
The Nothing Is Wasted Podcast
The Nothing is Wasted podcast explores the deep impact of trauma, loss, grief, and tragedy, while providing listeners with the hope and healing of Jesus. Born from Host Davey Blackburn’s own story of trauma and grief after the tragic loss of his wife Amanda and unborn child during a home invasion, this show features powerful stories of resilience and faith and practical tools to navigate pain and heartache. Listen each week for encouragement and insight as guests share how they’ve found that even in life’s darkest, most tragic moments, pain can lead to purpose and with God–nothing is wasted.
Latest episodes

Jan 11, 2024 • 1h 8min
Episode 306 - Practicing the Way with John Mark Comer
Guest: John Mark Comer - Author and Bible teacher leading others towards an apprenticeship with Jesus. Topics: John Mark Comer discusses spiritual formation and the importance of spiritual disciplines in times of pain. They explore the concept of the dark night of the soul and its impact on spiritual growth. The podcast also highlights the launching of a pain-to-purpose course for churches and addresses trauma and tools for healing. They share guidance on navigating the dark night of the soul, seeking God's presence, and the power of storytelling.

Jan 4, 2024 • 1h 34min
Episode 305 - The Continual Journey Towards Healing with Davey Blackburn, Aubrey Sampson and Eric Schumacher
Have you ever wondered if you are still truly healing when the pain feels as fresh as the day you experienced a past loss or grief? How do we know that healing is happening as time moves forward, but our ache remains?Davey Blackburn, Aubrey Sampson, and Eric Schumacher are not only hosts on the Nothing is Wasted podcast, but all have experienced their own seasons of deep grief, loss, trauma and tragedy. With pastoral wisdom and the heart of fellow sojourners in the valley, this episode is a unique roundtable conversation of what healing truly looks like at different points in our journey. Speaking from raw vulnerability, our Nothing is Wasted hosts share their own personal walk through pain and the often times messy, winding path towards healing. In this conversation, Davey, Aubrey, and Eric tackle the role time plays in our pain, what to do when it feels as though God is absent in the days after loss, and how the journey towards healing is never a perfectly straight one. If you are struggling to recognize whether or not healing is happening in your own life, this episode is a gentle comfort in knowing that hurt may remain for your days here on earth, but there is a hope beyond what you can see that will one day undo all the pain you've encountered.
Aubrey Sampson: Website: www.aubreysampson.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/aubsampFacebook: www.facebook.com/aubsampNothing is Wasted Episode 75 with Aubrey Sampson: https://www.nothingiswasted.com/podcast1/episode-75?rq=Aubrey%20Sampson Latest Book: Big Feelings Days: A Book about Hard Things, Heavy Emotions, and Jesus’ Love https://a.co/d/gcJu4mC Eric Schumacher: Website: www.emschumacher.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/emschumacher Facebook: www.facebook.com/emschumacher Nothing is Wasted Episode 267 Finding The Hope Of The Gospel In Miscarriage With Eric Schumacher:https://www.nothingiswasted.com/podcast1/episode-267 Latest Book: Ours: Biblical Comfort for Men Grieving Miscarriage https://a.co/d/7YEwPu6 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 Life is difficult and pain is real. Join Davey as he helps you move through your pain and on to a life of purpose and meaning in a LIVE Zoom call. www.nothingiswasted.com/starthere Are you looking to move from your pain into newfound purpose? Learn more about the Pain to Purpose course and start your healing journey today: www.course.nothingiswasted.com

Dec 28, 2023 • 44min
Episode 304 - Walking into a New Year After Loss with Davey Blackburn
Davey Blackburn, a guest who has experienced loss and trauma, shares his personal journey after losing his wife Amanda and provides practical ways to walk into a new year after loss. The podcast discusses the emotions and challenges faced in healing, emphasizing the importance of holding two truths together. It also explores the power of expressing honest emotions to God, setting a rhythm to navigate through pain, and finding comfort and hope in Psalm 23.

