The Unfolding

When Lana Vasquez met Jesus at 19, she knew she had been rescued to rescue others. Within a few short years, she was a full-time missionary with Life Impact International rescuing kids from trafficking in Thailand. It was a daunting mission, far beyond what she could do in her own strength. In fact, the work often seemed impossible. But when God asks us to do the impossible and we're willing to say yes, we are in the perfect position to see the miraculous.

Growing up in Southern California, Lana Vasquez found herself looking for love in all the wrong places. By the time she was a teenager, she was trapped in an abusive relationship, addicted to alcohol and drugs, and spent her nights as a dancer in the clubs of Hollywood. She was living a fast life, but even the glitz and glamour of Hollywood couldn't hide the fact that she felt desperately empty. At 19 years old, Lana heard the Gospel for the first time. When God rescued her, she knew she was called to rescue others. Within 4 years Lana was a full-time missionary rescuing kids in Thailand through the ministry of Life Impact International.

Jordan St. Cyr had always believed the way to your dreams was through grit and hard work. He knew God had called him to be a songwriter, so he was determined to make it happen. But what if the way to your dreams isn't through determination, but through surrender? Jordan is the co-writer of the song “Fires,” – a song that has become their family's anthem as they walk through their daughter's diagnosis with a rare syndrome.

In a post-pandemic world, more and more people are dealing with issues related to mental health. Mandisa is a singer and songwriter who has authentically shared her journey with anxiety and depression. When her friend was diagnosed with cancer, Mandisa was confident God would heal her. When He didn't, she struggled with sadness and deepening disappointment with God. In this interview, Mandisa shares how depression led to isolation and walking away from her singing career, but God used a community of friends to help lift her out of the dark.

Mark Schultz had always felt a drive to succeed. As the only adopted child in his family, it seemed to be a way to guarantee his adoptive parents would know they had picked the right kid. If he was the starting quarterback, the pitcher on the state championship team, the singer and songwriter who got standing ovations – that surely meant he was special. He is known for songs like “He's My Son,” “Remember Me,” “I Am,” and “Walking Her Home.” It wasn't until Mark held his own adopted daughter that he had finally had a revelation about God's love for him.

Ben Fuller is a singer and songwriter who is just beginning his career in Christian music. His song “Who I Am” is being played on stations around the country. His story began growing up on a dairy farm in Vermont. He was a well-liked kid and on the outside, seemed like he had it all together. But he always struggled to earn his father's approval. On the inside he felt an emptiness that left Ben searching for something to fill the hole. He tried relationships, alcohol, cocaine, even “making it” in country music. With each new thing, he was left asking himself, “Is this it? Is THIS what life is all about?”

When our story takes a tragic turn, it often feels like God is a million miles away. But Psalm 34:18 says “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Katelyn James' heart was crushed with the news that the baby she was carrying would not survive. When she pictured the life God had for her, this was nothing like what she had imagined. But rather than guard her heart, God was asking her to lean in and trust that His plan was good. Katelyn and her husband Michael own Katelyn James Photography, where they have coached thousands on how to have their own successful photography business. Theirs is a story of joy, peace, loss, and hope.

When life goes according to our plan, it's a lot easier to believe in a good God. But when our prayers aren't answered and we're left with disappointment, it can be a struggle to trust Him. Dr. Saundra Dalton Smith not only didn't understand God, she was angry with Him. Today Dr. Dalton-Smith uses her experience to help women live happier, healthier and more productive lives. She's an author, speaker, and host of the “I Choose My Best Life” podcast, but before all of that, she was a young woman carrying a heavy load of resentment toward God.

Melissa Mork was a college student when her mother tragically passed away. At the time Melissa's father made a request. He asked her to study grief because it seemed few people really understood what it was like to walk through devastating loss. That charge turned out to be providential. As a professor of psychology at the University of Northwestern St. Paul, Dr. Mork is a resource to thousands dealing with grief. Her insight and wisdom came not only from academic study, but from walking the hard road of loss over and over again. Dr. Mork is the author of Navigating Grief with Humor, and the host of the podcast Mental Health with Dr. Melissa Mork.

If you or someone you love has struggled with anxiety or depression, you know how crippling that can be. For Kati Pessin, depression was something she first grappled with as a middle schooler and it's been a part of her life since. The struggle has taken her to the lowest moments of her life, but it's also been a place where God has revealed her need for him and his love for her in a very powerful way.

Brandon Richardson, known professionally as RICHLIN, was in junior high the first time he met Ryan Stevenson. Over the years, their interaction at a summer camp forged friendship, respect, and an awareness of the gifts God had placed in each other. Both of these guys are talented singers, songwriters and musicians. While Brandon Richardson is a newcomer, Ryan Stevenson is known for songs like “Eye of the Storm” and “With Lifted Hands.” Brandon never really dreamed of being a recording artist, but because of the relationships God weaved into his life, he had a passion to follow God's call to spread grace and hope, however God wanted to do that. This is a story of the power of a mother's words and her love, the power of friendship, and how God is weaving those relationships in your life, to lead you to his calling, even when you don't realize it.

God can use our greatest pain as a launching pad to our greatest calling. That's what Jonathan Gonzalez believes. But in the beginning, his story seemed hopeless. He was a challenging kid who was making horrible choices. By the time he was 12 he was getting arrested. If something didn't happen to change his path, he was headed for hardship and a life of pain inflicted on himself and those around him. When Jonathan was 17, he was in a terrible car accident that nearly claimed his life. At the time, he didn't know who God was or if God was real. In his desperation, just before he took his last breath, he prayed. That night changed Jonathan's life forever.

Andy Carr was the epitome of the self-made man. From a young age, he knew what he wanted and he worked hard to get it. His work paid off as he quickly moved up the corporate ladder. But the pressures of the life he had built began to close in on him, and he found himself in a hospital with his life hanging in the balance. For the first time, Andy thought to ask God what He wanted for his life. Today Andy is the Vice President for Development and Marketing at Feed My Starving Children, an organization that has provided more than 3 billion meals to hungry people all over the world.

Olivia Lane had always felt a pressure to be successful. From moving to Los Angeles at 16 to pursue an acting career, to appearing on NBC's “Songland” as she launched her country music career, no amount of success seemed to be enough. In 2017, the anxiety and stress finally caught up with her, leading to burn out, losing her voice, and feeling like a failure. That's when a supernatural encounter with Jesus changed her from atheist to believer. The song she wrote about her experience, “Woman at the Well,” became a social media sensation. She has 400,000 followers on TikTok, where she regularly shares about her faith.

When Toni Collier was young, her family experienced a traumatic event that forced her to grow up fast. She had to take control in order to ensure the survival of the people around her. It was a heavy burden and by the time she was a teen, that weight was too much. She set out on a path of destruction that included drinking, drugs, and toxic relationships. Even meeting Jesus didn't really change her life. That didn't happen until Toni was willing to surrender everything. Toni is the founder of Broken Crayons Still Color, a ministry that helps women know that God can redeem any story when we surrender it to him.

On the 24th of February, Maia Mikhaluk woke to the sound of explosions. It was confirmation of what they had feared. Russia had launched an attack on Ukraine and war had begun. Air raid sirens and rocket explosions have become a daily occurrence. Nearly 4 million refugees have left Ukraine. For many including Maia, the decision to stay or leave is gut-wrenching. Maia is the co-founder and leader of a ministry called International Partnerships. She and her husband have spent 25 years planting churches in Ukraine and they pastor a congregation in Kyiv. She spoke with us from a bomb shelter in her apartment building.

What happens to your faith when life doesn't follow your plan? Kellie Penn has always been a planner. She had a vision for what her life would be like, and she was confident God would be on board. But, beginning in her childhood, life took a detour. What unfolded was a story that she would never have chosen–an unexpected journey through heartache to joy.

How does a kid from southern California end up in the Mafia? Kenji Gallo soon realized that “the life” wasn't the glitz, money and glamour he had imagined and there seemed to be no way out. When the FBI offered him a fresh start, he thought that would change his life. But it wasn't until he encountered Jesus that he experienced real freedom. Kenji's story has been told on the Discovery Channel, Spike TV, and in his memoir, Breakshot: A Life in the 21st Centrury American Mafia. 

Stubborn, selfish, atheist, adulterer. All words that Darren Mulligan uses to describe who he was as a young adult. And not surprisingly, he was also miserable. So when his girlfriend announced she had met Jesus, and found hope and healing, Darren wasn't happy for her, he was actually angry. It's hard to believe this was the man who would one day share the Gospel with thousands through his music. Darren is the lead singer for “We Are Messengers” , a group that originated in Ireland. What to many appeared to be an overnight success story, was actually a hard and very messy journey to Jesus.

When Leah Kadwell was a young newlywed, she and her husband heard a clear call from God to move to India. They had dreams of serving and making a real difference in the lives of the people they had grown to love. After 20 years in the country, Leah and her family were forced to leave. The circumstances could have crushed her spirit, but God used her time there not only to bless the people she worked with, but also to change Leah.

When Carissa Carroll's son Jack was born with special needs, it was nothing like what she had planned for their family. She felt totally unprepared and wondered how his Down syndrome diagnosis would change their lives. But God showed her Jack is a gift worth celebrating and his life has led to the celebration of thousands of babies through Jack's Basket, an organization with a mission to celebrate babies with Down syndrome.

Author, speaker, and radio host Susie Larson has a wealth of wisdom to share. That wisdom has come through very challenging life experiences. The trauma she faced as a child left her feeling afraid, bracing for the next bad thing. But God had a plan for healing her wounds and equipping her to share her story and her wisdom, helping thousands of people along the way.

When Christa DiEmidio was growing up no one was there to love and care for her. No one set healthy boundaries or protected her. She felt alone and unloved. It seemed God was either nonexistent or He simply didn't care. Christa had the freedom to do whatever she wanted. So she set out in search of something to fill the emptiness. That search let to an addiction that nearly destroyed her life. But an encounter with God helped her know she was never alone and never unloved.

From the time Michelle Lewis was a little girl she had a dream. Her greatest desire in life was to be a wife and a mother. She wanted to be a stay-at-home mom and do the thing she was passionate about- having and nurturing children. But health issues made pregnancy impossible. Letting go of that dream led to depression and grief. Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” What do you do when God calls you to let go of a dream but hold on to him?

The fall-out from the pandemic includes a post-pandemic mental health crisis. Some polls show about half of American families have at least one person who has had serious problems with depression, anxiety or stress. Those issues are made even worse when we suffer through them alone. When Tony Mansmith was young, there was a perfect storm of circumstances that left him feeling isolated. The sadness he felt grew into depression by the time he was a young teenager, but for the most part that struggle remained a secret. While Tony's story is extremely hopeful, it does include elements of self-harm, abuse, and suicide.

One week after high school graduation, Jan Rozga's son David smoked a legal synthetic drug he had purchased at the mall. Within minutes David had taken his life. Every hope for the future was shattered. From that moment until now, God has been writing Jan's survival story, helping her learn to have hope and to believe that she could live again. Jan is the author of Raw Survival. She and her husband Mike facilitate GriefShare support groups, and worked to get the David Mitchell Rozga Act signed into law. Jan's passion is to tell others of the healing power of Jesus and to raise awareness of the dangers of synthetic drugs.

When the police knocked on Pastor Monte Gannon's door, he never could have imagined it was the start of something beautiful. Everything his church-owned was packed in a trailer that had been stolen and burned to the ground. As Monte prayed, he remembered two things- desperate people do desperate things, and God can take what was meant for evil and turn it for good. In a video that went viral, Monte reached out to whoever was responsible for the crime saying, “You are valuable. God has hope for you. You are invited to Meadows Church.” He had no idea how his words would come true.

Julie Dennison experienced some hard things as a child. Like many of us, she didn't know a healthy way to deal with trauma. As an adult, opioid drugs became Julie's go-to coping mechanism. What at first seemed to be a way to numb the pain, soon turned into an addiction that controlled her life and devastated her closest relationships. There seemed to be no way out.

Angels play a big part in the Christmas story. But they also appear all throughout scripture as messengers, serving on assignment for God, and sometimes even protecting people from danger. While we don't worship angels, God clearly uses them to carry out his plan and scripture indicates He is still using angels among us today. In our annual episode of angel stories, we asked you to share your angel encounters. It's a glimpse into God's unfolding story and just how big and beyond-our-imagination it really is. This is part 2 of the 2021 edition of The Unfolding Angel Stories.

Psalm 91:11 says, “He has put his angels in charge of you. They will watch over you wherever you go.” Do people still encounter angels today? In this special, annual edition of The Unfolding podcast, we asked about modern-day angel encounters. This collection of angel stories reminds us that the same God who sent angels the first Christmas, is directing angels around us today.

