
Welcome!
Hi, I’m Shannon Popkin.
On the Live Like It’s True Bible podcast, my guests and I talk through the most interesting and astonishing stories in the Bible, and how to live like the Story is true.
I hope these conversations will stir you to open your Bible with me, drink in the true Story, and live like it’s true!
Popular Episodes
About the Podcast
Do you want to live like it’s true?
If we haven’t met, I’m Shannon Popkin. Whether from the platform, the page, or the podcast mic, I’m inviting you to open your Bible with me, drink in the Story, and live like it’s true.
We’re all telling a story with our lives; we’re not all telling the true story. This podcast is designed to help you know the story, share the story, and live the story.

Know the Story
Share the Story
God could have revealed himself in textbook fashion, with lists of his attributes and facts. Instead, he gave us a thick book with lots of stories. Each one is like a velvet pouch, which bundles up certain gems of God’s character for safekeeping. And the stories become more deeply ingrained in our hearts when we rehearse and share them with others.
On Live Like It’s True, we talk often about how to approach the stories of the Bible, and how to give them away!
Live the Story
It’s one thing to know the story; it’s another thing to live like the story is true. This podcast is meant to help shrink the gap between what you say you believe and how you live. As we rehearse the true stories individually, and the overarching story of the Bible, we’ll discover how the one True Story corrects the false narratives of the world.
PODCAST FAQ:
How long are the episodes?
Between 30 and 45 minutes.
Who is this podcast for?
If you love the Bible, and want to live like it’s true, this podcast is for you! I imagine most listeners will be women, but guys are welcome, too!
When will episodes release?
Wednesday morning, the True Story episode (with guests) will release. Retelling episodes release on Saturday. (Not all episodes have a Retelling Episode.)
What are the aims of this podcast?
My hope is that that you’ll be inspired to better know the Story, share the Story, and live the Story.
How can I listen?
You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, and more. Find the full set of options here. (And please let us know if you see one missing!)
CONTENT FAQ:
Who are some of your guests?
I’ve been so honored to welcome Nancy Guthrie, Courtney Doctor, Mary Kassian, Erin Davis, Kelly Needham, and more. Each guest is a gifted Bible teacher, and loves the truth of God’s Word!
What makes this podcast unique?
Each episode focuses on an astonishing, true story of the Bible, and what makes it surprising (both then and now). The style is conversational; not preachy but not shallow, either. Our quest is to treasure up the stories, and live like they’re true.
What’s the theme for season four?
Fall of ’22, we’re looking at the True Story of The Beginning. We’ll take several months to explore parts of our Origin Story, found in Genesis 1-3. After that, I’ll be taking a break to work on my next two books.
Season 4: True Story of the Beginning
E45 Gender, Masturbation, And The Advice Found in Genesis {Kristin Clark}
What does it look like to be brave and tell the truth, when so many are saying, "Maybe I'm not a girl..."? And what is the truth about a person's gender? Also, why is masturbation wrong if it's not hurting anyone? And how can we respond like God...
E44 One Woman’s Hidden Porn Addiction, and How She Broke Free {Jessica Harris}
As a thirteen-year-old, Jessica innocently stumbled upon the world of pornography. She was lonely, and the porn chat rooms offered love and acceptance. And yet—similar to the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, pornography was not the...
E43 Fruitful Complementarianism: Why Brothers and Sisters Are Better Together {Cheyenne Werner}
Are there any women trying to control things at your church? And are there any shepherding men, who are ignoring the women at your church? If you've ever rolled up your sleeves in church ministry, you know that there are often pitfalls and...
E42 Complementarianism: Is God’s Unique Design for Women Risky? {Brian Robinson}
What are role distinctions based on? Is it God's idea for husbands to lead? What if a husband is wrong? Should a wife still submit? Doesn't complementarianism put women at risk? And where does it say women can't preach? I'm grateful to have my...
E41 LGBT+ and the Story of Marriage in Genesis {with Laurie Krieg}
What can Christian do about her same-sex attraction? How is an LGBT Christian to respond to the Bible's blueprint for marriage, in Genesis? What impact does a Christian's disgust over sexual brokenness have on those around her, who are...
E40 How to Endure Pain and Loss with Heavenly Hope {Nancy Guthrie}
Does the pain of loss ever go away? Is there hope for wholeness and healing, after a lifetime of hurt? We experience loss differently when we know the full story. Like when you go the funeral of someone you know and love, rather than a stranger....
Season 3: The Summer Standout Series
E27 When God Asks For More After You’ve Lost so Much {Lisa Appelo}
Is God asking for more even after you've lost so much? What if he wants to show you that there's more to your story than you first thought? "The end of your rope is the middle of God's Story." That's what Lisa Appelo says, as she reflects on the...
