The Nothing Is Wasted Podcast

Sometimes, we can try to cover up our past pain with that which we can control-achievement, performance, and productivity. But at some point, those coping mechanisms cannot mask the hurt we are feeling deep inside anymore. What do you do when what you've done to run from your past no longer works to hide what you're truly feeling? For Dr. Elizabeth (Ellie) Stevens, there came a point when what she did to keep the pain from her childhood sexual abuse at bay, no longer worked. She found that she could no longer hide behind performance and her achievements and instead had to face what was below the surface. It took another string of traumas including a sexual assault and traumatic brain injury to bring up the ache she had been ignoring, but when she did, she found that God invited her towards something new: freedom. Even when her poor decisions heaped shame on top of all she was enduring, she was able to start to experience the depth of God's love in the middle of the mess of emotions she was enduring. Now, as a psychiatrist, trauma survivor, and veteran, Dr. Stevens has taken what she has learned in her own journey to help veterans and first responders in theirs. In this conversation, Davey talks with Dr. Stevens about how we often use achievement and performance to cope with our past, the power of God shown through our weakness, and how trauma can help us move from conditional to unconditional love. If you find yourself trying to hide your past pain through achievement and performance and you are ready to experience the freedom God has for you, this episode will encourage you that God wants to release you from that which threatens to hold you back. Website: www.drelizabethstevens.com www.advancingwarriors.org Book: Unshackled: Finding God's Freedom from Trauma Don't miss out on an incredible, life-changing trip with Davey to Israel, May 29-June 6, 2023! Register today at: www.nothingiswasted.com/israel Have you ever wondered why God seems silent in your suffering? Join us on February 16th at 8pm EST for our next masterclass called God's Silence in Our Suffering: Seeing Him Move When You Can't Hear His Voice. Sign up today at: www.nothingiswasted.com/masterclass   Are you ready to go from pain to purpose? Partner with God to take back your story. Check out the Pain to Purpose Course: www.course.nothingiswasted.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Perhaps one of the greatest questions that comes after trauma or tragedy is how do we help our kids navigate pain? What do we as parents need to look for after loss or in the everyday struggles that kids are facing? When do we need to bring in an expert to help and what can we do in the in between? David Thomas knows all too well the questions that emerge when families encounter crisis and the everyday difficulties plaguing our children. As a licensed counselor at Daystar Counseling in Nashville, TN, he has met with hundreds of kids and has walked with them through all sorts of challenges from trauma, grief and loss to anxiety and depression. What he has noticed in his clinical experience is that above all else, kids need parents willing to do the same emotional work of healing that they are wanting for their children. When we as parents start to look at our own stories, we can better help our children through theirs. In this practical and timely conversation, Davey sits down with David to discuss why we need to do our own work as parents, the importance of following our child's lead after pain, understanding behavior as communication as well as how to help kids navigate anxiety and technology. If you are struggling to know what to do with the pain or challenges your child is experiencing, this episode is full of helpful wisdom to help you parent well in the midst of it. Website: www.raisingboysandgirls.com www.daystarcounseling.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/raisingboysandgirls Podcast: www.raisingboysandgirls.com/podcast Book: Raising Emotionally Strong Boys: Tools Your Son Can Build On For Life https://a.co/d/byBtWJH Strong and Smart: A Boy’s Guide to Building Healthy Relationshipshttps://a.co/d/9qIEHtJ Would you like to access all of the resources from Nothing is Wasted? From masterclasses to curated pathways, live coaching and more, you can get it all in our Community Plus Membership by joining at: www.nothingiswasted.com/communityplus Need some hope in your healing journey? Get the Pain to Purpose 42-Day Devotional to help you navigate the valleys of life. Grab your copy today: https://www.nothingiswasted.com/store/pain-to-purpose-devotional Do you want to access all Nothing is Wasted offers on your particular pain point? Check out Curated Pathways and find resources and hear stories of hope and healing from people who have walked a similar journey: www.nothingiswasted.com/pathways Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So often, we tend to think very little about our story and how our past impacts our present. But, what if the key to healing the wounds we are experiencing now is inextricably tied to engaging our whole story including our past? For professional counselor and podcaster Adam Young, it was when he began to engage his story, the wounds of his past and his family of origin, that he started to see the ways in which God wanted to meet him in his pain. This idea of not just dealing with the symptoms of past wounds, but looking at the arc of our lives became the most important tool Adam had in his private practice with others who were wanting to heal from the past. It also connected perfectly with what we know to be true about the human brain and how it makes sense of the things that have happened to us. In this deeply profound conversation, Davey and Adam talk about why it is so important to engage our stories, the difference between trauma and adversity, how to handle people who have wounded us, and how this work can lead to healing and health in our relationships, including our closest ones like in our marriage. If you've ever wondered how to connect the dots between your earliest memories and what you are experiencing now, this episode is full of insightful wisdom on how to step into your story with compassion and curiosity. Website: www.adamyoungcounseling.