Kingdom Living Part 5 - Unshaken: How to Build Your Life on Jesus When Everything Feels Unstable
In Part 5 of the Kingdom Living series, Diana brings the conversation to a powerful close with a life-anchoring truth: you don’t have to live shaken.
Drawing from Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 7:24–27, this episode reveals the difference between simply hearing God’s Word and building your life upon it. Because when the storms of life come—and they will—the strength of your foundation determines whether you stand or fall.
Through personal testimony, vivid imagery, and foundational Scripture, Diana explores what it truly means to live rooted, grounded, and unshaken in Christ.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
Why storms are inevitable—but collapse is not
The difference between surface-level faith and a rooted life
How misplaced foundations lead to instability
What it means to build on Jesus as your true cornerstone
Practical ways to deepen your roots and strengthen your walk
With honesty and encouragement, Diana shares her own journey of realizing she wasn’t as rooted as she thought—and how rebuilding on Christ transformed her stability, peace, and perspective.
Because the truth is:
A storm doesn’t reveal how strong you are—it reveals how deep you are.
If you’ve been feeling shaken by life’s circumstances, this episode will remind you that there is a better way—a stronger foundation—and a Savior who invites you to stand firm in Him.
Diana’s Notes
Series: Kingdom Living Part 5
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Heartfelt Conversations with Diana.
I’m so glad you’re here with me today as we wrap up our Kingdom Living series, with part 5: Unshaken: How to Build Your Life on Jesus When Everything Feels Unstable.
And I don’t know about you…
…but it feels like we are living in a time where everything around us can feel a little… unsteady.
Circumstances change. People change. Emotions rise and fall.
And if we’re not careful, it doesn’t take much for our peace to feel shaken.
So the question I want to ask today is this:
How do we keep our soul steady… when everything around us feels unstable?
In our last episode, we talked about seeking the Kingdom— learning to trade anxiety for trust.
Learning to let go of control… and begin trusting God with our daily lives.
And now Jesus takes us one step further again…
Because trust is where it begins… But our foundation is what keeps us standing.
God wants you to know: “You don’t have to live shaken.”
THE FOUNDATION
Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount with a picture.
Not a complicated teaching, but a picture that every single one of us can understand.
In Matthew 7:24–27, He says:
“There are two people…Both hear My words…Both build a life…
But only one of them stands when the storm comes.”
Matthew 7:24–25 (AMP) “So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, will be like a wise man [a far-sighted, practical, and sensible man] who built his house on the rock.
And the rain fell, and the floods and torrents came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.”
Notice something??? The storm came to BOTH houses. The rains fell, the floods came, the winds blew, and slammed against both houses.
The loss of a loved one, a pet. Maybe you have been through a divorce or a breakup that has blown you off course. Maybe like me, the death of a child has slammed into your life like the roaring winds of the sea.
We have financial struggles, health crises, career setbacks, turmoils, and conflicts that try to rain on our day. Blow in like turbulent storms.
The core truth today isn’t the absence of storms…:
“A steady life isn’t built by avoiding storms… It's built by standing on the right foundation.”
“Whether we realize it or not… every single one of us is building our life on something.”
POINT 1 — EVERYONE BUILDS ON SOMETHING
“We build on what we feel… what we’ve been through… what we can control… or even what other people think of us.”
“And it all feels strong, sturdy… until life shakes it.”
POINT 2 — JESUS IS THE ONLY TRUE FOUNDATION
Listen to what the Apostle Paul wrote in what is thought to be one of his first letters to the church in Corinth. Corinth was one of the most influential cities in Greece, and the Apostle Paul had begun a church there. But the church began dividing into cliques. They started following different leaders rather than the one true gospel. So the Apostle Paul wrote this verse in 1 Corinthians 3, where he establishes that there is only one true foundation on which to build, that anything else we build on for the church, for our lives, if we build on human reliance, human wisdom, if we build on anything other than Christ as the foundation for it. Then it will eventually collapse. When the storms come, and they will come, what have we built our lives upon?
1 Corinthians 3:11 (NLT) “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.”
Not Jesus PLUS something else… Not Jesus when it’s convenient…
Jesus alone.
“I thought I had been building my life on the foundation of Jesus, but what I discovered was that in reality I had been following religious practices, not my Shepherd, and that made me as vulnerable as the one who builds on the sand.
