Why I Believe

Michelle Von Ruden
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Weekly

Why I Believe is a faith-centered podcast sharing real stories of transformation, modern miracles, and lived encounters with God. Through a blend of solo reflections and honest conversations with others whose lives have been changed, host Michelle Von Ruden creates a safe, welcoming space for curiosity, questions, and faith rediscovery. This podcast exists to bring people closer to God, whether you're just beginning your journey, rebuilding after distance, or seeking to strengthen your relationship with Him. Rooted in Matthew 5:16, Why I Believe shines light through authentic stories so God may be glorified, and hearts may be drawn closer to Him.

  1. 2d ago

    Faithful Friday S2E2: Which Beatitude Is God Calling You to Live?

    In this week's Faithful Friday, we continue our journey through the Gospel of Matthew with Matthew 5:1–12 — The Beatitudes. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are those who mourn. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Blessed are the merciful. Blessed are the pure in heart. Blessed are the peacemakers. Jesus gives us a beautiful picture of what life in His Kingdom looks like—but these aren't simply words to read. They're an invitation to live differently. As you listen, reflect on this question: Which Beatitude is God inviting you to live more fully this week? Pause. Pray. Listen. Ask God what He wants you to understand, where He is calling you to grow, and what step He may want you to take next. Then carry His Word with you into your week. 🙏 Scripture: Matthew 5:1–12 💭 Reflection: Which Beatitude is God inviting you to live more fully this week? Real Stories. Real Faith. Real Impact.

  2. 4d ago

    Becca Parrish: I Saved Jesus a Seat at the Table

    ⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, anorexia, restrictive eating, compulsive exercise, and recovery. Please listen with care. At eight years old, Becca Parrish accepted Jesus into her heart. Years later, during one of the darkest seasons of her life, she would learn what it truly meant to depend on Him. At 14, what began as an interest in health and fitness slowly became part of Becca's identity. Healthy eating became restriction. Exercise became compulsion. Eventually, Becca found herself battling a life-threatening eating disorder. Her body was reaching its breaking point, and Becca knew she couldn't save herself. One night, she cried out to God and promised that if He let her live through the night, she would eat the next day. She woke up. And she ate. Recovery wasn't instant. Becca had to surrender her fear again and again. She prayed before meals and depended on Jesus to help her do what she was terrified to do. As Becca describes it, she had to save Jesus a seat at the table. In this episode of Why I Believe, Becca shares her journey through anorexia and orthorexia, the danger of building our identity around the things of this world, the unconditional love that surrounded her when she couldn't fight for herself, and how surviving changed the way she sees every day God gives her. Today, Becca is a dance and fitness instructor, pageant queen, and founder of Dance and Shine, a dance program created to give children and adults with special needs opportunities to experience recreation, individuality, and belonging. Her story is one of identity, surrender, recovery, purpose—and discovering the difference between knowing Jesus and truly depending on Him. Favorite Scripture: Philippians 4:13 — "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." 🎙️ Why I Believe Real Stories. Real Faith. Real Impact. You can reach Becca Parrish at Rebecca Parrish | LinkedIn Want to share your story? Michelle is currently accepting guest applications for Why I Believe. 👉 Apply here: https://www.michellevonruden.com/whyibelieve-apply Ready to take the next step? If you're feeling called to grow deeper in your faith, identity, or purpose, Michelle would be honored to walk alongside you. 👉 Book a conversation: Book Your Discovery Call with Michelle Von Ruden 👉 Learn more about coaching: Von Ruden Coaching and Consulting LLC- INDIVIDUALS Remember, you don't have to be perfect to be called. You don't have to have it all figured out to say yes. God will meet you right where you are.

  3. Sep 25

    Faithful Friday – Season 2, Episode 1: Follow Me

    Welcome to Season 2 of Faithful Friday! Last season, we journeyed through the Gospel of John, discovering who Jesus is. This season, we're walking through the Gospel of Matthew as we learn what it truly means to follow Him. In our first episode, we reflect on Matthew 4:18–22, where Jesus calls His first disciples. When Jesus said, "Follow me," they immediately left their nets and followed Him. His invitation still echoes today. What might Jesus be inviting you to leave behind so you can follow Him more closely? After the Scripture reading, you'll have an opportunity to pause for personal prayer and reflection before returning to pray the Our Father together. 📖 Scripture: Matthew 4:18–22 Reflection Question: What is Jesus inviting you to leave behind so you can follow Him more closely? Thank you for joining me for the start of a new season. I pray these weekly moments in Scripture, reflection, and prayer continue to draw you closer to Christ. Want to share your story? Michelle is currently accepting guest applications for Why I Believe. 👉 Apply here: https://www.michellevonruden.com/whyibelieve-apply Ready to take the next step? If you're feeling called to grow deeper in your faith, identity, or purpose, Michelle would be honored to walk alongside you. 👉 Book a conversation: Book Your Discovery Call with Michelle Von Ruden 👉 Learn more about coaching: Von Ruden Coaching and Consulting LLC- INDIVIDUALS Remember, you don't have to be perfect to be called. You don't have to have it all figured out to say yes. God will meet you right where you are.

  4. Sep 23

    Liz Berry: Just Call Out to Jesus

    What happens to your faith when some of the people who hurt you are people of faith? For Liz Berry, the answer wasn't walking away from God. It was running toward Him. Liz's relationship with Jesus started young. As a little girl experiencing loneliness and instability, she learned that Jesus could be her "forever friend"; someone she could talk to as though He were sitting right beside her. That foundation would eventually carry her through some of the hardest seasons of her life. In this episode of Why I Believe, Liz shares openly about an abusive marriage that also included spiritual abuse, why she learned to separate the actions of people from the character of God, and how her faith helped her begin rebuilding her worth. We also talk about her experience discovering the Holy Spirit in college, her calling to become a chaplain, and the life-changing experiences she had sitting with patients and families at the end of life. Now Liz finds herself in another season. Her parents are aging, the roles between parent and child are beginning to reverse, and Liz is using the very faith they instilled in her as a child to help support them through their own difficult days. Sometimes that means simply asking: "How can I pray for you?" Sometimes it means beginning Psalm 23 and hearing her parents join in. And sometimes it means remembering the words her mother taught her while caring for Liz's aging grandmother: You will never regret the time you spend caring for someone you love. Through every chapter, Liz keeps returning to the same truth: Jesus is there. In the loneliness. In the questions. In the pain. In the hospital room. In the caregiving. And in the moments when you don't know what to pray. Her message is beautifully simple: Just call out to Jesus. He's waiting. 🎧 Listen to Why I Believe wherever you get your podcasts. Real Stories. Real Faith. Real Impact. You can reach Liz Berry at Liz Berry | LinkedIn Want to share your story? Michelle is currently accepting guest applications for Why I Believe. 👉 Apply here: https://www.michellevonruden.com/whyibelieve-apply Ready to take the next step? If you're feeling called to grow deeper in your faith, identity, or purpose, Michelle would be honored to walk alongside you. 👉 Book a conversation: Book Your Discovery Call with Michelle Von Ruden 👉 Learn more about coaching: Von Ruden Coaching and Consulting LLC- INDIVIDUALS Remember, you don't have to be perfect to be called. You don't have to have it all figured out to say yes. God will meet you right where you are.

  5. Sep 16

    Kevin Kahl: Three Weeks to Live

    Three weeks to live. That's what Kevin Kahl says he was told after years of battling cancer. He was a nonbeliever. He had never read the Bible. He didn't go to church. Then, in desperation, Kevin opened a Bible for the first time on Good Friday 2020. And his life changed. Recorded LIVE at OneFest, this episode of Why I Believe takes you into Kevin's extraordinary story of cancer, hospice, surrender, faith, and the completely different life he says God gave him on the other side. Kevin shares why he began reading with the death of Moses in Deuteronomy 34, how Joshua 1:9 became foundational to his journey, and why he began seeing himself in the story of Joshua, moving through his own Jordan River and toward a promised land. But surviving was only part of the story. Kevin had given away everything he owned when he entered hospice expecting to die. When he came out, he had to start over. His body needed time to recover. He couldn't return to the physical work he'd once done. Relationships changed. His identity changed. And eventually, so did his purpose. Today, Kevin and his wife, Kathy, travel through Kingdom Road Ministries, helping others and sharing the faith that has become the foundation of their lives. This conversation is about cancer, but it's also about surrender. Starting over. Obedience. Trusting God when you can't see what comes next. And becoming someone completely different from who you were before. Kevin entered hospice expecting his life to end. Instead, he says that's where an entirely new life began. 🎙️ Listen to this special episode of Why I Believe, recorded live at OneFest, wherever you get your podcasts. Real Stories. Real Faith. Real Impact. You can reach Kevin at Kevin Kahl | LinkedIn Want to share your story? Michelle is currently accepting guest applications for Why I Believe. 👉 Apply here: https://www.michellevonruden.com/whyibelieve-apply Ready to take the next step? If you're feeling called to grow deeper in your faith, identity, or purpose, Michelle would be honored to walk alongside you. 👉 Book a conversation: Book Your Discovery Call with Michelle Von Ruden 👉 Learn more about coaching: Von Ruden Coaching and Consulting LLC- INDIVIDUALS

  6. Sep 11

    Faithful Friday #16: From Doubt to Belief

    Welcome to Faithful Friday. This week, we're reflecting on John 20:24–29, where Jesus meets Thomas in the middle of his doubts. Thomas wanted proof before he could believe. Rather than rejecting him, Jesus met him with grace, inviting him to see, believe, and trust. Many of us have moments when we can't see the whole picture. We wonder what God is doing, why He's asking us to wait, or where He's leading us next. Yet Jesus reminds us: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." Faith isn't about having all the answers. It's about trusting the One who does. As you listen, consider this reflection question: Where is God asking you to trust Him, even though you don't see the whole picture yet? After the Scripture reading, you'll have an opportunity to pause for personal prayer and reflection before returning to pray the Our Father together. 📖 Scripture: John 20:24–29 This week, take one step of faith, even if you can't see every step ahead. Trust that God is already at work, even when the path isn't fully visible. Thank you for joining me for Faithful Friday. Want to share your story? Michelle is currently accepting guest applications for Why I Believe. 👉 Apply here: https://www.michellevonruden.com/whyibelieve-apply Ready to take the next step? If you're feeling called to grow deeper in your faith, identity, or purpose, Michelle would be honored to walk alongside you. 👉 Book a conversation: Book Your Discovery Call with Michelle Von Ruden 👉 Learn more about coaching: Von Ruden Coaching and Consulting LLC- INDIVIDUALS Remember, you don't have to be perfect to be called. You don't have to have it all figured out to say yes. God will meet you right where you are.

  7. Sep 9

    Natasha Bryn: When the Waters Rise, He Is With You

    What happens when you watch the water rise inside your home, and there's nothing you can do to stop it? In March 2019, Natasha Bryn and her family were getting ready for bed when her husband noticed water on the floor of their den. Within hours, water was pouring through the doors, windows, and walls. Their children watched as their parents scrambled to save baby pictures and belongings. Eleven feet of water eventually flooded two floors of their home, causing more than $100,000 in damage and forcing their family out for three months. And then something remarkable happened. People started showing up. Friends. Neighbors. Churches. Complete strangers. They walked down the driveway with gloves, supplies, food, and drinks. They hauled ruined belongings from the house. They cared for Natasha's children. They helped her family begin putting their lives back together. At the time, Natasha was asking the question so many of us ask in difficult seasons: God, where are You? Looking back, she can see the answer. He was there. In this episode of Why I Believe, Natasha shares how one of the hardest experiences her family has ever endured became an unexpected lesson in faith, community, gratitude, and what really matters. Her story reminds us that God's presence doesn't mean the waters won't rise. It means we don't walk through them alone. Whether your "flood" is literal or you're simply walking through a season that feels overwhelming, Natasha wants you to remember: He's always with you. You can reach Natasha Bryn here.  Want to share your story? Michelle is currently accepting guest applications for Why I Believe. 👉 Apply here: https://www.michellevonruden.com/whyibelieve-apply Ready to take the next step? If you're feeling called to grow deeper in your faith, identity, or purpose, Michelle would be honored to walk alongside you. 👉 Book a conversation: Book Your Discovery Call with Michelle Von Ruden 👉 Learn more about coaching: Von Ruden Coaching and Consulting LLC- INDIVIDUALS Remember, you don't have to be perfect to be called. You don't have to have it all figured out to say yes. God will meet you right where you are.

  8. Sep 4

    Faithful Friday #15: Built to Be One

    Welcome to Faithful Friday. This week, we're reflecting on John 17:20–23, where Jesus prays not only for His disciples, but for all who would believe in Him. His prayer wasn't for comfort or success. It was for unity. Jesus prayed that we would be one, united in Him and united with one another, so that the world would know God's love through the way we love each other. In a world that often feels divided, we have an opportunity to become bridge builders, reflecting Christ's love in our families, churches, workplaces, and communities. As you listen, consider this reflection question: How can I be a bridge builder rather than a divider in my family, church, workplace, or community? After the Scripture reading, you'll have an opportunity to pause for personal prayer and reflection before returning to pray the Our Father together. 📖 Scripture: John 17:20–23 This week, ask God to show you one practical way to build unity, extend grace, and reflect His love to someone around you. Thank you for joining me for Faithful Friday. Want to share your story? Michelle is currently accepting guest applications for Why I Believe. 👉 Apply here: https://www.michellevonruden.com/whyibelieve-apply Ready to take the next step? If you're feeling called to grow deeper in your faith, identity, or purpose, Michelle would be honored to walk alongside you. 👉 Book a conversation: Book Your Discovery Call with Michelle Von Ruden 👉 Learn more about coaching: Von Ruden Coaching and Consulting LLC- INDIVIDUALS Remember, you don't have to be perfect to be called. You don't have to have it all figured out to say yes. God will meet you right where you are.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Why I Believe is a faith-centered podcast sharing real stories of transformation, modern miracles, and lived encounters with God. Through a blend of solo reflections and honest conversations with others whose lives have been changed, host Michelle Von Ruden creates a safe, welcoming space for curiosity, questions, and faith rediscovery. This podcast exists to bring people closer to God, whether you're just beginning your journey, rebuilding after distance, or seeking to strengthen your relationship with Him. Rooted in Matthew 5:16, Why I Believe shines light through authentic stories so God may be glorified, and hearts may be drawn closer to Him.

Information

  • Creator
    Michelle Von Ruden
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    55
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026
  • Show Website
    Why I Believe