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.
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What happens to a boy's heart when his father stands a few feet away in church every Sunday, but never really shows up at home? Singer and songwriter Jaye King grew up playing drums on the platform while his dad directed the music. They served in the same services. Created the same worship moments. But outside the church walls, his father wasn't consistently present in his life. That tension shaped how Jaye saw himself and how he saw God. In this hope-filled conversation, Jaye shares about wrestling skepticism, navigating father wounds, and the slow process of discovering that God doesn't leave the way people sometimes do. What unfolds is a story of identity, forgiveness, calling, and the hidden years that formed him long before the spotlight. Today, Jaye King is a singer and songwriter with Centricity Music, known for songs like Hard Places and Falling Into It. His music carries the very themes you'll hear in this episode- healing, hope, and a Father who stays. Show Notes: Website: https://www.jayeking.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayekingmusic/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jayekingmusic YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JayeKingMusic
"I've often felt I can be too much, but the more emotive I am, the more God surprises me." Growing up in a family and culture where men were often reserved, Nigel Massenda felt out of place for expressing his emotions so freely. But when his mother traveled abroad for a funeral and could not return for two long years, loneliness and unanswered prayers pushed him deeper into raw, honest faith. Through caring neighbors, silent prayers, and a steady hope, Nigel discovered that embracing vulnerability before God not only shapes our perspective but can transform our very lives.
Faith Podcasts are made possible by your support. You can click here to give. What if the hardest chapter of your life didn't get the final word? Esme Crawford shares the story of how she survived domestic violence, crippling shame, and a distorted view of God; and how faith in Jesus led her into healing and freedom. Esme was born in a small Mexican village and faced many challenges from birth. As an adult, she found herself in an abusive relationship that slowly stripped away her identity, confidence, and sense of worth. She believed the lie that it was her fault. But God never left her. Esme talks about wrestling with shame, learning that God is a loving Father, finding healing in Jesus, and reclaiming her identity as a daughter of the King. If you've ever struggled with guilt, fear, or questioned where God was in your suffering, this episode will remind you that you are seen, loved, and you are not alone. Content Note: This episode includes references to domestic violence and some strong language. Show Notes: WINGS - Women In Need Growing Stronger: https://wingsprogram.com/ To reach Esme, Send a Direct Message via Instagram WILLOW WLN: https://www.instagram.com/willow_wln Additional Resources: Selah Empowers - Pause and find strength for the journey Metropolitan Family Services
As a Black Hebrew Israelite, Jasmine spent years trying not to mess up or break God's law, living under strict expectations. After long prison phone calls with the man who would become her husband, she began to see Jesus differently, not as a taskmaster but as Savior. This is her story of laying down a heavy yoke and finding rest in Jesus.
Faith Podcasts are made possible by your support. You can click here to give. If you know the music of MercyMe, then you know the voice of Bart Millard. He's the songwriter behind "I Can Only Imagine"- written after watching his abusive father transform from a monster into a man that loved Jesus. It is the best-selling Christian single of all time, with more than five million copies sold. With that kind of success, you might imagine Bart was living a life beyond anything he ever dreamed. But in 2004, the year "I Can Only Imagine" crossed over to mainstream radio and became a global smash, Bart and his wife Shannon were being gutted by one life-altering pain after another. Their son Sam was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and that diagnosis came alongside multiple family losses and medical crises that all seemed to hit at once. While MercyMe's career was soaring, Bart was unraveling - slipping into depression, hiding behind touring, and struggling to hold it all together. A new film I Can Only Imagine 2, and book Even If - Trusting God Through the Fire tell Bart's story. Show Notes: Official Movie Website: https://icanonlyimagine.com/ Even If book: https://mercyme.org/products/even-if-trusting-god-through-the-fire-the-official-book-for-i-can-only-imagine-2 MercyMe website: https://mercyme.org/ Bart on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBartMillard Bart on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bartmillard/
"I could only pray three words. I trust you." Scripture tells us that every good gift comes from God. What do we do when a gift is taken away? Kim Snyder lost the voice she used to sing, speak, and serve God in Christian radio. In the stillness that followed, Scripture led her to a simple prayer, "I trust you."
