The Unfolding

When the police knocked on Pastor Monte Gannon's door, he never could have imagined it was the start of something beautiful. Everything his church-owned was packed in a trailer that had been stolen and burned to the ground. As Monte prayed, he remembered two things- desperate people do desperate things, and God can take what was meant for evil and turn it for good. In a video that went viral, Monte reached out to whoever was responsible for the crime saying, "You are valuable. God has hope for you. You are invited to Meadows Church." He had no idea how his words would come true.

Julie Dennison experienced some hard things as a child. Like many of us, she didn't know a healthy way to deal with trauma. As an adult, opioid drugs became Julie's go-to coping mechanism. What at first seemed to be a way to numb the pain, soon turned into an addiction that controlled her life and devastated her closest relationships. There seemed to be no way out.

Angels play a big part in the Christmas story. But they also appear all throughout scripture as messengers, serving on assignment for God, and sometimes even protecting people from danger. While we don't worship angels, God clearly uses them to carry out his plan and scripture indicates He is still using angels among us today. In our annual episode of angel stories, we asked you to share your angel encounters. It's a glimpse into God's unfolding story and just how big and beyond-our-imagination it really is. This is part 2 of the 2021 edition of The Unfolding Angel Stories.

Psalm 91:11 says, "He has put his angels in charge of you. They will watch over you wherever you go." Do people still encounter angels today? In this special, annual edition of The Unfolding podcast, we asked about modern-day angel encounters. This collection of angel stories reminds us that the same God who sent angels the first Christmas, is directing angels around us today.

John Karakian has never really thought of himself as an evangelist. He's just a guy who really loves his dog and his neighbors. John and Buddy met thousands of people as they walked the streets of suburban Detroit for twelve years. John had no idea that God could use something as simple as a chocolate lab to connect searching people with genuine hope. Hundreds of people came to the Christmas program at John's church, all because of Buddy.

You can't read the Christmas story without bumping into angels. Zechariah, Mary, Joseph and the shepherds all encountered them. Do people still encounter angels today? That's the question we asked, and the stories we share will fill you with wonder and hope.

Growing up in the U.S.S.R., Dmitri and Anya Poliakoff had never heard the story of the Bible. From the time they were young, they had been told there is no God. They were restoration artists who studied some of the greatest painters in the history of art. Many of those paintings depicted the story of Jesus. The truth was right in front of them, but Dmitri and Anya had no idea. One small, smuggled Bible changed everything. Dmitri and Anya now lead A.D. Ventures Ministries, an association of more than 400 churches and mission groups across Russia.

Behind Our Smiles Podcast with Joe and Tara Buchanan: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/behind-our-smiles/id1590398238 https://open.spotify.com/show/0vYvuocfjVvGU6vjGEyvAk https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9ud21lZGlhLW9uZGVtYW5kLnN0cmVhbWd1eXMxLmNvbS9CZWhpbmQtT3VyLVNtaWxlcy9iZWhpbmRvdXJzbWlsZXMtZ29vZ2xlLXBvZGNhc3RzLnhtbA

Growing up in the slums in Kenya, George Odero always seemed to be on the outside looking in. He longed for the love and acceptance of God, but found people couldn't see past the dirt, poverty, and danger of being a street kid. He couldn't imagine that God would love him and use him to change his world. George is now a pastor with Forward Ministry Kenya.

How do you live out your faith in relationship with a child who rejects it? When Kevin and Jeanie Thomas' daughter announced she was leaving home and leaving her faith, they were stunned. They never imagined being the parent of a prodigal. They had done their best to lead their kids to Jesus. What followed was a journey of learning how to give unconditional love, and live out their faith with a daughter who had become an atheist.