First Shallowater: FIRST THINGS FIRST

Join us as we sit down with Nancy Dipprey for a heartfelt conversation about one of the most freeing truths of the Christian life — the freedom of self-forgetfulness. Nancy shares with honesty and grace how God has met her in seasons of striving — the times when her worth felt tied to performance, success, or the approval of others. Through those struggles, she’s discovered a deeper rest and joy that come from releasing control and remembering that life is not ultimately about us, but about Him. Together, we explore: What it really means to live in the freedom God intends for His children. How to let go of striving and find peace in God’s sufficiency. Practical tools and spiritual rhythms Nancy uses to stay grounded in truth. The beauty of allowing God to work in us and through us — not by our effort, but by His grace. This episode is an encouragement for anyone who feels weary from trying to measure up — a reminder that true freedom begins when we take our eyes off ourselves and fix them on Christ. Listen in and be refreshed by the simple, freeing truth: You don’t have to strive for what God has already given you.   Resources mentioned in the podcast Allen, J. (2020). Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts. WaterBrook. Allen, J. (2023). Untangle Your Emotions: Naming What You Feel and Knowing What to Do About It. WaterBrook. Allen, J. (n.d.). Stop the Spiral [Video teaching series]. IF:Gathering / RightNow Media. Keller, T. (2012). The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness: The Path to True Christian Joy. 10Publishing. Krasowski, T. (2019). The Bible Recap: A One-Year Guide to Reading and Understanding the Entire Bible. Bethany House Publishers.

👉 Listen to “I Surrender All” with Susan Swinburn—now streaming on First Things First.   What happens when life doesn’t go according to your plan? This week, we’re joined by Susan Swinburn, who opens up about lessons learned in surrender—recognizing that our plans aren’t always God’s plans. In this honest and hope-filled conversation, Susan shares how learning to say “I Surrender All” transformed her outlook, helped her uncover the root of anger that often comes when things don’t go as we think they should, and reminded her of the deep importance of community along the way. Tune in for encouragement, reflection, and a gentle reminder to trust the One who holds it all together.  

Pastor Brad Miles is joining us this week to give a sneak peek at his upcoming sermon, “Christian-ish.” Ever wonder what it really means to follow Jesus instead of just going through the motions? Pastor Brad digs into what it looks like to move from a “Christian-ish” life to a faith that’s fully Christ-centered—and why it matters in our everyday lives. Tune in for a real, down-to-earth conversation about faith, growth, and living out what we believe. 👉 Catch our chat with Pastor Brad Miles on First Things First!  

Sometimes the things that we find ourselves facing in our lives can leave us discouraged, anxious, even angry at God. Maybe that’s where you are right now. On this episode, Shannon Cowley talks about being overwhelmed by the magnitude of God’s love, and learning to lean on that love when things get really hard and uncertain.   If you’ve ever found yourself questioning God, or feeling generally hopeless, Shannon’s story will be an encouragement to you!   Listen now and be encouraged to remember God’s love for you, especially when life get’s really hard. Find out more about First Shallowater. Tell us how we can be praying for you.

In this powerful episode, Brody Williams opens up about discovering God’s presence in seasons of hurt and loneliness and how shifting his identity from football to faith transformed his life. He shares what it truly means to have a relationship with God—and how surrendering his own plans led to peace, purpose, and a deeper understanding of who he is in Christ. If you’ve ever wrestled with disappointment,loneliness, church hurt, identity, or direction, this conversation will remind you that God’s plan is always better than our own. ✨ Listen now and be encouraged to trust God’s purpose—even when the path looks different than you expected. Tell us how we can pray for you! Find out more about First Shallowater!

NOTICE: This episode is a rebroadcast of our previous conversation with Coach Rodney Vincent. In honor of football season, enjoy this awesome conversation with an awesome guy! There are people in our lives who profoundly change our course because of their faithfulness, their compassion and their sincere commitment to Christ. Rodney Vincent is now, and has been for a long time, one of those people for a lot of folks. During his 20+ years of coaching, Rodney has influenced countless young people to work hard, dream big, be team players, and to follow Christ. On this episode, though, he talks about the people in his life who did that for him. You are going to love hearing these stories and getting to know Coach Vincent a little bit better. For more information about First Shallowater, click here.

What if flourishing isn’t about fighting harder—but surrendering deeper? In this powerful episode, Melissa Green shares her journey of discovering the freedom that comes when we stop trying to win battles in our own strength. She opens up about the power of surrender, what it means to find your true identity in God, and the spiritual weapons that helped her fight through fear and discouragement to live fully in Christ. If you’ve ever felt like the battle is too big, or wondered how to truly flourish in your faith, this conversation will inspire and encourage you. ✨ Listen now and be reminded: you don’t have to fight alone, and you are already equipped to stand strong in God’s truth. Tell us how we can pray for you. Find out more about First Shallowater.  

This week on the podcast we are joined by Kyler Kleibrink. Kyler and his Meisha have been members at First Shallowater for several years (make sure you check out Meisha's episode of the podcast). Kyler is a proud member of the Lubbock Fire Department. He volunteers in our youth group, and is involved in men's ministry at our church. You are going to love hearing Kyler's story! If you are a man looking for sincere, authentic friendships with other men in our church, Kyler would love to talk to you. He told us we could share his phone number. Call him! (254) 253-1994. Find out more about First Shallowater! Tell us how we can pray for you. Learn more about Fight Club!

Join us this week as we visit with Amy Smallwood. Amy is a Licensed Professional Counselor and will be our guest speaker at our It Is Well Conference on September 21st. Her experiences as a believer and a counselor help us have great insight into how we can find rest for our souls in our daily lives! You won’t want to miss this episode!

Join us for a Bonus episode of First Things First as Michael Bush shares his story. Like many of us, Michael has had seasons of wondering if he is enough and discovering that in those moments, God always is! Michael’s journey has led him through seasons of anger, depression and even moments where he wondered if life was worth living, yet over and over, God has been the father that pursues him and reminds him that he is loved.   Please note that we discuss the topic of suicide in this episode, which may be upsetting to some listeners.

On this week’s episode of First Things First, we get to visit with graduating seniors Tatum Rentfro and Presley St. Clair! Join us as they share their faith journeys and provide words of wisdom to those who follow in their footsteps!

Join us as we visit with graduating senior, Blaine St. Clair. Blain shares his top five pieces of wisdom that God has been teaching him. You won’t want to miss this episode!

Join us as we visit Robin Williams!

Join us in this episode as we visit with Davela Dillar. Davela shares how her experiences through loss and a career in law enforcement have provided her with unique opportunities to learn that God is good even when life isn’t. She shares tools she has learned to navigate the challenges we all face, and ways that we can be supported even through times of extreme stress and hardship.  This podcast has references to suicide, mental health issues, and criminal activities. While there are only references and no details mentioned, we always want listeners to be aware in case there are sensitivities. These issues are mentioned as a reminder that even in this dark world, God is good and faithful and desires to help us find him!

Join us on this episode as we visit with Alex Lloyd and discuss the power of intentionality, secrets to a happy marriage, and the importance of community as we pursue deeper relationships with Christ and the people around us! You won’t want to miss this episode!

Join us this week as we visit with Cameron O’Donnell. Cameron shares about how God has taught him the importance of keeping our identity firmly rooted in Him and not in our own accomplishments or abilities. We look at our circumstances and wonder why something is happening to us, but God looks at our circumstances and uses them for His glory and our good.

Join us this week as we visit with Gavin Craig. Gavin shares important lessons learned from some challenging situations in life. He discusses the illusion of control and the power of submission to bring about the ability to help us overcome our idols. You won’t want to miss this episode!

This week, our guest, Lillie Wells, reminds us how God can use the tough times in our lives to help point us back to him. Like many of us, Lillie has had seasons of being on top of the world only to discover that we are all subject to trials. She shares lessons about making sure our identity is in Christ and surrounding ourselves with people who help hold us accountable and point us back to Christ. During her trials, Lillie learned the importance of seeking help and the value of having a Christian community. You won’t want to miss this episode!

Join us for this week’s episode of First Things First as we talk to Kindrea Longway about the power of prayer and forgiveness! Kindrea reminds us that we don’t want to put God in a box, but want to seek His will and His way in our lives! She shares some opportunities to step out in faith through prayer and fasting to discover God in a whole new way!

Join us this week as we visit with Audra Caldwell. Audra shares some great thoughts on a new perspective on submission and the importance of leaning in! She shares some great lessons on what it means to lean in when you feel like tuning out! You won’t want to miss this episode