered to Israel—and what Stripling’s team found there
• The Mount Ebal altar and the lead tablet Scott says contains a curse
• What the tablet may mean for claims about Moses and the Bible’s authorship
• The claims surrounding Noah’s Ark on Mount Ararat—and why Stripling is skeptical
• How to evaluate archaeological headlines and dramatic claims

Scott also recommends biblical archaeology resources and names including Randall Price, Titus Kennedy, and Joel Kramer.

Links mentioned:

• Join the waitlist for Jen’s next Greece trip: travelwithjen.subscribepage.io
• Come on a Dig with Scott! WWW.DigShiloh.Org
• Dr. Scott Stripling: https://www.scottstripling.net
• The Bible Seminary: www.thebibleseminary.edu

I'm flipping the microphone around today! I recently had the privilege of being interviewed by bestselling author and relationship researcher Shaunti Feldhahn and her husband, Jeff, on their podcast I Wish You Could Hear This.

And we're getting REAL about marriage, raising four boys, and what I've learned about understanding the men in my life!

Have you ever felt like your husband speaks an entirely different language? Or wondered why your teenage son suddenly shuts down when you're just trying to help?

What if some of the very things we're doing out of love are actually making it harder for the men in our lives to open up?

As a wife of over 20 years, mom of four boys, and a woman in ministry leadership, I've learned some of these lessons the HARD way. And in this conversation, I'm sharing some pretty vulnerable pieces of my own marriage journey, including why staying married was one of the hardest things I've ever done.

In this episode, we're talking about:

• Why men shut down: How our well-intentioned questions and conversations can sometimes trigger defensiveness in our husbands and sons.

• Raising emotionally healthy boys: What I'm intentionally teaching my four sons about understanding women, expressing emotions, and becoming godly men.

• The teenage communication mistake I didn't realize I was making: One comment from my son made me rethink how I respond when my boys open up.

• Being a strong woman in marriage: How I've learned to honor the differences between men and women without diminishing who God created me to be.

• Healthy boundaries in Christian marriage: Why learning to establish boundaries was essential to my own emotional healing.

• Two simple phrases that changed our family conversations: Including one that helps us interrupt conflict and remember we're on the same team!

One of my favorite parts of this conversation is how raising my boys actually challenged me to become a better wife. I realized I was teaching my sons to understand and care for the hearts of women, while struggling to extend that same intentional understanding to my own husband. Ouch! 😅

And wait until you hear the hilarious thing my boys noticed about how their dad talks to Siri... and what they started saying to him because of it!

Whether you're raising sons, navigating a difficult season in marriage, or simply wanting healthier communication in your home, I think you'll find some practical takeaways in this conversation.

Hit play, friend! We're talking about what it looks like to love the men in our lives well while also creating relationships where everyone feels heard, respected, and emotionally safe.

CONNECT WITH JENILEE:

Website: https://javawithjenpodcast.com

ABOUT SHAUNTI & JEFF FELDHAHN:

Shaunti Feldhahn is a bestselling author and relationship researcher known for helping men and women better understand one another.

Alongside her husband Jeff, she hosts I Wish You Could Hear This, sharing research-based insights and practical conversations about marriage and relationships.

Note: This conversation includes discussion of difficult marriage experiences and healthy boundaries. Remaining in an abusive relationship is not being encouraged.

Coming to you LIVE from beautiful Santorini, Greece! 🇬🇷☕️

I'm popping in for a quick bonus episode to give you a behind-the-scenes peek at our Hearing God in Greece trip, share a few highlights from our adventures in Athens and Santorini, and let you in on something exciting… we're already dreaming up our NEXT listener trips!

There's something so special about exploring biblical history, experiencing new cultures, and making meaningful connections with people who share your faith. And after this trip, I can't wait to do more of it with YOU!

Want to come on a future adventure with us? ✈️🌍

We're exploring future destinations, and I'd love to keep you in the loop! Whether you're seriously interested or just curious about where we're headed next, drop your email below to be among the first to hear about upcoming trips, destinations, dates, and registration details.

