Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith Sarah Young

The content in this episode is for informational purposes only, and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your physician to see what works best for you.
During times of pain, loss, and grief, faith and a close relationship with God can serve as a profound source of comfort, strength, and hope. Prayer, meditation, and the study of scripture can be vital practices in nurturing our spiritual resilience, offering a refuge and a sense of peace. In these ways, our faith acts not only as a beacon of light amidst the shadows, but also as a foundation upon which we can rebuild and heal.
Dr. Josh Axe, a functional medicine doctor, shares his personal health experiences that have shaped his approach to health and wellness. He recounts his mother's battle with cancer and her successful remission through natural approaches. When Josh had a back injury that turned into a serious infection, his connection to God provided faith and hope that he would make a full recovery. J.S. Park, a hospital chaplain, discusses the importance of being present for people in their most difficult moments and the profound impact of grief support and crisis assistance. J.S. also opens up about his struggle with faith and finding comfort in difficult times.

 
Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:
Jesus Calling Podcast
Jesus Calling
Jesus Always
Jesus Listens
Past interview: Leslie Schilling
Upcoming interview: Stephanie Quayle
Jesus Calling for Moms 
Grace for the Moment for Moms
Jesus Calling for Graduates
 
Dr. Josh Axe
www.draxe.com
functional medicine
hyperbaric chamber
Think This, Not That
 
J.S. Park
As Long As You Need
 
Interview Quotes:
“One of the things I know that God always does is He can turn pain into purpose.” - Dr. Josh Axe
“I've found that sometimes if people just break through one limiting belief, it can radically change their life.” - Dr. Josh Axe 
“If we're having right and positive thinking, it's a major, major contributor to us healing and achieving our optimal level of health.” - Dr. Josh Axe
“It was the love of this small, little church that invited me–despite us believing different things, despite the life that I was living at that time–and just kept loving me. And that's how I came to understand God and God's love.” - J.S. Park
“It's such a rare thing in life to be in a room where suddenly all the pieces—your experience, your pain, your story, your gifting, your calling, all of it—somehow clicks into place. What a rare and beautiful thing that is.” - J.S. Park
“Chaplains fit the space between the sacred and the system, between the medicines and the machines. And so I do my best to be there for anything that my patient needs.” - J.S. Park
“Can we pause to take a moment to sit with someone? I think if we paused and offered empathy and compassion–really listening–and then maybe ask that question, ‘What do you need right now?’ we'd hear [others’] stories and be able to connect.” - J.S. Park 
“Being a loving presence through grief makes the unbearable a little bit more bearable…I don't want a faith that I need to hold up, but a faith that holds me—not one where I feel like I need to prove that it's right, but instead rather one that is going to be able to wrap around my questions and continue to hold me.” - J.S. Park 
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Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel!
Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7 
Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw 
Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C 
Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj 
Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u 
What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj 
Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY 
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Do you ever feel like life has passed you by, or that the best days of your life are gone and done? Self-proclaimed “joyologist” Dawn Barton has experienced those same feelings, but even through the worst heartbreaks and devastating losses, she believes there’s always time to write a new story. 

 
Guest’s Links
Dawn’s Facebook: @dawnrbarton
Dawn’s Instagram: @DawnRBarton 
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*Episode produced by Four Eyes Media*

It’s often said that hindsight is twenty-twenty, and our guests this week look back on how God has shaped their own lives in profound ways—though it might’ve been hard to see at the moment. 
Former boxing champion Andre Ward shares his life story, both inside and outside the ring, marked by struggles with family addiction and a sense of aimlessness. He reveals how he turned his life around and reignited his faith after the passing of his father, and became determined to become a warrior for God. John Burke shares insights he gained from researching over a thousand near-death experiences. These firsthand accounts convinced him—as an agnostic at the time—of the existence of God, and of the notion that God hears us and is answering our prayers. 

 
Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:
Jesus Calling Podcast
Jesus Calling
Jesus Always
Jesus Listens
Past interview: Tamera Mowry-Housley
Upcoming interview: Dr. Josh Axe
Jesus Calling for Moms 
Grace for the Moment for Moms
 
Andre Ward 
Killing the Image
 
John Burke
Acts 14 NIV
2 Corinthians 12 NIV
1 Corinthians 15 NIV
Guillain-Barré syndrome
Canadian Royal Mounted Police
Imagine The God of Heaven 



