The Nothing Is Wasted Podcast

What does true friendship look like in the midst of the darkest moments in our lives? How do we show up for our friends who are hurting after a tragedy? The Bible says, "A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity." (Proverbs 17:17) It can be hard to find the kind of friend that will stick with you in difficulties, but for Davey, Kenneth Wagner was the epitome of that type of friend. Davey and Kenneth's friendship began in college and grew through each season of life: marriage, starting their families, and pastoring. It also grew through the most devastating time when Davey lost his wife Amanda and their unborn child in a home invasion. Kenneth did what any true friend would do in the unimaginable: he showed up. And he kept showing up in each and every way he could as Davey tried to rebuild his life and find healing after heartache. In this heartfelt episode, Davey sits down with his best friend, Kenneth, to hear his unique perspective as he watched the tragedy and subsequent redemption unfold in Davey's life. They discuss what it looks like to be a good friend, how powerful the ministry of presence can be, and the importance of seeing God's kindness in our lives. If you're walking beside a friend who is hurting, this conversation will encourage you to step into the space of their pain where no words are necessary but where all that is needed is your presence that reminds them that they are not alone.   Website: www.unitedchurchde.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/UNITEDChurchDEFacebook: www.facebook.com/UNITEDChurchDE Do you need a reminder that in your story, nothing is wasted? Get your copy of the Nothing is Wasted book now where ever books are sold: www.nothingiswasted.com/book Need some hope right now in your valley? Or have a friend who could use some encouragement through suffering? The Pain to Purpose 42-Day Devotional is the perfect companion in your pain. Get your copy and gift one to a friend who needs it: www.nothingiswasted.com/store/pain-to-purpose-devotional Do you need resources to help guide you in your specific pain point? Our Curated Pathways are designed to give you everything we offer in one place when it comes to your unique journey: www.nothingiswasted.com/pathways Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you help an adult child who is experiencing an unimaginable loss? What does it look like to parent our kids who are grown and who are walking through difficult seasons?For Davey's parents, Dave and Brenda Blackburn, navigating how to help Davey walk through his own grief while also taking the time to grieve their own pain of losing their daughter-in-law, Amanda, and unborn grandchild was at times very difficult. Yet through their own hurt and watching Davey walk through his, they learned that many of the same parenting principles they had used throughout Davey's life applied in his season of suffering as well. It was through prayer, giving Davey space when he needed it, being there for him, and loving him through the ups and the down that God showed Dave and Brenda how to be the kind of parents their adult son needed as he walked through a tragedy. In this episode, Davey sits down with his parents to talk about the difficulty of watching your adult child hurting after loss, how to be there for your kids, and what it looks like to build a foundation of faith in your children before they experience pain and suffering. If you are a parent walking through a season of heartache of any kind with your adult child, this conversation will give you hard-won wisdom as to how to even begin to love and show up for your children, even when they are grown and living their own lives out of your home.   Want to be a part of the Nothing is Wasted Book Event on Thursday, August 1st? Tickets are on sale now at: www.nothingiswasted.com/launch-event Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does God invite us into in our pain? How do we learn to bring our honest emotions and thoughts to God?Pastor and author Rich Villodas has learned and taught others the importance of choosing honesty through lament when it comes to engaging with feelings of grief, anxiety and every other emotion that is a part of the human condition. As he has pastored in one of the most diverse parts of the country, he has walked with many individuals through their own stories of pain from their families of origin, loss, and disappointment and has led them towards the invitation from God to confess and name what they are feeling while leaning into the practice of lament. In his latest book, The Narrow Way: How the Subversive Way of Jesus Satisfies Our Souls, Rich teaches how the Sermon on the Mount is an invitation to a countercultural way of living that will lead to peace, love, and fulfillment in a generation where anxiety, depression, and polarizing politics seem to lead the way. In this episode, Aubrey and Rich talk about why vulnerability and inner work are so important for both leaders and lay people alike, how we can begin to address our pain, and the difference between good and bad self-awareness. If you have found yourself running from the reality of your pain, this conversation will encourage you to take the brave step of facing what you're feeling and allow God to meet you in the truth of where you are.   Website: https://www.richvillodas.