Edie’s father died when she was four years old so when her mother brought a new man into her home, she welcomed him as her father. When she was nine years old, this man began regularly raping her in her home. By the time she was twelve, he was taking her to hotel rooms where he trafficked her to men and women for the purpose of  sex until she was seventeen. How does a child recover from such

Chuck interviews Ana Stevenson, the founder of Path2Freedom where Chuck and his wife Melanie are currently serving as House Parents at the Magnolia House. Ana felt a calling to start a ministry for girls rescued from human trafficking in 2015. Ana shares that "millions of children are being exploited annually in the global commercial sex trade. That number became real for me when I met the "one". No longer a number, she had a beautiful face, she had a name, but most importantly she has a hope and a promised future." Tune in to hear Ana's story, the miraculous way the Magnolia House came into being and how God has blessed her obedience to his calling on her life. 

Fawn Volkert's journey from sexual abuse as an infant to trying anything and everything to survive to a place of joyful thriving will stay with you for a long time. Just when you think her story could not get any worse or even more compelling, Fawn takes us deeper into her journey to a place of healing and strength. In this conversation with Chuck L. Betters, Fawn shares how her story of trauma has formed her into the person read more…

In this conversation with Sharon Betters Elyse Fitzpatrick describes how a difficult time in her life resulted in her longing for something more. She concluded she was homesick for heaven. Elyse helps us better understand how a biblical view of heaven can be a source of great comfort when life turns upside down.

Dr. Chuck Betters talks with Dr. Jim Meyer who lost his first wife. Jim shares the story of his family’s sorrow and cautions listeners that though someone who is broken might look whole on the outside, grief and depression might be ever present companions. Jim describes the depression he experienced and how his journey produced in him a passion for offering help to others who are grieving. Jim also shares how the Lord is redeeming his pain through his marriage to Kathy.

You start your day thinking it will be like any other. And then a text with four words, “Eva not breathing. Pray.” Within hours, the unexpected death of your daughter propels you and your family down into the deepest sorrow you have ever experienced. In this conversation with Sharon Betters, Mel Lawrenz introduces us to his beloved daughter Eva and how her unexpected death led his family into the read more…

Is it ever ok to question God’s love or wisdom, especially when you love and serve Him but experience tremendous loss? Dr. Frank A. James, President and Professor of Historical Theology at Missio Seminary in Pennsylvania joins Dr. Chuck F. Betters to talk about this very question.

In this poignant interview, Chuck and Sharon Betters speak candidly about how they approached their first Christmas without their youngest child. If you are struggling with grief in this season that is considered the happiest of all, listen and be encouraged that there are treasures in the darkness designed to help turn your heart toward Jesus.

A chronic condition is a human health condition or disease that is persistent or otherwise long-lasting in its effects. The term chronic is usually applied when the course of the disease lasts for more than three months. These interviews with women with chronic illnesses are able to give thanks to God everyday even when their pain becomes too much to bear.

The title of Nate Brooks’ book, Disrupted Journey, Walking with Your Loved One Through Chronic Pain and Illness describes the transparent conversation he had with hosts Sharon Betters and Heidi Nequist. The day he brought his wife home from the hospital, he was suddenly responsible for a whole new layer of living that included caring not only for his wife’s needs but taking care of three young children and all that means – piled on top of his…

Roasann has experienced disappointment, pain, and loss – but her scars and wounds are not obvious – very much like many of you. Today Rosann lives with the kinds of chronic illness that many of you contend with – often alone in your struggles because they are not visible wounds or scars. In this conversation with Sharon Betters, Rosann offers encouragement to fellow travelers, that though the pathway is often hard and you feel hopeless and helpless, there is a light in the darkness and purpose in the pain.

“I’ve worked hard all my life, this time it’s all about me!” Is it ok to pursue pleasure that was unattainable before retirement? And what if unexpected changes in our health make it impossible to do what we want. How do we deal with disappointment and discontentment read more…

Carol was eighty-three years old at the time of the interview. Carol travels the world continuing the work of the organization her husband started, Equipping Pastors. Surely Carol is a model of flourishing in old age as she regularly gets on a plane in order to spend hours teaching about marriage in less than optimum circumstances. But is traveling the world at eighty-three years of age the only way to (read more)

There are many blessings that come with age: retirement, grandchildren, travel, and life experience. Today’s culture, however, marginalizes old age, often portraying it as burdensome and hopeless. Many older women read more…

There are many blessings that come with age: retirement, grandchildren, travel, and life experience. Today’s culture, however, marginalizes old age, often portraying it as burdensome and hopeless. Many older women read more…

Many people have experienced betrayal, someone violating your trust perhaps by lying, cheating, some kind of abuse, putting their own interests ahead of yours when they promised otherwise. Betrayal affects every part of our hearts, often in ways we don’t understand at first. Some hurts we carry with us to the day we die, they are so deep and seem impossible to resolve. In this conversation with Sharon Betters, Wendy Alsup shares the impact of betrayal from her own life, not only through an unwanted divorce but also in her church life. But Wendy doesn’t leave us in the mud of betrayal. Instead, she speaks frankly about the power of forgiveness.

This conversation is for pastors and ministry wives and those who love them. While there are occupational hazards in all lines of work, ministry families experience conflicts that sometimes not only result in broken relationships but the loss of their beloved church family. In most jobs, wives are not expected to be unpaid laborers, stand by their husband’s side every Sunday, remembering every name and something about

From the time you’re little, your experience with friendships can make or break your day – whether it’s a five-year-old who is left out of the game on the playground, or a thirty-year-old who sees pictures on social media of her friend group having fun without her, or facing the most hurtful season of your life completely alone –  friends or the lack of friends have power to help or hurt.  Sharon Betters and co-host Heidi Nequist discuss the topic of…

1 in 8 couples have trouble getting pregnant. That's about 6.7 million people each year who have trouble conceiving. - 10—15% of women who know they are pregnant will experience a miscarriage. Some studies say it’s higher. - About 1 pregnancy in 100 at 20 weeks of pregnancy and later is affected by stillbirth, and each year about 24,000 babies are stillborn in the United States.1 - This doesn’t take into account the number of babies diagnosed in the womb with a terminal condition – meaning if they survive their birth, they will not live very long. Kathe Wunnenberg knows the sorrow of such losses. In this transparent conversation with Sharon Betters Kathe shares her own journey of grieving infertility, miscarriages and the loss of her

From age 12 to 18, Doug began to experiment with any and all drugs that he could get his hands on. Over the course of the next few years, oxycodone became the dominant Idol that consumed him and eventually transitioned into a full blown heroin addiction. In this far reaching conversation, Doug touches on how parents should respond to the manipulation of the drug addict, why addicts are willing to destroy their lives and loved ones for that fix, and why addicts often go back to drugs after rehab.