The Open Doors

What happens when your faith feels shaken? What do you do when you have questions for God? In this episode of The Open Doors Podcast , we talk about doubt, honest faith, and the story of Doubting Thomas —one of the most relatable disciples in the Bible. What if doubt isn’t weakness? What if asking questions doesn’t mean your faith is failing, but growing? We explore the pressure to “get faith righ...

Are you living from joy… or just trying to meet expectations? In this episode of The Open Doors Podcast , we dive into the difference between expectation and freedom , and how the pressure to perform, please others, or “have it all together” can quietly steal our joy. We talk about the fear of disappointment, living by other people’s expectations, and the difference between doing something because...

When faith starts to feel exhausting, it’s often a sign we’ve slipped into performing instead of abiding. In this episode, we talk about the pressure to prove ourselves—to God, to others, and even to ourselves—and how that leads to burnout, anxiety, and feeling “not enough.” Through real-life stories and honest conversation, we unpack the difference between striving and resting in God’s love. You...

In this episode of The Open Doors Podcast, we talk about identity, trust, and the fear of being fully seen. Why is it so hard to be ourselves? And who do we trust to see the real us? Through stories of Mary Magdalene, King David, and Peter, we explore how God doesn’t reject our past—He transforms it. When we learn to see ourselves the way He does, we begin to live with freedom, honesty, and deeper...

What if the way you see yourself… isn’t actually true? In this episode, we dive into the story of Mary Magdalene and the powerful truth about identity in Christ , healing, and being truly seen. The world labeled her, defined her by her past, and saw her through her brokenness—but Jesus saw her differently. He saw her for who she really was. So many of us live with identities shaped by wounds, inse...

In this Season 4 premiere, Ivette shares a powerful testimony about learning that she already carries Jesus within her and can bring Him to others simply through prayer, love, and authentic witness. Inspired by Mary Magdalene’s story of redemption, we reflect on identity, grace, imperfection, and the beauty of running back to Jesus every day. If you’ve ever struggled with shame, falling back into...

This special Good Friday release invites you into a guided meditation on the Passion of Jesus Christ. Led by our beloved guest Mike Mastrapolo, this prayerful reflection offers space to slow down, enter into the sacred silence of Good Friday, and sit at the foot of the Cross. Released outside of our normal Wednesday schedule as a Holy Week special, this episode is meant to help you pray, reflect,...

When disappointment leads to discouragement, it can begin to shape how we think, feel, and relate to God. In this episode, we explore how unmet expectations can slowly turn into deeper discouragement and even resentment, and how the enemy uses these vulnerable moments to plant lies. We also discuss the importance of bringing what we’re carrying into the light — finding trusted people to share with...

Many of the thoughts that run through our minds feel personal, convincing, and even true — but not every thought we have actually comes from God… or even from ourselves. In this episode, we talk about the lies we tell ourselves and how easily those lies can shape the way we see our identity, our worth, and our future. Sometimes the enemy plants thoughts meant to isolate us, discourage us, and conv...

St. Joseph didn’t get explanations. He got responsibility. When the path made no sense… he trusted. When the future was unclear… he acted. When love required sacrifice… he stayed. In this episode, we reflect on the silent strength of St. Joseph — protector, father, listener, and man of radical obedience. We explore: • Trusting God without full understanding • The courage to pivot when God asks you...

St. Peter wasn’t polished. He was impulsive, prideful, bold, insecure — all in and all out. He walked on water… and then sank. He swore loyalty… and then denied Jesus. He tried to protect Jesus with a sword… and later hid in fear. And yet — Jesus loved him. Not after he changed. Not after Pentecost. Not after becoming “the rock.” Jesus loved Peter before any of his yes’s. Before discipleship. Befo...

After reflecting on identity through King David and remembering who we are through Simba, we now turn to someone who never forgot. John the Baptist knew who he was. Before he ever preached, he leapt with joy in the womb at the presence of Jesus. Before the desert, before the crowds, before the prison — there was love. There was identity. There was trust. In this episode, we explore: • Radical trus...

After reflecting on the life of King David — chosen, flawed, and deeply loved — we continue the journey in an unexpected place: The Lion King. What does a 1994 animated film have to do with Scripture? More than we think. In this episode, we explore the spiritual parallels between David and Simba — identity, exile, shame, calling, and the voice of the Father that never stops speaking. Both David an...

Before David was a king, he was forgotten. Overlooked. Unseen. Not even considered worthy of being called in from the fields. Yet God saw what no one else could see. In this episode, we walk through the life of King David—the shepherd, the giant slayer, the fallen king, and the repentant warrior—to uncover what his story reveals about our own spiritual battles. We explore the pendulum of faith—the...

Comparison has a quiet way of convincing us that we’re behind, overlooked, or simply not chosen. In this episode, we start with the trap of comparison and follow it all the way to the deeper wound it often reveals—the ache of not being picked, not being seen, or not being chosen. Through honest conversation, we reflect on moments when we felt overlooked and how those experiences shaped our identit...

From grief to faith to finding ourselves, these are the movies that changed us. In this episode, we share the films that didn’t just entertain us—but met us in our hardest seasons and helped bring healing, hope, and perspective. As part of our A Few of Our Favorite Things series, we reflect on how God can use storytelling, art, and film to reach places in our hearts that words sometimes can’t. Thr...

In this episode, we talk about chosen family —a kind of community rooted in love, faith, acceptance, forgiveness, and Jesus. A place where you are welcomed as you are, where honesty is safe, and where no one has to walk alone. Through conversation and reflection, we share how true belonging isn’t about fitting a mold, but about being surrounded by people who love you well and point you back to Chr...

There comes a moment when trying isn’t enough anymore. In this episode, we share a powerful story inspired by a friend’s long journey through addiction—years of stopping, starting, rebuilding, and falling apart again. He once tried to change because he “had everything”: the family, the responsibility, the pressure to grow up. But when life unraveled and everything was lost, something was different...

Shame has a way of distorting God’s voice—turning conviction into condemnation and truth into accusation. In this episode, we talk about how memories, guilt, and past mistakes can keep us stuck in cycles of self-blame and fear, and how learning to discern God’s voice brings real freedom. God does not accuse, humiliate, or keep us in bondage. His correction is gentle, clear, and rooted in love. Tog...

In the final episode of our Life Is Messy series, we reflect on what it truly means to be loved as you are . Drawing from Matthew Kelly’s Life Is Messy (pages 168–195) and the wisdom of The Velveteen Rabbit , we explore how God’s love doesn’t make life perfect — it makes us real . We talk about why shabbiness doesn’t cancel beauty, how wisdom is formed through storms, and why the valleys matter ju...

In this episode of The Open Doors Podcast , we continue our conversation through Life Is Messy by Matthew Kelly (pages 138–168 ) and explore the difficult but healing work of forgiveness . Forgiveness isn’t easy—especially when we’ve been hurt, betrayed, or disappointed by those closest to us. We talk about how unforgiveness can quietly affect us emotionally, physically, and spiritually, and why f...

In this episode of The Open Doors Podcast , we continue our conversation through Life Is Messy by Matthew Kelly, diving into Part 4 (pages 138–167) . Together, we explore how fear and perfectionism shape our thoughts, expectations, and daily choices—and how they often leave us feeling overwhelmed, stuck, and disconnected from God’s peace. We talk about the lies fear tells us about ourselves, why u...

In this episode of The Open Doors Podcast , we continue our Life Is Messy conversation by Matthew Kelly (Part 3) and lean into what healing really looks like when it’s lived out in community. Healing doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens through connection — with God and with others — as we learn how to love well, receive love honestly, and find joy and freedom along the way. Together, we reflec...

In this episode, we continue our journey through Life Is Messy by Matthew Kelly (pages 40–76) and take an honest look at the storms that shake us, the betrayals that wound us, and the empty places we try to fill with everything but God. If you’re longing for encouragement, deeper trust, and a renewed sense of peace, this conversation offers Christian hope, Catholic wisdom, and meaningful insight f...

In this episode of The Open Doors Podcast , we dive into Life Is Messy by Matthew Kelly (pages 3–40) and explore the question so many believers ask: Where is God when life doesn’t make sense? If you’re walking through confusion, uncertainty, or a season that feels overwhelming, this conversation offers Christian encouragement, faith-based hope, and practical spiritual insight for navigating life’s...