Claim OwnershipThe Unfolding
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God is writing a great big story and you have a standing invitation to be a part of it. Every week, host Meridith Foster sits down with a guest to share their chapter in God’s Unfolding story.
264 Episodes
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Helen Smallbone and her husband David were living in Australia when his business unexpectedly collapsed. With six kids, they took an enormous leap of faith and moved to the United States with everything they had in 16 suitcases. Within a couple of months, David’s new job fell through. They were forced to live by faith and trust God in ways they never had before. Helen is the mother of Grammy-winning artists Rebecca St. James, and Joel and Luke Smallbone of For King & Country, along with four other amazingly talented children. Before the success and accolades, there was a long season of closed doors and lean years where she had to trust God. Their story is being told in a new movie, Unsung Hero.
Rebekah Albaugh recounts the rich legacy of faith that precedes her, beginning with her grandparents, who first met at a Moody Bible Institute rally in the 1940s. This legacy continued with her parents, who remained steadfast in their devotion to Jesus until their final moments. Tragedy struck when Rebekah lost her father at the young age of 18, yet her mother never stopped praising God. Even as her mother battled cancer and endured suffering and memory loss, she recalled the hymns from her youth, and sang until her last days. This is why Rebekah says "I drink from a well I didn't dig."
True, lasting change is hard. When we are trying to change in our own strength, it can feel impossible. Christopher Cook is a pastor, leadership coach, podcast host, and author who is passionate about transformation. As a young man, he experienced great adversity that resulted in depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. For some people, those challenges could have resulted in losing faith in God. But God used those experiences to teach Christopher about true transformation. Christopher Cook is the host of the Win Today podcast and author of Healing What You Can’t Erase: Transform Your Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual Health from the Inside Out.
Johnathon Eltrevoog shares how God has remained faithful, even when he's felt undeserving or unworthy.
Jenn Pooler had always tried to play by the rules. Like many of us, she believed if she did all the right things then God would protect her from bad things. For Jenn, it was about trying to be in control. When she was 17, she was in a bus accident that altered her life forever and left her angry. Why would God allow this bad thing to happen? She never imagined God could take something bad and use it to change her life for good.
Ally shares her and her family's journey of adding Grace (Baby Snow) to their family through an adoption in China. God provided, grew their family, and even gave Ally a dream that wowed her when it all came to pass.
Abby Mingus says torment is the best way to describe her mental state during decades of addiction. For years she was chasing the next high, driven by desperation to keep the feelings of torment at bay. During one of her lowest moments, she jumped off an overpass onto a busy interstate, trying to quiet her demons. At first, drugs helped her escape from fear, depression and loneliness. But what started as fun, soon became bondage. It stole years of her life. Now, Abby Mingus loves to tell her story. What seemed impossible was made possible. What was hopeless, became hopeful. Torment and addiction were changed to freedom and joy. A word of caution: Abby’s story includes domestic abuse, suicide, and other mature content.
After Andrew Ripp’s family broke apart, he moved to California just to get away. His alcohol addiction eventually led to the destruction of every important relationship in his life. He had grown up in religion, but never had a relationship with a god who could help. He was alone and desperate. But Andrew says even the broken and difficult things in life can be a blessing if they steer you toward the God who loves you. Today Andrew is a Grammy-nominated songwriter, known for songs like “Jericho,” and “Fill My Cup.” He spends his days writing and singing about the One who saved him.
Alexandra Hope Craig courageously shares the journey she embarked on while navigating her husband John's brave battle with cancer, which ultimately ended in his passing.
By the time Christine D’Clario was a young girl, she had experienced more than her share of brokenness. She suffered sexual abuse, the death of her alcoholic father, her mother’s remarriage, moving from the only home she’d known in New York to Puerto Rico, and then bullying and rejection. By the time Christine was a teenager, she was angry with God. She couldn’t imagine He would take the broken pieces of her life and write a story that would become a source of hope for the nations. Today Christine is a Grammy-nominated songwriter and worship leader with millions of followers in Latin America and beyond. She has a passion to see those who struggle with mental health experience the hope and healing of Jesus. (This episode contains discussion of sexual abuse, postpartum depression, and suicidal ideation.)
Ken Guidroz is the author of "Letters to My Son in Prison". At one point, Ken was a pastor, and he never thought he'd have to worry about his kids ending up in serious trouble, let alone prison. After his middle son, leading a wayward life, became addicted to heroin, this led to a car crash resulting in the taking of another man's life. That led to a series of letters to his son in prison, a road for their own reconciliation, and a rebirth and strengthening of faith for both.
Nikki Davis discovered her passion for Hip Hop radio when she was in college. She was good at it. She loved it and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. But a series of failed relationships and jobs that just didn’t satisfy made it clear, she was longing for more. Then she started growing in her relationship with Jesus. Her life and priorities changed. Nikki realized she couldn’t stay in a job where she was promoting negative things. But how could she walk away from the safety and security of a job she once thought she would do for the rest of her life? Today Nikki shares Hip Hop and the hope of Jesus as the morning show co-host at Boost Radio.
