The Nothing Is Wasted Podcast

Justin Skeesuck and Patrick Gray are, quite literally, lifelong best friends. Born only a couple days apart in the same small-town hospital, there hasn’t been a day when the two weren’t close. But when a teenaged Justin was diagnosed with a degenerative neuromuscular disease, both of their lives and their friendship were changed forever. Through unimaginable trial, these two friends have dedicated their lives to bringing the hope of Jesus to whoever they encounter. Justin and Patrick sit down with Davey to share their story and the things they’ve learned about friendship and hope in the midst of trials. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS SERIES PART FOUR From the outside, you could look at Ciara Weese’s life and see something close to a modern-day fairy tale. Married to her kindergarten best friend with a baby on the way and jobs as youth pastors at a church, Ciara’s life today bears little resemblance to the darkness in her past. Under the weight of trauma kept secret, unhealed wounds, and unspoken temptation, Ciara found herself cheating on her husband with other women. She walked away from her husband and from God, but that’s not where her story ends. God met Ciara in a New York apartment, hundreds of miles from the love of her life, dating another woman and contemplating suicide. Ciara sits down with Davey to share her powerful story in the conclusion to our Toxic Relationship Series. Follow Ciara on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS SERIES PART THREE When Gary Thomas wrote Sacred Marriage, he probably didn’t know the amount of impact he would have. Now, with nearly a million copies sold, his words have been responsible for helping heal and sustain countless marriages. Which is, in part, why it’s so interesting that his newest book is called When To Walk Away. In the years since his earlier book, Gary has learned that in any relationship, whether friendship, marriage, family, or anything else, staying in a relationship with a person is not always for the best. Gary sits down with Davey to continue our series on toxic relationships by discussing what he’s learned about dealing with toxic people, and when the best thing we can do for ourselves and them is to walk away. Visit Gary's Website Buy When To Walk Away Buy Sacred Marriage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rebecca Bender’s story of becoming a victim of human trafficking is, sadly, not a unique one. By many estimates, there are more slaves in the world today than in any other time in history. In this bonus episode, Rebecca shares about some resources on how we can combat human trafficking in our own communities. This bonus episode is just a taste of the content we provide for our Nothing Is Wasted Monthly Partners. For more bonus episodes, videos, and more, visit nothingiswasted.com/partners. Visit Rebecca’s Website Call the Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS SERIES PART TWO It’s easy to think of human trafficking as something that happens “somewhere else.” We’d all agree that it’s a horrendous evil, but our subconscious minds dull its edges by framing it as happening in countries thousands of miles away or in the distant past. But for millions of people in the world today, human trafficking is a monster that must be confronted each and every day. For years, Rebecca Bender was one of those people. Caught in a relationship that wasn’t what it seemed, Rebecca was forced through deceit, threats, and abuse to do things she never would have chosen. To continue our Toxic Relationships Series, Rebecca sits down with Davey to share her story of how she escaped from the hell of human trafficking and how she’s found redemption and purpose on the other side. Visit Rebecca's Website Check out Rebecca's Podcast - Hood to Holy Buy Rebecca's Book: In Pursuit of Love Visit Elevate Academy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS SERIES PART ONE Relationships that are worth having are never easy. While this is true for any relationship from friends to family members, it may never be more true than in romance. Anyone, whether single, dating, engaged or married, will tell you that a good relationship with a significant other takes work. Debra Fileta knows this all too well as a licensed counselor specializing in relationships. She often sees people when their relationships are falling apart, and over her years of working with these individuals and couples she’s picked up a ton of wisdom about how to navigate these choppy waters. Debra joins Davey to kick off our Toxic Relationships Series and share some of her knowledge about how we can avoid toxic relationships and keep ours healthy and whole.   Check out Debra's Website Listen to Debra's Podcast Buy Debra's Book: Love in Every Season Buy Debra's Book: True Love Dates Buy Debra's Book: Choosing Marriage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a lifetime of trauma and hardship, healing and wholeness can seem unattainable. Every new trial feels like a step in the wrong direction, and eventually we look up and the life we want to live seems impossibly far away. This is where Kristi Blackburn’s story begins. She’s walked through more trials than anyone should have to face: an abusive father left her fearing for her life and the lives of her family. A physical assault in a foreign country left her injured and anxious. A failed marriage left her a single mother with seemingly no hope of a “normal” home life. No one would want to walk through any one of these, but Kristi has faced all of them and more. For this special 100th episode of the Nothing Is Wasted Podcast, Kristi sits down with Davey to share her incredible story of how God has walked with her through countless hardships and brought healing in ways she never would have expected. Follow Kristi on Instagram Visit Nothing Is Wasted Purchase the Pain to Purpose Video Course Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just about every pastor has preached at least a few sermons on how to go through trials. They can have all the right scriptures, all the best theology, all the best words to encourage and inspire the people they’ve been entrusted with. But what happens when a trial hits the pastor’s life? That’s what Mark Vroegop found himself asking when he and his wife lost their unborn daughter just weeks before she would have been born. As further medical complications made the aftermath of this tragedy even more difficult to navigate, Mark and his wife found themselves in a place where everything they believed was tested. And in that season they learned a deeper way to relate to God. They learned to lament. Mark sits down with Davey to talk about what he’s learned about walking through suffering and how we can develop a deeper relationship with God by trusting him with our pain. Visit Mark's Website Check out College Park's Website Buy Mark's Book Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It seemed like everything was right in Rebekah Lyons’ world. Her young family had recently moved to New York, and she started to pursue her passions — it seemed like Rebekah was living a great life. But anxiety was lurking just below the surface, waiting to change all that. After her first panic attack left her lying on the floor of an airplane, Rebekah found herself living at the whims of anxiety and depression. But she found freedom from it, and now she wants to help others do the same. As a national speaker and bestselling author, Rebekah has made it her mission to help people find the same freedom and purpose that she has. Rebekah sits down with Davey to talk about her story, her newest book Rhythms of Renewal, and how we can structure our lives to find freedom from anxiety. Visit Rebekah's Website Buy Rhythms of Renewal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At age nine, John O’Leary’s world was very literally set on fire. Childish curiosity got the best of him, and playing with a gas can left him with burns over his entire body and an incredibly slim chance for survival. But when John came out of the hospital, this literal inferno had stirred up a metaphorical fire inside him. John now makes it his mission to help and inspire others by sharing his story and teaching people how to ignite the same “fire” that still burns in his soul. John sits down with Davey to share his story and what he’s learned through it. Visit John's Website Buy John's Book On Fire Buy John's Book In Awe Check out John's Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices