The Nothing Is Wasted Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 382 - Forging an Unshakable Faith After Loss with Brooke Martin Jun 19, 2025

Show notes

What do you do when you are faced with an unbearable decision? How do you walk firmly in faith when you know the outcome will most likely be devastation?
For former local news anchor and author, Brooke Martin, and her husband, the choice to carry their daughter, Emma Noelle, to term even though she was diagnosed with a condition that meant she would not survive outside the womb, was one of trust. Although they knew pain was on the other side of their second pregnancy, they also knew that God could be glorified as they walked out their faith. While she only got a few short minutes with her daughter alive after her birth, Brooke has seen the ways in which God has used the pain and suffering to bring glory to Himself. With the vision of how life's fires can completely destroy or bring about unimaginable fruit, Brooke wrote the book **Controlled Burn: Rising from the Ashes to Forge an Unshakable Faith** and shared how her own story of pain brought about so much spiritual growth.
In this moving conversation, Davey and Brooke discuss how we can step out in faith in decisions that feel impossible either way, why praying for God to be glorified is such a powerful request, and what grief looks like as time moves forward.
If you've ever felt like an unexpected fire has rolled into your life, this episode will give you the courage to let it burn away what needs to be and watch as new life springs forth from the ashes when you lean on your faith in whatever suffering you are facing.

Website: www.MOREwithBrookeMartin.com
Instagram: instagram.com/brookemartin.tv
Facebook: facebook.com/BrookeMartinMORE
Book: Controlled Burn: Rising from the Ashes to Forge an Unshakable Faith
https://amzn.to/438OsQG
Wondering where to get started on your journey towards healing? Join Davey on our next FREE, live Zoom call and find out how you can begin to take back your story and how Nothing is Wasted can help. Sign up today at: www.nothingiswasted.com/starthere
Looking for help in navigating the valley of pain and trauma? Our Nothing is Wasted coaches can help: www.nothingiswasted.com/coaching
Want a pathway through your pain? The Pain to Purpose Course can lead you through all you've been through: www.mypaintopurposeplan.com

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Episode 381 - Hope in a Hard Diagnosis with Alan Hester Jun 12, 2025

Show notes

Where can you find hope when a diagnosis is difficult to accept? How can you trust God when life's challenges feel insurmountable?
For Alan Hester, finding out that he had ALS-a degenerative neurological disease-was devastating at first and yet, he now describes it as one of the best things that happened to him. Not because the suffering or the pain has been easy, but because of the depth and richness he has experienced in his relationship with Christ through it. Learning what it truly means to depend on God in the midst of his suffering, Alan has gained spiritual strength as his body has experienced more and more weakness.
In this heartfelt conversation, guest host Amy Sylvestre and Alan talk about how suffering can connect us more and more to Jesus, why scripture is so important in our pain, and the importance of allowing community to walk alongside us when we can't stand on our own.
If you or someone you love is facing a difficult diagnosis, this episode will encourage a steadfast strength to trust in the Lord in whatever you are facing.

NO SOCIAL MEDIA OR WEBSITE AVAILABLE for Alan; Instagram: @amysylvestrecoaching
Wondering where to get started on your journey towards healing? Join Davey on our next FREE, live Zoom call and find out how you can begin to take back your story and how Nothing is Wasted can help. Sign up today at: www.nothingiswasted.com/starthere
Looking for help in navigating the valley of pain and trauma? Our Nothing is Wasted coaches can help: www.nothingiswasted.com/coaching
Want a pathway through your pain? The Pain to Purpose Course can lead you through all you've been through: www.mypaintopurposeplan.com

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Episode 380 - Finding a Path Through Doubt, Disillusionment, and Dead Ends with Catherine McNiel and Jason Hague Jun 05, 2025

Show notes

What do we do with the doubts, disillusionments, and dead ends that can come in our faith journey? How do we help someone who has questions in their walk with Jesus?
Authors Catherine McNiel and Jason Hague each had a unique experience when it came to wrestling with doubt and disillusionment in their faith. They knew the confusion and pain that can come when you have questions and are struggling to find the answers in safe places within the Christian community. It was out of their own personal experiences that they together wrote the book, **Mid-Faith Crisis: Finding a Path Through Doubt, Disillusionment, and Dead Ends**, to give others a roadmap through the twists and turns of walking out a true faith in Christ.
In this helpful conversation, Aubrey sits with Catherine and Jason to talk about the beauty that can be found after a crisis in our faith, how we can better prepare children and believers for the realities that may come in life, and the way the church can better step into conversations and provide a refuge for those wrestling in their faith.
If you're in a season of doubting or disillusionment and it feels like you have reached a dead end, this episode will be a reminder that no matter how big the questions are, God is strong enough to withstand them and you are not alone.

Website: www.catherinemcniel.com
www.jasonhague.com
Instagram: instagram.com/catherinemcniel
instagram.com/jasonhaguewriter
Episode #208 with Catherine McNiel: https://www.nothingiswasted.com/podcast1/episode-208
Book: Mid-Faith Crisis: Finding a Path Through Doubt, Disillusionment, and Dead Ends
https://amzn.to/4iXBD1f
Wondering where to get started on your journey towards healing? Join Davey on our next FREE, live Zoom call and find out how you can begin to take back your story and how Nothing is Wasted can help. Sign up today at: www.nothingiswasted.com/starthere
Looking for help in navigating the valley of pain and trauma? Our Nothing is Wasted coaches can help: www.nothingiswasted.com/coaching
Want a pathway through your pain? The Pain to Purpose Course can lead you through all you've been through: www.mypaintopurposeplan.com

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Episode 379 - The Adoptee's Journey with Cameron Lee Small May 28, 2025

Show notes

How can we help a child who may not have the words to express their own grief? How can communities be support systems to those who have adopted?
Cameron Lee Small's story began with loss. At the age of three years old, he was adopted from his birth country of South Korea and placed in a home thousands of miles away in America. As he grew up and began to understand the complexity of emotions that can arise as an adoptee, he realized the need for support and care for others who shared his journey.
Through his practice as counselor and his interactions with other adoptees and their families, Cameron has seen the impact loss and trauma can play in the lives of those who have walked this path. And because of his own personal experience, he has been able to help adoptees and their families navigate a way forward towards healing. In his book, **The Adoptee’s Journey: From Loss and Trauma to Healing and Empowerment**, Cameron shares glimpses of his story and search for his birth mother as well as practical ways adoptees can regain their sense of agency and identity in the complexities of their story.
In this insightful conversation, Davey talks with Cameron about the kinds of questions that can come in an adoptee, how parents and caregivers can help children regulate who have experienced trauma, and why it is so important for churches to be adoption informed so that they can best serve families who adopt.
If you are an adoptee or an adoptive parent or you know someone who is, this episode will help you understand the nuances of the emotional experience many adoptees feel and how you can love and serve those who have welcomed children into their home through adoption.

Website: therapyredeemed.wordpress.com
Instagram: instagram.com/therapyredeemed
Book: The Adoptee’s Journey: From Loss and Trauma to Healing and Empowerment
https://amzn.to/4kay5tK
Additional Adoption Resources:
Cam's Minneapolis TEDx Talk: tedxminneapolis.com
Virtual TEEN ADOPTEE Support Groups: https://mailchi.mp/25796625a7ab/virtual-group-for-teen-adoptees
Adoptive Parenting Consultation Group [3-Month Coaching with Cameron]: https://community-adoption-support.mailchimpsites.com/
10 Facts about Adoptees: https://therapyredeemed.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/10-facts-about-adoptees.pdf

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Episode 378 - Comfort in the Ashes with Dr. Michelle Keener May 22, 2025

Show notes

What do we do when people fail us in our greatest time of need? How can the church do a better job at entering into people's pain and walking with them in their stories?
Dr. Michelle Keener walked through her own season of suffering and eventually found herself deep diving into Biblical research on the book of Job in the Bible through the lens of trauma. It was through her scholarly research that she was able to find principles that applied to her own pain and to the Church at large when it comes to helping trauma survivors. In her book **Comfort in the Ashes: Explorations in the Book of Job to Support Trauma Survivors**, she connects the story of Job-a man who knew incredible trauma and pain-to practical ways individuals and the church can show up in suffering.
In this insightful episode, Aubrey sits with Dr. Keener to discuss how we can connect our own personal experiences of trauma to those in scripture, why the church struggles to help those who are hurting, and how the gospel applies to pain.
If you've ever needed people to meet you in your pain and didn't find the support available or if you've ever struggled to know how to step into the pain of someone else, this conversation is a gentle reminder of how we can steward each other's stories well as we move through grief and trauma in life and how God is always there to comfort us in the ashes.

Website: MichelleKeener.com
Instagram: nstagram.com/MKeenerWrites
X: x.com/MKeenerWrites
Book: Comfort in the Ashes: Explorations in the Book of Job to Support Trauma Survivors https://amzn.to/4iZNufx

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Episode 377 - Mastering Our Emotions with Dr. Kevin Chapman May 14, 2025

Show notes

What do we do with the seemingly never-ending emotions that can come in this generation? How do we manage the persistent feelings of anxiety and depression that can overtake our lives as believers?
Dr. Kevin Chapman has worked with countless individuals struggling with anxiety and depression. As a believer and clinician, he has seen how powerful emotions can be in the lives of the people he helps. And through his work, he has also seen the hope that can come in the healing that can be found through Christ and God's word. By learning to take captive the thoughts that often precede big emotions, Dr. Chapman has seen major shifts in how emotions impact a believer. In his book, Mastering Our Emotions: Biblical Principles for Emotional Health, he helps readers walk through how to do just that as they encounter their own emotional responses to life's challenges.
In this episode, Davey and Dr. Chapman talk about how to untangle our identity in Christ from the labels of a mental health diagnosis, how to even begin to manage our emotions, and why so many teens are struggling with anxiety and depression in this generation.
If you find it difficult to control your responses to the difficulties in life, this conversation will empower you to know that even in the midst of the most painful setbacks and challenges, you have agency in how you respond to your emotions and that with the power of God, you can learn Biblical principles to master your emotions.

