Why I Believe

Michelle Von Ruden
  • 5.0 (6)
  • 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. 20h ago

    Bob "BZ" Fabien Zinga: My Name Is Faith, My Name Is Hope

    Bob "BZ" Fabien Zinga: My Name Is Faith, My Name Is Hope What if the name you were given at birth became the testimony you would live out for the rest of your life? In this episode of Why I Believe, Michelle Von Ruden sits down with Bob "BZ" Fabien Zinga; Navy veteran, pastor, cybersecurity leader, coach, husband, father, and man whose story has been shaped by faith from the very beginning. Born in the Republic of the Congo, Bob was a desperately sick child. His older brother had died young, and Bob's mother feared she might lose another son. Doctors couldn't explain what was wrong, and Bob says his family was told he wouldn't live beyond the age of 17. His mother tried everything she could to save her son. But when Bob was 12, his entire family attended a Christian gathering, and everything changed. For Bob, Jesus suddenly became more than religion, tradition, or stories in a Bible. He became real. Bob shares how he experienced healing, found a personal relationship with Christ, was called into ministry as a teenager, moved to the United States at 17, served more than 21 years in the U.S. Navy, and ultimately became a pastor. And woven through it all is his name. His mother gave him the name Minu, meaning faith and hope. Today, when Bob faces something that seems impossible, he remembers: "My name is faith. My name is hope." In this conversation, we talk about: Growing up with a mysterious childhood illness His mother's extraordinary determination to save him The moment his family encountered Jesus in a new way Why Bob believes his healing changed everything The difference between religion and a personal relationship with Christ Being called into ministry at just 15 Moving from the Congo to the United States Living by faith when circumstances say there is no way Why every day of Bob's life feels like a second chance God's love, healing, provision, and abundant life Bob's faith isn't something he knows only from Scripture or someone else's testimony. It's something he says he has lived. And decades after doctors reportedly believed he wouldn't reach adulthood, Bob can say: Every day is a gift. You can reach BZ at Bob Fabien "BZ" Zinga 🇺🇸🇮🇷🇺🇦 | 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

  2. 5d ago

    Faithful Friday #12: Abide in Me

    Welcome to Faithful Friday. This week, we're reflecting on John 15:1-5, where Jesus says: "I am the vine; you are the branches." Branches don't struggle to produce fruit—they simply stay connected to the vine. The same is true for us. When we remain connected to Christ through prayer, Scripture, worship, and obedience, He produces fruit in our lives. When we drift away, we often find ourselves striving, exhausted, and spiritually dry. As you listen, consider this reflection question: What is helping you stay connected to Christ, and what may be pulling you away from Him? 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 15:1-5 This week, make time to abide in Christ. You may find that the fruit you've been striving to produce begins to grow naturally as you remain connected to Him. 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.

  3. Aug 12

    Kelly Stiles: From Perfection to Grace

    What if you stopped trying to prove you were good enough, and learned to rest in God's grace instead? In this episode of Why I Believe, Michelle Von Ruden sits down with Kelly Stiles, wife, mother, ministry leader, and seminary student, for an honest conversation about trauma, identity, surrender, perfection, and discovering who God created you to be. As a teenager, Kelly made a decision: she would not become a statistic. She wasn't going to allow the trauma and instability of her past to determine her future. So she pushed. She achieved. She worked hard to stay on the "right" side of the statistics. But her relationship with God took a much longer journey. After years of rejecting faith, walking through a difficult first marriage and divorce, and trying to control the outcome of her life, Christ recaptured her heart. At first, Kelly describes her faith as "white-knuckle faith", holding onto God as tightly as she could because she was afraid of what would happen if she let go. Eventually, something changed. The rope she was desperately clinging to became, in her words, a woven hammock she could finally rest in. In this conversation, Michelle and Kelly talk about: • Moving from striving to surrender • Finding identity in Christ instead of your past • Why surrender is a daily posture, not a one-time decision • Letting our children walk through their own tests • Why you don't need a dramatic testimony for your faith to be real • The power of simply inviting someone to church • Following God's calling even when you don't feel qualified • Letting go of the fear of failure • Embracing God's grace instead of chasing perfection Kelly's journey eventually led somewhere her younger self never would have imagined: Dallas Theological Seminary and a ministry of her own. And perhaps the most powerful reminder from this conversation is this: God doesn't need you to arrive perfect. He equips you along the way. When we surrender our faults and embrace His grace, He can reshape our hearts, redirect our vision, and use our stories for His purpose. You can reach Kelly at Kelly Stiles | 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.