Interview Quotes:
“Instead of me trying to lean into my faith and let God be my outlet and communicate with Him, I shut down, I went inward. I didn't speak to Him, I didn't speak to the ones around me.” - Andre Ward 
“It's just amazing to me that God will take people and put them in these different spheres and use them even in spite of where they are, and what the atmosphere is calling for.” - Andre Ward
“My rags were filthy, I was dirty, I was in the thick of my mess. But the fact that I called out and said, ‘Can you help me?’—that's when my life started to change for the better.” - Andre Ward 
“We love putting God in a box and saying, ‘He will do this. He won't do that.’ He can do what He wants to do. And if He’ll take someone like me who's flawed, messed up, and is no good without Him, and put me in a flawed sport like boxing, and say, ‘I want to use this for my purpose. I want to use you as a light,’ He not only can do it, but He will do it.” - Andre Ward 
“I'm really focused on helping people understand how God is raising up near-death experience testimonies all over the world that are pointing not only to the reality of the life to come shown in the scriptures, but also the reality of this amazing God of light and love who is personal and who revealed Himself through Jesus.” - John Burke 
“We learn to listen to those quiet, prompting thoughts, and the way we know we're hearing is when we act in faith.” - John Burke
“You are unique and you have a unique purpose. And it has to do with love, with loving God, and following His voice throughout the day to love and serve others with all that you've been given.” - John Burke 
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Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel!
Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7 
Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw 
Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C 
Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj 
Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u 
What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj 
Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY 
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Connect with Jesus Calling
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*This episode contains content that may be triggering for some listeners.*
Have you ever had a moment where you plastered on a smile, carried on through your day as if everything was perfectly okay, but really on the inside you were hurting? It’s okay to have sorrow, and it doesn’t mean we are cut off from joy in the midst of it. In the Psalms, David reminds us that God reveals joy during all the ups and downs of our lives. “You make known to me the path of life,” David prays, “in Your presence there is fullness of joy.” [Psalm 16:11] 
Molly Stillman is an author, speaker, blogger, and podcast host who leans toward the brighter side of life and wants to bring that joy to others. The daughter of a nurse who served in Vietnam, Molly’s mother championed for the rights of women veterans all while battling alcoholism and addiction. Molly witnessed her mother’s powerful influence, despite her afflictions, and would come to know what it was like to hold both joy and grief in her heart as she navigated life after her mother’s death. Jeanine Amapola is a speaker and influencer who battled alcohol addiction and toxic relationships. At her lowest point, she wasn’t sure she’d ever feel joy again, but the healing began as she connected with a community of women who had experienced some of her same hardships. 
 
Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:
Jesus Calling Podcast
Jesus Calling
Jesus Always
Jesus Listens
Past interview: Jen Lilley
Upcoming interview: Andre Ward
Psalm 16:11 NIV
 
Molly Stillman 
Vietnam veteran
Alcoholics Anonymous
Sharon Ann Lane
PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)
Vietnam Veterans Association
Home Before Morning
pulmonary edema
collagen vascular autoimmune disease
Proverbs 17:22 NIV
If I Don’t Laugh, I’ll Cry
 
Jeanine Amapola
Ecclesiastes 4:9 NIV
Becoming Happy and Healthy

 
Interview Quotes:
“A lot of veterans today say that women veterans have access to a lot of the things that they have access to because of the advocacy and trail that my mom blazed. And I got to be a front row witness to all of this.” - Molly Stillman
“I wasn't walking with Jesus in any way, shape, or form, so I had no solid foundation on which to place anything in my life. And so everything I had built and was continuing to build, was just on very, very loose sand that had no firm foundation.” - Molly Stillman 
“The shame and the embarrassment, the guilt, that washed over me felt like I had a ton of bricks on my chest and my shoulders. It was devastating to find myself in this position and to just feel that level of condemnation towards myself.” - Molly Stillman 
“I walked through the doors of a church and I heard that there was a God in heaven who created me on purpose, with a purpose, for a purpose, that He loved me just as I am, that He’d forgiven me of the mistakes that I made, and that there was hope to be found in Him. And so I walked out of those doors that day with hope. And that is a powerful, powerful thing when you are hopeless.” - Molly Stillman
“People that say that God doesn't have a sense of humor clearly don't read the same Bible I do, or have the same relationship with God that I do.” - Molly Stillman 
“I found myself floating around and just looking for affirmation in all the wrong places. And because I had such a severe, severe disdain for myself and a low self-worth, I went to all these other places to try and find confidence and identity and worth and value.” - Jeanine Amapola
“I just remember feeling, Man, there's got to be more. I'm not happy. I'm trying to connect with God. I keep going back to my old ways. I keep making bad decisions. I hate my body. I don't like myself.” - Jeanine Amapola
“God did not design us to be alone. He literally says, ‘It is not good for man to be alone,’ and so we should pay attention to that. If God says that, then why are we surprised when we're alone, and all of a

In all the moments of our lives, whether we’re dealing with depression or anxiety, or navigating the responsibilities of taking care of other people, or simply trying to make our days have more depth and meaning, our connection to others is key to our well being. Through prayer, intentionality, and consideration, we can strengthen that cord that ties us to others and build relationships that become a lifeline when things get hard.
This week, we're joined by Dansby Swanson, a major league baseball player for the Chicago Cubs. Dansby shares the ups and downs of being a major league baseball player, including the stress and anxiety that comes with the job–and how his connections to his family, caring coaches, friends, and to God, made all the difference in getting a handle on his depression.  Later in the episode, we'll hear from John Inazu, a professor of law and religion, who discusses how we can foster healthier conversations around challenging topics, creating understanding and connection even with those who disagree with us.


Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:
Jesus Calling Podcast
Jesus Calling
Jesus Always
Jesus Listens
Past interview: Jordan Davis
Upcoming interview: Molly Stillman 
Thank you to our sponsor: www.give.cru.org
 
Dansby Swanson
Chicago Cubs
Vanderbilt
Atlanta Braves
 
John Inazu
Washington University
ROTC scholarship



Interview Quotes:
“God created us to live in community with one another, because there's such a level of His love and connection that comes with that.” - Dansby Swanson 
“God does a lot of things through people for me, and I'm just so grateful that I'm able to keep that perspective, to just trust in Him and His plan, and just be able to realize what He's done for me along the way.” - Dansby Swanson
“Our identity is secure in Christ and what He did for us and no matter how great we are, we're still never going to be perfect. Jesus is the one that lived a perfect life so that He could sacrifice Himself for our shortcomings.” - Dansby Swanson
“I think the way we respond to hostility or adversaries, even if we don't win the point, we might actually still model a kind of relationship or model the fruits of the spirit in a way that will make that other person pause.” - John Inazu
“I think we are formed by the people around us most deeply when we give them permission and find the time to sit with conversation and listen and pause.” - John Inazu 
“There will be times in life and roles that you have where you're not equipped yet to jump into that hard conversation. Prayer has to be the anchor of this; that you wake up and you thank God for the part that you get to play in His story, and then you ask for more of the fruits of the spirit.” - John Inazu 
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Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel!
Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7 
Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw 
Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C 
Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj 
Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u 
What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj 
Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY 
________________________ 
Connect with Jesus Calling
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Content warning: This episode contains mature content and may not be suitable for all listeners.
When we face darkness in our lives that threatens to overwhelm us, it can feel like it’s harder and harder to find any light. But in Hebrews 6:19, it says “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” That anchor is Jesus—and He is waiting to hear our cares and concerns, and is present to be that Rock we can cling to in every trial we encounter. 
This week, our guests talk about how they turned to Jesus when they started to lose hope in humanity. Talk show host and author Tamron Hall had periods in her life where her job took a toll on her mental health, and when she asked God to help her see the good in humanity again, she was able to find a renewed passion for helping others. LaRae Quy, a former FBI agent and spokesperson, faced the harsher side of humanity during her twenty years as an undercover and counterintelligence agent. Hearkening back to the lessons of patience and perseverance she learned growing up on a Wyoming ranch, she reached out to God to bring peace to her mind, which was haunted by the hurts she had seen perpetrated on so many victims in the cases she covered. 

Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:
Jesus Calling Podcast
Jesus Calling
Jesus Always
Jesus Listens
Past interview: Jay Hewitt
Upcoming interview: Dansby Swanson
Hebrews 6:19 NIV
Thank you to our sponsors: www.give.cru.org | BetterHelp.com/JesusCalling
 
Tamron Hall 
Jordan Manning series
Watch Where They Hide
Deadline Crime
Exodus
www.tamronhallshow.com
 
LaRae Quy
Romans 5:3 NIV
www.laeraequy.com
 
Interview Quotes:
“There's no school that can prepare you for a parent handing you the kindergarten photo of their child who's just been found dead and looking to you for comfort, but also believe that you are going to care for them while telling their story and not use it as an opportunity just to get people to watch TV.” - Tamron Hall
“I lost my dream job before the public nationally, but I knew it was in God's hands, and I knew that I didn't need to do anything other than find peace with it and find my lane.” - Tamron Hall 
“The win is in the loss. Faith is in the challenge. The uncertainty is supposed to bolster the faith and the belief that it is going to happen in God's time.” - Tamron Hall
“When I'm on set, before I walk out of the doors of the show, I ask God to guide me in my words and let me be a comfort if I need to be that for someone, allow me to bring a smile to someone's face if that's what they need.” - Tamron Hall 
“God opened the door and I have no doubt it was the right path for me, because the values of the FBI closely aligned with the values I developed on that Wyoming ranch.” - LaRae Quy 
“We need to have faith in something. We need to find value somewhere. It's how we psychologically survive and thrive.” - LaRae Quy
“Through prayer and self-awareness, we get to the truth of who we really are, and the journey of self-discovery can be hard because we’re asked to look at the good, the bad, and the ugly. It doesn't do any good to try to hide all of that from God, because God knows us better than we know ourselves.” - LaRae Quy
“Anytime we connect with God, it brings hope back into our lives. Without hope, we cannot be brave.” - LaRae Quy 
________________________
Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel!
Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7 
Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw 
Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C 
Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj 
Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u 
What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj 
Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY 
________________________ 
Connect with Jesus Calling
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Facebook
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Pinterest
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