This Unexpected Life

Carrie M Holt

Welcome to This Unexpected Life, a podcast designed to equip and encourage parents and caregivers of children with disabilities so they can embrace their journey with hope, faith, and resilience. With over twenty years of parenting experience, Carrie M Holt is a story-telling companion for caregiving mothers, exploring the hope and healing found in Jesus Christ—one story at a time.

  1. 1d ago

    What To Do When Disability Parenting Feels Overwhelming: Faith-Based Tools to Reduce Stress and Anxiety with Kristin Faith Evans

    As we parent children with disabilities and special needs, we are no strangers to anxiety, stress, and constant decision-making. How can we find calm in the middle of the chaos? In this episode of This Unexpected Life, Carrie M. Holt welcomes Kristin Faith Evans to discuss her new 40-day devotional, The Frazzled Parent’s Guide to Less Stress. Drawing from her own journey as a mother of a daughter with multiple disabilities, Kristin shares practical, Christ-centered tools for managing stress, including deep breathing, breath prayers, mindfulness, and releasing physical tension to God. Discover how technology and constant distractions can increase anxiety, why our own emotional regulation matters when helping our children regulate, and how turning to Jesus in the present moment can help us navigate the uncertainties of disability parenting. You’ll also learn simple practices to build resilience, connect with God throughout your day, and find moments of peace even when life feels overwhelming. Eps. 63; October 20, 2026 Resources: The Frazzled Parents’ Guide to Less Stress Frazzled to Calm YouTube Channel Audiobook of The Frazzled Parents’ Guide to Less Stress Kristin’s Website on Disability Parenting Kristin’s Personal Website This Unexpected Life Episode 14 Free Downloads to Reduce Stress Kristin on IG Disability Parenting on Instagram Kristin on Facebook Building a Thriving Marriage  If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review! The Podcast is on YouTubeCheck out my new websiteClick here if you want to be a guest on the showCarrie’s Facebook or InstagramFind me on SubstackMy book: The Other Side of Special *This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.

    What To Do When Disability Parenting Feels Overwhelming: Faith-Based Tools to Reduce Stress and Anxiety with Kristin Faith Evans
  2. Oct 13

    Raising a Daughter with Spina Bifida: Faith, Caregiving, Grief, and Hope After Loss with Lacy Williams

    What does it look like to trust God through the unexpected realities of raising a child with complex medical needs—and how do you find hope after losing a child? In this special Spina Bifida Awareness Month episode of The Unexpected Life, Lacy Williams shares the story of her daughter, Autumn, who lived with spina bifida, autism, and additional medical complexities for 17 years before passing away in March 2026.  Lacy opens up about the realities of medical caregiving, how she never expected special needs parenting would be a part of her journey, celebrating unexpected milestones, accepting help from others, and navigating the complicated grief of both caregiving and loss. Through Autumn’s life and legacy, Lacy reminds us we don’t have to walk this journey alone, that God remains faithful through both joyous seasons and unimaginable grief, and that there is purpose in the hardest seasons. Eps. 62; October 13, 2026 If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review! The Podcast is on YouTubeCheck out my new websiteClick here if you want to be a guest on the showCarrie’s Facebook or InstagramFind me on SubstackMy book: The Other Side of Special *This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.

    Raising a Daughter with Spina Bifida: Faith, Caregiving, Grief, and Hope After Loss with Lacy Williams
  3. Oct 6

    A Prenatal Diagnosis and Spina Bifida: When Motherhood Doesn’t Go as Planned with Mandy Rawls

    What happens when the future you imagined for your child suddenly changes? In this episode, Carrie M. Holt sat down with Mandy Rawls, who shares how a prenatal diagnosis of Spina Bifida turned pregnancy into a season of uncertainty, grief, and fear. She relates her journey of navigating her daughter's diagnosis of spina bifida, the emotional and medical challenges faced, and how faith and community have been vital in her family's life. This heartfelt conversation offers insights into advocacy, hope, grief, and trusting God's plan through life's unexpected turns. Because sometimes the unexpected journey becomes the place where we come to know God's faithfulness most intimately. Eps. 61; October 6, 2026 Resources: Spina Bifida IEP/IDEA and 504  Scriptures Mentioned: Matthew 6, Proverbs 16:9, and Romans 8:28 If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review! The Podcast is on YouTubeCheck out my new websiteClick here if you want to be a guest on the showCarrie’s Facebook or InstagramFind me on SubstackMy book: The Other Side of Special *This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.

    A Prenatal Diagnosis and Spina Bifida: When Motherhood Doesn’t Go as Planned with Mandy Rawls
  4. Sep 22

    When Caring for Yourself Feels Impossible: Grace, Nourishment, and Freedom for the Caregiver with Brandice Lardner

    What if caring for yourself didn't mean adding one more thing to your already-full life? As we close out our month with the theme of Caring for the Caregiver, Brandice Lardner joins me for an honest conversation about food, stress, self-care, grace, and what it means to care for the whole person—body, mind, and spirit. Brandice is the founder of Grace Filled Plate and the author of the book, Fully Nourished. After years of believing her struggle with food and body image was simply a lack of discipline, God began showing her that the deeper issues involved anxiety, control, shame, and a longing to find her worth and value in Him. Her journey taught her that transformation doesn't come through another harsh plan or more self-condemnation, but through God's grace and learning to bring our struggles into His presence. As caregivers, we can tend to run to many things such as food, phones, control, spending, or anything else that might bring comfort, relief, or distraction. These might be some of the things we feel we deserve after a long day. Brandice helps us look beneath those patterns with curiosity rather than judgment and consider what we’re actually longing for. In this episode, we discuss: What realistic nourishment can look like when there is little margin.Why self-care shouldn't become another burden.How to release the all-or-nothing thinking.Simple ways we can care for ourselves, including asking for help.Most importantly, Brandice reminds us that we don't have to clean ourselves up before we invite Jesus into the places where we're struggling. We can invite Jesus into our most unlovely moments. Because being fully nourished is about more than what we eat. It's about caring for the whole person—physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual—and allowing God's grace to meet us in all of it. If you've been putting yourself last, struggling with food or another coping mechanism, or simply wondering how you're supposed to care for yourself when there is no margin, this conversation is for you. Eps. 60; September 22, 2026 Resources: Brandice Lardner’s Website Brandice on Instagram & Facebook Fully Nourished If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review! The Podcast is on YouTubeCheck out my new websiteClick here if you want to be a guest on the showCarrie’s Facebook or InstagramFind me on SubstackMy book: The Other Side of Special *This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.

    When Caring for Yourself Feels Impossible: Grace, Nourishment, and Freedom for the Caregiver with Brandice Lardner
  5. Sep 15

    When Caregiving Changes Your Marriage: Building Connection, Repairing Conflict, and Caring For One Another with Angela Vinokur

    Marriage can be challenging in any season of life—but when you're raising a child with disabilities or special needs, the demands of caregiving can put extraordinary pressure on your relationship. In this episode of This Unexpected Life, Carrie sits down with licensed professional clinical counselor Angela Vinokur, who specializes in working with couples and families, including connection, communication, and relationship repair. Angela shares part of her own unexpected story of betrayal, divorce, healing, and how God ultimately used those experiences to lead her into counseling and marriage work. Together, Carrie and Angela talk honestly about what happens when marriage gets pushed to the bottom of the priority list because a child's needs are so demanding. Angela shares practical ways couples can create “rituals for connection,” even when traditional date nights aren't possible. You'll also hear about: Why healthy marriages require skills we aren't necessarily taughtHow caregiving can lead couples toward resentment, distance, and functioning more like roommatesThe importance of fairness and shared responsibility in a caregiving marriageWhat co-regulation looks like between spousesWhat marital repair really means—and why couples need to learn how to repair after conflictWhy couples shouldn't wait until they're in crisis to seek counselingAnd how spouses can remember that they are on the same teamAngela leaves caregivers with an important reminder: you are seen, you are not alone, and your marriage is worth caring for—even in the middle of an incredibly demanding season. Eps. 59; September 14, 2026 Resources: Angela’s Website If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review! The Podcast is on YouTubeCheck out my new websiteClick here if you want to be a guest on the showCarrie’s Facebook or InstagramFind me on SubstackMy book: The Other Side of Special *This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.

    When Caregiving Changes Your Marriage: Building Connection, Repairing Conflict, and Caring For One Another with Angela Vinokur
  6. Sep 8

    When Caregiving Takes a Toll: Caring for Your Nervous System and Your Soul with Leslie Hansen

    Have you been listening to the podcast for a while? Please leave a review! Caregiving can leave you living in a constant state of stress, always on alert and feeling like you have to hold everything together. But what happens to your brain, body, emotions, and faith when that stress becomes chronic? In this episode of This Unexpected Life, Carrie talks with Leslie Hansen, a licensed professional clinical counselor who brings both professional expertise and personal experience to the caregiving conversation. Leslie shares the sacred—and incredibly difficult—season of caring for her mom during the final weeks of her life and how God met her with strength, community, and grace when she could no longer carry it all herself. Together, Carrie and Leslie explore: Recognizing the difference between fatigue and depletion.Practical ways to regulate your nervous system in the middle of a demanding day.EMDR for helping you process traumatic experiences.Understanding Internal Family SystemsWhat self-care really looks like If you're a caregiver who feels exhausted, overwhelmed, guilty for needing help, or stuck in survival mode, this episode is a reminder that you were never meant to carry it all alone—and you don't have to stay stuck. There is hope, healing, and grace for you, too. Eps. 58; September 8, 2026 Resources: Mental Health America of Ohio American Association of Christian Counselors Peter Rosenberger Resources (mentioned off-mic) A Minute For Caregivers Peter’s Podcast Scriptures mentioned: 2 Corinthians 10:5; Matthew 28:20 If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review! The Podcast is on YouTubeCheck out my new websiteClick here if you want to be a guest on the showCarrie’s Facebook or InstagramFind me on SubstackMy book: The Other Side of Special *This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.