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/adamyoungcounseling Facebook: www.facebook.com/adam.p.young.counseling Other: The Place We Find Ourselves Podcast: www.adamyoungcounseling.com/podcast Want to join Davey on a life-changing trip to Israel on May 29-June 6? Sign up today: www.nothingiswasted.com/israel Would you like to see your church go experience healing and freedom from past pain and trauma? Learn more at: www.nothingiswasted.com/churches Do you want to access all Nothing is Wasted offers on your particular pain point? Check out Curated Pathways and find resources and hear stories of hope and healing from people who have walked a similar journey: www.nothingiswasted.com/pathways Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WARNING: This episode contains conversations about suicide ideation and may not be suitable for all listeners/viewers. Having a baby seems like it will be a season full of unending joy, but for many mothers, the elation of a new child can bring with it an unforeseen darkness too. Recent studies suggest one in every eight women experience postpartum depression. It can be jarring to experience the joy of new life while also enduring the pain of depression and anxiety in the wake. How do you move through the darkness into the light when it feels impossible? For Julie Thomas, she couldn't have imagined the way in which darkness would seem to take over. Well after the birth of her child, she was experiencing a depression that would not lift. It felt hopeless and isolating, so much so that she contemplated taking her own life. While her story isn't one of instantaneous healing, God taught her the slow and steady way He can heal when we turn to Him in the depths of our pain. For her, it was a combination of safe people, leaning into scripture and sharing her story with others that would eventually help the fog of depression clear. In this episode, Davey and Julie talk about what to do when you become afraid of both the darkness and the light, how to help someone through a season of depression, and why telling your story can become a catalyst towards healing. This conversation will help the one who needs hope in the most desperate of places as well as the one who wants to be a help when someone they love are suffering in the dark. And it will remind us all that no matter what difficulties we are facing, we are not alone. Website: www.julsthomas.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/Juls_thomas Book: Hope Inside Out: Approaching Depression with Purposeful Hope Are you ready to take the next step on your healing journey? The Pain to Purpose Course is a proven path to help you navigate trauma, tragedy and transition. To learn more, go to: www.mypaintopurposeplan.com Life is difficult and pain is real. But you can partner with God to take back your story. Join Davey for a free webinar on 5 Steps to Taking Back Your Story: www.nothingiswasted.com/starthere Do you want to access all Nothing is Wasted offers on your particular pain point? Check out Curated Pathways and find resources and hear stories of hope and healing from people who have walked a similar journey: www.nothingiswasted.com/pathways Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After tragedy, trauma or transition, it can be hard to find vision for a way forward. Often times, our pain can cloud any idea of a future or plans besides our deepest ache. How can we start to see above the fog of what has happened to us and begin to believe that God has a greater vision for our life beyond suffering? In this special release episode, Davey talks about the importance of vision when it comes to our pain to purpose journey as well as the God-given vision he has for Nothing is Wasted as a ministry. Get a glimpse into what you can expect in the days to come from Nothing is Wasted and how we can help you partner with God to take back your story. Proverbs tells us that "without vision, the people perish." Without vision, we can find ourselves wrestling with doubt, fear or hopelessness. Without vision, we can believe that the heartache we are experiencing is all there is for us. If you're struggling to see past your pain and looking to tether your life to purpose, this conversation is for you. Bema podcast Davey mentions: www.bemadiscipleship.com Would you like to bring hope and healing to your church? Learn how your church can help people find healing from pain and trauma through the Pain to Purpose Course: www.nothingiswasted.com/churches Are you ready to take the next step in your healing journey? Join Community Plus today and access all the resources Nothing is Wasted has to offer for just $20/month or $200/year: www.nothingiswasted.com/communityplus Looking for the perfect gift for someone who has just walked through a trauma, tragedy or transition? Need something to help you in your own journey through life's valleys? Order a copy of the Pain to Purpose 42 Day Devotional: www.nothingiswasted.com/store/pain-to-purpose-devotional Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every parent looks into the eyes of their young child with hopeful anticipation for their future. What do you do when the dreams you had seem to shatter and you find your relationship with your child not what you had imagined? How do you continue to love well when their choices are taking them down a road of relational disconnection, personal