Unwritten

A routine errand turns into something else entirely.On a quiet stretch of road in New England, a loud mechanical failure interrupts a simple mission—and sets off a chain of events no one could have planned. What follows is a day marked by detours, unexpected generosity, awkward conversations, and a growing sense that God might be doing more than just providing what’s needed.This Unwritten story is about learning to trust when plans fall apart, discovering joy in inconvenience, and realizing that sometimes God’s reassurance comes not through answers—but through laughter.In this episode:🚐 A sudden breakdown🎁 An unexpected exchange😂 A moment that changes how the day is seenSometimes God doesn’t fix the problem. He makes you laugh in the middle of it.Comment and subscribe for more Unwritten episodes!

What starts as a simple request for gas money turns into an encounter neither of them expected.In this episode, Matt Prendergast shares a powerful, true story from his first year as a missionary — a story about a man living out of his car, a loyal dog, a painful past marked by loss and prison, and a quiet but unmistakable encounter with God.What unfolds is a reminder that grace often shows up when we’re tired, distracted, and ready to go home. Through shared stories, unexpected prayer, and a first experience of Eucharistic Adoration, this conversation reveals how God meets us in suffering — not with easy answers, but with presence.This is a story about mercy, perseverance, and what happens when someone is willing to say, “Come and see.”And in the end, it becomes clear: everything Matt thought he was giving was nothing compared to what he received.Be sure to Subscribe and Leave a Comment!

In this episode of Unwritten, Trevor Barreca sits down with Fr. Branson Hipp to reflect on a single day of unexpected encounters — and what it revealed about faith, questions, and the way God works in real time.What begins as a quiet early-morning flight home from Italy turns into a series of conversations that unfold one after another: a successful male model wrestling with emptiness, young missionaries eager to evangelize, and a stranger flying to meet his grandfather for the very first time.At the center of it all is a question many people are quietly living with: Is there something more?Rather than rushing toward answers, Fr. Branson shares how learning to stay with the question — to listen, to love, and to recognize what God is already doing — can change everything.In This Episode You’ll Hear:✈️ A chance encounter that opened the door to deeper questions🤔 Why success doesn’t always quiet the ache for meaning❤️ The difference between persuading someone and truly loving them🙏 How questions and problems can become invitations from God🔥 What it looks like to notice grace at work in ordinary momentsThis episode is a reminder that God is always moving — often quietly, often unexpectedly — and that sometimes the most faithful thing we can do is remain attentive, curious, and present to the lives unfolding right in front of us.Be sure to Subscribe and Leave a Comment!

In this episode of Unwritten, Trevor Barreca sits down with Caleb Hennigan to share a story about saying yes to God before having any idea what that yes would actually require.Less than a year after becoming Catholic, Caleb packed up his life, boarded a plane to Florida, and arrived at FOCUS new staff training with more excitement than clarity. He barely knew the prayers, didn’t know many people, and quietly wondered if he belonged at all.Hoping to find his place and prove himself, Caleb stepped onto the soccer field during training — and moments later walked off with a serious knee injury that left him on crutches, in pain, and wrestling with doubt.What followed were weeks of discomfort, unexpected friendship, and people praying for healing when nothing seemed to change — until a silent retreat, a simple prayer, and a moment that would redefine how Caleb understood God’s presence in his life.In This Episode You’ll Hear:🙏 What it’s like to follow God without having everything figured out🩼 How injury and weakness created space for belonging🤝 The quiet power of community and intercessory prayer🔥 A moment of healing that couldn’t be explained away✨ Why God often meets us in the places we feel most unsureThis episode is a reminder that God doesn’t wait for us to feel ready — He meets us in our uncertainty, invites us to trust, and walks with us through the unexpected.

In this episode of Unwritten, host Trevor sits down with Craig Johring, whose life and mission have been shaped by years of walking alongside the poor in Mexico City.Craig shares the powerful story of Luis — a former street kid whose life was marked by addiction, instability, and survival on the margins. What followed wasn’t a quick fix or a feel-good moment, but a slow, demanding journey rooted in presence, love, and faith.Through his organization, Hope of the Poor, Craig describes what real transformation looks like when someone is given more than help — when they’re given dignity, accountability, and a community that refuses to give up.In This Episode You’ll Hear:❤️ What authentic love looks like when it’s lived daily🏠 Why a safe place is only the beginning of healing🤝 How accountability becomes an act of mercy🔥 Why helping others is often the final step toward freedom🙏 The quiet, faithful work that changes lives over timeThis episode is a reminder that transformation rarely happens all at once — but when someone is willing to stay, to love, and to believe, even the most broken stories can begin again.learn more about Hope of the Poor here: https://hopeofthepoor.org/