👉 JOIN THE FUTURE TRIPS INTEREST LIST: travelwithjen.subscribepage.io

No commitment necessary! Just a chance to hear about the next adventure before we announce it to everyone else.

Until then, sending you a big hug from Santorini!

XO,
Jen

What do you do when life keeps going wrong—and you’re trying to hear God in the middle of it?

In this episode, prophetic leader and bestselling author Jane Hamon joins me to talk about how to hear God’s voice in hard seasons, rebuild hope after disappointment, and find victory in the valley.

If you’re walking through grief, spiritual warfare, unanswered prayer, fear, or a season that has shaken your trust in God, this conversation gives you practical biblical handles for moving forward.

Jane has walked through miscarriages, family tragedy, a son who endured 13 major reconstructive surgeries, and seasons where one hard thing seemed to follow another.

Through those valleys, she discovered something surprising: when we’re believing God for a miracle, the problem may not actually be a lack of faith.

So what gets stolen before faith starts to disappear?

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why hope may be the missing ingredient when your faith feels weak
• How to hear God when your emotions are loud and your circumstances make no sense
• The “giants” that often surface in valleys—fear, shame, rejection, and the feeling that God has abandoned you
• What to do when you’ve prayed, believed, and the outcome still hurts
• Why Jane says, “Never doubt in the dark what you heard in the light”
• How your own words can reveal the lies you’ve started believing
• Why so many biblical battles happened in valleys
• The powerful lesson Jane learned when she was trapped on a dark mountain trail and literally couldn’t see her next step

And here’s one of my favorite ideas from this conversation: you may be begging God to show you the whole road ahead when what you actually need is enough light for the next step.

If you’ve felt stuck, spiritually tired, afraid to hope again, or confused about what God is doing, press play. Jane’s perspective on hope, hearing God, spiritual warfare, and conquering difficult seasons may shift the way you see the valley you’re walking through.

ABOUT JANE HAMON:
Jane Hamon is a prophetic leader, bestselling author, and international speaker who has equipped believers around the world for more than 40 years. Alongside her husband Tom, she leads Vision Church and Christian International and has ministered in more than 70 nations.

📖 Victory in the Valley: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0800772466?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_AH2RXAMAT6FEDHMMGYV0_1&bestFormat=true

💌 Let’s Stay Connected
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⭐️ Enjoyed this episode?
Leave a quick ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review — it helps more people hear God’s voice too!

How do you know if you’re hearing God’s voice—or simply hearing your own thoughts? How can you discern God’s voice, recognize the Holy Spirit’s leading, and know when something is actually confirmation from God rather than coincidence?

In this episode of Java with Jen, Dr. David Chotka shares practical, biblical ways to hear God more clearly and recognize the surprisingly personal ways He may already be speaking to you.

David tells an incredible story of following what seemed like a simple inner prompting that led him to a complete stranger’s home—and shows why hearing God often looks far less dramatic than Christians expect.

We unpack some of the biggest questions believers wrestle with around hearing God:

• How can you tell the difference between God’s voice and your own thoughts?
• What does the peace of God have to do with discernment?
• Can conviction actually be one of the ways you recognize God speaking?
• Does God use repetition, patterns and confirmation to get our attention?
• How do you know when something is a sign from God versus coincidence?
• What does David mean when he says God will sometimes “speak you to you”?
• Can your own desires make it harder to discern God’s will?
• And can we become so afraid of “missing God” that discernment actually turns into paralysis?

One of my favorite parts of this conversation is David’s explanation of Colossians 3:15 and the idea of allowing the peace of Christ to act like a referee when we’re trying to discern God’s leading. We also talk about the beautifully personal ways God communicates—using things that carry meaning specifically to you—and why learning His voice is less about finding a magic formula and more about growing in relationship with Him.

If you’ve ever prayed, “God, I just wish I knew if this was You,” this episode will give you practical tools to test what you’re sensing without becoming fearful or obsessive about getting it perfectly right.