Faith Podcasts are made possible by your support. You can click here to give. Dr. Henry Cloud is known as a leadership expert, clinical psychologist, and New York Times bestselling author of Boundaries. But before helping millions build healthier relationships, Henry had to face his own unhealed trauma and depression. In this episode of The Unfolding, Henry shares how early childhood trauma shaped his emotional and relational patterns, why depression became a turning point in his life, and how real healing required more than spiritual platitudes or performance-based faith. Through therapy, honest community centered on Jesus, and Scripture lived out in practice, Henry discovered freedom that transformed how he loves, leads, and relates to God. This conversation explores the intersection of faith and mental health, why "performing your way out of pain" doesn't work, and how God meets us not with formulas, but with His presence. Dr. Henry Cloud's newest book is To Know Him: A 90-Day Invitation to Come to God As You Are. Show Notes: Website: https://www.drcloud.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drhenrycloudofficial/ "To Know Him" Book: https://www.drcloud.com/books/to-know-him "Why I Believe" Book: https://www.amazon.com/Why-Believe-Psychologists-Thoughts-Suffering-ebook/dp/B0CK8C76LD Website: https://www.boundaries.me/
"I jumped in the way of the knife." Once surrounded by gangs, violence, and prison walls, Justin Glover encountered the grace of God that changed everything. Today, he shares how Jesus rescued him and is using his story to point others to faith and freedom.
Faith Podcasts are made possible by your support. You can click here to give. Stephen McWhirter grew up watching his traveling evangelist dad live a double life. He was one man behind the pulpit and abusive to Stephen's mother at home. Stephen decided that if God was real, He wasn't good. His earthly father and his heavenly father became the villains in his story. Angry and rebellious, Stephen fell into addiction, eventually addicted to meth for six years. But one night in a miraculous encounter, Stephen experienced the presence and love of God, and he's never been the same. Today Stephen is a worship leader, singer of "Come Jesus Come," and the author of Radically Restored. Nearly 40,000 people have come to know Jesus through his TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram lives. Show Notes: Website: https://worshipjesus.life/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephenmcwhirter/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephenmcwhirtermusic?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephenmcwhirtermusic/ New book: https://u.worshipjesus.life/book-sneak-peek
"Dear younger me. God is there." Recorded live at a special storytelling event, Jesse Wilson shares how painful words from her childhood shaped her sense of worth and how God slowly began rewriting that story. From praying under a Holly Hobbie blanket to receiving groceries when she had nothing left, Jessie learned she was never alone. Her story is a reminder that in both big and small moments, God is present and faithful.
Faith Podcasts are made possible by your support. You can click here to give. Where do you find your identity? In approval, performance, relationships, or in what God says is true about you? From growing up on the streets of San Francisco to navigating loss, shame, and self-doubt, she shares how she discovered her worth in Christ. Hear the story behind her viral spoken word poem, "I Have a New Name," and learn how her books "You Are More Than You've Been Told," and "Uncomplicate It" offer practical guidance to reclaim your identity and live as the person God created you to be. This episode is for anyone ready to stop chasing approval and start hearing God's voice above all else. Show Notes: Website: https://www.hosannawong.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hosanna.wong/ "I Have a New Name": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A_uXO3CgwY&t=6s Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@hosannawong Book: https://www.hosannawong.com/uncomplicate-it
Amelia Tabatt reflects on her mom's terminal cancer journey, faith, loss, and discovering a million quiet miracles.
Faith Podcasts are made possible by your support. You can click here to give. Karen Horne became an expert at "pretend normal." Her husband was living a double life, and she was doing everything she could to hold it all together, especially as the wife of a pastor, where the pressure to appear "fine" is relentless. But beneath the polished surface, their marriage was unraveling. Betrayal, deceit, and hidden sin had eroded the foundation of their family, leaving Karen with a choice she never expected to face. To protect her marriage and uncover the truth, she would have to go undercover. This is a powerful story of painful discovery, and ultimately, redemption and marriage restoration, where honesty became the first step toward healing. Listener discretion advised: This episode contains references to pornography and sexual addiction. Show Notes: Healing from affairs or betrayal: https://www.affairrecovery.com/ Healing from sexual brokenness or betrayal: https://avenue.works/ The Healing Choice book: https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Choice-Move-Beyond-Betrayal/dp/1400074258 For men dealing with sexual addiction: https://www.faithfulandtrue.com/
During one of the hardest seasons of her life, Donna VanLiere was searching for prayer. A painful neurological condition made her suffering impossible to miss, yet prayer never came. Her honest cry to God became a turning point that led to healing and a calling. Today, Donna is a New York Times bestselling author and a passionate advocate for prayer in the life of the church.
What happens when you learn to recognize God's voice and actually follow it? Gale Kragt is a pastor, hospital chaplain, and founder of Spiritual Care Consultants, whose life has been shaped by quiet promptings from God. From feeling like a misfit as a child to experiencing supernatural encounters, Gale learned early on to pay attention to the subtle whispers of God, and those promptings have led him into extraordinary places. As a hospital chaplain working in trauma centers, Gale has prayed with families at the edge of life and death and witnessed remarkable moments of healing. Over time, those same promptings led him to launch a ministry that now serves thousands of people, offering spiritual care at no cost. Gale Kragt is the Executive Director of Spiritual Care Consultants of West Michigan. He is also the host of the Healing Begins radio show and podcast, and the author of God Moments and Jesus in the Mountains. Show Notes- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/galekragtbooks Gale's books: www.galekragtbooks.com Spiritual Care Consultants website: www.scchealingbegins.com God Moments Book: https://a.co/d/jbgZclN God Moments Study Guide: https://a.co/d/3TtMvNp
John Cooper, frontman for the band Skillet, never set out chasing fame. What mattered most was his foundation in Jesus, established long before the tours, radio hits, or millions of listeners. As John's career with Skillet began to really take off, his honesty and consistency caught the attention of another musician who was quietly watching. Years later, that same man would give his life to Christ.
Faith Podcasts are made possible by your support. You can click here to give. Bob Goff has spent decades trying to convince people God is over the moon about them. If you struggle to believe God loves you and if you long to live a life of adventure, Bob's story will inspire you. Bob is known as the guy who included his phone number in the back of his first book, Love Does, because he loves people and wanted to be available. Since then, he's written multiple New York Times bestselling books and included his number in every one of them. Bob says his greatest ambition is to love people and inspire others to follow Jesus into a life of adventure, whimsy, and wonder. In this episode, Bob talks about starting a zoo, getting gored by a cow, shot with a pellet gun, and visiting the Prime Minister of Liechtenstein. His new book is Catching Whimsy. It's an invitation to wake up each day expecting to live a more meaningful life, a more engaged faith, and a more intentional future. Show Notes: https://www.bobgoff.com/ https://lovedoes.org/ https://www.bobgoff.com/books/catching-whimsy/ https://www.instagram.com/bobgoff/ https://www.facebook.com/bobgoffis
"I left school angry on Friday. On Monday, people saw a light in me." Walter Hill was filled with grief and resentment after losing his mother and watching his father disappear into addiction. He had no interest in faith and no patience for empty answers. But God used one faithful friend and one unexpected night to break through the bitterness. This is a story of how deep anger was transformed into lasting joy.
"Shame is a prison," Russ Taff says, and he lived in that prison for more than 40 years. To the world, Russ was a Gospel music legend: six GRAMMYs, 18 Dove Awards, and three Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductions. But behind the stage lights and accolades, he was hiding from pain, trapped in addiction, and silenced by the relentless voices of shame and self-hatred. In this deeply honest conversation, recorded around the dining table in his home in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, Russ shares the truth he kept secret for decades: while he sang songs about Jesus to millions, he was battling alcoholism in the dark. This is not just a story about addiction. It's a story about hope. About the supernatural healing that comes through love, and the power of God to break even the heaviest chains. Russ opens up about his abusive childhood, the pain that shaped him, and the redemption that's setting him free. Show notes: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RussTaff Website: https://russtaff.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/russtaffofficial/ "I Still Believe" Movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpHdjcCfrSg I Still Believe Book: https://www.amazon.com/Still-Believe-Wreckage-Recovery-Relentless/dp/1642931489
"The Imams are convinced that… an angel of God is with you." Today's story comes from an interview Meridith did with Jamie Winship a couple of years ago, first shared in our 2023 Angels episode, Episode 183. In a remote desert camp, a simple detail about table settings leads to an extraordinary realization. God's presence was already there.
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dangerous theology. self love is not what Jesus taught. selfless-love is how he lived. we can rest in who we are in Christ, and we love others of Christ's love for us, but not out of our love for ourselves
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