Want to win this Summer Giveaway?
Have you been following along this summer, on the Live Like it's True podcast? Want to win this bundle of amazing gifts, from our guests? Included are: Pathway to Peace by Ann Swindell. Esther: Seeing Our Invisible God in an Uncertain World by...
E26 The True Story of the Burning Bush {Sojo Academy – Exodus 3}
Do you have any signs of an identity crisis? When I did a quick search online (here, here and here) I found lists of symptoms including: Apathy, or searching for more purpose or passion in your life Questioning your goals and relationships...
E25 The True Story of Esther’s Secret {Amy Carroll & Lynn Cowell – Esther 4}
Have you had a sense of uncertainty lately? As you look at big, looming problems in the world, have you wondered how it's all going to turn out? And have you been tempted to just stay quiet and passively do nothing—because you're not sure what...
E24 The True Story on Straight Street {Ann Swindell – Acts 9}
Do you know anyone who seems like the least likely person to ever turn and follow Jesus? You look at them and think, "There's just no way..." Maybe the person you think of as the least likely Jesus follower is you. Well, today we're looking at a...
E23 The True Story on the Road to Damascus {Ann Swindell – Acts 9}
Has God been putting up roadblocks in your path? Has he been making it impossible for you to "proceed with the route" you had in mind for your life? This can be really frustrating—especially when your plans revolved around pleasing God. Maybe...
Season 2: The True Story of Easter
Season 2: The True Story of Easter
Hey, hey! Welcome back to another season of Live Like It's True! This season, we're discussing the True Story of Easter. Have you ever wondered why Jesus didn't tie everything together for his disciples? Why did Jesus not simply say, "I'm God's...
E12 Funeral Sorrow and the Best Plot Twist Ever {Mary Kassian}
Are you going through something really painful right now? Are you wondering, "Why, Jesus? Why didn't you intervene?" There are two sisters named Mary and Martha, in our story today, who are asking that very question after the death of their...
E13 Retelling the Story of Lazarus
When my son, Cade, was a baby, I was putting him in his carseat one day and I accidentally bumped his head as I lowered him in. He looked at me with an expression of shock and said, "Mommy! We don't want to hurt your precious baby!" His...
E14 Sinful People, and the Long-Awaited Lamb of Fulfillment {Erin Davis}
If you were invited to a special dinner party, where the honored guests gathering around the table are all friends of Jesus who will be participating in a symbolic reenactment of the most important day in the history of the world, would you go?...
Ep 15 Retelling the Story of the Lamb
When my daughter was little she looked up at a lifeguard sitting on a tall chair and said, "That's the king, isn't it, Daddy?" She didn't quite have everything figured out yet, but even at two or three years old, she knew that great people were...
E 16 The True Story of Judas {Lee Nienhuis – John 13}
Have you ever watched someone betray Jesus? Have you felt the pain and shock of watching someone among you—someone who seemed to be a follower of God—turn against Him? This can be confusing and disorienting, but what if it's true that Jesus...
Season 1: The True Stories of Jesus
Welcome to the Live Like It’s True {Bible Podcast}
Welcome! Live Like It's True is devoted to helping you know the story, share the story, and live the story! Listen to the trailer for more: Welcome! I'm so excited to share this podcast with you! Live Like It's True is devoted to helping you...
How to Live Like It’s True that You’re Forgiven {Kelly Needham}
What would change if you knew you were forgiven? Would your shame lift? Would you feel new confidence or joy? The man in our story thought paralysis was his biggest problem, but Jesus took care of an even bigger one. And his friends got to dig...
E2 The Truth About Your Thirstiness for More {Mary DeMuth}
What are you constantly thirsty for? What’s the habit or person or behavior you’ve returned to repeatedly—always dipping your bucket and yet coming up dry? And what difference should it make that Jesus has offered you his living water? On Season...
E3 Has Jesus Asked You to Participate in a Multiplying Miracle?{Jenn Hand}
Has Jesus asked you to give more than you have, today? Maybe you're stressed out, overwhelmed or burned out, and you just don’t have enough to do what Jesus has assigned to you today. I f that’s you, I’m glad you’re joining us for this episode,...
E4 Jesus’s Forgiven Friend Might Look Like a Sinner {Erica Wiggenhorn}
Do you see the people around you like Jesus does? Or is a certain type of person you might look at with disdain? Who do you see as appalling, or as an annoyance? Is it possible that she looks like a sinner to you, but Jesus calls her forgiven?...
E5 The True Story of Fear {Kristen Wetherell – Luke 12:4–7}
What fears do you struggle with? What anxieties hold you back? Do you worry about the things you can't control? Kristen Wetherell joins me to talk about Jesus's responses to our fears in Luke 12. If you only live once, there's a lot to protect...