In fact, one day the whole foundation of my life collapsed, and God, in His goodness and mercy and grace, because of how much He loves me, helped me to begin to rebuild my life on the right foundation. On Jesus Christ. Building my life, the foundation of my life meant obeying His teachings, His word, not just hearing them. Making this one shift in my life has given me stability against the storms now, when they come.
I no longer feel unstable, unsturdy, or easily shaken. But firm, solid, secure. Because Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone of my life.
Ephesians 2:19-22: (AMP) So then you are no longer strangers and aliens [outsiders without rights of citizenship], but you are fellow citizens with the saints (God’s people), and are [members] of God’s household,
having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the [chief] Cornerstone,
in whom the whole structure is joined together, and it continues [to increase] growing into a holy temple in the Lord [a sanctuary dedicated, set apart, and sacred to the presence of the Lord].
In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Remember the main point for today?
“A steady life isn’t built by avoiding storms… It's built by standing on the right foundation.”
Sadly, it took me a lot longer than it should have, but thank the Lord that I finally did realize I wasn’t standing on the Rock… the Right foundation.
My faith, my trust, my security, and stability were not built on Him. I was not standing stable and able to do all things because of Who He is; I was standing on what I could control.
POINT 3 — STABILITY COMES FROM ROOTEDNESS
There’s a picture the Lord gave me that I’ve never forgotten…
There’s a tree along the water where I walk. It’s been there a long time—you can tell.
But over the years, the storms have been rough. The winds… the winters… the waves… have worn away the sand around it…
and its roots are exposed.
And one day, I was walking and talking to God through a really hard season. I was tired… weary… honestly, I just wanted to give up.
And I remember asking Him, ‘Lord… how do I keep going like this? How do I not feel like everything is about to fall apart all the time?’
And as I stood there looking at that tree…this is what He showed me:
The only way that tree is still standing… is because its roots go deep.
Not shallow… Not surface-level… Deep.
And in that moment, it was like the Lord gently spoke to my heart:
If you want to withstand the storms… You have to go deep.
Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NLT) But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.
They’re not anxious… they don’t dry up… they keep producing fruit!
Do you see that picture? That’s what a rooted life looks like.
Not rushing, not striving, not barely holding on
Planted. Rooted. Steady.
Colossians 2:7 (NLT) Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
“A stable life is not a storm-free life… It’s a rooted life.”
POINT 4 — HEARING VS DOING
Back to Matthew 7: Both people HEARD the words
But only one: applied them
“It’s not just about listening to truth… It’s about living it.”
Not perfection… but practice.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Practice makes perfect. Not that we will ever be perfect. But tell me an athlete, a musician, an artist, or anyone skilled at what they do who has not learned the simple, basic truth of practice. Application.
How do we practice getting deep roots?
1. Stay in the Word
Not occasionally… consistently
2. Apply what you learn
Even when it’s uncomfortable
3. Stay connected to Jesus daily
Not just when things go wrong
4. Check your foundation
“What am I standing on right now?”
5. Practice gratitude
It is difficult to remain rooted in bitterness, in fear, in sorrow, in shame, or despair when we gravitate towards the streams of gratitude. Try it! lol
Let’s tie this whole 5-part series in a nice, neat bow, as Pastor Beth would say:
The Beatitudes showed us, heart over attitude…” part 1
Salt and light showed us we are to be influencers for Christ… part 2
The heart behind the law showed us it’s not works but a transformed heart… part 3
Seeking the Kingdom showed us to trust God over our anxieties… part 4
And today, Jesus shows us what keeps us standing, our roots. part 5
CLOSING
The storms will come, but they don’t have to take you down!
Because when your life is built on Jesus… You may feel the wind , you may hear the waves , you may even bend
…but you will not break!!
INVITATION
“This week… Let’s take a moment and ask ourselves:
What am I building my life on?”
And then let’s actually take one step forward…
open your Bible daily
surrender one area
reconnect with Jesus
Jesus is inviting you…to come back to the Rock. Be rooted in Him!
He sees you. He knows what you need. He’s already gone before you.
There is a better way. And Jesus is leading us into it. He is inviting you to trust Him. One day at a time.