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richvillodas/ Book: The Narrow Path: How the Subversive Way of Jesus Satisfies Our Souls https://a.co/d/iPP5RCC You've heard some of the story, but you haven't heard it all. Now you can. Pre-order Nothing is Wasted: A True Story of Hope, Forgiveness, and Finding Purpose in Pain. Go to www.nothingiswasted.com/book to pre-order your copy and get your pre-order bonuses today! Be a part of launching the Nothing is Wasted Book into the world by joining us on Thursday, August 1 in Indiana. Get your regular admission or VIP Tickets now by going to: www.nothingiswasted.com/launch-event From incredible mini-courses to the Pain to Purpose Toolkit, it is your last chance to get these incredible pre-order bonuses for the Nothing is Wasted book before it is available on 7/30 wherever books are sold! Order your copy today: www.nothingiswasted.com/book Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do we live a more connected life with Jesus when this world offers so many distractions? What would it look like for individuals to experience personal revival in their own faith that could spark revival in other's lives as well? For author, podcaster and Bible teacher Lisa Whittle, it was her own journey towards seeking more of God that led her to write about it. As a woman in ministry, Lisa has seen and faced many challenges, but through it all, she was able to find God more and more. By asking God for her own personal revival, Lisa began to see all the ways the enemy of her soul attempts to keep her from it. From people pleasing and anxiety to social media and the celebrity culture that has infiltrated the Christian spaces she has been in, Lisa knows that there are many things that can derail her from living out of a whole hearted devotion to God. It is why she decided to update and re-release her book, I Want God: How to Love Him with Your Whole Heart and Revive Your Soul. As God continued to draw her own heart into personal revival, she realized the message she wrote years ago had even more relevance for our current culture. In this episode, Aubrey and Lisa talk about the challenges many women face in ministry and how to overcome them, what personal revival looks like in both seasons of normalcy and seasons of pain, and how the fear of man can keep us from the freedom God so longs to give us. If you've ever desired to experience more of God in your own heart and life but don't know how, this conversation will teach you the simplicity of loving Him and reviving your soul in the process.   Website: https://www.lisawhittle.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisawhittle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisawhittleofficial Book: I Want God: How to Love Him with Your Whole Heart and Revive Your Soul https://a.co/d/2Dw1z5i Want to be a part of the Nothing is Wasted Book Event on Thursday, August 1st? Tickets are on sale now at: www.nothingiswasted.com/launch-event You've heard some of the story, but you haven't heard it all. Now you can. Pre-order Nothing is Wasted: A True Story of Hope, Forgiveness, and Finding Purpose in Pain. Go to www.nothingiswastedbook.com to pre-order your copy and get your pre-order bonuses today! Do you need resources to help guide you in your specific pain point? Our Curated Pathways are designed to give you everything we offer in one place when it comes to your unique journey: www.nothingiswasted.com/pathways Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WARNING: This episode discusses teen suicide and may not be suitable for all audiences. How do we begin to understand the staggering increase in mental health issues amongst teens? Why are the suicide rates moving in an upward trend, especially amongst younger children? Our world has undoubtedly changed because of the advent of smart phones and social media, but no one could have predicted the impact these devices have had on our kids. Dr. Chinwe Williams, an author, speaker and teen and child mental health counselor, has seen the ways our current culture has effected youth in this country. Because of what she has seen clinically, she has been on a mission to help resource parents through her books and trainings with the tools they need to handle the challenges that many kids and teens are facing, including anxiety. In this episode, Davey sits down with Dr. Williams to discuss the role empathy should play in helping our kids through difficulty, why we must first address our own issues with anxiety and the value in teaching our kids to develop grit in order to face whatever may come. If you are a parent or if you are someone who has kids and teens in your life, this conversation will give you the tools you need to begin to recognize the signs and symptoms of anxiety and how you can help the kids you love through it.   Website: www.drchinwewilliams.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/dr.chinwewilliams Facebook: www.facebook.com/MeaningfulSolutionsCounseling/ Book: Beyond the Spiral: Why You Shouldn’t Believe Everything Anxiety Tells Youhttps://a.co/d/eZDpPN8 Want to be a part of the Nothing is Wasted Book Event on Thursday, August 1st? Tickets are on sale now at: www.nothingiswasted.com/launch-event Want to access all that Nothing is Wasted has to offer to help you in your healing journey? Join Community Plus and get resources like our masterclasses, Curated Pathways, and more for just $20/month. www.nothingiswasted.com/communityplus You've heard some of the story, but you haven't heard it all. Now you can. Pre-order Nothing is Wasted: A True Story of Hope, Forgiveness, and Finding Purpose in Pain. Go to www.nothingiswastedbook.com to pre-order your copy and get your pre-order bonuses today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do we do when our faith feels like the darkness of night? How do we find our way through when God is hard to see or feel?Author and speaker Dr. Alicia Britt Chole was never afraid of asking questions. In fact, it was her own father's willingness to hear and respond to the many curiosities in her spirit that gave