  4. Aug 7

    Faithful Friday #11: The Peace Jesus Gives

    Welcome to Faithful Friday. This week, we're reflecting on one powerful verse from John 14:27: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you." Jesus doesn't promise us a life without uncertainty, fear, or difficult circumstances. Instead, He offers us something the world cannot give, a peace that isn't dependent on everything around us going according to plan. What are you carrying today that Jesus is asking you to place in His hands? As you listen, consider this reflection question: What worry, fear, or burden do you need to surrender to Jesus today? 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 14:27 This week, when worry begins to creep in, return to Jesus' words: "My peace I give to 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.

  5. Aug 5

    Kurt Luidhardt: God Is a 4th Quarter Comeback

    What happens when your plan… doesn't go the way you expected? In this episode of Why I Believe, I sit down with Kurt Luidhardt, entrepreneur, business owner, husband, and father, to talk about success, identity, and learning to trust God with the outcome. Kurt grew up with a strong foundation of faith. But like many high achievers, he spent years chasing goals, building a business, and trying to control the outcome. And when things didn't go according to plan… Frustration followed. Missed opportunities. Business struggles. Plans falling apart. But looking back, Kurt can now see something he couldn't see in the moment: God was working the whole time. We talk about: Why hindsight reveals what we can't see in the moment The danger of tying your identity to success How "good things" can quietly become idols A turning point that changed how he viewed work, family, and purpose Learning to trust God with outcomes, not just effort Why prayer matters more than your to-do list Kurt shares a powerful perspective that changed everything: God is a 4th quarter comeback. Because when everything seems lost… and nothing is going your way… That's often when God shows up the clearest. If you've been striving, pushing, and trying to control every outcome, this episode will challenge and encourage you. You can reach Kurt at Kurt Luidhardt | 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. Jul 31

    Faithful Friday #10: The Way, the Truth, and the Life

    Welcome to Faithful Friday. This week, we're reflecting on John 14:1-7, where Jesus offers comfort to His disciples with these words: "Let not your hearts be troubled." He reminds them, and us, that even when the future feels uncertain, we can trust Him. Jesus doesn't simply show us the way; He is the Way. He is the Truth. He is the Life. How often do we try to control the outcome instead of trusting the One who already knows the destination? As you listen, consider this reflection question: What situation are you trying to control instead of trusting God to lead? 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 14:1-7 Reflection Question: What situation are you trying to control instead of trusting God to lead? This week, take one step toward surrender. Whatever you're holding tightly, place it in God's hands and trust that He is faithful to lead 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.

  7. Jul 29

    Maureen Silveyra: Do You Know Jesus

    What would you do… if your life was in danger and you had nowhere to turn? In this episode of Why I Believe, I sit down with Maureen Silveyra, author, speaker, and faith leader, to share a story of fear, faith, and a moment that changed everything. While walking alone on a quiet college campus… Maureen was attacked. No warning. No escape. No control. Beaten, disoriented, and tied up… she realized she might not survive. And in that moment… She prayed. A simple prayer: "God, help me." What happened next was something she never expected. A thought came to her mind—clear, calm, and completely out of place in the chaos: "Ask him if he knows Jesus." So she did. And everything changed. We talk about: Facing fear in a life-threatening moment The power of a simple, honest prayer How God intervenes in ways we don't expect Healing, both physically and emotionally Choosing faith after trauma What it means to truly walk in God's peace Maureen's story isn't just about what happened that day. It's about what happened after. Because that moment became the beginning of a deeper faith, a clearer purpose, and a life rooted in God's peace. If you've ever wondered if God sees you… hears you… or would show up in your hardest moment. This episode will meet you there. You can reach Maureen at maureensilveyra@gmail.com 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. Jul 24

    Faithful Friday #9: Love One Another

    Welcome to Faithful Friday. This week, we're reflecting on John 13:34-35, where Jesus gives His disciples a new commandment: "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." Jesus doesn't simply ask us to love those who are easy to love. He calls us to love others with the same grace, compassion, and selflessness He has shown us. Our love is one of the clearest ways the world sees Christ through us. As you listen, consider this reflection question: Who is God calling me to love more intentionally this week, especially someone who may be difficult to love? 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 13:34-35 Reflection Question: Who is God calling me to love more intentionally this week, especially someone who may be difficult to love? This week, ask God to soften your heart, open your eyes to the needs of others, and give you the courage to love as Jesus loves. Even one small act of kindness can reflect His love in a powerful way. 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
6 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
    43
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026
  • Show Website
    Why I Believe