Where did you see God?

In episode 107 , we hear Kim Harm's story of persevering through breast cancer, though we actually hear something more.  Soon into the conversation, Kim shares that she has passed the hardest part of breast cancer and could easily remove the topic from the bulk of her life, but God has given her a hard invitation to remain.  Whether it's writing, sharing on podcasts, or talking with...

In episode 106 , we head to Australia, where we meet Rodney Olsen, host of the "Bleeding Daylight" podcast.  Rodney has a miraculous healing story, but from the start he makes it clear that we shouldn't stop there.  The conversation becomes one that acknowledges that alongside miraculous recoveries, God can work through the mundane, and He is always at work on things beyond us. &nbs...

In episode 105 , we return to the idea of "religious wounds", heavily explored in the "Questioning series."  If we know these wounds are prevalent, what does healing look like?  I had the privilege of talking with Michael Wiseman, who's own negative experience with Christianity led him to write the book "The Bible says what?!" and host a podcast by the same name, which is an "atheis...

In episode 104 , we get to hear a story of miraculous recovery.  In 2013, Colleen Murphy received the call no mother wants to receive: her daughter was in the hospital, and may not be alive by the time Colleen arrived.  In fact, the doctors said if she miraculously lived, she would remain in a semi-vegetative state.  Colleen's daughter Lauren defied all the odds and is a living...

In episode 103 , we explore how hardships can leave us feeling like we've been tossed into a never-ending maze, constantly fumbling with twists and turns and crashing into dead ends.  In the midst, we can easily become hopeless, anxious, or even angry with God.  What if we're looking at the maze all wrong?  Andrea Petrut uses a series of stories from her life to show how a diff...

In episode 102 , we hear Christine Handy's story, of how she had a successful international modeling career that seemed ripped away when breast cancer and invasive treatments wrecked her body and emotions.  However, in the midst she discovered God's love in a deeper way than she had ever known, and realized she had been pursuing so many things other than Him.  God carried her throug...

In episode 101 , we touch on one of the reasons we may not be experiencing healing: we aren't willing to come as we are.  We may want God to work, but we stand back at a distance because we believe we are unworthy, or unredeemable, or unloved.  Janna Macik quickly demolishes that lie, and invites us to find incredible internal healing by simply coming to God, now, just as we are. Ar...

In episode 100 , we celebrate the 100th episode by sitting with the guy who first asked me, "Where did you see God?", Rob Prestowitz.  For the last 25 years, Rob has been providing leadership for UrbanPromise Wilmington, which seeks to be " a community in Christ of servant leadership and transformation, seeking a full life for all involved: urban youth, families, volunteers, and staff in...

In episode 99 , what happens if your career involves healing others, and suddenly you're the one in need of healing?  You may remember John from the epic "Kyle & John" three-part series, where as an attending resident he was tasked with caring for a young man who should have died, but miraculously healed, and in the midst John found spiritual healing.  John has continued serving...

In episode 98 , Tracee Garner pushes us on a topic we need to address: Empathy.  There are many who would say we are experiencing a severe "empathy void", and while there may be ample reasons for this, the ramifications are significant.  But empathy is risky.  It is costly.  And sometimes, it seems foolish.  Yet, if we claim to be Christ-followers, we need to contend...

In episode 97 , Jen Banks, from the "A is for Adversity" podcast, helps us dive deeper into this idea of "adversity".  What is it?  Why are some of us prone to dismiss our struggles?  How can God still be "God and good" when He allows adversity?  And how might adversity actually bring us closer to Him? How has God worked through your adversity? You can connect with Jen and...

In episode 96 , we dive deep into the idea of brokenness.  In our most broken moments, restoration can seem far, if not impossible.  This was Patricia Doucet's experience; from cancer to divorce to losing everything, she found herself at the cusp of suicide.  She knows now that God was with her -- even showing His sense of humor -- because He knew what she didn't: that what is...

In episode 95 , we dive deeper into this idea of "community."  We didn't plan on talking about community, but there came a point we realized that God had chosen the theme for us.  How do we cultivate community?  What if our access to community changes?  How might WE be negatively impacting the community God has for us?  Scott LaPierre shares what God has taught him ab...

In episode 94 , we explore the reality that we may actually be resisting healing due to our grasp on control.  Coming into the pandemic, Rick felt in control of his life and future, and it looked good; when the pandemic hit his job and income, he came to learn that when God is in control of his life and future, it can lead to abundantly more than he could ask or imagine. How has God invi...

In episode 93 , we hit a topic I've wanted to focus on for years: miscarriage.  Having experienced the heartache of miscarriage -- and knowing the isolation that can so easily occur -- I knew there would be value in pressing into this hard topic.  I reached out to guests, but barriers seemed in place at every turn.  In fact, when Veronica Williams and I tried to record, we hit...

In episode 92 , Pastor David shares of his experiences with war, and how that trauma left him with PTSD, an inability to sleep, and a host of other issues that negatively impacted how he engaged with those he loved.  Despite his efforts and the efforts of doctors, he could not find relief; the suffering became such that he considered ending his life.  It was in the midst of all of t...

In episode 91 , we address a challenging question: how do you heal from things that are ongoing?  If you can't leave a difficult situation or toxic relationship -- if wounds continue to be inflicted -- what do you do?  This was not the conversation Janice Liggins and I planned to have, but it is the one God wanted us to press into, because the reality is that God does sometimes invi...

In episode 90 , we take a deep dive into a topic we've already tapped into with Marti and Miriam, among others: addiction.  Vernon Layne gets transparent about his decades-long addiction to drugs and alcohol, and what seemed like the futile efforts of others (and himself) to break free.  His mom watched the entire time, and while there were plenty of tears, she was never afraid, bec...

In episode 89 , we meet our youngest guest (outside my kids), Shannon.  At age 15, she's already tapping into many of the truths we've been exploring in this series, but it wasn't an easy road there.  At age 9, a change of schools left her feeling unwanted, unknown, and abandoned.  But in her lowest points of hopelessness -- so deep she wrestled depression and suicidal thoughts...

In episode 88 , we explore the reality that -- while God could heal on His own -- He often invites us into the healing processes of others.  What do we do when those spaces are difficult?  What do we do when it seems to take too long?  What do we do when we feel like we need healing ourselves?  Miriam and her staff at Empty Frames have to engage this daily; God has invited...

In episode 87 , we press into the idea of God bringing healing as we accept His love for us.  Sure, we know God loves us -- "the Bible tells me so" -- but do we really trust it?  And if we trust it, are we willing to receive it?  El joins us from Wales to share how she came to discover God really loves her, and how she now loves letting others know about His love for them. &nbs...

In episode 86 , we press into the idea of God bringing healing as we care for our bodies.  We like to make it sound easy, but too often it's beyond our capacity.  That's the story Cat shares: she had a healthy childhood, but then life hit her in such a way that she found herself deep into binge-eating without the capacity to escape.  But God was with her. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20...

In episode 85 , Tee opens up about his experience of feeling unseen, and it's one many of us can resonate with, isn't it?  The thing is, Tee's story doesn't end there: in an unexpected moment, he discovers that -- when he believed he was unseen, God saw him.  God still sees him.  And God sees you.  When we feel unseen, burdens feel exponentially heavier; when we know we ar...

In episode 84 , Susan Gabriel makes it clear that she knows unfairness.  Three decades ago, her husband was falsely accused of abuse, leading Child Protective Services to take her daughter and throw her life into tumult for years.  "Unfair" is an understatement for the circumstances that got so painful they led her to consider giving up... but God hadn't given up on her.  In th...

In episode 83 , Dr. Romesh Wijesooriya makes space in his exceptionally packed workload to process something that has come up in several episodes: the tension between faith and science.  As both a doctor and committed believer, he has to navigate that tension more intensely that many of us, and it can be difficult.  Together, we press into what it means to have faith, how God might...