The Nothing Is Wasted Podcast

Episode 237 - Finding Faith After a National Tragedy with Christina Stanton

What happens when you find yourself in the middle of a national tragedy, when your story is part of a collective one on every news outlet in the country? How do you find healing after a trauma played out on a national stage?

For Christina Stanton, that was a lifelong question that began on a fateful day in New York City on September 11, 2001. Running for her life after the Twin Towers attack left her facing the rubble well beyond that infamous day. Wrestling with the aftermath of PTSD and the devastation that came from surviving such a horrific scene, Christina was searching for answers and she found them within the walls of a local New York City church. Finding God in the midst of such wreckage and having the people of God bear witness to her pain while providing practical help brought her hope and revealed the power of the Church.

As if living through that national tragedy wasn't enough, Christina would find herself once again a part of a story that made national headlines when she contracted Covid-19 in early March 2020 and fought for her life in a hospital room, hundreds of miles from home. Living through two tragic marks in American history gave Christina a deeper understanding of who God is, even when we face the worst.

In this episode, Davey and Christina talk about the value of the Church witnessing the pain of others, what suffering teaches us and the importance of community in finding healing from post-traumatic stress.

Your suffering may not have been experienced on such a global scale, but you will find comfort and encouragement towards hope and healing in this conversation.

 

Website: https://christinaraystanton.com
https://lovingallnations.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinaraystanton/
Book: Out of the Shadow of 9/11: An Inspiring Tale of Escape and Transformation https://www.amazon.com/Out-Shadow-11-Inspiring-Transformation/dp/1733745203/
Faith in the Face of Covid-19: A Survivor’s Tale
https://www.amazon.com/Faith-Face-COVID-19-Survivors-Tale/dp/1733745238/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Episode 236 - Seeing Your Significance in Singleness with Mandy Hale

So often when it comes to the topic of singleness, there is this sense that many believe significance comes only when you finally find "the one." But the truth is, leading a life full of purpose doesn't have to wait until there is a significant other. In fact, singleness, no matter how long that season lasts, can be a fulfilling, purposeful time that the Lord uses in your life and in the lives of those around you.

For Mandy Hale, it was coming to this realization that provided her the freedom to find joy in fulfilling her life's purpose as a single woman. Rather than focusing on the one kind of love she didn't have, she learned to see the love all around her through friendship, community, and family. She was able to connect with others through her writing and not get in stuck in waiting for a future with her present right in front of her.

In this episode, Davey talks with Mandy about finding purpose right where you are, the impact the pandemic and other difficult life events can have on a single person, and paying attention to the love you already have in your life.

Whether you are single or just waiting for something in your life, this conversation will remind you to choose to live fully in whatever circumstances you find yourself in.

 

Website: https://mandyhale.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TheSingleWoman/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSingleWoman
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheSingleWoman
Book: Turn Toward the Sun: Releasing What If and Embracing What Is
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0800738829/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_Z2DBPTPDBNRR36V0JDG8?linkCode=ml1&tag=thesinwom08-20

Episode 235 - The Heartbreak and the Healing with Blanca

Sometimes life can break your heart after one unexpected tragedy. But, what about when circumstances seems to break your heart all throughout your story? How do you find healing when it seems heartache is woven into the fabric of your life?

For Christian recording artist, Blanca, it felt like her whole life was marred by heartbreak. As a child, she was a victim of sexual abuse. As an adult, she lost both her parents and went through a devastating divorce. Finding healing in life when it seemed like the pieces were shattered has been difficult, but through her journey with the Lord, through her music and with the help of a counselor, Blanca has begun to experience healing from her wounds.

In this episode, Davey sits down with Blanca to talk about facing the pain in order to heal, the value in sharing your healing process with others, and how creativity can be a tool God uses to mend a broken heart.

Healing is never an easy endeavor, but Blanca's story is proof that God is in the business of binding up the wounds of the brokenhearted.

 

Website: officialblanca.com
Instagram: @officialblanca
Facebook: facebook.com/officialblanca

Episode 234 - Seeing Beauty in the Darkest Days with Colleen Chao

How do you live life with the end in mind, especially when you are told your days are numbered? We all know that Scripture calls us to live life through the lens of heaven, but how do we really do that?

For Colleen Chao, finding out she had Stage 4 Cancer forced her to think about living the way God called her to in spite of the fact or perhaps because of the fact, that she is dying. Having expected life to go in a much different direction, Colleen has been learning to see the beauty in the most unexpected places like suffering and pain.