Speaking on strength in weakness, Karis Meier lives with Lyme Disease. “So I know my story isn't over and it's not the fairy tale ending that I would hope for. But, I can see how God is working, and I know his promises won't fail me and that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living because that is what He promises.”
One hard event after another marked the childhood and early adult years of Molly Stillman. After serving as an army nurse in Vietnam, Molly’s mother was diagnosed with a fatal disease related to exposure to Agent Orange. At 21, Molly received an unexpected inheritance which she squandered in less than two years. Molly’s go-to coping mechanism was humor, so she masked her pain and depression with stand-up comedy and even pursued her dream of making it on Saturday Night Live. But instead of the success she was chasing, Molly ended up in debt and suffocating under guilt, shame, and embarrassment. Molly is a speaker and host of the Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder? Podcast, and author of If I Don’t Laugh, I’ll Cry: How Death, Debt, and Comedy Led to a Life of Faith, Farming, and Forgetting What I Came into This Room For.
Sally Tuxhorn’s Dad rejected Jesus for 85 years, but 9 hours before passing, he accepted Him. Sally praises God for this miraculous change. Sally is a children’s pastor at Trinity Nazarene in Illinois.
When Samuel Worden was 14 his life tragically changed in an instant. It devastated his family and his faith. Why would a good God allow this kind of pain? The hurt, sadness, and anger seemed like an impossible barrier between him and Jesus. But when he desperately needed a father’s love, Samuel had an encounter that changed him forever.
Bill Sammons wanted to start a Christian radio station, but there was a lot of opposition in his Delaware town. So much so, that Bill was attacked by a man named Spyro. He was beaten and thought he was going to die. That's not the end of the story, though. Through God's help, Bill was able to launch the station, and Spyro did a full turnaround and even requested to be baptized by Bill's father who was a pastor.
In a moment your life can change forever. Bret Beherns was a guy with a dream, a plan, and the drive to make it all happen. As a teenager, he knew exactly what he wanted to do. His dream job was to think, talk, and write about sports every day. He was on his way to achieving that dream when a near-death accident altered the course of his life. One day while he was working to help construct a cell tower, he fell 6 stories- a trauma very few could survive. In those few seconds, everything in Bret’s life changed. But God had given Bret a second chance at life.
Lindsey Capperune leads the episode with stories of people saying "Yes" to Jesus. There are names you'll recognize, like Michael W. Smith and Matthew West. There are others you might not recognize, like Erin and Ryan. In God's kingdom, we are all equal, and He invites each of us to say "Yes" to a life with Him. Lindsey also shares when she said "Yes" to Jesus at an early age.
Waiting is hard. If you have been waiting, hoping and praying for something, it can be frustrating. When is God going to answer? On this Valentine’s week episode of The Unfolding, we are sharing stories of waiting for love. They are stories about a dream, an urgent prayer, and a one-word answer from God. No matter what you are waiting for, these stories will encourage you to wait with hope and anticipation that God is doing something good.
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This is a classic Godtail, the original author of fairytails! Thank you father for confirmation and communicating to our hearts and minds!
I love how the leadership of the church stood by and honored God's story! Thank you, thank you for sharing your story!
I needed to hear this today. I'm struggling and I feel so alone. I went to my 1st group bible study last night and someone asked if she could pray for me- that's the first time that's ever happened to me and I felt a little bit of weight lifting off of me. I've isolated myself for so long, I have anxiety of being in front of others so the fact that I heard God tell me to go and I did it, was an accomplishment. Thank you Lydia for telling your story.
thank you for sharing your story! I believe it's beautiful insight that many would benefit from hearing!!
As I listened to your story I was thinking about how grateful I am to God for helping me get help with depression and anxiety. I have a psychologist I see sometimes and I'm celebrating 8 years at C R next month. thanks for sharing your inspiring story of hope
I'm so excited to watch this!! THANK YOU ❤️
I have really enjoyed all the podcasts, but this one really resignated with my heart. I appreciate hearing other lifelong christian's experiences and how God led them through. Thank you for sharing your story!!! I don't know how you have such clarity!
Thamk you for sharing. What an amazing example of how forgiveness is a journey.
I too really believe God is moving and getting ready to do something big. I can't wait to see what he's going to do next!
Thank you for sharing your story, it really touched me.
what an amazing and beautiful testimony I'm so many different levels! God has something for everyone in this one, the birth mom, the adopted child, the adoptive parents, the perfectionist, the every day Christian, parenting, daily distractions that keep us from God's plans, even more I missed. Simple, honest, enjoyable, thank you for sharing!
thank you for sharing how God is working in the lives of do many belieberd