Upstream Pursuit
The leadership podcast for Christian women going against the current. The Upstream Pursuit calls women to go against the current by measuring everything against the Truth of God’s word. Join Narcely every other Monday for energizing conversations and practical tips on how to live and lead in pursuit of unchanging Christian values. To learn more about joining our community, visit us at narcelyruiz.com or on our Facebook or Instagram!
Episodes
197 episodes
Christmas Shout Out: Simeon, Advent, and the Faithfulness of God
In this episode, we sit with Simeon in Luke 2:25–32, a righteous and devout man who waited faithfully for the consolation of Israel in a season marked by political tension, spiritual dryness, and generations of unanswered longing. We explore wh...
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Season 9
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Episode 46
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14:49
How Santa Contradicts the Gospel
In this episode, we take an honest look at the subtle ways the Santa myth shapes our understanding of goodness, gifts, behavior, and belief. We explore how the lie of Santa contradicts the Truth at the heart of the Gospel and how it can uninten...
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Season 9
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Episode 45
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14:48
1 Thessalonians 5:18: Gratitude That Stays When the Season Ends
This episode explores how gratitude is more than a holiday feeling — it’s a spiritual discipline rooted in Scripture. Through an exegesis of 1 Thessalonians 5:18, the story of the woman with the alabaster jar, and practical ways to stay grat...
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Season 9
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Episode 44
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12:29
Convos With Gen Z Finale: The Girls Ask Me Questions
In this final episode of our Gen Z series, the girls turn the tables and ask me the questions. We talk about navigating spiritual dry seasons and staying rooted in Christ while juggling the many roles we carry. It’s a reminder that no ...
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Season 9
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Episode 43
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11:06
Convos with GenZ: Going Upstream as a Christian Teenager
In today’s episode, I sit down once again with Sebathany, Mikaela, Ana Karina, and Yasmine—four teenage girls from my church who have been sharing boldly and beautifully about pursuing Christ in their generation. Instead of focusing on where th...
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Season 9
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Episode 42
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14:36
Convos with GenZ: Community and Change
In today’s conversation, Yasminee, Mikaela, Sebathany, and Ana Karina share how community strengthens our walk with Christ and how faith in Him leads to real transformation — the kind that shows up in how we serve, give, and love others. ...
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Season 9
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Episode 41
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14:35
Convos with GenZ: The Cost and Reward of Obedience
In a world that tells Gen Z to “do what feels right,” my teenage guests are choosing something different — obedience to Jesus. In this conversation, Yasminee, Mikaela, Sebathany, and Ana Karina share what it means to walk in obedience and...
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Season 9
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Episode 40
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13:58
Hungry for His Word: Gen Z Voices on Surrender and Spiritual Rhythm
In this episode, we continue our conversation with four incredible Gen Z girls from my church. This time we are hearing from Sebathany and Karina. Both young women share how Christ became real to them in powerful and personal ways.The au...
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Season 9
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Episode 39
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14:58
When Jesus Becomes Personal: A Conversation with Gen Z
I sat down with four amazing teenage girls—Yasmine, Mikaela, Sebathany, and Ana Karina—to talk about what it looks like to Pursue Christ, community and change in their generation. In this first episode, Yasmine and Mikaela share how Christ b...
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Season 9
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Episode 38
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14:53
A Tribute to My Pastors with Voices from the Next Generation
We’re stepping away from our regular programming for a special episode in honor of Pastor Appreciation Month. I sat down with four Gen Z girls from our church to share heartfelt encouragement and gratitude for our pastors. Their words bea...
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Season 9
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Episode 37
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6:10
I Visited Charlie Kirk’s Memorial at TPUSA… and This Is What I Saw
I had the opportunity to visit the memorial set up outside the Turning Point USA building in Phoenix, Arizona. In this episode, I talk about what I saw, felt, and experienced, share some thoughts on the memorial service and reflect on how Go...
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Season 9
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Episode 36
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12:54
Repentant Lament: When Sin Breaks More Than Just You (Psalm 51:18–19)
In this closing episode of our Repentant Lament series, we explore the final verses of Psalm 51, where David’s prayer shifts from personal forgiveness to the restoration of God’s people. Sin is never just private—it weakens famil...
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Season 9
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Episode 35
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14:59
Repentant Lament: The Sacrifice God Actually Wants (Psalm 51:13–17)
What if the very thing you’ve been running from, your guilt, your failure, your brokenness, was the one thing God actually wanted you to bring Him? Forgiven people become worshipers and witnesses. In this episode, we explore how David moves ...
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Season 9
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Episode 34
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14:51
Repentant Lament: When Tragedy Forces Us to Look Inward (Psalm 51:7–12)
In a world full of division, anger, and grief, how do we respond as followers of Christ? In this episode, we reflect on the tragic death of Charlie Kirk not to dwell on politics, but to examine our own hearts and the sin that dulls our aware...
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Season 9
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Episode 33
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14:58
Repentant Lament: The Freedom of Coming Clean (Psalm 51:3–6)
No excuses. No blame-shifting. Just honest confession before God. In this episode, we continue our journey through Psalm 51, David’s raw and honest prayer of repentance after his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah. We unpack David’s words in ve...
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Season 9
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Episode 32
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14:59
Repentant Lament: Mercy for the Broken (Psalm 51:1–2)
In this episode, we begin our journey through Psalm 51 with David’s opening cry: “Have mercy on me, O God.” After being confronted with his sin, David doesn’t excuse or justify himself; he throws himself on the mercy o...
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Season 9
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Episode 31
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14:59
Repentant Lament: A Journey through Psalm 51
What does true repentance look like? Before we dive into Psalm 51, this introduction sets the stage with David’s backstory, the structure of the psalm, and the themes of mercy, confession, renewal, worship, and corporate revival. Discover wh...
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Season 9
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Episode 30
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14:59
Practicing Lament: Bringing Our Sorrows Before God
In this follow-up episode, we move from understanding biblical lament to practicing it. Drawing from the pattern in Psalm 13, we explore how to bring our grief, confusion, and pain honestly before the Lord—whether alone or in community. Lame...
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Season 9
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Episode 29
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14:57
When God Feels Silent: Learning from Psalm 13
In this episode, we turn to Psalm 13 as a guide for biblical lament, bringing our raw and honest questions before God. I share my personal struggle in the aftermath of the recent devastating floods in Kerrville, Texas, where many lives, incl...
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Season 9
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Episode 28
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14:57
Refreshed, Refocused & Ready: What God’s Been Doing
fter a short sabbatical, I’m back refreshed, realigned and ready for what God is leading me into next. In this short episode, I share what I’ve been up to during my break and how God is shifting my focus. Let’s talk about what it means to tr...
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Season 9
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Episode 27
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11:17
Making Room for the Vine: A Mid-Year Reset
Six months into this podcast journey, I’m taking a moment to pause not out of burnout, but obedience. In today’s short and heartfelt episode, I share what God’s been stirring in me: a call to step away for the month of July, not to rest from th...
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Season 9
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Episode 26
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9:49
How the Church Can Respond to Rising Global Tensions
As U.S. airstrikes on Iran escalate global tensions, how should the Church in America respond? In this short but timely episode, we explore how to pursue peace, stand with the global Church, and keep our eyes fixed on the mission of Christ i...
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Season 9
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Episode 25
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14:15
Finding Healing After Spiritual Wounds (Part 3): The Way Forward
Church hurt doesn’t have to be the end of your faith story. In this final part of the series, we turn to Scripture for hope and guidance, exploring the story of Elijah, a prophet who knew the weight of discouragement. If you’ve ...
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Season 9
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Episode 24
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14:16
Finding Healing After Spiritual Wounds (Part 2): Biblical Accountability
In Part 1, we explored the pain of church hurt—the deep wounds that can come from betrayal, gossip, manipulation, or leadership gone wrong. But not every uncomfortable experience in church is abuse. In this episode, we’ll dive into the differen...
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Season 9
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Episode 23
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16:39
Finding Healing After Spiritual Wounds (Part 1): Church Hurt
Church hurt is real, and it runs deep. Maybe it came through betrayal, abuse of power, gossip, or spiritual manipulation. Maybe you gave your heart to fellow believer or community that didn’t protect it. In this part 1 of this episode, we di...
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Season 9
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Episode 22
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19:21