pain or destruction? Through her own parenting journey and by watching others, Mary DeMuth has learned how to surrender her ideas of what should be and lean into what is when it comes to her children. In fact, her most recent book, Love, Pray, Listen: Parenting Your Wayward Adult Kids with Joy, is a guide to help any parent navigating the murky waters of parenting adult children who have chosen a path contrary to what was hoped for. As a sexual abuse survivor, Mary had to learn how to parent well while healing from her own story. She also had to learn to trust God in the messiness of her own children's stories and not to parent out of fear, but instead rely on God's love for her kids to be enough. By looking at Scripture and the first example of wayward children in the Garden of Eden, Mary has found comfort and solace in knowing that God not only sees her pain, but also understands the journey she is on. In this raw conversation, Mary and Davey talk about how our healing can often come through our giftings, why formulas don't work in parenting and the power of surrendering our kids and their journeys to the loving care of the Lord. No matter where you are in parenting, this episode will help you remember that ultimately God is in control of your children's lives and that no matter what, He cares for them and for you. Website: www.marydemuth.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/marydemuth Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorMaryDeMuth Podcast: Pray Every Day www.marydemuth.com/pray-every-day-podcast/ Book: Love, Pray, Listen: Parenting Your Wayward Adult Kids with Joy LoveFree Prayer Resource from Mary DeMuth: https://marydemuth.ck.page/51d95e9769 Sign up for the FREE 5 Steps to Taking Back Your Story Webinar: www.nothingiswasted.com/starthere Are you ready to move towards healing from your past wounds? Check out the Pain to Purpose and find purpose and freedom from your pain: www.mypaintopurposeplan.com Our Curated Pathways are designed to quickly get you connected to the resources and the people who can serve you on your unique pain journey. Check them out: www.nothingiswasted.com/pathways Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you prepare yourself for loss? What do you do in the days before your world encounters a seismic shift? Can you ever truly be ready to face your greatest pain? For Melissa Swain, nothing could fully prepare her for the unexpected loss of her husband, Chris, in 2021 but in the days long before such a tragic grief, she had made the decision to trust God no matter what. Just a few years before in 2019, her family faced the unexpected death of her brother, Aaron. In a way, the Lord used that difficult time to prepare her heart for more grief she would walk through as a widow. As Melissa wrestled through the pain of losing her sibling and then her husband, she was faced with more unexpected circumstances when the fate of her husband's almost finished manuscript laid in the hands of his publisher. Was she the one to take his work and bring it across the finish line? She did and the book they completed unexpectedly together called "Write it On Their Hearts: Practical Help for Discipling Your Kids" was not only a way to keep her connected to Chris after his death, but it also served as a means for him to continue to love and parent his children in the days that followed while helping other families as well. In this candid conversation, Davey talks with Melissa about what it looks like to grieve well, why our pre-decisions about God are so important when it comes to preparing us for pain, and how to wait on God when you aren't sure what is next. If you've ever wondered how you could prepare your heart for the suffering that inevitably comes this side of heaven, Melissa's hard-won wisdom will encourage you to decide who you think God is before you ever get that phone call that changes everything. Website: www.WriteItOnTheirHearts.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/WITHtheSwains Twitter: www.twitter.com/WITHtheSwains Book: Write It On Their Hearts: Practical Help for Discipling Your Kids We want to partner with you this holiday season and help you give the gift of healing. From now through December 9th, you can get a discount on any of the products in our store: www.nothingiswasted.com/store Just use the promo codes: HEALING5 ($5 off $25)HEALING15 ($15 off $70)HEALING40 ($40 off $150) Want to find everything Nothing is Wasted offers for your specific pain point? Check out our Curated Pathways: www.nothingiswasted.com/pathways Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've ever served others in ministry, you know how quickly you can go from a thriving, joy-filled season to one in which you become a target for criticism and betrayal. How do you protect your heart when the very people you are serving hurt it? How do you navigate the wounds inflicted upon you by the people of God? As a pastor's wife, author Joanna Weaver knows all too well how deep the pain can cut from those she has served. Throughout her life-long service in women's ministry and alongside her husband in churches, she has experienced her fair share of hurt that came from people. It can be easy to wall off your heart, move away from relationship and choose to isolate. But, Joanna has found that even in those moments of relational wounding, God has important lessons to teach us in order to shape us more in the image of Christ. As we allow God to reveal parts of ourselves He longs to heal, we can grow in character and strengthen our faith to trust Him in all circumstances. In this conversation, Davey and Joanna talk about how to handle the relational wounds and betrayals of ministry, how to not waste the pain from it, and why it is so important for leaders to seek healing for their hurt. You don't have to be a leader in ministry to glean from Joanna's wise words. The truths she shares are universal for us all as we live in community and face offense of every kind. Website: https://www.joannaweaverbooks.