In this episode of Unwritten, a simple act of kindness opens the door to one of the most unforgettable questions ever asked on the streets.On a cold, gray November morning in Minneapolis, a tired missionary is packing up after a long day of serving the homeless — rejected, exhausted, and ready to go home. Then a voice calls out from behind him:"Hey… you got any more coffee?"What begins as a cup of hot coffee turns into a sacred encounter neither of them expected.In This Episode You’ll Hear:☕ Why small acts of mercy can change everything❄️ Life on the streets — addiction, survival, and lost dignity💔 A mother’s heartbreak over a son she longs to see again🙏 The Gospel shared in the mess, not after it’s cleaned up👀 The question that stopped everything: “Does Jesus have eyes like you?”❤️ What it means to truly see someone — beyond labels, pasts, and masksThis episode is a powerful reminder that Jesus meets us exactly where we are, that no one is beyond hope, and that sometimes the holiest moments happen on cold sidewalks with nothing more than a cup of coffee and a willing heart.Learn more about Br. Adam and his mission here: https://brotherhoodofhope.org/

In this episode of Unwritten, Trevor Barreca sits down with Melissa Sartori, who shares a quiet but powerful story of how God works long before we ever see the fruit.While serving on a small Catholic campus in the Northeast, he was tasked with reaching student athletes — a group that made up nearly a quarter of the entire student body. Many were open, curious, and eager. But one athlete, Caitlyn, always stayed just out of reach: friendly, kind, smiling… yet never willing to go deeper.Despite little visible progress, she never left his prayers. And then, on a cold November night — with plans canceled and Thanksgiving break hours away — everything changed.In This Episode You’ll Hear:🏃‍♀️ Life as a campus missionary working with student athletes🙏 What it looks like to pray faithfully when nothing seems to be happening🚪 The unexpected knock on the door that changed everything💔 Caitlyn’s story of broken relationships, addiction, and deep loneliness❤️ A raw conversation about emptiness, longing, and the desire to be loved✝️ The simple prayer that opened the door to a real relationship with JesusThis episode is a reminder that no one is a lost cause, that God is always planting seeds beneath the surface, and that our smallest prayers — even when they feel unnoticed — may be preparing the ground for something life-changing.

In this episode of Unwritten, Trevor Barreca sits down with a former Division I athlete (Dylan LaNoue) whose life revolved around performance, medals, and winning — until everything he worked for stopped satisfying his heart.Raised in a hyper-competitive, sports-centered family, his identity was built on success. Records, rankings, MVPs — all of it came true. But behind the accolades were broken relationships, family pain, loneliness, and a growing realization that achievement wasn’t enough.What followed was a slow, profound transformation — not through trophies, but through authentic friendship, prayer, and learning what it actually means to be loved.In This Episode You’ll Hear:🏅 Growing up believing your worth is earned through success🏀 A Division I athletic career that still left him empty💔 Rock bottom moments: family turmoil, heartbreak, and loneliness🤝 The friend who loved him when everything else fell apart🕊️ A chapel moment that changed how he understood God — and himself👨‍👦 A father-son relationship healed through small, faithful acts✝️ A powerful full-circle moment sponsoring his own dad into the ChurchThis episode is a moving reminder that identity isn’t built on what you accomplish, but on who you’re loved by — and how God patiently renews the mind and heart over time.

In this episode of Unwritten, host Trevor Barreca sits down with Chase Maly to share a story marked by suffering, mercy, and unexpected hope.🛵 As a high school junior, Chase was involved in a serious motorcycle accident that left him in the ICU with multiple internal injuries and overwhelming pain. In the middle of it all, he wrestled with loneliness, fear, and the question of whether his life truly mattered.🏥 During long nights in the hospital, Chase’s family never left his side—but internally, he just wanted the suffering to end.📉 Years later, after walking away from his faith and chasing success on his own terms, Chase found himself at a retreat, unsure why he was there and unsure if God still wanted him back.🌊 On a quiet walk down a dock toward the confessional, everything began to change. Through the sacrament of confession, Chase encountered God’s mercy in a way he never had before—and realized he didn’t have to carry his past alone.🔥 Now a FOCUS missionary, Chase reflects on how God used pain, patience, and people to bring him home—and how those same experiences now shape the way he walks with students who feel unseen, lonely, or stuck in suffering.Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

In this episode of Unwritten, Kyle Medlock shares the harrowing story of a single night that changed everything — a reckless decision, a violent crash, and a moment that left him with no doubt that God was real and present in his life.Just one week before his senior year of high school, Kyle said yes to a thrill that turned into a near-fatal accident on a dark country road. What followed was chaos, silence, and a miracle that would take years for him to fully understand. In This Episode You’ll Hear:🚗 A high-speed joyride that ended in a catastrophic crash💥 Kyle waking up upside down and crawling out of a crushed truck🙏 How every passenger survived — against all odds🏚️ The unexplainable detail in the wreckage that revealed God’s protection✝️ Why this moment wasn’t instant conversion, but a grace that unfolded over timeThis episode is a powerful reminder that God often moves in our lives before we know how to name it — and that some moments only reveal their meaning years later. If you’ve ever looked back and realized you shouldn’t be here, this story will stay with you.

In this episode of Unwritten, host Trevor Barreca sits down with Maggie Zarybnicky, a FOCUS missionary whose simple need for a bed turned into a jaw-dropping encounter with God’s unmistakable providence.After three months on an air mattress, Maggie finally found a last-minute discount on a real bed — but it came with a catch: a 45-minute drive, no truck, and no clear plan. What followed was a night full of strangers, faith conversations, closed stores, and a shocking act of generosity she could never have expected.In This Episode You’ll Hear:🛏️ How Maggie’s desperate need for a real bed set everything in motion🚚 The 45-minute ride with Adam, a complete stranger with a massive rusty-red truck🙏 An awkward but sincere faith conversation that opened the door to something bigger🌙 A late-evening stop at a dark strip mall… and a mattress store that should have been closed🤝 The unexpected connection between the salesman, Maggie’s chaplain, and FOCUS🎁 The moment Maggie is handed a $450 mattress and bed frame — completely free💬 Adam’s unforgettable words on the drive home: “You talked about God the whole way up here… but you won’t let Him give you a mattress.”This episode is a beautiful reminder that God provides through ordinary people, unexpected detours, and wild yeses of faith. If you’ve ever doubted that God cares about the small details of your life — this story might change everything.Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

In this episode of Unwritten, host Trevor Barecca welcomes Murphy Tinio, who shares a personal chapter that illuminates the movement of the Holy Spirit today. Murphy opens into a season of his life that felt hard and dry while serving as a second-year missionary and first-year team director in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Grappling with profound loneliness and disconnection, Murphy sought clarity during a silent retreat.His story is one of simple faith: going to prayer, asking God for what he genuinely needed, and receiving a surprising, clear answer at 3:30 a.m.. The ensuing conversation with a fellow missionary, Noah, became a crucial moment, demonstrating God’s provision for Murphy’s expressed desire for friendship.In This Episode You’ll Hear:🏙️ Murphy's struggle with loneliness and disconnection while navigating a new role and a new city, far from his small-town Kansas roots. 🕯️ The challenge of maintaining patience and hope when coming to prayer during long periods of feeling like God wasn't speaking. ⏰ The pivotal moment at 3:30 a.m. in the crypt chapel when God clearly responded to his heartfelt question about loneliness. 🗣️ God’s instruction to Murphy: "Go and talk to them", leading to an "awkward question" posed to Noah at the final meal. 🫂 The joy and support found in the friendship that blossomed from that honest prayer, providing connection in a way he wasn't able to with others. ✨ The realization that God was providing for him in all the little ways he was asking for, confirming that God is good and trustworthy.If you love stories of finding clarity in difficult seasons, recognizing God’s provision in the details of everyday life, and learning to go to prayer for what you genuinely desire, this episode will strengthen your conviction that God is still at work and shows up as a good father.

In this episode of Unwritten, Eileen Piper shares a story of God’s unstoppable pursuit — one that starts with a young woman’s disappearance and ends in a powerful family conversion you truly couldn’t script.Eileen walks with Macy, a young woman hungry for faith… until a sudden crisis causes her to vanish. Months later, Macy returns with a life-changing secret — and a courage that draws both Eileen and her boyfriend Marshall into a story only God could write.In This Episode You’ll Hear:👣 Macy’s journey from Bible study to disappearance to courageous return🤰 The moment Eileen learns Macy is pregnant — and chooses to walk with her📆 How an invite to a SEEK conference set off a chain of miracles✈️ Marshall’s wild attempt to avoid the conference (Florida? California?)🔥 The adoration moment where Marshall encountered Jesus and everything changed⛪ The incredible aftermath: conversion, marriage, children, and a family living boldly👨‍👦 How Marshall now mentors Eileen’s own son — completing the full circle of graceIf you love stories of conversion, providence, and God’s relentless goodness, this episode will strengthen your faith and remind you just how deeply the Holy Spirit moves in ordinary lives every day.

🎉 The SEEK Podcast is now the Unwritten Podcast, presented by FOCUS! Follow us here to keep getting new stories of God's grace active in the world.On this episode of Unwritten, host Trevor Barreca welcomes Leah Nielson, a missionary who shares a story of radical spiritual transformation experienced through persistent prayer at the University of North Dakota (UND). Leah, a former sorority member, was placed at UND between 2015 and 2017, where she chose to pray daily during her Holy Hour for just three women from the Alpha Phi house. She sought the intercession of St. Philomena, an early Christian martyr, believing her simplicity and love of Jesus were exactly what sorority women needed. Despite the house being known as one of the "more party type of houses," Leah stuck to her specific prayer. The profound affirmation of this miracle came in the spring of 2017: a woman Leah was discipling revealed something about herself that Leah will never forget.Join us as SEEK26! Use this link to register: http://bit.ly/3IPoew4Use Promo Code REPLAY for Exclusive Pre-SEEK Content, and a chance to win one of three $100 vouchers to shopfocus.org 🎥 Also - We are doing a short VIDEO series! Please enjoy visually engaging with some of our storytellers.

🎉 The SEEK Podcast is now the Unwritten Podcast, presented by FOCUS! Follow us here to keep getting new stories of God's grace active in the world.Join us as SEEK26! Use this link to register: http://bit.ly/3IPoew4Use Promo Code REPLAY for Exclusive Pre-SEEK Content, and a chance to win one of three $100 vouchers to shopfocus.org 🎥 Also - We are doing a short VIDEO series! Please enjoy visually engaging with some of our storytellers.In this episode of Unwritten, a podcast dedicated to sharing stories of the movement of the Holy Spirit in the world today, host Trevor Barreca welcomes Ryan Noll. Ryan discusses his experience working in campus ministry at NYU and the difficult lesson he learned about control and faithfulness.Whether seeking stories of God at work or evidence of the movement of the Holy Spirit, this conversation demonstrates what happens when a campus minister believes that people's encounters with Jesus are "solely dependent on whether or not you are a good instrument in the hand of God". Ryan shares the story of Nick, a new student with blue hair, who found the Catholic Center via a quick Google search and seemed highly intrigued by the faith.Ryan invested five months into discipling Nick, only to be heartbroken on April 27th, 2017, when Nick delivered a "breakup" gift of chocolates, a letter, and his grandfather's Catholic Bible, deciding instead to join a non-Catholic ministry. Ryan believed he would never see the "fruit of the work" or know the rest of Nick's faith journey. Ryan's struggle reveals how God works behind the scenes. After a year and a half of silence, Nick reappeared at Mass and asked Ryan to be his sponsor into the Catholic Church that Easter. This powerful encounter affirms that God is faithful and loves people more than we do. Ryan realized he had been entrusted with Nick and with Nick's family heirloom—the word of God—until the right time. The story encourages listeners to never give up hope on those who seem closed off, reminding us that Jesus is still doing and saying many things in the world through the power of the Holy Spirit.Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes! Find us at seekreplay.com.

🎉 The SEEK Podcast is now the Unwritten Podcast, presented by FOCUS! Follow us here to keep getting new stories of God's grace active in the world.Join us as SEEK26! Use this link to register: http://bit.ly/3IPoew4Use Promo Code REPLAY for Exclusive Pre-SEEK Content, and a chance to win one of three $100 vouchers to shopfocus.org 🎥 Also - We are doing a short VIDEO series! Please enjoy visually engaging with some of our storytellers.In this episode of Unwritten, a podcast dedicated to sharing stories of the movement of the Holy Spirit, we hear from Niru De Silva to discuss his profound healing journey following profound pain and loneliness as a new missionary. Whether seeking stories of God at work or the movement of the Holy Spirit, this conversation demonstrates what happens when someone who has already given his life to God and moved across the country to serve the Lord on a college campus experiences a crisis of faith. Despite his deep conviction, Niru endured such hardships and obstacles that he looked up one day and thought, "Why am I doing this?". After multiple rejections had eroded his sense of self-worth, he found his own life felt like a "living hell", even praying in desperation for death, saying, "God, I would never commit suicide, but it'd be really great if the next time I opened my eyes, I was in heaven".Niru De Silva's encounter reveals how the Lord’s invitation provides a sign that keeps one going, leading to a slow, deep transformational journey of healing that restores identity and affirms that God is the healer.Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

