Water Into Wine

Why Forgiveness is So Hard and Why It’s Worth It

What does forgiveness really look like when life gets messy? In this episode, Father Charleston Wilson dives into the tension between knowing we should forgive and actually doing it. He unpacks why revenge can feel so satisfying, why forgiveness can be so difficult, and how God’s grace reshapes both. From a powerful real-life encounter that shows forgiveness in action to practical reflections on forgiving others and ourselves, this conversation reveals that forgiveness is less about fairness and more about freedom. Along the way, he sips a crisp New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and reminds us that even the hardest spiritual truths can unfold in the most ordinary, human moments.
Timestamps:
(00:00) Welcome to Water into Wine
(01:20) Wine of the Day: 2023 TeMata Estate Sauvignon Blank, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
(03:55) Why this wine for this episode?
(06:00) Tasting notes
(10:10) Food pairings
(12:00) Is it harder to forgive yourself or others?
(15:00) A powerful story of forgiveness
(19:25) Who and what does God forgive?
(23:20) What do we have to do to receive God’s forgiveness?
(27:10) Listener question: Do you drink anything other than wine?
(30:10) Final food pairings and wisdom

Why God is Reliable and Why We're Not

In this episode of Water into Wine, Father Charleston explores the idea of reliability through the lens of faith, human nature, and a bottle of Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. As he unpacks the topic, the conversation moves into deeper territory around grace, expectations, and the freedom that comes from understanding God’s unchanging character. With humor, insight, and practical reflections, this episode invites listeners to rethink how they view disappointment and trust. Stick around for the end, where a fun blind taste test of a bottle of wine brings honest reactions and a memorable close to the conversation.
Timestamps:
(00:00) Welcome to Water into Wine
(01:45) Wine of the Day: 2020 CrossBarn Pinot Noir by Paul Hobbs, Sonoma Coast, USA
(06:40) Tasting notes
(11:20) Food pairings
(14:10) Why this wine for today’s topic: reliability?
(17:25) Why are we fickle and unreliable?
(19:45) Is God fickle?
(22:20) The doctrine of God’s immutability
(25:10) How can we keep from getting disappointed in people?
(27:00) Listener question: Who pastors the pastor?
(30:25) 10th episode special: Blind wine tasting
(31:30) Initial impressions
(33:45) Tasting notes, price, and wine reveal

Finding Peace in the Middle of Fear

In this episode of Water into Wine, Father Charleston Wilson dives into the reality of fear and what it reveals about our lives. From everyday anxieties to life-changing diagnoses, he explores why fear shows up and how faith reshapes our response to it. Over a glass of Italian Pinot Grigio, the conversation blends spiritual insights with practical wisdom, unpacking themes like surrender, control, and trust in God. Listeners will come away with a deeper understanding of fear, a renewed sense of perspective, and simple ways to move forward with peace even in uncertain moments.
Timestamps:
(00:00) Welcome to Water into Wine
(01:20) Wine of the Day: 2023 Livo Feluga Pinot Grigio, Colio, Italy
(05:00) Tasting notes
(09:50) Food pairings
(11:10) Why this wine for today’s topic of fear?
(14:50) Is there a common fear people come to talk to Father Charleston about?
(17:25) Top fears
(19:10) Advice for people’s fears
(21:45) Legitimate fears - a holy reverence
(22:45) What should we do when we are afraid?
(24:40) What prayers do you come back to?
(28:10) What are you most afraid of?
(30:30) Listener question: What does it mean for a wine to have “good skin contact?”
(32:10) Final food pairings

Self-Esteem: A God’s-Eye View

In this episode of Water into Wine, Father Charleston Wilson examines the question that matters most for our identity: What does God think about us? Father Charleston turns to Scripture and the truth that our worth is not something we create or achieve but something given by God. Through honest reflection about failure, pride, and the human tendency to seek approval, he points to the steady and unchanging reality of God’s love in Christ. From Romans 5 to the everyday struggles of feeling inadequate, this conversation invites listeners to move away from self-focused thinking and toward a deeper trust in who God declares us to be.
Timestamps:
(00:00) Welcome to Water into Wine
(01:05) Wine of the Day: 2021 Domaine du Cayron Gigondas, Rhône Valley, France
(04:00) Tasting notes
(05:45) Food pairings
(07:40) Why this wine for the topic of the day: self-esteem
(10:50) What is self-esteem?
(12:20) Does God feel differently about us than we feel about ourselves?
(16:30) The looking-glass self theory
(20:15) Romans 5
(21:45) If I keep failing, am I disappointing God? Does God want me to feel good about myself?
(24:20) “Original sin is evenly distributed”
(25:15) What are your favorite podcasts?

Why Suffering Is Never Wasted

In this episode of Water Into Wine, Father Charleston opens a bottle of Chianti Classico and talks about something everyone experiences but few people want to discuss: suffering. The conversation moves from the story behind the wine to the deeper question of what we do with pain when it shows up in our lives. Father Charleston shares how he has learned to see difficult seasons differently and why suffering can become a place where faith grows stronger and God’s presence becomes clearer. It is an honest, thoughtful conversation about hardship, hope, and trusting that God can bring something meaningful out of even the most difficult moments.
Timestamps:
(00:00) Welcome to Water into Wine
(01:05) Wine of the Day: 2022 Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy
(04:00) Tasting notes
(07:45) Why this wine for the topic of the day: suffering
(10:30) How can suffering be a good thing?
(15:15) Suffering is one way our faith is built
(19:15) Helping others who are suffering
(21:10) Pain can help you grow closer to God
(23:55) Question: How can we stick to our faith when bad things happen?
(25:15) Listener question: Does Father Charleston prefer wine with corks or screw tops?
(29:05) Final tasting notes

Surrendering Your Expectations to God

In this episode of Water Into Wine, Father Charleston Wilson opens a bottle of Bordeaux and tackles expectations — the kind we name out loud and the deeper ones we barely admit to ourselves. He talks about why the promotion, purchase, or perfectly planned future rarely satisfies us the way we imagine it will and why that disappointment might actually point us somewhere better. With humor, Scripture, and a few stories from real life, this conversation gets honest about control, surrender, sadness, and the quiet work God does in seasons that feel unresolved. It is thoughtful, grounded, and surprisingly hopeful.
 
Timestamps:
(00:00) Welcome to Water into Wine
(01:05) Wine of the Day: 2020 Château Curton “la Perriere” Bordeaux, France
(02:20) Why this wine for the topic of the day: expectations
(03:25) Tasting notes
(07:10) What are some common expectations?
(11:00) Why are people not honest in prayer with their expectations?
(12:40) How to be patient with expectations
(14:40) Surrendering expectations to God
(18:35) How can we focus less on expectations?
(20:20) When you are feeling sad or down, how do you deal with it?
(22:35) What is your favorite TV show you are watching now and why?
(25:35) Final tasting notes

Why an Attitude of Gratitude Can Change Everything

In this episode of Water Into Wine, Father Charleston Wilson and host Grier Ferguson explore what gratitude really looks like in everyday life and why it matters for our faith. Over a glass of Spanish Priorat wine, the conversation moves from simple pleasures to deeper spiritual truths, showing how gratitude is not just a feeling but a practice that shapes the heart. Father Charleston shares honest stories, Scripture, and practical wisdom about how gratitude can soften bitterness, counter comparison, and help us remain aware of God’s presence even during difficult seasons. This episode invites listeners to slow down, notice grace, and rediscover joy in ordinary moments.
Timestamps:
(00:00) Welcome to Water into Wine
(01:25) Wine of the Day: 2021 Buil & Giné “Giné Giné” Priorat, Spain/Catalonia  
(03:35) Tasting notes
(07:10) Wine and food pairing pro tip
(09:20) How can we incorporate more gratitude into our life?
(13:10) Gratitude is not a feeling
(15:25) How to have more gratitude
(17:45) What happens when we are not grateful?
(20:05) Comparison and gratitude
(22:45) Writing down things we are grateful for
(24:10) Finding gratitude in terrible situations
(25:40) Listener question: Why does God ask us to be grateful even when we are suffering?
(28:00) Bonus question: favorite meal?
(30:00) Final tasting notes

What Authenticity Really Means in Faith, Life, and Wine

In this episode of Water Into Wine, Father Charleston Wilson invites listeners into a thoughtful conversation about authenticity, faith, and identity, all while enjoying a classic Dolcetto red wine from the Piedmont region of Italy. Through stories, cultural references, and honest reflection, he explores why so many people feel exhausted by self-help and performance, and how true freedom comes from knowing we belong to God. This episode blends theology, everyday life, and wine into a grounded and refreshing look at what it really means to live authentically.
Timestamps:
(00:00) Welcome to Water Into Wine
(01:15) Wine of the Day: 2022 Pecchenino Dolcetto di Dogliani San Luigi, Italy 
(04:55) Tasting notes
(06:40) Why are we focused more on authenticity?
(08:40) Authenticity*
(11:00) Martha Stewart and Ina Garten
(13:20) The truth about self-help
(16:20) Listener Question: Tips for focusing on whose we are, rather than who we are
(18:20) Final tasting notes
(19:20) Bonus Question: Why do you share your struggles?

Why Control Wears Us Down and Surrender Brings Peace

In this episode of Water Into Wine, Father Charleston Wilson reflects on why control is one of the greatest sources of stress in our lives and how faith invites us into something freer and more peaceful. Over a glass of Pinot Grigio from Friuli, Italy, the conversation moves from the careful balance required in winemaking to the deeper spiritual work of surrendering our need to manage outcomes. Drawing from pastoral care, Scripture, and personal experience, Father Charleston offers insight into why letting go is so difficult and why trust in God’s timing can bring real relief. This episode is thoughtful, practical, and encouraging for anyone feeling overwhelmed by responsibility or pressure.
Timestamps:
(00:00) Welcome to Water Into Wine
(01:20) Wine of the Day: 2024 Pierpaolo Pecorari Pinot Grigio, Friuli, Italy
(06:00) Does the topic of “Control” come up a lot?
(07:00) Tasting the wine
(09:35) Problems boiling down to control
(12:15) How can Type A’s deal with control?
(15:30) Why do people “play” God?
(19:40) If we surrender control, what do we replace it with?
(23:50) Listener Question: How can we balance surrendering control to God and personal accountability?
(28:15) Final tasting notes
(29:00) Bonus Question: When did you realize God was in control?

Is He Listening? What to Know About Prayer and God's Silence

In this soul-stirring episode of Water Into Wine, Father Charleston Wilson explores the everyday beauty and mystery of prayer over a red blend from the south of France. With warmth, humor, and a touch of Bon Jovi, he breaks down the fears many have about “doing prayer right” and reminds us that we're probably praying more than we think. From midnight worries to spontaneous soul speak, Father Charleston redefines what a meaningful prayer life looks like. 
 
Timestamps:
(00:00) Welcome to Water into Wine
(01:00) Wine of the day: 2021 Domaine D’aupilhac “Lou Maset,” Languedoc, France
(06:00) Why this wine?
(07:00) How do we know we are praying correctly?
(11:20) Prayer routines
(13:00) Sometimes prayer can feel like a laundry list
(14:30) Listener Question: How do we know God hears us?
(19:25) Bonus Question: Does God always answer our prayers?