Faith Unfiltered Life

Jojo Palacio, Karen LaFollette, Leon Palacio, & John Bell

Faith Unfiltered Life: Real Conversations on Jesus, Doubt, and Spiritual Growth Are you a seeker with big questions, a skeptic looking for honesty, or a believer feeling worn out by modern religion? Welcome to Faith Unfiltered Life, hosted by Jojo Palacio, Karen LaFollette, Leon Palacio, and John Bell. We believe that God isn’t afraid of your doubt or your hard conversations. Each week, we dive into biblical truths and practical theology to help you navigate the journey of faith in a modern world.

  1. 1d ago

    Guilt vs. Shame vs. Conviction: The Difference between each and How to Find Restoration

    On this episode we discuss shame as a major reason people avoid God and to challenge the lie that mistakes cancel God’s purpose. They distinguish guilt as a moral awareness of wrong actions, shame as an identity-based, intensely painful belief of being flawed or unworthy, and conviction as a hope-filled call toward change and redemption. John shares how shame during an affair led him to run from God before slowly returning and pursuing restoration, while Jojo describes lifelong shame tied to childhood sexual abuse and later a failed marriage, emphasizing the need to face trauma and replace false identities with Christ’s. They reference Adam and Eve and the prodigal son to show God covering shame and pursuing people. Practical helps include reading the Bible, preaching truth to yourself, guardrails, accountability, and trusted “mat carriers.”00:00 Shame and Grace Intro00:20 Meet the Panel01:33 Defining Shame Guilt Redemption03:05 Leons Identity Shift04:15 Karen Cant Relate06:47 John Secret Shame Story08:16 Guilt vs Shame vs Conviction19:41 Old vs New Testament Lens23:29 Restoration After the Affair31:03 When Shame Becomes Identity32:49 Jojos Lifelong Shame33:56 Divorce And Shame34:31 Genesis Shame Origins36:17 Covering Shame Vs Guilt37:06 Grace And Consequences39:21 Prodigal Son Gospel40:58 Guilt Vs Shame Tools42:52 Identity Over Shame45:03 Putting Jesus On Shelf47:22 Facing Trauma For Healing52:19 Redemption Takes Work53:37 Handling Others Opinions56:11 Accountability And Guardrails01:00:29 Identity Attacks And Conviction01:02:21 Takeaways And Closing

    1h 2m
  2. Jun 24

    The Post-It Note That Almost Made Me Lose My Self-Control | Faith Unfiltered Life

    The Faith Unfiltered Life team discuss self-control as a fruit of the Spirit, addressing the frustration of repeated promises to God, unanswered prayers for change, and the lie that lack of discipline cancels God’s purpose. They share “Post-It Note moments,” including Leon finding a note on his truck about parking too close and choosing not to retaliate by using a 10-second pause, accountability to God, and concern for his testimony. Others recount self-control failures with road rage and a golf-course confrontation, reflecting on conviction, lost opportunities to represent Jesus, and the need to respond rather than react. The episode emphasizes mastering the internal world through Christ, bringing calm to chaos, growing through faith practices, setting boundaries, extending grace, and viewing fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control—as practical traits for everyone. 00:00 Why Self Control Hurts 01:57 Post It Note Trigger 06:08 Defining Real Self Control 08:05 Ten Second Pause Tool 12:03 Share Your Trigger Moments 12:49 Road Rage Confessions 16:09 Golf Course Blowup 21:31 Response Not Reaction 23:29 ICU Patience Under Fire 26:41 What Actually Changed 27:04 Measured Responses Matter 29:06 Strength Not Weakness 29:32 When Calm Triggers Heat 30:45 Healer Mindset Example 32:29 Growing Into Self Control 34:12 Fruit of the Spirit Explained 35:09 Faith Work Bears Fruit 36:03 Loving Yourself First 38:31 Bring Calm to Chaos 40:05 God Speaks Softly 42:26 Healthy Conflict Habits 47:00 Grace With Boundaries 49:09 Share Your Post It Moments 50:33 For Seekers and Skeptics 51:21 Final Wrap Up

    51 min
  3. Jun 10

    I Believe in God, But I Don’t Trust Him: Moving from Belief to Surrender | Faith Unfiltered Life

    The episode explores the tension between believing in God and actually trusting Him, especially when life is painful, prayers feel unanswered, anxiety rises, or past hurt makes surrender feel unsafe. The hosts discuss why this topic feels “heavy,” how trust can be challenged by personal control issues and human experiences, and how trust often involves inviting God into day-to-day areas, not just the “impossible.” They define belief versus trust through actions, vulnerability, and “dying to self,” share personal examples involving work, parenting, relationships after divorce, miscarriage, finances, and a long journey around sexuality and learning truth. They emphasize waiting without timelines, using scripture (Proverbs 3:5–6, 2 Corinthians 10:5), surrounding yourself with wise support, managing thoughts and feelings, and remembering God’s track record and the hope of eternity. 00:00 Belief Versus Trust 02:52 Why Trust Feels Heavy 04:54 Levels of Trust and Control 09:07 Defining Belief and Trust 13:21 Trust Through Parenting 17:46 Trust After Relationship Hurt 21:58 Waiting and God’s Timeline 25:46 Practical Ways to Keep Trusting 27:47 Inviting God Into Work 28:57 Sounding Boards And Scripture 30:41 Old Tricks New Tools 32:28 Taking Thoughts Captive 32:46 Control Careers Trust God 35:45 God Versus Your Feelings 36:45 Peace In Hard Seasons 38:02 Faith Mile Markers 40:50 Faith And Works Together 41:55 Patience Builds Endurance 43:42 Healing Eternity Perspective 49:00 Saying I Dont Know 49:41 Eternity Starts Now 50:43 Freedom From Status 51:33 Wrap Up And Resources

    53 min
  4. Jun 3

    Unanswered Prayers: God’s Silence, Waiting, and What Prayer Really Is | Faith Unfiltered Life

    The hosts discuss the pain of unanswered prayer and the misconception that faith is a currency used to “buy” miracles, emphasizing that God’s silence isn’t God’s absence and doesn’t reflect a person’s spiritual worth. They explore what prayer is—an ongoing conversation and lifeline rather than a rigid ritual—sharing approaches like the ACTS model, journaling, silent prayer, and praying continually as an open line of communication. They address why prayers may seem unanswered, including prayers not aligning with Scripture, unrealistic expectations, or God’s “no” or “not yet,” and describe hearing God through peace, trusted believers, and especially God’s Word. They also discuss using Scripture and spoken prayer to resist fear and anxiety and recommend Psalms as a guide for raw, honest prayer. 00:00 When God Feels Silent 02:03 Faith Is Not Currency 03:50 What Prayer Really Is 04:23 ACTS And Growing Up 08:22 Pray Without Ceasing 16:19 Do Prayers Need Words 19:00 Audible Prayer And Decorum 25:25 Why Prayers Go Unanswered 29:28 When Silence Feels Like Ghosting 30:55 When God Feels Silent 33:00 How God Speaks Today 35:51 Recognizing His Voice 37:16 Hearing God in Scripture 40:56 Prayer Mentors and Growth 42:22 Is There a Right Prayer 45:18 Fighting Anxiety with Truth 51:26 Spiritual Warfare Explained 54:36 Praying the Word Out Loud 01:00:55 Psalms as Prayer Guide 01:02:44 Final Wrap and Resources unanswered prayer, when God is silent, how to pray, why doesn't God answer my prayers, faith unfiltered life, dealing with disappointment in faith, understanding prayer, ACTS prayer method, conversational prayer, pray without ceasing meaning, praying out loud, silent prayer, journaling prayers, the purpose of prayer, faith is not a currency, overcoming anxiety with scripture, spiritual warfare explained, Gods silence vs Gods absence, how to hear God, discerning Gods voice, praying the Psalms, Christian mental health, faith in the waiting room, Christian podcast, faith podcast, bible study online, spiritual growth, Christianity

    1h 3m

About

Faith Unfiltered Life: Real Conversations on Jesus, Doubt, and Spiritual Growth Are you a seeker with big questions, a skeptic looking for honesty, or a believer feeling worn out by modern religion? Welcome to Faith Unfiltered Life, hosted by Jojo Palacio, Karen LaFollette, Leon Palacio, and John Bell. We believe that God isn’t afraid of your doubt or your hard conversations. Each week, we dive into biblical truths and practical theology to help you navigate the journey of faith in a modern world.