It all comes down to this:
“A storm doesn’t reveal how strong you are…it reveals how deep you are. If you want to withstand the storms… You have to go deep.”
Let’s wrap up with our main point -
“A steady life isn’t built by avoiding storms… It's built by standing on the right foundation.”
And that foundation is Jesus Christ.
I hope this series has been encouraging to you. Please invite one other person whom you think could also use some encouragement, a little root care! LOL, but invite them on the journey as we continue learning how to follow our Shepherd.
Until then, you can check out the notes for today’s podcast and a link to Pastor Eric‘s latest message: An Easter to Remember.
If you do not already have a church home, join us online for Sunday service at Valley Family Church! You can find that link, the notes, and Pastor Eric’s message.
On our website -heartfeltconversations.com
This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it! Psalms 118:24:(NLT)
See ya next time on Heartfelt Conversations with Diana!
Pastor Eric’s message:
An Easter to Remember | Pastor Eric Jones
Valley Family Church YouTube Channel for Sunday Service:
Need a Church Home?
Join us at Valley Family Church, tell them Diana invited you! 🙂
Thirst Quenchers
Songs to Inspire You:
MercyMe - Even If (Official Lyric Video)
Phil Wickham - Resurrection Story (Official Lyric Video)
Trust In God (feat. Chris Brown & Isaiah Templeton) | Elevation Worship
Foundational Encouraging Verses:
Isaiah 42:16: God’s Word Translation
I will lead the blind on unfamiliar roads. I will lead them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light in front of them. I will make rough places smooth. These are the things I will do for them, and I will never abandon them.
Isaiah 54:10: Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
Psalm 119:105: Your word is a light unto our path and a light unto our feet.
Isaiah 54:17: But in that coming day, no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from me. I, the LORD, have spoken!
Isaiah 52:12: (EASY) But you will not have to hurry and run away. No, the Lord, Israel's God, will keep you safe. He will lead you at the front, and He will be your guard at the back.
Isaiah 46:10: “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’”
Matthew 7:11: So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
1 Peter 2:23 tells us - When He was insulted, He did not answer back with an insult; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but placed His hopes in God, the righteous Judge.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
1 Peter 2:12 says, “Live such good lives among the pagans that… they may see your good deeds and glorify God.”
The New Living Translation reads it this way: Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20: "I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Now choose life."
Luke 6:37“Forgive, and you will be forgiven”.
Matthew 6:14: If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.
Romans 8:31 in the AMP Bible tells us: What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us?
Psalm 65:11: You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.
Psalm 32:8: The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.
Proverbs 15:3: The Lord sees everything, whether good or bad.
1 Peter 5:7: Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.
Additional Resources:
Steven Furtick: Triggered Taking Back Your Mind in the Age of Anxiety
Beth Jones: Getting a Grip on the Basics is a great resource to help you get the basics of how vital you are to God and how good He desires to be to you
https://www.thebasicsuniversity.com
Joyce Meyer: The Mind is a Battlefield - https://joycemeyer.org
Prayer of Salvation
Jesus has given salvation, healing, and countless benefits to all who call upon His name. These benefits can be yours if you receive Him into your heart by saying this prayer:
Heavenly Father, I come to You admitting that I am a sinner. Right now, I choose to turn away from sin, and I ask You to cleanse me of all unrighteousness. I believe that Jesus rose again from the dead so that I may be justified and made righteous through faith in Him. I call upon the name of Jesus Christ to be the Savior and Lord of my life. Jesus, I choose to follow You, and I ask that You fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit. I declare right now that I am a born-again child of God. I am free from sin and full of the righteousness of God. I am saved in Jesus’ name. Amen.
This prayer and the comment above were taken out of the book:
Secrets to Powerful Prayer - Discovering the Languages of the Heart
By Lynne Hammond and Patsy Cameneti
If you have just received Jesus as your Savior, please write Lynne Hammond Ministries at:
PO Box 29469
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55429-2946
Or, email one of the ministries listed on the Additional Resources Tab and let them know that you are a brand-new Christian and need some direction on the next steps for your new life in Christ.
Or email us here at Heartfelt Conversations with Diana, and we will forward your information to you.
Congratulations if you are a brand new Christian or if you have Returned Home! Welcome!!! Get in God’s Word and get it into you.