🎉 The SEEK Podcast is now the Unwritten Podcast, presented by FOCUS! Follow us here to keep getting new stories of God's grace active in the world.🎥 Also - We are doing a short VIDEO series! Please enjoy visually engaging with some of our storytellers.In this episode of Unwritten, host Trevor Barreca sits down with Lizzi to discuss her profound conversion following trauma and a pursuit of worldly success.Whether seeking stories of God at work or the movement of the Holy Spirit, this conversation demonstrates what happens when someone overcomes adversity of insurmountable capacity but remains unsatisfied and searching for what they were made for. Lizzie's encounter reveals how the Lord’s invitation lifts the pressure of expectations and leads to fulfillment through full-time ministry.What You’ll Hear:The disruption of Lizzie's life by a traumatic brain injury led to emotional anguish and a lost sense of identity. Despite achieving success by transferring to UC Berkeley, she felt perpetual pressure, loneliness, and eventually abandoned her Catholic faith.How her practical father, who used her as a "guinea pig," arranged a 4-week FOCUS mission trip to Southeast Asia, forcing her to pack a Catholic Bible despite her having abandoned Mass and faith.The pivotal moment in a humid Singapore chapel where she was flooded with joy and heard God say something she'll never forget. Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

Hang Out With Us at SEEK26: http://bit.ly/3IPoew4In this episode of Unwritten, Trevor Barreca sits down with John Paul JP Hernandez to talk about how a simple game of Monopoly led a grandson to witness his grandpa's faith journey and miraculous conversion.Whether you're looking for stories of God at work in the world today, or just curious about the transforming power of divine mercy, this conversation will demonstrate how encountering God's mercy can unwrite years, decades, of habitual ways of living and lead you outside of yourself to give yourself away to others.What You’ll Hear:• The story of JP's grandfather, Carlos, who struggled with childhood trauma after his father stepped out on him, but eventually underwent a dramatic transformation from a man of severity to one who was loving, understanding, and empathetic.• How reading the book The Return of the Prodigal Son helped Carlos gain the capacity to forgive his father and have mercy on himself, leading him to become an "everyday saint" and a man profoundly intimate with God.• Stories of Carlos' constant evangelization and generosity, including his routine visits to support a struggling single mother with a son who had special needs, how he led a Muslim friend to attribute her healing from cancer to his intercession, and the mysterious final words his baby niece spoke, "For the Lord's sake, amen".Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

In this episode of Unwritten, Trevor sits down with Gayle Konderla to discover how the simple, faithful love of one couple transformed generations of their large, loud Catholic family.Whether you're struggling to stay faithful to God in your time of prayer or in communication with your spouse and loving your kids, or just curious about how simple witness can build a greater impact in relationships, this conversation will remind you that simple and faithful love across your whole life has the capacity to transform generations of people in your family.What You’ll Hear:• How Gayle's super faithful grandparents, who raised 12 children (six boys and six girls), including a son who is now a bishop, influenced generations of their family one small witness at a time. Gayle shares experiences of praying rosaries together and celebrating Mass in the living room.• The family's loving response to tragedy, including seeing their grandmother's fiery and zealous love for God and family deepen as she grew sick with cancer, and the system the 12 siblings created to care for their grandfather after his early onset Alzheimer's diagnosis for about seven years.• Insights into the grandfather's struggle with Alzheimer's, and the beautiful realization that though he might forget that he saw someone the day before, he never forgot who they were and how much he loved them. The last thing he said to Gayle was, "I love you and I'm proud of you".Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

In this episode of Unwritten, Trevor sits down with Jane Voelker to talk about A priest she barely knew confronted her deepest spiritual conviction, sparking a wild journey toward profound healing.Whether you're someone who is completely stuck in a part of your life with God, or just curious about the movement of the Holy Spirit in the world today, this conversation will offer a reminder that God steps in and changes things when we cannot fix ourselves.What You’ll Hear:• Jane's realization that her confessed "weakest point"—wanting to keep people at an arm's distance so they can't hurt her—was incorrect. A priest, who had only spoken to Jane for about five minutes prior to the retreat, told her the truth: her weakest point was believing she was unlovable. The priest had been emphasizing throughout the retreat that knowing one's weakest point is essential because it is exactly where God wants to meet us and where the enemy wants to attack.• The surprising result of her initial prayer following the revelation, where Jane invited God into her feeling of unlovableness. Jane thought God might shame her for being a missionary who felt unworthy of love, or immediately demand a fix, but instead, God just sat there with her in that broken part of her heart for the entire hour of prayer.• The unexpected moment of complete healing that happened months later. While brushing her teeth in a little cabin in West Virginia, Jane caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and spontaneously thought, "I'm so good and I'm so beautiful," after which she never doubted it again. This healing shows that God stepped in out of love for her to tell her the truth, without her needing to try to fix herself or grasp for anything.Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!