In this episode, Davey has a raw conversation with Colleen on seeing God's beauty in the darkness of suffering, the transformative power of gratitude, and how the blood of Jesus can keep us from dwelling in our regrets.

You don't have to have a life-altering diagnosis to be encouraged by Colleen's story of living life fully when heaven is closer than you anticipated.

 

Website: http://www.colleenchao.com
Book: Hands of a Fiercely Tender God: 31 Days of Hope, Honesty, and Encouragement for the Sufferer https://www.amazon.com/Hands-Fiercely-Tender-God-Encouragement/dp/0802429904/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3LLTTB8E59IIY&keywords=colleen+chao&qid=1656337889&sprefix=colleen+chao%2Caps%2C118&sr=8-1

Episode 233 - Getting Unstuck in Grief with September Vaudrey

Have you ever felt like you've gotten stuck in the grief? Instead of allowing the pain to bring something new and beautiful forth in your life, do you find yourself struggling to move forward?

Any loss can leave us feeling stuck, but for a parent, losing a child can make it feel like there will never be life past the devastation. For September Vaudrey, losing her beautiful, 19 year old daughter in a car accident in 2008 made her wonder if life would ever look different than it did in the aftermath of that tragedy. And yet, step by step, she began to see God's goodness as He took her pain and created beauty from ashes. It was not an easy journey by any means, but a rich one.

In this episode, September sits down with Aubrey to talk about what it looks like to get unstuck in our grief, why facing our pain head on matters so much, and how to give permission to others around us as they grieve in their own unique way.

Full of practical wisdom, this conversation is for anyone who has ever felt like moving through the pain in their story is an impossible feat but wants to try and experience the good God has on the other side of it.

 

Website: http://septembervaudrey.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/septembervaudrey/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeptemberVaudrey.Author/
Book: Colors of Goodbye: A Memoir of Holding On, Letting Go, and Reclaiming Joy in the Wake of Loss https://www.amazon.com/Colors-Goodbye-Holding-Letting-Reclaiming/dp/1496408179/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458922175&sr=8-1&keywords=colors+of+goodbye

Episode 232 - Learning to Connect with God in the Unexplainable with Emmanuel and Adrienne Threatt

What do you do when you feel disconnected from God in the middle of a hard season? How do you learn to trust Him when circumstances make you angry and confused?

For Emmanuel and Adrienne Threatt, this was the wrestling they navigated after experiencing multiple miscarriages over a period of time in which other losses seemed to come at them unrelentingly.

Trust can come easy when things are going our way and when our prayers are being answered the way we want, but learning to put your hope and faith in God after disappointment after disappointment can feel daunting. For the Threatt's, this process of learning was arduous. It came through vulnerability and transparency with themselves, God and others. Sharing their journey through the valleys of miscarriage helped them to find purpose in the seemingly never-ending pain and helped them to be honest with the Lord as to what they were feeling in the midst of it. Even after receiving the news that they were finally pregnant with triplets, there was still so much to work through with the Lord.

In this episode, Davey talks with the Threatt's about what to do with the feelings that God is far away from you in your pain, how to process anger towards the Lord and using worship as an act of faith in hard times.

The vulnerability and transparency the Threatt's share will encourage anyone walking through a painful season to continue to trust God, even when the path seems dark.

 

Website: www.HopeUnleashed.Me

Socials: @OhBoyPhresh @YoAdrienneCLT for IG, FB, TW, TIK

YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC28DPAwoFPnpLoVEMn8ZJDw

Book: How to Fly to the Moon in a Cardboard Box https://www.amazon.com/How-Moon-Cardboard-Kardboard-Kids/dp/1733635602/ref=sr_1_1?crid=8TMWBODVR1OH&keywords=how+to+fly+to+the+moon+in+a+cardboard+box&qid=1655907323&sprefix=how+to+fly+to+the+moon+in+a+cardboard+box%2Caps%2C110&sr=8-1
——-
Hope Vibes (ministry)
Www.hopevibes.org
@HopeVibesCLT for IG, FB, TW, TIK, LI

YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCQwUP_tsO7KirMz0cSMh-Dw

Episode 231 - Finding Perspective in the Unexpected with Kelley Scites

What do you do when life takes a turn you never saw coming? How can you step into a story you didn't plan for yourself? For Kelley Scites, the wrestling with those questions began after an unexpected surgery. What had promised relief from pain and a new lease on life ended with having to be put on full time oxygen. The life she had imagined as an active mom came to a screeching halt as she had to adapt to this new pace of living. But it was through this shift in her story that Kelley began to see the importance of perspective. Living focused on Heaven rather than her current circumstances began to give her hope in what at times felt hopeless.

In this honest conversation, Davey sits down with Kelley to talk about why perspective is so important in circumstances that won't change, learning to trust God with the outcome of our story and choosing growth over bitterness.

The details of Kelley's story may be different than yours, but they offer a rich insight into how our perspective can make or break us in the middle of hard things.

 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelleyscites/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kelley.scites

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
Heaven by Randy Alcorn https://www.amazon.com/Heaven-Randy-Alcorn/dp/0842379428/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=heaven+by+randy+alcorn&qid=1658268326&sprefix=heaven+by+%2Caps%2C190&sr=8-1

Episode 230 - God’s Sovereignty in Our Darkest Moments with Greg and Cathy Buffkin

It can be so hard to see, let alone accept the hand of God in the middle of our deepest pain. How can you learn to trust God's sovereignty in your darkest moments?

For Greg and Cathy Buffkin, that was no small feat. After losing their adult son Ryan to suicide, it was difficult to accept their loss and find the strength to move forward after so much pain. Living every parent's greatest fear, the Buffkins found themselves wrestling with difficult emotions and yet, managed to find the Lord in the most heart wrenching loss they had ever endured. From their pain, they have a new found purpose as they've sought to equip others as they navigate walking alongside someone who has lost a child.

In this episode, Davey sits down with Greg and Cathy to talk about what it looks like to experience God's sovereignty in grief, the best ways to support someone who has lost a child, and the difference between healthy and unhealthy ways of healing after loss.

Grief is an inevitable part of our lives this side of heaven, which is why this conversation is so important for all of us as we come face to face with pains we never imagined. Whether or not you've endured the loss of a child, this episode will give you important insight into what it means to choose healing when grief threatens to overwhelm.

 

Website: https://www.emptychairendeavor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmptyChairEndeavor/

Episode 229 - Building Resilience in the Face of Adversity with Dr. Danisha Keating

How do you persevere in the face of unending challenges and difficult circumstances? Where can you find the strength to keep going when life tries to knock you down over and over again?

For Dr. Danisha Keating, building resilience seemed impossible after a traumatic childhood filled with abuse and moving in and out of the foster care system. Her journey in life was hard, at one point leading her to be a caretaker for her younger siblings while in college and yet she persevered to graduate and go on to earn her PhD. Now, she spends her life reaching back into the fire, encouraging kids walking a similar journey in the foster care system, to know that their lives have promise and hope beyond their current circumstances. In all the trials she has endured, Dr. Keating has anchored her hope in the Lord and her identity in Him.

In this episode, Davey sits down with Dr. Keating to discuss what it looks like to build resilience in a life that is full of difficulty, the power of community in encouraging those low on hope, and how healing can lead us into a life of purpose in helping those who are walking the road we once did.

This conversation will leave you inspired as you hear how even the most dire of circumstances can forge a deep-seated resilience in our hearts as we move forward into a future filled with possibility.

 

Website: https://www.dkeducationconsulting.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DKEducationConsulting
Book: From Foster to PhD: Letters from a Suitcase: https://www.amazon.com/Foster-PhD-Letters-Suitcase-ebook/dp/B09MGC57RM

Episode 228 - Choosing Joy in Chronic Pain and Painful Circumstances with Lindsey Wheeler

How do you choose joy when it feels impossible? What can you do when a chronic diagnosis leaves you debilitated? For Lindsey Wheeler, the answer did not come easily. After a Lyme disease diagnosis left her struggling to get out of bed everyday, Lindsey knew she had to make a choice: to see the good in life in spite of her circumstances or to dwell in self-pity. It wasn't easy, but Lindsey chose to change her perspective on her life in the middle of so many challenges that included her health and raising a child with special needs. It was that perspective shift that has given her the strength to bring hope to others in their pain. She started a company called Bottle of Tears that provides curated gifts of comfort to those who are hurting. In this episode, Davey talks with Lindsey about what it looks like to choose joy when life feels hard, the power in reminding people that they are seen in their pain and why community matters so much in our suffering.

This conversation is an encouragement for anyone who has ever felt like some parts of life cannot be "fixed" this side of heaven and offers an invitation to hope and joy in the midst of it.

 

Website: https://www.bottleoftears.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bottle_of_tears/
https://www.instagram.com/lindseyewheeler/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bottleoftears
Book: Sacred Tears: Simple Reminders That God Sees You and Loves You: https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Tears-Simple-Reminders-Loves/dp/073698173X/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2QD78389NPU7&keywords=sacred+tears&qid=1645388803&sprefix=sacred+tears%2Caps%2C165&sr=8-2