SHARE THIS EPISODE:

If you know someone who loves God but constantly second-guesses whether they’re actually hearing Him, send this episode their way.

About Dr. David Chotka:

Dr. David Chotka is the founder and director of SpiritEquip Ministries and served for more than 20 years as chair of the Alliance Church in Canada’s national prayer-equipping team. An author, pastor and international conference speaker, David has spent decades equipping Christians in hearing God’s voice, prayer and healing ministry.

GET HIS BOOK: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1777678137?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_TAQ4CQRDZF5DKA1P3QX0&bestFormat=true

In this episode: hearing God’s voice, how to hear God, discerning God’s voice, Christian discernment, Holy Spirit, knowing God’s will, recognizing God’s voice, God or my thoughts, confirmation from God, signs from God, hearing the Holy Spirit, biblical discernment, prayer, spiritual discernment.

So… if you’ve been wondering why there haven’t been new episodes for the last couple of weeks, it’s because I had to hit PAUSE on the podcast while I spent nearly three weeks filming a movie. 😳🎬

Yeah. That was definitely not on my 2026 bingo card.

In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of how I unexpectedly ended up playing Marilyn Cross in the feature film Giant Killer—and honestly, the story started long before I ever knew a movie was coming.

About 18 months ago, God gave me a dream that one week later was interpreted by Kris Vallotton from the stage at UPPERROOM Church in Dallas. At the time, I had no idea what it meant or how literally parts of it would eventually play out.

I’m sharing:

• the bizarre story of how this opportunity happened,
• the little ways God showed up throughout the process,
• what it was like walking onto a movie set for the first time,
• my favorite scene to film,
• and some of the things I learned while doing something that felt completely outside my normal world.

More than anything, I wanted to give you a peek into my own wild ride of following Jesus when obedience takes you somewhere unexpected, scary, and very different from what you thought your life was going to look like.

And hopefully, my story encourages you to pay attention to the things God may be preparing you for—even when you don’t understand them yet.

I hope you enjoy this little glimpse behind the scenes. ❤️

🎬 FOLLOW The GIANT KILLER Movie

⭐️ Giant Killer on IMDb:⁠View Giant Killer on IMDb⁠

🎥 Giant Killer Movie Hub — cast, BTS, updates + more:⁠Giant Killer on Milkshake⁠

☕️ STAY CONNECTED WITH JAVA WITH JEN & See the BTS:

📲 Instagram: Highlights --> "Movie BTS"⁠https://www.instagram.com/javawithjen⁠

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If you enjoyed this episode, would you take a second to follow the show, share this episode with a friend, and leave a rating or review? Those simple things make a huge difference in helping new listeners find the podcast.

Tired of waiting on God's promises? If your hope feels deferred and your heart is getting sick, this episode is for you. In this conversation, we walk through the process to the promise — that hard, hidden middle where God feels silent but is actually at work.

In this episode you'll discover:

•Why waiting on God's promises hurts, and what Proverbs 13:12 teaches about guarding your heart in the process.

• How years in the pit and the prison prepared Joseph for the palace, and what that means for your own delay.

• Trusting God's promises when the fulfillment looks impossible and the timeline makes no sense.

• Why the long way is often the faithful way, and what God was building in Israelites before the promised land.

• Practical ways to keep your faith strong and your perspective right while you wait for God's promises to come to pass.

If you're weary in the wait, this is your reminder: the process is not punishment. It's preparation.

☕️ Grab your coffee and let's chat about hearing God's voice in the waiting.

--------------------------------------------------

CONNECT WITH US!

💥 Loved today's episode? Email Jen: [email protected]

👏🏼 Learn to hear God's Voice in just 5 days!

Grab this FREE 5-day email devotional series! https://heargodseries.subscribepage.io/

👀 Find Tiffany's Show, Resources, Author Coaching and More:

www.TravisandTiffanyTombre.com

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I had a season where God felt silent. Even as Pastors, we hit the same hills and valleys you do in your walk with Jesus— so I'm sharing the honest truth because I know some of you are in that exact season right now, wondering if He even hears you.

A quick note: I was the guest on this one! I sat down with Julie, host of "Everyday Miracles", for her show — and the conversation was so good, so real, and so needed that I had to bring it home to you too. We talk about what it actually feels like when God goes quiet, what gets in the way of hearing Him, and how to move from "I can't hear Him" to recognizing His voice every day.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why a season of silence from God isn't a sign of failure or distance
• How to hear God's voice clearly, even when your mind feels loud and busy
• The difference between God's voice and your own racing thoughts
• How to discern God's voice using scripture, prayer, and the Holy Spirit
• Signs God is speaking to you, even when it doesn't feel like a "voice" at all
• What the "still small voice" of God actually sounds like in real life
• How to pray when God feels distant, and what to do while you wait
• Practical ways to recognize the whisper of God in your everyday moments
• How prayer journaling can help you track and remember when God speaks
• What it means to feel God's presence again after a dry season
• Biblical discernment — how to know if a thought, impression, or nudge lines up with God's Word
• Why "hearing God" doesn't always look the way we expect it to

Quick answers if you're searching for this right now:

• Why can't I hear God?

Most of the time it's not about distance from Him — it's about noise, timing, or expectations of what His voice "should" sound like. We unpack this in detail in the episode.

• How do I know if it's God's voice?

We talk through practical, biblical ways to test what you're hearing against scripture and the character of God — not just a feeling.

• What if I've prayed and heard nothing?

You are not alone, and it doesn't mean God has gone silent forever. This episode walks through exactly what to do in that waiting season.

This was a guest-host episode — full credit to Julie Hedenborg and the "Everyday Miracles" podcast for having me on and letting me share this conversation here with you too.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• 5-Day Hear God Email Series — Start hearing God's voice in 5 days, free → https://heargodseries.subscribepage.io

• 30-Day Hearing God's Voice Devotional — Ready to hear God every single day → https://a.co/d/0bIBXDTj

• Work With Me — Podcasting help and coaching → [email protected]

• Everyday Miracles Podcast — Go check out Julie's show → https://www.youtube.com/@everydaymiraclespodcast1395

Jeri Hill was born out of rape, raised on drugs, and swept up in a 75-person drug bust. Then God spoke to her in a jail cell — in her mother's voice, from 25 miles away.

This is the story you didn't know behind the Brownsville Revival. Jeri and Steve Hill — saved just 8 days apart in 1975 — went from jail cells to evangelists, ministering in 80+ countries before history was made at Brownsville in 1995.

If you've ever wondered, "Does God still speak to someone like me?" — this episode is for you. He spoke to Jeri in a jail cell, on a billboard, in a dream, and in the silence after losing her husband and her son.

KEY TALKING POINTS

• Born Out of Rape: shame, identity, and God's plan
• Drug Addiction and the Drug Bust: 75 arrests, one jail cell
• Hearing God's Voice in Jail: her mother's voice, 25 miles away
• The John 3:16 Billboard: "For I so loved you" — not the world, you
• The Persistent Pastor: two years of knocking, one divine appointment
• Saved 8 Days Apart: Jeri and Steve's back-to-back salvation in October 1975
• Praying for Her Future Husband: before she ever met him
• From Jail to Evangelists: 40 countries, 8 churches, one heartbeat
• The Brownsville Revival: unplanned — and heaven came down
• Losing Steve: the dream about the vow and the angel wings
• Losing Ryan: tears of loss turned into tears for the lost
• "I Am the River in the Desert": how God carried her the whole time

💥 Start hearing God's voice in 5 days:

heargodseries.subscribepage.io

☕️ Grab your coffee, subscribe, and join the Java With Jen family — new episodes every week.

👉🏼 Connect with Jeri: https://www.togetherintheharvest.com/

#BrownsvilleRevival #HearingGodsVoice #ChristianTestimony #SteveHill #GodStillSpeaks