    When Caregiving Takes a Toll: Caring for Your Nervous System and Your Soul with Leslie Hansen
  7. Sep 1

    Caring for the Caregiver: How Your Story, Grief, and Community Can Lead to Healing with Cathy Loerzel

    What if some of the ways you respond to the hard things happening right now are connected to stories of heartache from your past? For caregivers, especially parents raising children with disabilities or ongoing medical needs, the trauma doesn't necessarily happen once. Hospitalizations, diagnoses, medical crises, uncertainty, grief, and the daily demands of caregiving can create an ongoing cycle of trauma and loss. In this episode of This Unexpected Life, I sit down with Cathy Loerzel, co-author of Redeeming Heartache and a Story Work coach, to talk about how our past stories can shape the way we respond to the challenges we're facing today. Cathy explains Story Work and why simply trying to change our behavior “in the now” doesn't always work when those patterns are actually anchored in experiences from “back there.” We talk about the childhood wounds that can shape our ability to connect with ourselves, others, God, and the world—and how revisiting those stories can help us heal. But this conversation goes even deeper. We talk about grief, lament, and why Christians don't need to stay on the positive side of the emotional scale. Cathy shares why she believes we have to be willing to experience the depths of sorrow if we want to experience the depths of joy. She also offers a beautiful picture of grief as letting go of the rope and allowing yourself to drop into the U—to stop fighting, stop gripping, and allow yourself to be held by God and the earth. And for caregivers who feel like they have to do everything themselves, Cathy has an important reminder: We were never created to do this alone. This is a conversation about story, trauma, grief, lament, community, self-compassion, and learning how to flourish—not because our circumstances have changed, but because we are learning how to become more fully human within them. As Cathy reminds us, there may not be an easy way through caregiving. But there can be resiliency, small moments of joy, and small practices of care along the way. Eps. 57; 9/1/2026 Resources: Cathy Loerzel’s Website Follow Cathy on IG Book: Redeeming Heartache Cathy’s Retreats: Sacred Interruptions The Allender Center If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review! The Podcast is on YouTubeCheck out my new websiteClick here if you want to be a guest on the showCarrie’s Facebook or InstagramFind me on SubstackMy book: The Other Side of Special *This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.

    Caring for the Caregiver: How Your Story, Grief, and Community Can Lead to Healing with Cathy Loerzel
  8. Jul 21

    Finding Jesus in Chronic Illness, Weakness and Caregiving with Kristen Wetherell and Sarah Walton

    For anyone walking through chronic illness, relentless suffering, caregivers, and special needs parenting, this conversation offers gentle biblical encouragement for the days when life doesn’t improve. Carrie sits down with bestselling authors Kristen Wetherell and Sarah Walton to discuss their new book, Jesus Will Meet You There, and the surprising ways Christ meets us—not after the pain ends, but right in the middle of it. Together they share their deeply personal stories of chronic Lyme disease, parenting children with complex neurological needs, making heartbreaking residential care decisions, wrestling with doubt, and discovering God's faithfulness when healing doesn't come. In this episode, you'll hear: Why weakness isn't something God asks us to hideHow shame often keeps caregivers from receiving God's graceWhat Jesus teaches us about suffering through the GospelsThe difference between doubt and unbeliefEncouragement for parents making impossible caregiving decisionsHow suffering changes the way we prayPractical hope for caregivers wondering how they'll keep going tomorrowIf you've ever wondered whether Jesus still sees you in the exhaustion of caregiving, chronic illness, and ongoing trials, this conversation reminds us that He isn't waiting on the other side of our suffering—He's already with us in it.  Eps. 56; July 21, 2026 Resources: Jesus Will Meet You There  Video Series Sarah Walton IG Sarah’s Substack Kristen’s IG Kristen’s Website There Was Jesus Spotify Playlist If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review! The Podcast is on YouTubeCheck out my new websiteClick here if you want to be a guest on the showCarrie’s Facebook or InstagramFind me on SubstackMy book: The Other Side of Special *This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.

    Finding Jesus in Chronic Illness, Weakness and Caregiving with Kristen Wetherell and Sarah Walton
5
out of 5
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About

Welcome to This Unexpected Life, a podcast designed to equip and encourage parents and caregivers of children with disabilities so they can embrace their journey with hope, faith, and resilience. With over twenty years of parenting experience, Carrie M Holt is a story-telling companion for caregiving mothers, exploring the hope and healing found in Jesus Christ—one story at a time.

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