The Life Goals God Directed Me to Set

This final episode of the series explores the deep longings God placed on Rick Carmichael’s heart—desires that were born through years of walking with God, struggling to discern His will, and learning to trust His voice. These desires have shaped how Rick prays, teaches, and lives today, especially as he encourages others to embrace the joy and power of treasuring God above all else.

You’ll hear reflections on the “life goal” that Rick now carries daily, and how it ties together everything God has done in his life up to this point.

FREE RESOURCES... (to help you grow in your faith)

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What Is My Theological Perspective?

In this episode, I take a brief pause in the storytelling to explain something crucial: my theological foundation. If you’re going to keep listening to this series—or read anything I write—you deserve to know exactly what I believe about God, the Bible, sin, salvation, and whether salvation can ever be lost.

Why does this matter? Because every perspective you hear is rooted in some kind of theology. And if that foundation is off, the rest of the teaching can mislead—even if it sounds nice.

I walk through five foundational doctrines that shape my understanding of God and how He relates to us:

1. The Bible is fully inspired by God and without error.
2. God is sovereign over all things, including salvation.
3. Sin is more serious than most people realize—and it separates us from God.
4. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
5. True salvation cannot be lost—because God never wastes His investment in us.

This episode sets the tone for everything else in the series—and everything else I’ll publish.

FREE RESOURCES... (to help you grow in your faith)

Download the free “Testimony Writing Guide” (PDF)

Read “A Paintbrush Named Fitri” (PDF Sample Testimony)

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• Treasuring God, Experiencing Life (Stories and Reels)
• Treasuring God, Experiencing Life (Community Conversations)

Full list of all our FREE resources (PDF)

Christian Authors Who Shaped My Faith

Who we become as Christians is shaped not only by our experiences but also by the voices we trust—especially the authors we read. In this episode, I reflect on the profound influence that several Christian authors have had on my spiritual journey and on my understanding of life in Christ.

I share key insights I’ve gained from authors like J. I. Packer, William Backus, Larry Crabb, John Piper, John Calvin, and A. W. Pink. From learning to tell ourselves the truth, to seeing sin as broken cisterns, to knowing God as the fountain of living waters—each book contributed something unique to my walk with Jesus.

These reflections are not just literary appreciation—they’re deeply personal. I believe that reading the great, classic works of Reformed authors deepens our love for God by expanding our understanding of His nature, character, and sovereign grace.

If you’re hungry to grow in your faith, this episode will encourage you to seek out authors who will point you more fully to the beauty and glory of God.

FREE RESOURCES... (to help you grow in your faith)

Download the free “Testimony Writing Guide” (PDF)

Read “A Paintbrush Named Fitri” (PDF Sample Testimony)

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• Treasuring God, Experiencing Life (Stories and Reels)
• Treasuring God, Experiencing Life (Community Conversations)

Full list of all our FREE resources (PDF)

Pastors and Teachers Who Taught Me to Treasure God’s Word

No one grows in isolation. In this episode, I honor the pastors, evangelists, and teachers God used to shape my understanding of real life in Christ. Each of these men taught something that God engraved on my heart—truths that helped establish my faith and refine my love for Scripture.

From the man who shared the Gospel with me for the first time… to the pastor who taught me how to plan backwards from a godly goal… to the Sunday school teacher who gently corrected my misunderstanding about Jesus—each played a role in helping me see the immense value of God’s Word.

Whether through truth, grace, perspective, or perseverance, these men showed me how deeply God’s Spirit can work through faithful teachers. In honoring them, I’m ultimately honoring the God who used them.

If you’ve ever been blessed by a spiritual mentor or teacher, this episode may stir up some powerful memories—and inspire fresh gratitude to God for the people He’s used in your journey.

FREE RESOURCES... (to help you grow in your faith)

Download the free “Testimony Writing Guide” (PDF)

Read “A Paintbrush Named Fitri” (PDF Sample Testimony)

YouTube Channel

• Videos
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Instagram Accounts:

• Treasuring God, Experiencing Life (Stories and Reels)
• Treasuring God, Experiencing Life (Community Conversations)

Full list of all our FREE resources (PDF)

The Mentor Who Shaped My Mission

This episode tells how God used a mountain encounter to redirect my life and shape my mission.

When I met Marvin Robbins during a backpacking trip in the Rockies, it seemed like coincidence—but God had orchestrated it. Through Marvin’s mentorship, I developed a biblical framework for making “makers of disciple makers.” His guidance led me to develop my own discipleship strategy and discover the power of inductive Bible study. This episode is a testimony to how God uses relationships to reshape lives.

FREE RESOURCES... (to help you grow in your faith)

Download the free “Testimony Writing Guide” (PDF)

Read “A Paintbrush Named Fitri” (PDF Sample Testimony)

YouTube Channel

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Instagram Accounts:

• Treasuring God, Experiencing Life (Stories and Reels)
• Treasuring God, Experiencing Life (Community Conversations)

Full list of all our FREE resources (PDF)

My Ordinary Christian Life

What does an “ordinary” Christian life really look like? In this second episode, Rick shares honestly about his struggles with sin, disappointment, and success, and how the Holy Spirit has patiently worked over 50 years to transform his heart.

My goal in this second episode is to be transparent about the hard, slow, beautiful process of being changed by God’s Word and the Holy Spirit—so you can judge for yourself whether I’m someone you might want to listen to as you grow in your own faith.

This isn’t the story of a spiritual hero—it’s the story of how God works through weakness to build trust in His goodness.

FREE RESOURCES... (to help you grow in your faith)

Download the free “Testimony Writing Guide” (PDF)

Read “A Paintbrush Named Fitri” (PDF Sample Testimony)

YouTube Channel

• Videos
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Instagram Accounts:

• Treasuring God, Experiencing Life (Stories and Reels)
• Treasuring God, Experiencing Life (Community Conversations)

Full list of all our FREE resources (PDF)

How God Found and Saved Me

A Personal Testimony of Treasuring God, Experiencing Life

In this—the initial episode of a 7-part biographical series—Rick Carmichael shares how God sovereignly brought him into an eternal, spiritual relationship with Him through saving faith in Jesus as Savior. From early childhood memories, through years of conviction and disillusionment, to a life-changing faith in Jesus as the Savior of the world. This episode lays the foundation for the entire 7-part series.

This isn’t just a testimony—it’s an invitation to discern: Is this a voice I can trust to help me grow in my faith in Jesus?

FREE RESOURCES... (to help you grow in your faith)

Download the free “Testimony Writing Guide” (PDF)

Read “A Paintbrush Named Fitri” (PDF Sample Testimony)

YouTube Channel

• Videos
• Shorts
• Podcasts

Instagram Accounts:

• Treasuring God, Experiencing Life (Stories and Reels)
• Treasuring God, Experiencing Life (Community Conversations)

Full list of all our FREE resources (PDF)