Dec 21, 2023 • 1h 1min
Episode 303 - Hope for the Holidays with Amy Sylvestre
The holidays can feel especially tender for those of us who have recently experienced a loss, trauma or transition. Figuring out how to move through a season where it can seem like the whole world is experiencing happiness while we are struggling with feelings of grief and sadness is hard. How do we begin to find hope for the holidays? How do we navigate the waves of emotions and the changes in traditions we once held so dear? In this special release episode, join Amy Sylvestre, Community Director here at Nothing is Wasted, as she shares practical wisdom from a previously recorded masterclass called Hope for the Holidays: Navigating the Season When it Hurts. This podcast episode is a special gift to you, our Nothing is Wasted listeners, as you walk through this season. If the holidays feel different than years past because of the pain you are enduring, let this episode offer you tangible ways to honor your grief and make it through this Christmas season.
Find this and other masterclasses available in our store: www.nothingiswasted.com/masterclass or as part of our Community Plus Membership: www.nothingiswasted.com/communityplus 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 Has a recent loss, trauma or tragedy upended your world? Let us guide you through those early days: nothingiswasted.com/everythingchanges Want to help Nothing is Wasted to share more stories and resources of hope and healing? You can give now at: www.nothingiswasted.com/donate

Dec 14, 2023 • 1h 32min
Episode 302 - Practical Steps for Walking through Grief with Beth Marshall
Grief can feel crushing. How do we begin to take the steps to move through the pain we encounter? How do we help others who are experiencing loss? Author Beth Marshall has felt the pangs of loss in her life. In one season, she lost three family members and began to wonder if the feelings she was experiencing were normal. Wondering if she could ever love her life again, Beth began taking some practical steps towards healing. It was through that journey that she began to learn from herself and others what was most helpful when people were walking through grief. It was those lessons that became the message of her latest book, Uncrushed. In this conversation, Davey sits down with Beth and talks about how we can begin to track God's faithfulness in the moments where He seems absent, how to find the support you need when you are hurting, and practical ways to love those who are walking through loss. If you are grieving or if you know someone who is, this episode will give you helpful wisdom on how to get through grief and find hope in the midst of it.
Website: https://bethgmarshall.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GriefSurvivor/ Book: Uncrushed: Real Steps for Healing your Grief and Restoring your Joyhttps://a.co/d/5ramA8z Episode 57: https://www.nothingiswasted.com/podcast1/episode-57?rq=beth Are you a pastor or church leader who wants to see redemptive healing take place in your church? Find out more about how you can bring Pain to Purpose to your church: www.nothingiswasted.com/churches 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 have a child in your life dealing with some big feelings? Aubrey Sampson's new book, Big Feelings Days, can help kids and their adults process the pain of life. Get it now wherever books are sold: www.aubreysampson.com/big-feelings-days/

Dec 8, 2023 • 1h 34min
Episode 301 - Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America with Dr. Russell Moore
What do we do when the things we are seeing in church or with Christian leaders is leading to disillusionment? How do we deal with the disappointment in the ways Christians behave in the public square, online and in the pews?Author and Editor in Chief Dr. Russell Moore has experienced the pain of denominational turmoil and sharp political disagreements that have led to hurtful slander and unkind discourse. He has found himself at the center of conflicts that he never intended to be a part of. It was through his own personal experiences and the experiences of others that he began to consider the ways in which the American Church was drifting from the heart and purposes of Jesus. In his book, Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America, Moore explores how the American Church has lost its way and offers an invitation to repentance as a new start forward. In this conversation, Dr. Moore sits down with guest co-host, Eric Schumacher and discusses how to navigate the current cultural unrest as believers, what to do with our disillusionment in the Church, and how to help our friends who are struggling to trust in God based on the behaviors of those claiming to follow Him. If you've struggled with the headlines of fallen leaders and the vitriol of those proclaiming Christ in the midst of current affairs and have been left feeling like the American Church doesn't align with the way of Christ, this episode will give you hope that nothing we are experiencing in this generation is a surprise to Jesus and He is not done yet with His bride.
Website: https://www.russellmoore.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/russellmooreFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/russellmoore Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/drmoore Book: Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America https://a.co/d/cTXM7WA Want to see healing and life transformation after the pain you've encountered? Check out the Pain to Purpose course and start the path towards healing today: https://www.course.nothingiswasted.com Join us for the final 5 Steps Zoom Call of 2023 and start your journey towards healing now: https://www.nothingiswasted.com/starthere 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: https://www.nothingiswasted.com/store/pain-to-purpose-devotional

Nov 30, 2023 • 56min
Episode 300 - God Never Gives Up On You with Max Lucado
What if the perpetrator of your pain isn't something on the outside, but your own sinful choices that have led to your suffering? How do we navigate the self-inflicted hurt caused by our own destructive decisions?Author and Pastor Max Lucado knows the feelings that can come from sinful decisions. In his own life as a young man, he began to see the dangerous trajectory of his choices if he didn't surrender to God's leading. Later as a well-known pastor and author, he would experience a similar reckoning when the weight of leadership became overwhelming and he turned to alcohol to ease the pain. It was through those experiences that Max's heart grew for those who have felt like Jacob in the Bible, wrestling with God and wondering if God had given up on them. In his latest book, God Never Gives Up on You: What Jacob's Story Teaches Us About Grace, Mercy, and God's Relentless Love, Max explores Jacob's story and how it relates to each of ours. In this honest conversation, Davey talks with Max about how we can truly believe that God doesn't give up on us, how to approach our self-induced pain, and the importance of authenticity in leadership. If you've ever wondered if God has given up on you after the mess you've made in your life, this episode will serve to remind you that no matter how far you've gone or how long you've wrestled, God's grace, mercy, and love never runs out.
Website: maxlucado.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/maxlucadoFacebook: www.facebook.com/maxlucado Book: God Never Gives Up on You: What Jacob's Story Teaches Us About Grace, Mercy, and God's Relentless Love https://a.co/d/fod5gGU Pastors, looking for a way to establish a path towards healing and redemption within your church? Join Davey Blackburn for a live call on how Nothing is Wasted can help: www.nothingiswasted.com/pastors 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 Join us for the final 5 Steps Zoom Call of 2023 and start your journey towards healing now: www.nothingiswasted.com/starthere

Nov 23, 2023 • 1h 29min
Episode 299 - Healing Gently After Childhood Trauma with Dr. Mark McNear
What do you do when your past keeps showing up in your present? How do you address the pain from childhood as it presents itself in your adult life?For Dr. Mark McNear, a childhood of every kind of abuse and trauma left him completely broken. From sexual abuse as a small boy and the harsh emotional abuse of his father to several traumatic events of violence and being hit by a drunk driver, Mark's entire life was marked by extreme pain. The wounds o f his past begin to manifest in his adult life through addiction, anxiety and depression. As a therapist, Mark had helped walk others through their pain and yet he needed to receive the same care he so often gave away. It was through the gentle compassion of his wife and others and the grace of God that Mark began the difficult journey towards healing. Mark would go on to share his personal journey to help others in theirs in his book, Finding My Words, A Ruthless Commitment To Healing Gently After Trauma. In this vulnerable conversation, Eric and Mark discuss how to love people well in the midst of their addiction, finding hope in the process of healing, and seeing God's grace move when you are struggling with the grips of shame. If healing has been a difficult journey and one that feels incomplete, this episode will show you that while you may not be instantaneously "fixed" this side of heaven, you can experience the richness of God's love and mercy in every new day through His gentle process of tending to your wounds.
Website: www.markmcnear.com Book: Finding My Words, A Ruthless Commitment To Healing Gently After Trauma https://a.co/d/gIERfT2 Join us for the final 5 Steps Zoom Call of 2023 and start your journey towards healing now: www.nothingiswasted.com/starthere Do you have a child in your life dealing with some big feelings? Aubrey Sampson's new book, Big Feelings Days, can help kids and their adults process the pain of life. Get it now wherever books are sold: www.aubreysampson.com/big-feelings-days/ 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

Nov 16, 2023 • 1h 43min
Episode 298 - Every Moment Holy with Doug McKelvey and Ned Bustard
How do you find the words to pray when you are in the middle of loss and suffering? How do mark the holy moments, both big and small, in a special way? Author Doug McKelvey and artist Ned Bustard have collaborated on three volumes of Every Moment Holy, books filled with liturgies to help people find the words in the joyful, the mundane and the most difficult moments of life. In their second volume, Every Moment Holy: Death, Grief, and Hope they offer prayers for those who are in the middle of life's most painful seasons. From helping those who are caregivers to offering words for those who are facing their own mortality, their book combines both visual art and words when it is hard to know what to even say. Ned would eventually experience the art he was creating to help others serve as a balm to his own heartache in the loss of his wife. It was through the power of Doug's writing and Ned's creative process that Ned felt the power of this work in his own personal pain. In this episode, guest co-host Eric Schumacher discusses with Doug and Ned how liturgies can help us find the words to pray, the creative process in creating meaningful work, and what happens when what you create for others ends up ministering to you. If you've ever found it hard to pray in either the moments of grief or in the everyday moments, this conversation will teach you the power of liturgy in our journey as believers.
Website: https://www.rabbitroom.com https://www.worldsendimages.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everymomentholy https://www.instagram.com/quothdouglas https://www.instagram.com/nedbustard Book: Every Moment Holy Volume 3: The Work of the People https://store.rabbitroom.com/products/every-moment-holy-vol-3-hardcover Do you have a child in your life dealing with some big feelings? Aubrey Sampson's new book, Big Feelings Days, can help kids and their adults process the pain of life. Get it now wherever books are sold: www.aubreysampson.com/big-feelings-days/ Want to learn more about Pain to Purpose? Learn more: www.course.nothingiswasted.com Has a recent loss, trauma or tragedy upended your world? Let us guide you through those early days: nothingiswasted.com/everythingchanges

Nov 9, 2023 • 1h 36min
Episode 297 - Caring for A Loved One with Alzheimer’s with Edward Grinnan
Warning: This episode does briefly discuss loss by suicide and may not be suitable for all listeners. How do we care for a loved one with a disease that steals their memories? How do we tend to ourselves when we are helping aging parents?For Guideposts Editor-in-Chief Edward Grinnan, these were the very questions he had to answer after his mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Edward had to learn not only how to walk through such a difficult disease, but also how to face the reality that he too might one day suffer from it. Edward went on to chronicle his own journey through his mother's illness in his latest book, A Journey of Faith: A Mother’s Alzheimer’s, A Son’s Love, and His Search for Answers. It was through his journey that he was able to see with clarity God's presence and love. In this episode, Davey talks with Edward about how telling our stories reveals who we are, the impact Alzheimer's Disease has on families and caregivers, and specific ways that caregivers can care for themselves while tending to their loved one with the disease.If you are being impacted by Alzheimer's, caring for aging parents or know someone who is, this conversation will encourage you to see how God can show up in the ways we show up for those we love.
Website: guideposts.org/author/edwardBook: A Journey of Faith: A Mother’s Alzheimer’s, A Son’s Love, and His Search for Answers www.shopguideposts.org/a-journey-of-faith.html https://a.co/d/hUcuOek Do you have a child in your life dealing with some big feelings? Aubrey Sampson's new book, Big Feelings Days, can help kids and their adults process the pain of life. Get it now wherever books are sold: www.aubreysampson.com/big-feelings-days/
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.