We can ask for that, we can long for that, and we can also trust.

I remember one season where I felt particularly, it felt very hard for me to know his presence

in a more experiential way.

And I would almost every time I got in my car just be like, well, I know you're still here,

but I am not feeling it.

And it was a place where I could say it out loud and declare the truth that I knew

and desire the experience that I had known before.

Welcome back to the coffee and Bible Time podcast.

For those that may be listening for the first time, our podcast is an offshoot from our main platform YouTube.

Our channel is called Coffee and Bible Time where our goal is to help people delight in God's Word and thrive in Christian living.

We also have a website in storefront with

Bible studies, prayer journals, courses, and more. Hey, everyone, it's Ellen here with coffee and Bible

time. And today, we are going to be talking about our longing for the presence of God and how to confidently know

Jesus is near us and for us. You know, we often crave the presence of God, but it's a longing

that sometimes eludes definition. And even if we believe in its possibility, envisioning what it looks like in our daily lives can be challenging.

Well, despite the assurance that the Lord is near, the circumstances of life sometimes make it difficult to perceive his presence.

Well, our guest today, Cody Andrus, is here to discuss this

topic more in depth. Cody's recent book, Jesus by her side, sprouted from the seeds of exploring

encounters between women and Jesus in the Gospels. It unveils the idea that the living God

envelopes himself in our fragile hearts, always near, and never forsaking us. If we neglect

pursuing God's presence, we may experience a spiritual emptiness and lack of connection in our lives.

And Cody is here to offer hope that God is always close, faithful, and worth the pursuit.

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