Podcast Summary: "New Beginnings: How to Make This Year Your Best Year"

Stay True with Madison Prewett Troutt
Episode Date: January 5, 2026

Overview

This episode kicks off 2026 with Madison Prewett Troutt encouraging listeners to pursue a year that’s centered around Jesus and authentic faith. Madi shares personal reflections, biblical foundations, practical steps, and a vulnerable confession about her relationship with social media. The central theme is to give God your first and best, confront idols, pursue deep spiritual habits, and seek godly community—laying down distractions for a year of true new beginnings.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of “Firsts”: Beginning the Year with God

• Madi frames the start of 2026 as a “holy reset,” emphasizing that no matter what 2025 was like, this year can be your best if you make it about Jesus.

• She encourages listeners to evaluate their hearts and submit the year, week, and day to God, giving Him their “firstfruits”:

  • Beginning of the year: Reflect, surrender plans and dreams, and make Jesus the center.
  • Week: Reclaiming the Sabbath as a day of true, biblical rest, not just mindless distractions.
  • Day: Start in God’s presence and word, before any phone, social media, or work.

  “When we make God our first, everything else will take care of itself. And when God takes first place, everything else will take its rightful place.” (08:45)

2. Practically Building a Jesus-Centered Year

• Self-assessment: Be honest about spiritual health, relationships, time, finances, emotions.

• Intentional habits:

  • Start each day in worship, prayer, and gratitude.
  • Remove distractions, e.g., don’t reach for the phone first thing (Madi suggests using an alarm clock instead of your phone).
  • Give God the “first and best” of your time, talent, and treasure (including tithing, serving, creativity).

  “What we do with the first will always reveal what we trust the most, like who and what we trust the most.” (17:53)

3. Scripting Your Faith for Growth

• Biblical literacy: Commit deeply to studying and memorizing Scripture. Find accountability—join friends to read books like Philippians or Acts, use Bible plans.

• Don’t be an “emotional” or “selfish” Bible reader—learn the Word in context, recognizing it’s about Jesus, not just us.

  “I have stored up in my heart your word so that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm reference, 23:50)

4. The Role of Godly Community

• Get plugged into a local church—move past “ISO Christianity.”

• Actively serve, join or lead a small group, gather with others who will challenge, love, and hold you accountable.

  “Have friends that care more about your soul than your feelings.” (25:30)

5. The Idol of Social Media: Madi’s Vulnerable Confession

• Madi opens up about her struggle with social media—seeking validation, relevance, and “little g gods” of affirmation and importance.

• She shares her decision to step away from personal Instagram/social media for an extended season (six months, a year, or more).

• She encourages listeners to assess what triggers their own restlessness, discontent, or distraction—and to consider a fasting season from social or at least strong boundaries.

  “For so many of us, the reason that so many of us are unhappy is because of social media. And I’m just gonna go there.” (01:00)

  “Why do I want to be seen by other people? Why do I care if I have this many followers…? It has not been a life-giving place.” (01:13:30)

6. How to Surrender Idols and Lay “Little g gods” Down

• Madi urges listeners to prayerfully ask: What are you clinging to more than God? What would shake your faith if lost?

• Idols aren’t always “bad things”—they can be relationships, dreams, children, reputation.

• Lay it all at Jesus’ feet, not just sinful things, but even good things that take God’s place.

  “Only then will you be filled up if you’re first giving up all that has your heart.” (22:40) “Whatever commands your heart is going to control your life.” (49:00) “You cannot serve both God and whatever that is that’s on the throne of your heart that isn’t God.” (01:12:30)

7. Praying for Consecration and Holy Surrender

• Madison leads listeners in a heartfelt prayer, inviting them to humble themselves, ask God to search their hearts, and submit every hope, hurt, and habit to Him.

  “Go to the altar…at the altar, something dies. But also at the altar, there’s resurrection power.” (01:23:30)

  “Lord, forgive me for when I’ve made it all about me…Search my heart and begin to remove those offensive things in me.” (01:32:20)

Notable Quotes

• On making room for God’s voice:

  “I want this year to be a year where the Holy Spirit just speaks into me and breathes into me, like, who I truly am and where I find my true validation and affirmation and acceptance and approval and assurance and security… in God’s presence and in God’s word.” (01:15:02)

• On fighting for the right priorities:

  “Fight to be irrelevant. Fight to die to yourself. Consecrate the things you need to consecrate. Search your heart, ask God to search your heart and expose and reveal what are the idols on your heart.” (01:25:00)

• On the biggest rescue mission:

  “The biggest rescue mission of all time is Jesus rescuing you from you.” (01:26:10)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Kickoff & 2026 Mindset: 03:10 – 07:10
• Why Give God Our Year, Week, Day: 08:20 – 17:00
• Sabbath and Biblical Rest: 18:30 – 22:10
• Firstfruits Principle & Tithing: 22:20 – 24:30
• How to Practically Start Your Day with God: 25:00 – 28:10
• Studying and Saturating with Scripture: 31:00 – 35:00
• Community and Local Church: 37:20 – 39:10
• Idols and the Danger of Good Things: 49:00 – 55:00
• Madison’s Social Media Fast: 01:13:00 – 01:24:00
• Consecration and Laying Down Idols: 01:25:00 – 01:33:20
• Closing Prayer and Blessing: 01:33:20 – 01:36:45

Memorable Moments

• Madison’s raw honesty about her struggles with relevance and validation on social media (01:13:30).
• The call to bring back the Sabbath as true biblical rest (18:50).
• Her story about laying down a relationship idol in 2018 and finding contentment only in Jesus (54:30).
• The radical challenge: “Fight to be irrelevant. Fight to die to yourself.” (01:25:00).

Action Steps & Encouragements

• Start your day, week, and year putting God first (and best).
• Audit your heart for idols—good or bad—and dare to lay them down.
• If social media is an idol or distraction, consider fasting or setting boundaries.
• Commit to deeper scripture study, not just consumption.
• Pursue local, authentic community—and bring accountability into your spiritual resolutions.
• Let this year be marked by consecration and surrender, not achievement and hustle.
• Remember: “You want to follow me? Okay, come and die.” (Referencing Jesus’ call to discipleship, 01:27:00)

Closing Summary

Madi’s first 2026 episode is an inspiring and vulnerable call to radical honesty, surrender, and renewal. The practical advice, biblical grounding, and her personal story create both a challenge and a roadmap for anyone wanting real spiritual breakthroughs and meaningful new beginnings this year.

Stay you, and stay true.