Outside of Sunday

In this Insights episode of Outside of Sunday, Laura and I continue our conversation following our recent episode with Julia, reflecting on what it actually looks like to read the Bible consistently in real life. We talk about reading the Bible from beginning to end, what our own Bible reading rhythms look like, and how we make space for it in the middle of busy family life. Along the way, we also unpack the pressure that can sometimes creep in through comparison - especially with “Instagram Christians” - and why they shouldn’t be our benchmark for spiritual faithfulness.
We also tackle some really practical questions: what to do if your husband isn’t keen on family Bible reading, whether listening to the Bible counts the same as reading it, and how to deal with guilt or discouragement when we miss our Bible reading goals. This conversation is a gentle reminder that the Bible was never meant to feel like a heavy obligation. It’s a gift from God that helps us know Him more deeply - and it will guide and grow us as we faithfully keep coming back to it.
Click here to watch this episode on YouTube.
0:00 – Coming Up
1:03 – Recap on Episode with Julia
2:00 – 9 Months of Reading the Bible
2:29 – Reading the Bible from Beginning to End
5:50 – Making Time to Read the Bible
9:13 – Instagram Christians Aren’t Our Role Models
10:38 – What Does Christa and Laura’s Bible Reading Look Like?
18:11 – What to Do if Your Husband Isn’t Keen on Bible Reading as a Family
21:10 – Listening to the Bible vs Reading the Bible
23:20 – Guilt and Discouragement Over Missing Bible Reading
27:12 – The Full Counsel of God
28:13 – The Bible Is Not an End in Itself
30:08 – Why Is History Important?
31:00 – Asking God to Help Us Read the Bible
32:00 – Tips and Encouragement Around Reading the Bible

Support the show
Outside of Sunday is part of the Outsider Network and is made with the help of Inspirational Media.

In this episode of Outside of Sunday, I sit down with Julia to hear her story of moving from Switzerland to New Zealand and pursuing deeper biblical training through YWAM. We talk about her time at the Discipleship Training School and the School of Biblical Studies, and why learning to read the Bible in its historical and cultural context can completely change the way we understand God’s word. Julia also shares the three core principles of the inductive Bible study method, why the Bible ultimately points to God rather than ourselves, and why slowing down in Scripture can help us better hear from the Holy Spirit.
Julia also opens up about her personal testimony and what Christianity looks like in Switzerland today. We talk about growing anti-Christian sentiment, whether our culture is becoming post-Christian or pre-Christian, and how trials can reveal new depths of God’s character. 
Click here to watch this episode on YouTube. 
0:00 – Coming up
0:40 – Welcome and introducing Julia
1:31 – Coming to New Zealand from Switzerland
2:35 – About YWAM and Julia’s DTS
3:19 – About the School of Biblical Studies
7:55 – The importance of knowing the Word
10:30 – The Bible is not about you
10:58 – When was the Bible written?
12:19 – Understanding the culture when the Bible was written
14:35 – The three core principles of the inductive method for Bible study
20:08 – Distractions keeping us from the Word
23:15 – Giving yourself time to hear from the Holy Spirit
25:05 – Slowing down your Bible reading
26:45 – Julia’s Bible reading tips
33:01 – Julia’s testimony
33:47 – The role of Julia’s parents in her salvation
35:55 – Christianity in Switzerland
38:45 – Anti-Christian sentiment
40:35 – Division and curiosity
42:35 – Are we in a post-Christian or pre-Christian age?
45:35 – Maturing in Julia’s walk with the Lord
46:45 – Trials reveal God in a new way
57:01 – In our weakness He is strong
58:40 – YWAM outreach highlights
1:05:55 – How does Julia live her faith outside of Sunday?
Support the show
Outside of Sunday is part of the Outsider Network and is made with the help of Inspirational Media.

In this Outside of Sunday Christa and Laura reflect on Therina Oliver’s powerful testimony of walking through breast cancer, and then Leukaemia with her son. They unpack how Therina’s own suffering became a profound way God prepared Matthew for his journey. Delving into thoughts around Jesus keeping His scars
Along the way, Christa and Laura also touch on marriage drifting into “flat-mate zone”, learning to pray for God’s will, and what it means to be moulded in God’s hands when the outcome is unknown. This is an honest, hope-filled reflection on trusting the God who chose to step into poverty, pain and brokenness for us and who continues to meet us right in the middle of ours.
Click here to watch this episode on YouTube. 
0:00 – Intro
0:44 – Welcome
1:19 – Recap on Therina’s testimony
2:27 – You don’t know what someone might be going through
5:07 – ‘Faith’ talk vs biblical truth
10:19 – God using Therina’s experiences and scars to walk Matthew through his ordeal
12:08 – Jesus kept His scars
16:18 – Only one person chose to be born into poverty, abuse, etc — Jesus
18:29 – Becoming ‘flat mates’ in marriage
19:35 – Getting out of the ‘flat mate’ zone
26:29 – Praying for God’s will
27:55 – Being moulded in God’s hands
Support the show
Outside of Sunday is part of the Outsider Network and is made with the help of Inspirational Media.

In this episode of Outside of Sunday, we continue our conversation with Therina Oliver. After recently walking through her own breast cancer diagnosis, Therina found herself back in crisis when her young son Matthew was rushed to hospital and later diagnosed with leukaemia. She shares what it was like to face another devastating diagnosis so soon after her own recovery, and how God gently prepared her heart in ways she never could have imagined.
From life inside Starship to the strain on marriage, the impact on siblings, and praying for healing while surrendering to God’s will, this episode is a raw and faith-filled reflection on suffering and trust. Therina’s honesty and steady faith will deeply encourage anyone walking through uncertainty - we will all be holding our children a little tighter today.
Click here to watch this episode on YouTube. 
0:00 – Coming up
0:44 – First signs something was wrong with Matthew
3:17 – Rush to the hospital
8:03 – What it was like for Therina, especially after just recovering from breast cancer
8:45 – How breast cancer helped Therina support her son with leukaemia
10:43 – Ambulance ride to Starship Children’s Hospital
12:05 – “I know who you are”
13:12 – Therina reflects on the Lord placing Christians in her life during this season
13:58 – Life at Starship
14:18 – The brothers’ relationship facing separation
16:22 – What was Matthew’s treatment like? Steroid aggression
18:48 – Being discharged: “We got the best of the worst situation"
21:07 – Marriage during crisis and giving her son to God
24:35 – Faith and light in suffering
27:57 – Praying for healing, aware that it might not be God’s will
30:38 – Matthew’s health now
31:37 – Therina’s advice for listeners
34:35 – How Therina lives her faith outside of Sunday 🤍

Support the show
Outside of Sunday is part of the Outsider Network and is made with the help of Inspirational Media.

In this Insights episode of Outside of Sunday, Laura is back (yay!) and today we reflect on Part One of our chat with Therina Oliver.
We unpack some of the moments that have stayed with us - from the gratitude of building a new life in New Zealand, to the quiet ways God prepares our hearts before hard seasons arrive. We also explore the mind-bending reality of God’s omnipresence - that He is everywhere and every when at once - and what that means when life feels uncertain.
If Part One stirred something in you, I hope this episode gives you space to process, to pause, and to reflect on the greatness of our God - the One who goes before us and remains with us in every trial.
Click here to watch this episode on YouTube.
0:00 – Coming up
1:30 – Recap on Part One (Therina Oliver)
2:20 – Laura is back!
5:26 – Grateful to live in New Zealand
7:08 – God letting us know when hard things are coming
9:19 – The mind-bending reality of God’s omnipresence
12:55 – Looking back and reflecting on God’s direction
15:17 – Reflections on David
18:05 – Trusting in God
20:00 – Giving God control
22:17 – The practice of submission
26:00 – Even Jesus submitted
Support the show
Outside of Sunday is part of the Outsider Network and is made with the help of Inspirational Media.