her a picture for God's willingness to listen to and speak to all the questions, the fears, and the doubts in life. Through her personal study of scripture, she began to take notice of the idea of night, of a darkness or obscurity, that can mark our journeys with Jesus. In an effort to normalize this very valuable and healthy part of our spiritual growth, Dr. Chole wrote The Night is Normal: A Guide Through Spiritual Pain, to help readers identify what can cause our spiritual pain and how to navigate through those seasons of disillusionment and seasons where we are losing hope. Through scriptural evidence and personal experience, Dr. Chole proves that while painful, our disillusionment and those night seasons can become our greatest gifts in our journey towards faith and hope. In this profound conversation, Aubrey and Dr. Chole talk about how God pursues us when we are far from Him, the causes of our spiritual pain, and why normalizing our difficult seasons can help us find a way through them.If you've ever found yourself with more questions than answers when it comes to your faith, this episode will prove that God can handle all your questions, all your doubts, and all your disillusionment and that the night you may be experiencing will not last forever.   Website: www.aliciachole.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/aliciabrittchole Book: The Night Is Normal: A Guide through Spiritual Pain https://a.co/d/f9rUxiM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do we do with our frailties? How can we begin to see God's gift in our weakness?For author, pastor, and Nothing is Wasted guest host, Eric Schumacher, reframing his perspective on the areas where he was weak took some time. Struggling with his own imperfections and insecurities, God began to reveal to him that the very things that made him feel weak were exactly what God wanted to work through and reveal His strength. As Eric began to deep dive into the theological implications of weakness and where it can be found throughout human history in Scripture, he was able to see the incredible gift our weaknesses can be. It was through that study and his own personal journey that Eric wrote his latest book, The Good Gift of Weakness: God’s Strength Made Perfect in the Story of Redemption.In this episode, Davey and Eric talk about why God works through our weakness, how to find our value and worth in Jesus instead of our accomplishments, and the various types of weakness we face. If you've ever felt defeated by your own weakness, this conversation will encourage you that in whatever weakness you feel, God is at work in incredible ways to show you His strength.   Website: www.emschumacher.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/emschumacherFacebook: www.facebook.com/emschumacher Book: The Good Gift of Weakness: God’s Strength Made Perfect in the Story of Redemption https://a.co/d/3LuLuQ4 In His Hands: Prayers for Your Child or Baby in a Medical Crisishttps://a.co/d/0PbLELC You've heard some of the story, but you haven't heard it all. Now you can. Pre-order Nothing is Wasted: A True Story of Hope, Forgiveness, and Finding Purpose in Pain. Go to www.nothingiswastedbook.com to pre-order your copy and get your pre-order bonuses today! Need some hope right now in your valley? Or have a friend who could use some encouragement through suffering? The Pain to Purpose 42-Day Devotional is the perfect companion in your pain. Get your copy and gift one to a friend who needs it: www.nothingiswasted.com/store/pain-to-purpose-devotional Do you need resources to help guide you in your specific pain point? Our Curated Pathways are designed to give you everything we offer in one place when it comes to your unique journey: www.nothingiswasted.com/pathways Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do we do when we are a leader and our life as we know it unravels? How do we continue to lead in the depths of our pain?For ministry leader, author, speaker and podcaster Toni Collier, she thought she was finally living her redemption story in her second marriage, only to watch her relationship crumble very quickly when she learned of continued betrayal within it. Immediately after getting some of the most devastating news of her life, she saw God's kindness in that she was just doors down from some of her best friends. It was this group of women, some of the members of her confessional community and the constant reminders of God's with-ness, what she calls "God Winks," that sustained her through a very public divorce and all that followed. As she walked through the heartache of losing the marriage that she thought was an answer to her past pain, she learned how to lead in the midst of her greatest hurts. By sharing vulnerably her story and what she was dealing with in real time, she offered others the freedom to speak out and share their own suffering. She continues to offer women the opportunity to find healing through her ministry, Broken Crayons Still Color, and her podcast, Still Coloring. In this honest and raw conversation with Davey, Toni shares what it looks like to lead through our pain, why we need to pay attention to God's goodness in our hurt, and how a confessional community can help us heal. If you're a leader walking through the unexpected and wondering how you can keep going in the middle of it, this episode will serve as a reminder that even in our brokenness, God can use our lives to color a beautiful picture of His grace and redemption in life for others.   Website: https://www.tonijcollier.