The Unfolding

Kayla Gahagan shares about the Radical Joy she discovered as she shifted her focus from being a career mom to a stay-at-home mom. After avoiding a near tragedy with a bathtub incident, she felt God's pull to go all-in. As a mom of four, she's sacrificed aspects of a career in journalism, laying down and surrendering, and somehow, God used her writing career in ways she never could have anticipated. 

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 and singer of “Come Jesus Come.” Nearly 40,000 people have come to know Jesus through his TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram lives. 

April Wilson is a morning show host on Christian radio in Waterloo, Iowa. In this episode, she shares two deeply personal stories intertwining addiction and motherhood. The first tale recounts April's own struggle with addiction, her journey to faith, and the life-saving gift she gave her mother through an organ donation. The second story shines a light on April's daughter's battle with addiction and the power of a mother's prayers in her recovery.

Motherhood is a journey of faith that requires trusting God and fighting battles on behalf of children. In this episode, we are sharing the stories of three brave women who have cared for, advocated for, and fiercely loved children. Through the stories of Courtney Smallbone, Lana Vasquez, and Kathey Garrison, we see that mothers come in many forms – biological, foster/adoptive, and those who are never formally recognized, but whose love has made all the difference in the life of a child.   

Jemimah Wright shares a story of finding her now husband, and God's faithfulness being evident throughout this narrative. It includes her dad, Instagram, her passion for journaling, and hearing God's voice.

Hanai is a Hawaiian term for “adopted” or “chosen” family and it is a really effective way to describe Ryan and Sara Senters. When Ryan was younger, he was all about chasing significance. But then God gave him a heart for vulnerable kids. In their 17 years of marriage, Ryan and Sara have been parents to 11 kids- two biological and nine foster kids they have adopted. But their passion and willingness to trust God has led them on a wild journey of faith. Their story is so remarkable, People Magazine and CBS Morning News have featured stories about their family. Ryan and Sara never imagined they would be parents to 11 or help provide family for hundreds more, but once they heard God’s call on their lives, they could not look back. Ryan and Sara are the founders of Ohana, a foster care agency with 40 homes in Arizona and Hanai Coffee, where kids aging out of the foster system find hope, job training and life skills.  

David Smallbone is the father of Luke and Joel Smallbone (For King and Country) and Rebecca St. James. In today's short story, he shares about his family's journey from Australia to Nashville. After losing everything on a large Christian tour, David's family moved to the U.S. to pursue greater opportunities. But when they got there, they faced even more hardship, until they finally found provision in faith and community, through the generosity of a local church. From humble beginnings in Christian media in Australia to navigating rejection and setbacks in America, the Smallbones' story is one of resilience and perseverance. Now, their remarkable journey is chronicled in the inspiring new film "Unsung Hero," produced by David's sons Joel and Luke. Listen in as David encourages you to deepen your relationship with Jesus, prioritize family, and find hope in the face of adversity.

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.