MercyCast

It’s a Chris White Christmas, everyone! In this episode of Mercycast , I am joined by my friend, Chris White , director of Electric Jesus , to dive deep into the themes and storytelling of Christmas movies . We explore how these films reflect vulnerability, redemption , and the human experience during the holiday season . From classic films like A Christmas Carol to the overwhelming popularity of...

Do you have an Advent Calendar this year? If not, maybe you should consider getting one. In this episode of  Mercycast , join  Jared C. Wilson , author of  Gifts of Grace: 25 Advent Devotions , as he explores the themes of  Advent ,  Christmas , and the deeper meaning of the  holiday season . Jared, a  pastor  and  professor , explores the powerful connection between  vulnerability ,  hope , and ...

Sometimes, we find faith in the most challenging places. In this episode of MercyCast , I sit down with Cody Wilde , Senior Vice President of Correctional Programs at Prison Fellowship , to discuss his influential work in prison ministry and the profound impact of compassion and vulnerability in the lives of those incarcerated. Cody shares how the gospel is a beacon of hope amid adversity , foster...

Parenting teenagers is not always easy. That’s probably the understatement of the year. In this insightful episode, Amy Betters-Midtvedt , author of You’ll Make It (And They Will Too) , offers expert advice on parenting teenagers and understanding the complexities of family dynamics. With over 25 years of experience working with adolescents and families and as a contributing writer for Today Paren...

There are over 400,000 children in the Foster care system. Roughly 125,000 are available for adoption, and 25,000 age out a year. What does compassion say do? In this episode of Mercycast, Dr. Kimberly Offutt discusses the transformative power of compassion, community support, and advocacy in the foster care system. As an expert in child welfare, Dr. Offutt highlights the importance of vulnerabili...

How do you find your way back after the unthinkable? After experiencing deep pain, we can lose a step. We may feel like we have lost our sense of purpose. In this conversation, Raleigh Sadler and Esther Garrett explore finding passion and purpose after experiencing trauma and burnout. Esther, the founder and CEO of Safety Compass, shares her personal story of advocacy, the challenges she faced, an...

Many people who leave the church cite "church hurt" as one reason. What is it? In this episode of the Mercycast, host Raleigh Sadler discusses the topic of church hurt with the author Joe Dobbins. Together, they explore the experiences of individuals who have been emotionally wounded in places of worship and the impact it has on their faith. Joe shares his motivation for writing the book H...

Have you ever lacked Confidence? In this episode of the Mercycast, host Raleigh Sadler and guest Ashley Henriott, author of the recently released book Confidence is an Inside Job , discuss the topic of Confidence and self-worth. Ashley shares her journey from being a single mom kicked out of her house to becoming a Christ-centered confidence coach. They explore the importance of finding Confidence...

When you are at the end of your rope, that's when you can grow the most. Risa August, author of 'The Road Unpaved, Border to Border with a Brain Tumor and a Bike,' shares her journey of resilience and self-discovery after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. Despite the challenges she faced, Risa refused to let her diagnosis paralyze her and instead made a conscious decision to live. St...

Over 50% of Christians struggle with mental health. For this reason, in this episode of the Mercycast, host Raleigh Sadler engages with Chris Morris, a certified mental health coach and author of the new book Resilient and Redeemed: Lessons about suicidality and depression from the psych-ward to discuss the often overlooked topic of mental health within the church. They share personal stories and...

“There’s miracles in the monotony.” In this episode of Mercycast, host Adsum Try Ravenhill and guest Raleigh explore the profound significance of walking as a metaphor for life and faith. They discuss personal experiences of walking, the concept of pilgrimage, and the importance of community and solitude in life's journey. The conversation emphasizes that walking is not just a physical act but...

What doesn’t kill you may make you weaker. And that’s okay. In this conversation, Raleigh and Adsum Ravenhill discuss the concept of suffering and how it can be used for the good of others. They explore the idea that vulnerability and suffering can bless those around us and that our pain can help others find hope and healing. They also discuss the importance of situating our suffering within a gre...

I am joined by Shannon Popkin, author, speaker, and podcast host, in this episode. We dive deep and discuss the harmful effects of comparison and how it can hinder our ability to live a fulfilling life. In light of Shannon’s books, Comparison Girl, Lessons from Jesus on Me Free Living in a Measure Up World and the new book Comparison Girl for Teens, Thriving Beyond Measure in a World that Compares...

In this episode, we have a podcast inception—yes, a podcast within a podcast. The hosts of the Freely Given podcast join me on the Mercycast. Katie Koplin, author of Encouragement for Motherhood, and Gretchen Ronnevik, author of Ragged, share their perspectives on being comfortable with being uncomfortable. We explore how the gospel meets us in our discomfort and talk about seasons in life and how...

Rather than hearing a story this week, I want to pause and talk about the importance of sharing our stories and being vulnerable. Whether you believe it or not, everyone has a story that matters, and our stories have the power to impact others. There is a cost of vulnerability and the need to share with safe people. One of my friends, Adsum Ravenhill, joins me and shares his perspective on vulnera...

Julie Sunne, author of Sometimes I Forget, 60 Reminders of Hope for Your Hard Days , joins me to share her personal experiences of suffering, including miscarriages and caring for her daughter, and how these challenges have deepened her faith. She emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and processing grief and how it can lead to a more intimate relationship with God. Julie also challenges the...

How do we heal? In this episode, I am joined by Jay Stringer, a licensed mental health counselor and author of the award-winning book Unwanted: How Sexual Brokenness Reveals Our Way to Healing . Together, we discuss sexual brokenness and the journey towards healing. We explore the concept of shifting to viewing sexual brokenness as clues to unaddressed and unresolved parts of our lives. Jay shares...

In this episode, I talk with Ginny Owens about her journey of starting over and finding light amid suffering. Ginny has spent the past two decades sharing her heart with listeners and readers as a singer/songwriter, author, teacher, and advocate. Her new book, Singing in the Dark, shows how we can experience light in the middle of our suffering. You don’t want to miss this episode because we discu...

Knowing who to trust on a good day and even harder in our most challenging moments is difficult. In today's episode, Anita Anello, a business owner, coach, successful software executive & mom, shares her experience of going through a marriage crisis and a medical emergency that changed her life. She talks about her shock and sadness while emphasizing the importance of having a support syst...

Do we need to rethink our approach to charity? Many assume that giving helps when it can have the opposite effect. In this episode of the Mercycast, host Raleigh Sadler discusses the importance of approaching vulnerable populations with compassion and care. He is joined by Anne Basham, founder of the Interparliamentary Task Force on Human Trafficking and CEO of Ascend Consulting, to explore when t...

We always focus on the “why” of our pain. But what if there is another question that we should be asking? In this episode of the Mercycast, I talk with Valerie Althouse, Director of Training for International Students Incorporated, about living with chronic pain. Valerie shares her personal experience of living with chronic pain and how she has learned to manage it. She emphasizes the importance o...

What do we do when we can’t do what we want to do? In this episode, Marilette Sanchez, a New Yorker as well as a field director with FamilyLife, shares her journey of navigating identity crises and finding purpose in her vocation amid life's challenges. Marilette shares her journey of giving up her dream of becoming a writer to become a missionary and then facing the struggle of balancing moth...

Can you return the "gift" of singleness? Can you get store credit? In this episode, Raleigh Sadler and Ryan Wekenman, author of the new book Single Today, drawing from their personal experiences, explore the challenges of singleness and the significance of finding community and embracing the present moment. They candidly discuss the well-meaning but often hurtful comments single people rec...

God doesn't give you more than you can handle, right? In this conversation, Jennifer Greenberg, author of the new book Defiant Joy, joins MercyCast to discuss the problem of Christian cliches and platitudes. We delve into how these cliches can be lazy and theologically inaccurate, potentially causing harm instead of providing help. Jennifer's journey, escaping an abusive childhood home and...

The pain that we experience can illuminate where we have placed our identity. Chuck and Ashley Elliott, authors of a new book, I Used to Be ___: How to Navigate Large and Small Losses in Life and Find Your Path Forward, discuss the intersection of identity and loss, particularly in the context of recurrent miscarriage. They share their personal experiences and how they reacted incongruently to the...