The Unfolding

Andy Carr was the epitome of the self-made man. From a young age, he knew what he wanted and he worked hard to get it. His work paid off as he quickly moved up the corporate ladder. But the pressures of the life he had built began to close in on him, and he found himself in a hospital with his life hanging in the balance. For the first time, Andy thought to ask God what He wanted for his life. Today Andy is the Vice President for Development and Marketing at Feed My Starving Children, an organization that has provided more than 3 billion meals to hungry people all over the world.

Olivia Lane had always felt a pressure to be successful. From moving to Los Angeles at 16 to pursue an acting career, to appearing on NBC’s “Songland” as she launched her country music career, no amount of success seemed to be enough. In 2017, the anxiety and stress finally caught up with her, leading to burn out, losing her voice, and feeling like a failure. That’s when a supernatural encounter with Jesus changed her from atheist to believer. The song she wrote about her experience, “Woman at the Well,” became a social media sensation. She has 400,000 followers on TikTok, where she regularly shares about her faith.

When Toni Collier was young, her family experienced a traumatic event that forced her to grow up fast. She had to take control in order to ensure the survival of the people around her. It was a heavy burden and by the time she was a teen, that weight was too much. She set out on a path of destruction that included drinking, drugs, and toxic relationships. Even meeting Jesus didn’t really change her life. That didn’t happen until Toni was willing to surrender everything. Toni is the founder of Broken Crayons Still Color, a ministry that helps women know that God can redeem any story when we surrender it to him.

On the 24th of February, Maia Mikhaluk woke to the sound of explosions. It was confirmation of what they had feared. Russia had launched an attack on Ukraine and war had begun. Air raid sirens and rocket explosions have become a daily occurrence. Nearly 4 million refugees have left Ukraine. For many including Maia, the decision to stay or leave is gut-wrenching. Maia is the co-founder and leader of a ministry called International Partnerships. She and her husband have spent 25 years planting churches in Ukraine and they pastor a congregation in Kyiv. She spoke with us from a bomb shelter in her apartment building.

What happens to your faith when life doesn’t follow your plan? Kellie Penn has always been a planner. She had a vision for what her life would be like, and she was confident God would be on board. But, beginning in her childhood, life took a detour. What unfolded was a story that she would never have chosen–an unexpected journey through heartache to joy.

How does a kid from southern California end up in the Mafia? Kenji Gallo soon realized that “the life” wasn’t the glitz, money and glamour he had imagined and there seemed to be no way out. When the FBI offered him a fresh start, he thought that would change his life. But it wasn’t until he encountered Jesus that he experienced real freedom. Kenji’s story has been told on the Discovery Channel, Spike TV, and in his memoir, Breakshot: A Life in the 21st Centrury American Mafia.

Stubborn, selfish, atheist, adulterer. All words that Darren Mulligan uses to describe who he was as a young adult. And not surprisingly, he was also miserable. So when his girlfriend announced she had met Jesus, and found hope and healing, Darren wasn’t happy for her, he was actually angry. It’s hard to believe this was the man who would one day share the Gospel with thousands through his music. Darren is the lead singer for “We Are Messengers” , a group that originated in Ireland. What to many appeared to be an overnight success story, was actually a hard and very messy journey to Jesus.

When Leah Kadwell was a young newlywed, she and her husband heard a clear call from God to move to India. They had dreams of serving and making a real difference in the lives of the people they had grown to love. After 20 years in the country, Leah and her family were forced to leave. The circumstances could have crushed her spirit, but God used her time there not only to bless the people she worked with, but also to change Leah.

When Carissa Carroll’s son Jack was born with special needs, it was nothing like what she had planned for their family. She felt totally unprepared and wondered how his Down syndrome diagnosis would change their lives. But God showed her Jack is a gift worth celebrating and his life has led to the celebration of thousands of babies through Jack’s Basket, an organization with a mission to celebrate babies with Down syndrome.

Author, speaker, and radio host Susie Larson has a wealth of wisdom to share. That wisdom has come through very challenging life experiences. The trauma she faced as a child left her feeling afraid, bracing for the next bad thing. But God had a plan for healing her wounds and equipping her to share her story and her wisdom, helping thousands of people along the way.