John Karakian has never really thought of himself as an evangelist. He's just a guy who really loves his dog and his neighbors. John and Buddy met thousands of people as they walked the streets of suburban Detroit for twelve years. John had no idea that God could use something as simple as a chocolate lab to connect searching people with genuine hope. Hundreds of people came to the Christmas program at John's church, all because of Buddy.

You can't read the Christmas story without bumping into angels. Zechariah, Mary, Joseph and the shepherds all encountered them. Do people still encounter angels today? That's the question we asked, and the stories we share will fill you with wonder and hope.

Growing up in the U.S.S.R., Dmitri and Anya Poliakoff had never heard the story of the Bible. From the time they were young, they had been told there is no God. They were restoration artists who studied some of the greatest painters in the history of art. Many of those paintings depicted the story of Jesus. The truth was right in front of them, but Dmitri and Anya had no idea. One small, smuggled Bible changed everything. Dmitri and Anya now lead A.D. Ventures Ministries, an association of more than 400 churches and mission groups across Russia.

We often come into marriage with both baggage and expectations. When your spouse's baggage is harder than you expected, how do you navigate that? Joe and Tara Buchanan came into their marriage with very different backgrounds. Joe shares the story of his childhood in Page 1 of The Unfolding. It's one of the most powerful stories of transformation you'll ever hear, and it will give you an idea of the challenges he faced in trying to have a healthy marriage. Tara's background was pretty much the polar opposite- a healthy, intact family that had faith at its foundation. Two people with such different histories were bound to face some hard stuff. God knew they needed to face it and they would need his help to do it.

Growing up in the slums in Kenya, George Odero always seemed to be on the outside looking in. He longed for the love and acceptance of God, but found people couldn't see past the dirt, poverty, and danger of being a street kid. He couldn't imagine that God would love him and use him to change his world. George is now a pastor with Forward Ministry Kenya.

How do you live out your faith in relationship with a child who rejects it? When Kevin and Jeanie Thomas' daughter announced she was leaving home and leaving her faith, they were stunned. They never imagined being the parent of a prodigal. They had done their best to lead their kids to Jesus. What followed was a journey of learning how to give unconditional love, and live out their faith with a daughter who had become an atheist.

Jack Cassidy comes from a long line of talented entertainers. Starting with his grandmother, Oscar-winning actress Shirley Jones and including his uncles David Cassidy (The Partridge Family) and Shaun Cassidy, who was also a teen idol and continues to work in television today. Talent overflows in this family. Jack is a singer and songwriter who appeared on season 12 of The Voice. His passion is to sing about the power of God's love because he has experienced it first-hand. Growing up in a famous family had its privileges, but fame didn't protect Jack from struggles, including dealing with depression and a cocaine addiction that nearly took his life.

How does the shyest, most introverted guy respond to a call to be a preacher? Rechab Gray decided to run. He couldn't see how God could use him. He was petrified at public speaking, even having conversations with an acquaintance made him sweat. Today Rechab is a church planter and preacher who has found the greatest joy and peace in life, is in surrendering to Jesus.

For many parents, losing a child is one of their greatest fears. How do you believe God is good and trustworthy as you watch your child suffer? When a friend's daughter received a terminal diagnosis, Esther Lee told God there was no way she could handle something so heartbreaking. When her daughter Ava was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia, Esther's faith was devastated. It felt like God had abandoned her, and she struggled to trust Him. But in her suffering, she found God to be close, walking the journey with her to the point of trusting his goodness regardless of her circumstances. Esther is a wife, mom, teacher, and gifted writer. Her posts on the Team Brighter Days Facebook page during her Ava's illness gained thousands of followers.

Natalie Twedell struggled with fear while her husband Drew was deployed to Iraq. When he passed away while training to become a Navy Seal, her worst fears were confirmed. Anxiety became her constant companion. She referred to herself as a “control freak” who was waiting for the next bad thing to happen. But that way of life is exhausting, and God was calling her to trust him. As a woman overcome with fear, she couldn't imagine a life of courage or rest.

We are constantly bombarded with things that compete not only for our attention, but to be the source of our identity. It's tempting to tie our sense of self-worth to our appearance, work, possessions, love relationships, and more. Ami Dean believed she had arrived. She had the house, the car, the spouse, and the kids- all the things that from the outside look like success. But she craved attention. With access to the internet came opportunities to find that attention. What seemed alluring at first turned into addiction to pornography and inappropriate relationships, and that left her in a place of darkness as she watched her world crumble.

