Out of Focus

“I obeyed God… so why did life still hurt?” In this episode of Out of Focus, Shannon Stewart sits down with author and storyteller Kendall Moriah for a conversation about faith, disappointment, identity, shame, motherhood, infertility, adoption, and what Kendall calls “soul friction” — the tension so many people quietly feel between the life they thought they’d have and the reality they’re living....

Some prisons don’t have bars. In this deeply honest episode of Out of Focus, Shannon Stewart and her husband, Pastor Mike, have a powerful conversation about hidden bondage, anxiety, insecurity, shame, performance, and what true freedom in Christ actually looks like. Together, they open up about personal struggles with fear, perfectionism, insecurity, anxiety, legalism, and the pressure to appear...

What if the fear holding you back is actually confirmation that God is calling you forward? In this powerful episode of Out of Focus, Shannon Stewart sits down with wife, mother, and founder of Life in the Wheatfield, Laney Crowder, for a deeply encouraging conversation about hearing God’s voice, spiritual warfare, obedience, fear, waiting seasons, and living an abundant life in Christ. Laney shar...

From the outside, her life looked beautiful. But privately, Christy Osborne was using wine to numb grief, stress, loneliness, and pain she didn’t know how to carry. In this powerful episode of Out of Focus , Shannon sits down with Christy Osborne to talk about mommy wine culture, emotional numbness, grief, shame, drifting from God, and the slow spiral that alcohol created in her life. What started...

The enemy convinced her she was too broken for God to love her. After years of abuse, addiction, toxic relationships, shame, heartbreak, and searching for identity in all the wrong places, Emma Ciaramitaro believed her life was beyond redemption. In this powerful episode of Out of Focus , Shannon sits down with Emma as she vulnerably shares her journey through trauma, drugs, partying, abortion, de...

What if your life is the only Bible someone ever reads? There are moments in life where you realize… people aren’t just listening to what you say… they’re watching how you live. In this episode of Out of Focus , Shannon sits down with her mom for a powerful and deeply meaningful conversation about what it truly looks like to live out your faith in everyday life. This episode goes beyond words and...

What if the place you’re trying to escape… is where God wants to meet you? A lot of people hit a moment in life where what they’ve been holding together… just starts to fall apart. Maybe things didn’t turn out the way they thought they would. Maybe they’re tired of trying to keep everything in control. Maybe they’re wondering where God even is in the middle of it. In this episode of Out of Focus ,...

Have you ever gotten something you thought would make you happy… and it didn’t? She won America’s Next Top Model . She traveled the world. She built the life so many dream about. And still… something was missing. In this episode of Out of Focus , Shannon Stewart sits down with Jaslene Gonzalez for a raw and honest conversation about success, identity, and what happens when the life you worked for...

She remembers thinking this back in junior high and high school… what is wrong with me? Why relationships didn’t work. Why she felt overlooked. Why she could love deeply… but still feel unfulfilled. And if she’s honest…that question followed her longer than she expected. This episode of Out of Focus begins with a question so many people quietly carry: “Is it me?” Shannon Stewart and her husband, M...

You can spend your whole life around God… and still not actually know Him. On this episode of Out of Focus , Shannon Stewart sits down with her mom to talk about a reality that so many people quietly wrestle with. She went to church. She believed in God. She followed what she was taught. But deep down, there was still a distance she couldn’t explain. She didn’t know how to get a hold of Him… and s...

He looked like he had it all together… but behind the scenes, he was falling apart. In this powerful episode of Out of Focus, Shannon Stewart sits down with Freddy as he shares his story publicly for the very first time—a story marked by pressure, performance, addiction, and ultimately, redemption. Freddy grew up in church, played football at NC State, and built a successful career in medical sale...

She had the beauty, the opportunities, and the life most girls dream of… but it still wasn’t enough. In this powerful episode of Out of Focus , Shannon Stewart sits down with Nicole Weider for a deeply honest conversation about beauty, identity, pressure, purpose, and the kind of transformation that only comes through Christ. Nicole shares what it was like growing up in the modeling industry—being...

Why do so many Christians stay silent about their faith? In this episode of Out of Focus, Shannon Stewart and her husband Mike Lee explore a question many believers wrestle with: why does sharing our faith feel so difficult? Together they unpack the fears that often hold Christians back — fear of rejection, fear of offending others, and fear of not having the right answers. Through powerful storie...

She brought her Bible into the club… and God met her there. In this powerful episode of Out of Focus, Shannon sits down with Elizabeth to hear the redemptive story of a woman who spent years in the adult entertainment industry while silently battling shame, survival mode, and the deep ache of abandonment. Elizabeth shares what it was like to grow up without her mother, be raised by her grandparent...

What if the people the world misunderstands most are the ones we have the most to learn from? In this powerful episode of Out of Focus , Shannon Stewart sits down with DJ Svoboda—autism advocate, artist, speaker, and founder of Imagifriends of Imagiville —for a conversation filled with faith, compassion, and perspective-shifting truth. DJ shares his heart behind his mission to promote autism accep...

She was on her way to the club… and stopped at a church instead. In this powerful and unexpectedly honest conversation on the Out of Focus Podcast, Shannon Stewart sits down with Leyicet Gokey to talk about the moment that changed her life forever — giving her life to Jesus without cleaning herself up first. Leyicet shares how she got saved at 21, what it looked like to learn the Word from scratch...

Most identity crises don’t start with rebellion—they start with disappointment. In this episode of Out of Focus , Shannon Stewart explores identity through a biblical lens—revealing how most identity struggles don’t begin with rebellion, but with disappointment, unmet expectations, and distorted views of God. Drawing from Scripture, the Garden of Eden, Jesus’ temptation, and her own personal journ...

If you’ve ever felt abandoned, addicted to perfection, or one heartbreak away from giving up—this episode is for you. On this episode of Out of Focus , host Shannon Stewart sits down with Andrea Logan for a raw, hope-filled conversation about the wounds we hide and the God who heals what we thought would always hurt. Andrea shares her journey from a traumatic childhood and an eating disorder to th...

She was chosen for America’s Next Top Model… but no one warned her what it would cost. In this powerful episode of Out of Focus , Shannon Stewart sits down with fellow ANTM alum Jiana Davis to explore the hidden emotional and spiritual cost of performance, validation, and fame. Entering the modeling world at a young and vulnerable age, Jiana found herself navigating identity through external feedb...

What if everything you believed about God… wasn’t actually who He is? In this episode of Out of Focus , Shannon Stewart sits down with her friend Jerry to share his powerful journey from religion to relationship—and how God met him in the middle of walking away, rebuilding his life, and rediscovering faith. From growing up in a legalistic church to stepping away from God, navigating identity strug...

What if “trying to be a good Christian” is actually the very thing stealing joy, peace, and intimacy with Jesus? In this episode of Out of Focus , host Shannon Stewart is joined by her husband Mike for a candid conversation about legalism, judgment, and the life-changing freedom found in grace. Together, they unpack how fear-based religion can produce pride, insecurity, and constant guilt—and why...

Before the cameras, before the commentary, and before the Netflix docuseries—this is Shannon Stewart’s story in her own words. In this special episode of Out of Focus , host Shannon Stewart sits down for an intimate conversation—this time in the interview seat—as her husband asks the questions that shaped her journey long before the spotlight. From growing up in small-town Ohio to stepping onto th...

What do you do when the life you built comes crashing down…and it’s your fault? In this powerful episode, Shannon Stewart sits down with Brian Parks—a former world champion fighter, professional football player, and successful entrepreneur—who watched his world collapse under the weight of pride, compromise, and bad decisions. Brian shares how: A childhood filled with sports, drive, and discipline...

The greatest battle of faith is often not belief—but surrender. In this episode of Out of Focus, Shannon Stewart sits down with her mother for an intimate and powerful conversation about the battle of the will, persistent prayer, and trusting God through long seasons of waiting. After achieving what many would call the American dream, Shannon’s mom shares how emptiness led her to Christ—and how tr...

In this powerful episode, host Shannon Stewart sits down with Preston to talk about the hidden battle he carried for years—a porn addiction that began at age 12 and spiraled into shame, fear, and hopelessness. Behind the smiles and the “happy, positive kid” image was a young man who felt trapped, exhausted, and convinced he would never be free. This honest conversation dives into the breaking poin...