We are so honored to be releasing the 200th episode of the Nothing Is Wasted Podcast! We love hearing how much God is doing in our listeners’ lives as they hear the incredible stories and unbelievable wisdom that our guests have to share. But sometimes, when we focus on everyone else, it’s easy to forget that God is writing a powerful story in our own lives. To celebrate 200 episodes of this podcast, Davey and Aubrey share a bit about what’s been going on in their own lives, and how their relationships with God have deepened through the highs and lows of the last year.

If you’re following what’s happening at Nothing Is Wasted Ministries, you probably know that last week was a significant week for us. Last Monday, the trial was set to begin for the man accused of murdering Amanda Blackburn, Davey’s late wife. More than six years later, this chapter of the story was finally ready to come to an end. However, mere minutes before the trial was set to start, a careless mistake caused it to be declared a mistrial. Now facing several more months of waiting, it seems like this season will never end, and we’re left asking “Where is God in this?”   On this special episode of the Nothing Is Wasted Podcast, Davey shares his reflections on the failed trial, and what God is teaching him and all of us when we’re stuck waiting.

As a prolific pastor, speaker, and author, Scott Sauls has helped countless people in their own journeys in life. His wisdom didn’t come easy, though. Having walked through childhood trauma, anxiety, depression, and so much more, Scott is well acquainted with pain and suffering. But in the middle of these trials, Scott has found a deeper, richer knowledge of God, and a calling to share that knowledge with as many people as possible. Scott sits down with Davey to share a bit of his story and some of the wisdom he’s learned along the way.

As kids, many of us tend to idolize our parents. And while we all eventually come to see them as imperfect humans like ourselves, for some that revelation is truer than others. Taylor Carlier thought she had a great family and a close, healthy relationship with her parents, until one shocking realization about her father set that relationship on a course that would change it forever. As Taylor endured years of new betrayals, revelations, and deeper hurts from someone that should have been so much more for her, she gained hard-earned wisdom and firsthand knowledge about healing, forgiveness, and restoration. Taylor, now the producer of this very podcast, sits down with Davey and Aubrey to share her story and some of what she’s learned along the way.

Claire Culwell’s story in one that has to be heard to be believed. As the adopted daughter of two loving parents, Claire eventually found herself wanting to meet her birth mother. When she was finally able to, she could never have foreseen how that first conversation would go. What Claire’s birth mother revealed to her on that day would shock Claire to her very core, and her life would never be the same. Claire sits down with Davey to share her unbelievable story and how she’s learned more about God, forgiveness, and the value of life through this incredible journey.

What do we do when life doesn’t go the way we think it should? What do these seasons mean for our faith? When Mitchel Lee was stepping into professional ministry, he thought he had a clear path ahead in life. After all, he was serving God full time. Certainly everything would go right, wouldn’t it? But Mitchel soon learned, as so many of us do, that life rarely goes the way we plan. When disappointments and trials come our way, what does that mean for our faith? Mitchel sits down with Davey to share his story and how he’s found a deeper, more authentic faith by embracing the idea that God is still good even if life lets us down.

For too many of the brave men and women who serve in our armed forces, death isn’t an abstract concept. It’s something they face every day. But that doesn’t make it any easier to face when the person you love most in this world dies. That was what happened to both Jim and Ginger Ravella. They both lost their spouses at an early age, and it sent them reeling. Their story is one of incredible pain and loss, but also unbelievable hope and a picture of God’s provision and redemption that is at work in each of our lives, even when it might not seem like it. In this special conversation to honor Veteran’s Day, Jim and Ginger sit down with Davey to share their stories and some of the wisdom they’ve learned along the way.

Suicide is an epidemic that is claiming an unimaginable amount of lives in our country and around the world today. And while the church should be a bastion of hope that people can cling to in those dark moments when they contemplate taking their own lives, that isn’t always the case. Far too many Christians are content to stay quiet on this issue, to turn a blind eye and hope the problem just goes away. Dr. Matthew Sleeth is not one of them. As a former ER doctor, Matthew has seen people tragically lose their lives to suicide too many times, and he’s made it his mission to try to change that. Matthew sits down with Davey to share some of the wisdom he’s gleaned about this topic over the years and why it’s a critical conversation for the church to have right now.

At a young age, Naomi Widmer experienced sexual and spiritual abuse that would haunt her for years to come. Naomi would go on to carry the pain of these early events for decades, unable to find true healing anywhere she looked. That is, until she met Teresa Glantz. Teresa’s story is not too dissimilar from Naomi’s. She’s gone through similar pain and trauma, and has walked a long, hard healing journey. Teresa is one of our Pain to Purpose Certified Guides, and she walked Naomi step by step along a path that has led to true, lasting healing. Naomi and Teresa sit down with Davey to share their story of finding each other and how Teresa’s pain journey led to her being an agent of healing in Naomi’s life.

We often say that pain is the common denominator of life. But while that is true, there is another common denominator: laughter. Even in the middle of the darkest seasons, we all find ourselves laughing at times. It’s a part of the human experience, just like pain. Michael Jr. knows this firsthand. As a comedian, his job is to make people laugh. But Michael’s comedy is far from an escape that tries to pretend that pain doesn’t exist. Through his own painful experiences and the stories of others that he’s witnessed, Michael has learned how laughter can reach us in our pain and bring newfound hope. Michael sits down with Davey to share some of his story and the wisdom he’s gained along the journey.