In 1975 when the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia, Dareth Ly was 7 years old. He spent most of the next 4 years in a work camp, barely surviving starvation and torture. When he landed in the U.S. as an orphan, he forced himself to forget everything about Cambodia. He knew he would never go back. But God can take what others meant for evil, and turn it for good. (Caution for parents: this story contains episodes of violence and is not appropriate for children.)

After experiencing dysfunction and hurt, Tasha Layton left church and set out on a search for truth. That journey led her back to Jesus and a call to use her musical talents. As a gifted worship leader, God opened doors in music but not what Tasha had imagined. She found herself on American Idol and touring the world as a backup singer for Katy Perry, before finding her home writing worship songs and books to help others experience the freedom she found.

If you were old enough to be aware of the events that day, you likely know exactly where you were on September 11, 2001.  In this special 20th anniversary edition of The Unfolding, we are sharing a collection of stories from 9/11.  With each story we move closer to Ground Zero.  We begin 8,000 miles from Manhattan in the jungles of the Philippines. Missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham were being held captive by terrorists with ties to Al Qaeda. Mel Torre shares how a supernatural experience helped him get out of the city that day.  From her vantage point overlooking the World Trade Center complex, Christina Stanton was close enough to not only witness the events but to feel the shockwaves.  The final story takes you inside the South Tower, sharing how Brian Clark, one of only 18 survivors from above the impact zone, saw the hand of God that day.

As a Level 1 trauma nurse, Sarah Derocha had been trained to handle life and death situations. On a medical mission trip to a remote area of Bolivia, she was critically injured in a bus accident. She knew that her chance of survival was slim because of her nursing experience. The only way she could survive would be if God intervened.

Have you ever been afraid that God might call you out of your comfort zone? Brittany Frost had always tried to do things by the book. But a Bible study on the Holy Spirit challenged her to pray, “God, whatever you want, I'll do it.” God led her on a journey to the other side of the world and radically changed her home. It's a powerful story of trusting God through pregnancy loss and international adoption.

In this special 100th episode of The Unfolding, we talk with Gary Levox, lead singer of Rascal Flatts, about how one night listening to the radio in his mom's kitchen, changed his life. Many people had told Gary he had a good voice, but he had never really thought of it as a gift, or that God might have a plan for him to use that gift. When he decided to take a leap of faith and move to Nashville, he had no idea he would end up in Rascal Flatts, one of the most successful country groups of all time. To celebrate Page 100, we are sharing YOUR stories of how God has used The Unfolding in your life.

Do you have a story of how "The Unfolding Podcast" has impacted you? We want to know about it, and hope to share more stories like yours on the 100th episode. Share here: https://www.facebook.com/TheUnfoldingPodcast

Laura Johnson experienced some hard and traumatic things as a child. As she grew up, she saw what other children were going through and made herself a promise – she would never do that to her kids. But addiction was tricky. One minute she was in control of her drug use, and the next she wasn't. Laura found herself doing thing she never could have imagined. But what the enemy intended for evil, God can turn for good. Through addiction, abandoning her kids, and the loss of her son to violence, Laura has found that God can redeem the worst of life. Laura is the founder of Mothers of Violent Crimes, a support group for those who have lost loved ones to violence. This episode contains mature content.

When Anne Wilson was growing up, she wanted to be an astronaut. She made plans, started taking classes, and set her hopes on traveling to space. But one tragic summer night in 2017 altered the course of Anne's life. The death of her brother Jacob, set off a series of events that made clear to Anne that God's purpose was different than her plan. Anne sang in front of an audience for the very first time at her brother's funeral. That was also the moment God clearly called Anne to spend her life praising and worshipping Him. Her first song, “My Jesus,” debuted at #1 on the iTunes Christian & Gospel music chart.

Marcus Rixon grew up in a 12' x 6' home with no running water in Kolkata, India. One of the challenges he faced was the box that kids like Marcus grew up in- a box that defined him and his potential, based on where he came from. But his parents prayed for a way out of poverty, and the first answer to that prayer was sponsorship through One Child that allowed him to go to school. It was the beginning of a series of events that radically changed the trajectory of his life.