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joannaweaverbooks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoannaWeaverBooks/ Book: Embracing Trust: The Art of Letting Go and Holding On to a Forever-Faithful God Want to get started in your pain to purpose journey? Check out our free 5 Steps to Taking Back Your Story Webinar that can help you no matter what you have been through: www.nothingiswasted.com/starthere Looking for resources form Nothing is Wasted for your specific pain point? Check out our NIW Curated Pathways: www.nothingiswasted.com/pathways Have questions in your pain to purpose journey? Join us once a month for a FREE Live Coaching session with Davey and our certified coaches. Sign up at: www.nothingiswasted.com/livecoaching Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WARNING: This episode contains conversations about suicide ideation and may not be suitable for all listeners/viewers. The statistics are staggering: twenty-two veterans die by suicide a day. After years of serving in the Army, Fernando Arroyo almost became one of those twenty-two when the pain of his experience in the military made him want to end his life. Finding hope and healing in the aftermath of war and post-traumatic stress was no easy task. The transition from a life full of meaning and purpose as a Paratrooper in the Army into the civilian sector was difficult for Fernando. He went from having a tight knit community, a brotherhood, with a common mission into a life where he felt alone and without purpose. That pain began to build as he was reminded of his past and eventually, he found himself on his couch with a gun, ready to end his life when the Lord miraculously intervened. From there, he found restored hope once he began to be open and honest about his struggles. Through sharing his story and what he was walking through, a newfound purpose emerged as he found other veterans who needed understanding and help in their own journey. Now, Fernando serves veterans at Step Forward Academy, helping them through the transition from military to civilian life and has recently written a book chronicling his journey called, The Shadow of Death: From My Battles in Fallujah to the Battle for My Soul. In this special Veteran's Day episode, Davey and Fernando talk about the difficulty for veterans to transition out of the military into the civilian world, the powerful impact that can come when we share our story, and the importance of community in our lives and our healing. Whether you are a veteran or not, this conversation will help you walk with others through the most painful parts of their stories and encourage you in sharing your own. Website: https://www.paratrooperarroyo.com/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/paratrooper_arroyo FB: Fernando Arroyo- https://www.facebook.com/fernando.arroyo.37266 Twitter: www.twitter.com/airbornenando Book: The Shadow of Death: From My Battles in Fallujah to the Battle for My Soul Register now for our next masterclass Hope for the Holidays: Navigating the Season When It Hurts with NIW certified coach Amy Sylvestre on Thursday, November, 10th at 8pm EST: www.nothingiswasted.com/masterclass Are you ready to take back your health and learn about holistic living the way God intended? Join Kristi Blackburn as she takes you Back to the Garden in her live, 8 week online wellness course where you'll gain practical tools to help you on your journey towards wholeness and health. Learn more at: www.linenandroots.com/course Want to get started in your pain to purpose journey? Check out our free 5 Steps to Taking Back Your Story Webinar that can help you no matter what you have been through: www.nothingiswasted.com/starthere Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've been around here at Nothing is Wasted, you probably know the story of how we came to be as a ministry. It was after his own pain to purpose journey in which Davey Blackburn lost his wife, Amanda, and their unborn child in a tragic home invasion that God birthed this idea of a ministry that walked others through whatever pain they faced. In this special two-part conversation, Davey sits down with Aubrey to discuss what the past few months have been like as the legal side of their journey came to a close with the trial and sentencing of the perpetrator of Amanda's murder.   For many, it may come as a surprise that this part of their story is just now happening, seven years after that fateful day that forever changed Davey's life. And yet, for the Blackburn's and Amanda's family, the significance of the number seven, a number that means completion in Scripture, is more than a mere coincidence. In spite of all the suffering they've endured, the timing is just another reminder that God has been with them every step of the way. And as this chapter in their journey comes to a close, a new one is beginning. In Part 2 of this two-part episode, Davey shares walking through the sentencing of one of the accomplices in Amanda's case, how you never know the impact your response to your story may have on others, and the wrestlings that can come as we struggle to understand God's justice in our hurt. Whether you've been following Davey's journey since the beginning or if you are new to the Nothing is Wasted family, this conversation will encourage you to press into the hard parts of your journey with God because His faithfulness will be revealed and redemption will come in the most unexpected of ways. The God-Shaped Brain: How Changing Your View of God Transforms Your Life by Timothy Jennings Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices