The Living Story: Healing from Heartbreak, Finding Purpose, and Learning to Live Again

Tennille Martinez
  • 5.0 (20)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

You have done the work. Read the books. Sat in the therapy chair. Said the prayers or maybe stopped saying them altogether. And something still is not landing. You are not broken. You are not behind. You are in the middle of a chapter that is longer and harder than anyone told you it would be. You feel stuck between who you were and who you are still becoming. And you are looking for someone who has been exactly where you are. Welcome to The Living Story. Hosted by Tennille Martinez, a teacher, storyteller, and woman of faith, this is a podcast for women in their 30s and 40s navigating healing, identity, heartbreak, and the long journey of finding themselves again after loss, divorce, depression, and the kind of pain that changes everything. Each episode weaves together personal testimony, scripture, and honest spiritual conversation for women who are done performing and ready to go deeper. Whether you are healing after divorce, recovering from heartbreak, rebuilding your sense of worth and purpose after loss, walking through depression and faith at the same time, or simply trying to find yourself again after a season that left you unrecognizable, there is a chapter here for you. This is not a podcast for women who have it together. This is a podcast for women who are still in the middle of it and need to know the middle is survivable. Faith will meet you here exactly where you are. Even if you are not sure you believe anymore. Even if you are angry. Even if the last thing you expected was for God to show up in a chapter that looked like this. If you have been searching for a podcast about healing, starting over, self-worth, identity, purpose, and becoming the woman you were created to be, you just found it. The chapters you least understand are often the ones that change everything. You don't just read stories. You are one.

  1. E30 | How God Uses Pain for Purpose | I Never Got My Why - Part 8

    3d ago

    E30 | How God Uses Pain for Purpose | I Never Got My Why - Part 8

    Send us Fan Mail What if God was building something while you were still asking why? In Part 8 of the I Never Got My Why series, Tennille shares how healing often happens quietly—and how purpose can begin emerging long before we recognize it. Through Isaiah 43:18-19 and her own story of heartbreak, healing, and unexpected community, she explores what it looks like to move from searching for answers to discovering what God may have been growing in the middle of the pain. In this episode: • How to recognize signs of healing • Why purpose often emerges from difficult seasons • What Isaiah 43 teaches about God's "new thing" • How God uses heartbreak, loss, and disappointment to shape us Download the free I Never Got My Why Reflection Guide through the link in the show notes and continue your journey from "Why?" to "For What?" The Living Story Podcast | Story. Scripture. Seen. Set Free. Support the show FREE COMPANION GUIDE TO THE SERIES: I Never Got My Why: What I Got Was Better Enjoyed this episode? There's more waiting for you on Substack. Longer thoughts, quieter moments, and a community of women who get it. Come find us. If this episode stirred something in you, grab the free guide: I Thought I Would Be Further By Now: 5 Signs You Are Trying to Finish a Story God Is Still Writing. It is a gentle mirror for the woman who is still in the middle. My gift to you! Follow and connect with us on Instagram!

    20 min
  2. E29 | How to Heal from Rejection When Someone Doesn't Choose You | I Never Got My Why - Part 7

    5d ago

    E29 | How to Heal from Rejection When Someone Doesn't Choose You | I Never Got My Why - Part 7

    Send us Fan Mail Why does rejection hurt so deeply? In Part 7 of the I Never Got My Why series, Tennille shares a powerful realization from her healing journey: she was asking another person questions only God could answer. Through the story of the woman in Mark 5, this episode explores healing after heartbreak, the pain of rejection, and the identity wounds that often leave us wondering if we are enough, lovable, or worthy of being chosen. In this episode: • Why heartbreak is often about more than the relationship • The connection between rejection and self-worth • What the woman in Mark 5 teaches about healing and identity • How to find your worth in God instead of other people's choices If you've ever struggled with rejection, disappointment, feeling overlooked, or questioning your value after heartbreak, this conversation will help you uncover the story beneath the story. Support the show FREE COMPANION GUIDE TO THE SERIES: I Never Got My Why: What I Got Was Better Enjoyed this episode? There's more waiting for you on Substack. Longer thoughts, quieter moments, and a community of women who get it. Come find us. If this episode stirred something in you, grab the free guide: I Thought I Would Be Further By Now: 5 Signs You Are Trying to Finish a Story God Is Still Writing. It is a gentle mirror for the woman who is still in the middle. My gift to you! Follow and connect with us on Instagram!

    13 min
  3. E28 | She Showed Up and She Was Not Okay | I Never Got My Why - Part 6

    Jun 21

    E28 | She Showed Up and She Was Not Okay | I Never Got My Why - Part 6

    Send us Fan Mail What if the breakthrough wasn't pretending you're fine? In this episode of The Living Story Podcast, Tennille explores the story of Hannah and the moment she stopped hiding her grief. For women carrying heartbreak, disappointment, unanswered prayers, or seasons that feel impossibly heavy, Hannah offers a different picture of faith than many of us were taught. She didn't show up strong. She didn't show up with the right words. She didn't show up pretending everything was okay. She showed up broken. And God met her there. In this episode, you'll discover: • Why honest prayer often begins where performance ends • What Hannah's story teaches us about grief, longing, and faith • The difference between trusting God and pretending you're not hurting • Why God is not waiting for you to clean up your emotions before coming to Him • How lament can become a doorway to healing If you've been carrying pain while trying to look okay for everyone else, this conversation is an invitation to bring your real story into God's presence. About the Series I Never Got My Why is a 10-part podcast series for the woman carrying unanswered questions, heartbreak, disappointment, or seasons that never made sense. Together, we're exploring what happens when God doesn't give us the explanation we wanted and how He gently leads us toward healing anyway. Support the show FREE COMPANION GUIDE TO THE SERIES: I Never Got My Why: What I Got Was Better Enjoyed this episode? There's more waiting for you on Substack. Longer thoughts, quieter moments, and a community of women who get it. Come find us. If this episode stirred something in you, grab the free guide: I Thought I Would Be Further By Now: 5 Signs You Are Trying to Finish a Story God Is Still Writing. It is a gentle mirror for the woman who is still in the middle. My gift to you! Follow and connect with us on Instagram!

    16 min
  4. E27 | When Your Heart Hasn't Caught Up Yet | I Never Got My Why - Part 5

    Jun 17

    E27 | When Your Heart Hasn't Caught Up Yet | I Never Got My Why - Part 5

    Send us Fan Mail What happens when your mind knows the truth, but your heart is still grieving? In this episode of The Living Story Podcast, Tennille shares the lesson she learned in the aftermath of heartbreak: understanding something intellectually is not the same as accepting it emotionally. If you've ever known what God was saying but still felt stuck in sadness, disappointment, or unanswered questions, you're not alone.  Healing is not measured by how quickly your emotions obey your theology. In this episode, you'll discover: • Why the heart and mind often move at different speeds • The shame many faithful women carry during grief • What Proverbs 3:5-6 teaches about trust and surrender • How the question of "Why?" begins to become "What is God doing here?" About the Series I Never Got My Why is a 10-part podcast series for the woman carrying unanswered questions, heartbreak, disappointment, or seasons that never made sense. Together, we're exploring what happens when God doesn't give us the explanation we wanted—and how He gently leads us toward healing anyway. Download the free I Never Got My Why Reflection Guide below to walk through the series with us. Support the show FREE COMPANION GUIDE TO THE SERIES: I Never Got My Why: What I Got Was Better Enjoyed this episode? There's more waiting for you on Substack. Longer thoughts, quieter moments, and a community of women who get it. Come find us. If this episode stirred something in you, grab the free guide: I Thought I Would Be Further By Now: 5 Signs You Are Trying to Finish a Story God Is Still Writing. It is a gentle mirror for the woman who is still in the middle. My gift to you! Follow and connect with us on Instagram!

    13 min
  5. E26 | When God Doesn't Change the Season | I Never Got My Why - Part 4

    Jun 11

    E26 | When God Doesn't Change the Season | I Never Got My Why - Part 4

    Send us Fan Mail In Part 4 of the I Never Got My Why series, Tennille explores the true context behind Jeremiah 29:11 and why God's promise of hope and a future was first spoken to people living in exile. What happens when God doesn't change the season? Through the story of Israel in Babylon, this episode explores how to stop putting your life on hold while waiting for the next chapter and how to build, grow, and flourish in a place you never planned to stay. Inside this episode: • The real context of Jeremiah 29:11 • Why God's promise did not remove the exile • How to stop living emotionally packed for departure • The difference between surviving a season and growing inside it • What God may be building in your waiting season If you've ever felt stuck, delayed, disappointed, or tempted to believe your real life starts later, this episode is for you. Support the show FREE COMPANION GUIDE TO THE SERIES: I Never Got My Why: What I Got Was Better Enjoyed this episode? There's more waiting for you on Substack. Longer thoughts, quieter moments, and a community of women who get it. Come find us. If this episode stirred something in you, grab the free guide: I Thought I Would Be Further By Now: 5 Signs You Are Trying to Finish a Story God Is Still Writing. It is a gentle mirror for the woman who is still in the middle. My gift to you! Follow and connect with us on Instagram!

    18 min
  6. E25 l You Are Not the Only One Who Asked | I Never Got My Why - Part 3

    Jun 9

    E25 l You Are Not the Only One Who Asked | I Never Got My Why - Part 3

    Send us Fan Mail In Episode 3 of I Never Got My Why, Tennille explores the wilderness story of Hagar and the powerful name she gives God in the middle of unanswered questions: El Roi, the God who sees me. This episode is about isolation, edited pain, emotional honesty, and the deep human need to be seen fully in suffering. Inside this episode: Hagar in Genesis 16El Roi, the God who seesemotional isolationthe edited version of painwhy women hide the full truth of their griefbeing seen versus being explainedSupport the show FREE COMPANION GUIDE TO THE SERIES: I Never Got My Why: What I Got Was Better Enjoyed this episode? There's more waiting for you on Substack. Longer thoughts, quieter moments, and a community of women who get it. Come find us. If this episode stirred something in you, grab the free guide: I Thought I Would Be Further By Now: 5 Signs You Are Trying to Finish a Story God Is Still Writing. It is a gentle mirror for the woman who is still in the middle. My gift to you! Follow and connect with us on Instagram!

    15 min
  7. E24 | When “Why” Becomes the Room You Live In | I Never Got My Why - Part 2

    Jun 5

    E24 | When “Why” Becomes the Room You Live In | I Never Got My Why - Part 2

    Send us Fan Mail Why do some questions stay with us long after the moment that created them? In Episode 2 of I Never Got My Why series, Tennille explores what happens when heartbreak, disappointment, and unanswered prayers stop being something we experience and start becoming the emotional place we live. Through the story of Naomi in Ruth 1, personal reflections, and an honest conversation about the gap between knowing truth and trusting it, this episode is for the woman who feels stuck in grief, waiting, or the unanswered question she cannot seem to move past. Inside this episode: • Why grief can become an emotional home • The story of Naomi and what Scripture teaches about bitterness • The difference between visiting pain and living there • Functioning publicly while grieving privately • The gap between the mind and the heart • Why slow healing is not spiritual failure • Hope for women who still have unanswered questions Support the show FREE COMPANION GUIDE TO THE SERIES: I Never Got My Why: What I Got Was Better Enjoyed this episode? There's more waiting for you on Substack. Longer thoughts, quieter moments, and a community of women who get it. Come find us. If this episode stirred something in you, grab the free guide: I Thought I Would Be Further By Now: 5 Signs You Are Trying to Finish a Story God Is Still Writing. It is a gentle mirror for the woman who is still in the middle. My gift to you! Follow and connect with us on Instagram!

    14 min
  8. E23 | Why Am I Still Stuck? | I Never Got My Why Series - Part 1

    Jun 2

    E23 | Why Am I Still Stuck? | I Never Got My Why Series - Part 1

    Send us Fan Mail Why can’t I move on… even when I know the relationship is over? In this first episode of the I Never Got My Why series, I explore the emotional and spiritual exhaustion of living inside unanswered questions.  If you’ve ever wrestled with heartbreak, grief, disappointment, emotional looping, or wondering why God allowed something painful to happen, this episode is for you. Through honest storytelling, biblical reflection, and emotional truth-telling, we talk about: functioning publicly while grieving privatelywhy heartbreak can become part of your identitythe gap between what the mind knows and what the heart can holdMoses at the burning bushEl Roi, the God who seeswhy asking “why” is not weak faithThis episode is not about quick answers. It’s about learning how to stay honest with God in the middle of pain. Support the show FREE COMPANION GUIDE TO THE SERIES: I Never Got My Why: What I Got Was Better Enjoyed this episode? There's more waiting for you on Substack. Longer thoughts, quieter moments, and a community of women who get it. Come find us. If this episode stirred something in you, grab the free guide: I Thought I Would Be Further By Now: 5 Signs You Are Trying to Finish a Story God Is Still Writing. It is a gentle mirror for the woman who is still in the middle. My gift to you! Follow and connect with us on Instagram!

    12 min
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5
out of 5
20 Ratings

About

You have done the work. Read the books. Sat in the therapy chair. Said the prayers or maybe stopped saying them altogether. And something still is not landing. You are not broken. You are not behind. You are in the middle of a chapter that is longer and harder than anyone told you it would be. You feel stuck between who you were and who you are still becoming. And you are looking for someone who has been exactly where you are. Welcome to The Living Story. Hosted by Tennille Martinez, a teacher, storyteller, and woman of faith, this is a podcast for women in their 30s and 40s navigating healing, identity, heartbreak, and the long journey of finding themselves again after loss, divorce, depression, and the kind of pain that changes everything. Each episode weaves together personal testimony, scripture, and honest spiritual conversation for women who are done performing and ready to go deeper. Whether you are healing after divorce, recovering from heartbreak, rebuilding your sense of worth and purpose after loss, walking through depression and faith at the same time, or simply trying to find yourself again after a season that left you unrecognizable, there is a chapter here for you. This is not a podcast for women who have it together. This is a podcast for women who are still in the middle of it and need to know the middle is survivable. Faith will meet you here exactly where you are. Even if you are not sure you believe anymore. Even if you are angry. Even if the last thing you expected was for God to show up in a chapter that looked like this. If you have been searching for a podcast about healing, starting over, self-worth, identity, purpose, and becoming the woman you were created to be, you just found it. The chapters you least understand are often the ones that change everything. You don't just read stories. You are one.

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