Unashamed Unafraid

“When I watched porn again or relapsed, I felt God was done with me now … but Jesus fully sees me and fully knows my whole story, and still loves me. That is so powerful.” Amanda stumbled on pornography at an early age. Thinking she was alone in her addiction she finally decided to share it with a friend - willing to accept rejection - only to discover that her friend Katie struggles too. Along their journey they found other women similarly struggling and so they decided to start an Instagram ministry. They were surprised how viral their posts went and now have a sisterhood of survivors fighting to overcome the addictive behaviors needed to be heard and accepted, letting go of shame. Amanda can be contacted through Instagram @the_victory_collective and www.TheVictoryCollective.net/contact. If this episode resonates with you, or if you know someone who needs a reminder of God’s open arms, please share the link to this episode with them. At Unashamed Unafraid, we are here to spread the words of hope and healing through Jesus Christ. Subscribe and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @UnashamedUnafraid.Do you have a story you are willing to share?  Email our Podcast Executive Director Jeremy at jeremy@unashamedunafraid.com. 

Matthew and Brooklyn brought both honesty and baggage into their relationship. Brooklyn’s achievement-based upbringing coupled with past mistakes left her wrestling with her sense of self-worth. Matthew's addiction to pornography led to a struggle with comparisons that cast a shadow of pain and darkness over the early years of their marriage.Despite it all, their story is a heartwarming journey from light to darkness and on to redemption and deepening love. It’s full of God, good advice and good news.If this episode resonates with you, or if you know someone who needs a reminder of God’s open arms, please share the link to this episode with them. At Unashamed Unafraid, we are here to spread the words of hope and healing through Jesus Christ. Subscribe and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @UnashamedUnafraid.Do you have a story you are willing to share? Email our Podcast Executive Director Jeremy at jeremy@unashamedunafraid.com. 

The UU crew get together to wrap up the year and answer the following questions:What has been your favorite episode this past year and why?What has been an area of growth for you this past year ?If people can pray for you what do you need most?What has been a meaningful worship song for you this past year?As our gift to you, here is the song list from the UU team of their top 2023 “go to” tune:Hurt People Hurt People – Tim McGrawHoly Spirit, Come – Patrick MayburyRattle – Elevation Worship He Is With You – Adam AgeeHold Me Together – Jervis CampbellYour Way – KBYet – Ashley Hess & Maverick City MusicRemind Me Who I Am – Jason GreySpecific – Krista WellsI Am They – ScarsHope – NFEagle – Elevation WorshipPacific – Christa Wells Do you have a story you are willing to share?  Email our Podcast Executive Director Jeremy at jeremy@unashamedunafraid.com. 

“A relationship with a healer cannot exist without a wound to heal. Telling Jesus to go and heal another because ‘I’m good’ doesn’t allow Christ room to heal your heart and deepen a relationship with Him.”Kurt shares his story of struggling in constantly seeking validation. He got an early massive dose of feeling good enough when he was called to be a bishop/pastor in church in his twenties and then continued to ascend up in leadership responsibilities. For him, his “lightbulb moment came with the realization that while he did not struggle with an addiction to drugs or lust, he was high on validation and used it as a numbing agent that separated him from Christ and other men.Uniquely, this episode ends with a Bootcamp style prayer asking God or heal our need for validation. To fill the hole in our hearts we’ve tried to fill with things that are not God. You can contact Kurt through his Leading Saints podcast and website. If this episode resonates with you, or if you know someone who needs a reminder of God’s open arms, please share the link to this episode with them. At Unashamed Unafraid, we are here to spread the words of hope and healing through Jesus Christ. Subscribe and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @UnashamedUnafraid.Do you have a story you are willing to share?  Email our Podcast Executive Director Jeremy at jeremy@unashamedunafraid.com. 

Physically, emotionally, and sexually abused as a child, Pete tried to navigate through shame, anger, and confusion alone while self-medicating with many things, but especially with an addiction to lust. Constant cycles of confession and relapse didn’t help, but getting a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and multiple bands of brothers have helped him find the path to hope and healing. Through reaching up and reaching out, Pete’s story magnifies God’s glory. Do you have a story you are willing to share?  Email our Podcast Executive Director Jeremy at jeremy@unashamedunafraid.com. If this episode resonates with you, or if you know someone who needs a reminder of God’s open arms, please share the link to this episode with them. At Unashamed Unafraid, we are here to spread the words of hope and healing through Jesus Christ. Subscribe and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @UnashamedUnafraid.

AnitaAnita used to avoid looking at herself in the mirror to hide from deep feelings of shame and brokenness. Life started out rough for her and led to years of drug and sex addiction, abortion and an affair. Today though, she looks in the mirror and feels joy and is cherished by God. In this episode, she shares the story of her transformation: a journey from being broken, to being healed through Jesus and into a life of joyful service to other broken women. Steve sums up the episode with the word “Holy”. Cassy says it’s perspective-changing.You can contact Anita via email at anita@jasminegrace.org or on the website www.jasminegrace.org.If this episode resonates with you, or if you know someone who needs a reminder of God’s open arms, please share the link to this episode with them. At Unashamed Unafraid, we are here to spread the words of hope and healing through Jesus Christ. Subscribe and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @UnashamedUnafraid.Do you have a story you are willing to share? Email our Podcast Executive Director Jeremy at jeremy@unashamedunafraid.com. 

“We are only standing where we are because of Jesus.” - Kylie Wife of a pastor and worship leader, Kylie felt alone in her sex addiction which began in her late teens around the same time of her parent’s divorce. Her husband Chris had his own struggles with substance abuse and other addictions. Together they struggled to juggle an exterior life of ministering while internally battling their secret lives. Now unashamed and unafraid they are working on their recovery and sharing their story to help others identify with Jesus to find hope and healing.You can contact Kylie (and Chris) by googling @kyliechrismond for her Instagram and Facebook pages. If this episode resonates with you, or if you know someone who needs a reminder of God’s open arms, please share the link to this episode with them. At Unashamed Unafraid, we are here to spread the words of hope and healing through Jesus Christ. Subscribe and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @UnashamedUnafraid.Do you have a story you are willing to share?  Email our Podcast Executive Director Jeremy at jeremy@unashamedunafraid.com. 

Family and personal therapist Tony Overbay dives in deep with James and Steve on many topics and shared this quote: “The strongest force in the human personality is to act in alignment with how you see yourself” which lead to a discussion of how identifying ourselves primarily as addicts is very limiting and can become a self-fulfilling prophecy which limits our ability to become “recover-e-d” as Steve puts it. Tony talks about the importance of understanding our human condition with iterative growth and pushing aside shame to instead focus on what we are doing right and how to do more of that. To learn more about Tony and to connect with him, visit https://www.tonyoverbay.com/. If this episode resonates with you, or if you know someone who needs a reminder of God’s open arms, please share the link to this episode with them. At Unashamed Unafraid, we are here to spread the words of hope and healing through Jesus Christ. Subscribe and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @UnashamedUnafraid.Do you have a story you are willing to share?  Email our Podcast Executive Director Jeremy at jeremy@unashamedunafraid.com. 

Marni opens her heart to share a painful marriage, turning her first husband over to Christ, managing through betrayal trauma, prayerful divorce, and how to move forward when her happily ever after was shattered. Moving out of her marriage was painful, but she kept her focus on her kids and deepened her relationship with God and began to find peace and eventually got remarried and has become a life coach to help others through their hope and healing. If this episode resonates with you, or if you know someone who needs a reminder of God’s open arms, please share the link to this episode with them. At Unashamed Unafraid, we are here to spread the words of hope and healing through Jesus Christ. Subscribe and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @UnashamedUnafraid.Do you have a story you are willing to share?  Email our Podcast Executive Director Jeremy at jeremy@unashamedunafraid.com.

In this episode, Tamara joins Steve and Cassy to share her inspiring story of recovering from an addiction to pornography. Tamara’s struggle with addiction inspired her to learn more about God and as a result she developed a more meaningful connection with him. She no longer views Him as a “genie” but rather her friend who she loves dearly. If you would like to connect with Tamara you can visit her website at www.Tamara-Kelly.com. If this episode resonates with you, or if you know someone who needs a reminder of God’s open arms, please share the link to this episode with them. At Unashamed Unafraid, we are here to spread the words of hope and healing through Jesus Christ. Subscribe and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @UnashamedUnafraid.Do you have a story you are willing to share?  Email our Podcast Executive Director Jeremy at jeremy@unashamedunafraid.com.