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonijcollier/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colliertoni Book: Unshakeable Moxie: Growing a Resilient Faith https://a.co/d/iKIVegp Brave Enough to Be Broken: How to Embrace Your Pain and Discover Hope and Healinghttps://a.co/d/79vODrd You've heard some of the story, but you haven't heard it all. Now you can. Pre-order Nothing is Wasted: A True Story of Hope, Forgiveness, and Finding Purpose in Pain. Go to www.nothingiswastedbook.com to pre-order your copy and get your pre-order bonuses today!Do you need resources to help guide you in your specific pain point? Our Curated Pathways are designed to give you everything we offer in one place when it comes to your unique journey: www.nothingiswasted.com/pathways It's so hard to watch someone who is hurting after a recent loss or trauma has changed everything for them. The When Everything Changes: Navigating the Early Days of Loss, Trauma, and Tragedy mini-course will help those you love walk through the early days of grief and suffering and find hope on the other side: www.nothingiswasted.com/everythingchanges Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Warning: This episode briefly mentions suicidal ideation and may not be suitable for all listeners. What happens when we realize all our methods to find healing are merely ineffective attempts of self-help? How can pain lead us into a true understanding of our utter dependence and need for God in our lives?Former country music recording artist and author Granger Smith found himself attempting to do everything "by the book" when it came to dealing with the drowning death of his young son, River. He did everything self-help offered when it came to finding healing and yet, it all fell flat. It was then that God revealed to him that he did not have the power to heal himself. The healing he needed could come only through the gospel of Jesus Christ. From then, Granger turned away from a nominal faith into a saving one and was able to experience the true depths of healing from his shame and guilt over the loss of his son. He gave up his successful music career and began seminary and ministry in his local church. Granger recently wrote about the story of this journey of losing River and his newfound authentic faith in his book, Like a River: Finding the Faith and Strength to Move Forward After Loss and Heartache.In this episode, Davey and Granger talk about how self-help can't truly heal us, the difference between a nominal faith and a saving one, and how the gospel is what we need most when it comes to finding healing that can last. If you've ever turned to self-help in an attempt to assuage the guilt, shame, or hurt from your past, only to find it unable to do so, this conversation will encourage you to look for healing in the only one who can truly help: Jesus Christ.   Website: https://grangersmith.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/GrangerSmith/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grangersmith Book: Like a River: Finding the Faith and Strength to Move Forward After Loss and Heartachehttps://a.co/d/2KY2aLL Up Toward the Lighthttps://a.co/d/2WhNTmo You've heard some of the story, but you haven't heard it all. Now you can. Pre-order Nothing is Wasted: A True Story of Hope, Forgiveness, and Finding Purpose in Pain. Go to www.nothingiswastedbook.com to pre-order your copy and get your pre-order bonuses today! Do you need a reminder in your pain that God isn't done with your story? Sign up for our free, 7 day devotional delivered straight to your inbox: www.nothingiswasted.com/7-day-devo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you begin to experience freedom from the sin that grips you? What does it look like to walk in purpose while still struggling with that which holds you back?For author, pastor and podcaster, Tim Ross, finding his way towards healing after childhood sexual abuse led to his own patterns of pornography addiction, took some time. Through Jesus and therapy, Tim was able to learn how to get to the root of the bad fruit in his life. It was because of his own journey that he wanted to take others to a place of authenticity and vulnerability in the parts of their lives they often kept hidden. Through his podcast, The Basement, and latest book, Welcome to the Basement: An Upside Down Guide to Greatness, Tim explores how being real with our struggles can help us discover our true identity and experience the greatness God has for us. In this conversation, Davey chats with Tim about how to mentor people in the way of Jesus, the ways in which our journeys towards freedom may differ, and how God will build purpose into our lives from our pain and struggles. If you've ever wondered where you can lead with the truth of what you're walking through, this episode will remind you that true greatness can be found when we are willing to go low and be honest about our struggles and hurt.   Website: https://www.upsettheworld.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upsetthegram/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBasementPodcast Book: Welcome to the Basement: An Upside Down Guide to Greatness https://a.co/d/4jqgUIp You've heard some of the story, but you haven't heard it all. Now you can. Pre-order Nothing is Wasted: A True Story of Hope, Forgiveness, and Finding Purpose in Pain. Go to https://www.nothingiswastedbook.com to pre-order your copy and get your pre-order bonuses today!Want to be a part of the Nothing is Wasted book launch event? Save the date: August 1, 2024 and make plans to join us! Learn more by going to: https://www.nothingiswastedbook.com Do you need someone to walk with you one-on-one through your valley? Our certified coaches are ready to meet you where you are and help you find a way forward: https://www.nothingiswasted.com/coaching Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices