Growing Closer to God with Guided Meditation
Welcome to the new season of the podcast, now titled "Growing Closer to God with Guided Meditation"!
Join your host, Pastor Robert Young, as we embark on a journey of spiritual exploration and renewal. This podcast is designed to help you deepen your faith and find inner peace through calming, reflective, and transformative meditative practices inspired by scripture.
Our Evolution
While the podcast, formerly known as Not Your Parent's Religion, focused in Seasons 1 and 2 on correcting misinformation and myths about religious beliefs and the teaching of Jesus Christ, the program has evolved. In Season 3, we began drawing closer to God with guided meditations, exploring all the details of why and how to meditate, and discussing the Biblical origins of Christian meditations.
With over 30 years of experience in Church planting and mentoring other Pastors, and 30+ years of training leaders in evangelism/discipleship, Pastor Young is here to guide you through these moments of stillness and connection with God.
What to Expect in Season 4
We are excited to return with Season 4 starting Sunday, October 5. We will continue to offer a structured weekly schedule:
- Sundays: Our weekly guided meditation episode.
- Monday through Friday: Daily devotions and reflections that expand on the topic of the Sunday meditations.
- Wednesdays: Audio episodes of our House Church series. This series reflects the Bible's teaching that believers should gather together for corporate worship, fellowship, encouragement, and even admonishment.
For those seeking an enhanced experience, we are adding video versions of the meditations and devotions to our Patreon page. These videos are designed to give you a more immersive experience as you meditate on the Father, His teachings, and His presence.
Tune in each week as we lead you on this path to connecting more deeply with God.
Growing Closer to God with Guided Meditation
Renew Your Mind Day 19 | Worship is Gratitude
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
When life speeds up, worry gets loud. We slow the moment and return to a simple anchor: give thanks in all circumstances. Drawing from First Thessalonians 5:18, we explore how gratitude is not about denying pain but about recognizing God’s steady presence within every season. With a clear, repeatable affirmation—“Gratitude flows from my heart to God”—we guide you through a short, focused practice that quiets the mind and opens room for joy, peace, and the fruits of the Spirit.
We share how this small habit changes the inner story from scarcity to trust. You’ll hear why gratitude cultivates resilience during hardship, how it reframes your attention toward mercy, and what it looks like to let thanksgiving shape your heart of worship. Rather than chasing a mood, we learn to build a posture: a way of seeing, breathing, and responding that carries through ordinary tasks and challenging days alike.
Along the way, we offer simple rhythms you can start today: a morning list of gifts, a midday 45-second reset, and an evening review that names grace in both struggle and delight. These tools are practical and sustainable, designed to help you move from intention to habit and from habit to character. If you’re ready to trade noise for stillness and complaint for praise, press play, breathe with us, and practice the words that center the soul.
If this encouraged you, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs peace today, and leave a quick review so others can find these moments of quiet strength.
Register for Our Upcoming Live Virtual Meditation Retreat here:
robyoung51.ry@gmail.com
Leave a voicemail question or prayer requests here:
(585) 331-3424
Scripture On Gratitude
Pastor Robert YoungToday's scripture is coming from the book of First Thessalonians, chapter five, verse eighteen, where it says, Give thanks in all circumstances. Gratitude
Why Gratitude Changes Us
Pastor Robert Youngturns the heart toward God and opens space for joy, peace, and all of the fruits of the Spirit.
Guided Gratitude Meditation
Pastor Robert YoungLet's take forty-five seconds to meditate on the following affirmation and then repeat this affirmation throughout your day.
Affirmation: Gratitude To God
Pastor Robert YoungGratitude flows from my heart to God. Again, gratitude flows from my heart to God.
Closing Prayer
Pastor Robert YoungGrow gratitude within me and let it shape my heart of worship. Amen.