The Unfolding

When life goes according to our plan, it's a lot easier to believe in a good God. But when our prayers aren't answered and we're left with disappointment, it can be a struggle to trust Him. Dr. Saundra Dalton Smith not only didn't understand God, she was angry with Him. Today Dr. Dalton-Smith uses her experience to help women live happier, healthier and more productive lives. She's an author, speaker, and host of the "I Choose My Best Life" podcast, but before all of that, she was a young woman carrying a heavy load of resentment toward God.

Melissa Mork was a college student when her mother tragically passed away. At the time Melissa's father made a request. He asked her to study grief because it seemed few people really understood what it was like to walk through devastating loss. That charge turned out to be providential. As a professor of psychology at the University of Northwestern St. Paul, Dr. Mork is a resource to thousands dealing with grief. Her insight and wisdom came not only from academic study, but from walking the hard road of loss over and over again. Dr. Mork is the author of Navigating Grief with Humor, and the host of the podcast Mental Health with Dr. Melissa Mork.

If you or someone you love has struggled with anxiety or depression, you know how crippling that can be. For Kati Pessin, depression was something she first grappled with as a middle schooler and it's been a part of her life since. The struggle has taken her to the lowest moments of her life, but it's also been a place where God has revealed her need for him and his love for her in a very powerful way.

Brandon Richardson, known professionally as RICHLIN, was in junior high the first time he met Ryan Stevenson. Over the years, their interaction at a summer camp forged friendship, respect, and an awareness of the gifts God had placed in each other. Both of these guys are talented singers, songwriters and musicians. While Brandon Richardson is a newcomer, Ryan Stevenson is known for songs like "Eye of the Storm" and "With Lifted Hands." Brandon never really dreamed of being a recording artist, but because of the relationships God weaved into his life, he had a passion to follow God's call to spread grace and hope, however God wanted to do that. This is a story of the power of a mother's words and her love, the power of friendship, and how God is weaving those relationships in your life, to lead you to his calling, even when you don't realize it.

God can use our greatest pain as a launching pad to our greatest calling. That's what Jonathan Gonzalez believes. But in the beginning, his story seemed hopeless. He was a challenging kid who was making horrible choices. By the time he was 12 he was getting arrested. If something didn't happen to change his path, he was headed for hardship and a life of pain inflicted on himself and those around him. When Jonathan was 17, he was in a terrible car accident that nearly claimed his life. At the time, he didn't know who God was or if God was real. In his desperation, just before he took his last breath, he prayed. That night changed Jonathan's life forever.

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.