Website: drkevinchapman.com
Instagram: instagram.com/drkevinchapman
Book: Mastering Our Emotions: Biblical Principles for Emotional Health
https://amzn.to/3YDWpvP
Looking for a tangible gift for a friend who is hurting? The restorbox is a beautifully curated gift box that will show your loved one you care: nothingiswasted.com/restorbox
Get your copy of the Nothing is Wasted Book today: nothingiswastedbook.com
Do you need someone to walk with you one-on-one through your valley? Our certified coaches are ready to meet you where you are and help you find a way forward: nothingiswasted.com/coaching

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Episode 376 - Healing after Losing a Child to Addiction with Lance and Jeni Ward May 07, 2025

Show notes

How do you heal as a parent when your worst fears come true? How do you move through the pain of losing a child unexpectedly to a drug addiction?
Pastor Lance Ward and his wife, Jeni, tried to fight the tight grip addiction had on their son Kyle but lost him suddenly to a fentanyl overdose. The secret life he was living was well-hidden until it was too late and Kyle succumbed to the pull of pills. While completely shocked and upended by their loss, Lance and Jeni saw God's faithfulness after losing Kyle and the healing that came in the midst of their unexpected pain.
In this raw conversation, Aubrey sits with Lance and Jeni to discuss how addiction can impact a family, how to walk alongside those who lose a loved one to addiction, and where to find God in the paths life can take us on unexpectedly.
If you've lost a loved one to addiction or know someone who has, this episode will remind you that God will continue to show up in the pain of addiction and the destruction that can follow.

Hope is Alive Ministries: hopeisalive.net/
Al-Anon Support: al-anon.org/
Would you love to help those in your church partner with God to take back their stories of pain and trauma? Bring the Pain to Purpose course to your church and let the healing begin: nothingiswasted.com/churches
Want to access all that Nothing is Wasted has to offer to help you in your healing journey? Join Community Plus and get resources like our masterclasses, Curated Pathways, and more for just $20/month. nothingiswasted.com/communityplus
Need some hope right now in your valley? Or have a friend who could use some encouragement through suffering? The Pain to Purpose 42-Day Devotional is the perfect companion in your pain. Get your copy and gift one to a friend who needs it: nothingiswasted.com/store/pain-to-purpose-devotional

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Episode 375 - Walking Through Deconstruction with Ian Harber Apr 30, 2025

Show notes

What do you do when you find yourself in a crisis of faith? How can you help someone walking through the questions and doubts they are experiencing?
Ian Harber came to a critical junction in his own faith after experiencing loss after loss. Doubts began to rise and yet, he didn't have a safe space to process the questions that can so often come in our journey in knowing and understanding God. But eventually, Ian found himself on the other side of that process and began to see the need for helping others find the space to process their own questions and doubts. In his latest book, Walking Through Deconstruction: How to Be a Companion in a Crisis of Faith, he shares his own story of deconstruction and reconstruction and encourages others to be a companion to those who are experiencing a crisis in faith.
In this episode, Davey and Ian discuss what deconstruction is, what can happen to a person who is experiencing a crisis in their faith, and how to walk alongside those who are questioning and doubting faith as they once knew it.
Whether you are struggling with questions and doubts in your own journey with Jesus or you know someone who is, this conversation will encourage patience and compassion through the ups and downs of walking with God.

Website: backagainwords.com
Instagram: instagram.com/ianharber
Book: Walking Through Deconstruction: How To Be A Companion In A Crisis Of Faith https://a.co/d/9vQw1fT
Want to start your Pain to Purpose journey? Learn more: course.nothingiswasted.com
Do you need a reminder in your pain that God isn't done with your story? Sign up for our free, 7 day devotional delivered straight to your inbox: nothingiswasted.com/7-day-devo
Are you looking for the perfect study for your small group? Check out the Nothing is Wasted Video Series: nothingiswasted.com/bookstudy

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Episode 374 - Overcoming Shame from Hidden Secrets with Anne Beiler Apr 23, 2025

Show notes

What do we do with the secrets that keep us hidden in shame and despair? How do we tell our story in such a way that we can experience the true freedom that God has for us?
For author, entrepreneur, and founder of Auntie Anne's Pretzels, Anne Beiler, the pain that came after losing a child in a tragic accident and the abuse she experienced at the hands of someone who should have helped her in her suffering, left her despairing and empty. It was only when she brought her secrets out of the dark and into the light that she was set free from the bondage of shame and pain that were set on destroying her. She shares her journey in her latest book, The Secret Lies Within: An Inside Out Look at Overcoming Trauma and Finding Purpose in the Pain.
In this tender conversation, Aubrey sits with Anne to talk about how the Holy Spirit can help us in our suffering, the power that is found in sharing our painful secrets, and how to let go of the shame that grips us.
If you've ever found yourself drowning in the shame of a secret from your past, this episode will encourage you to find a safe person to share your pain with and experience the freedom of being known and bringing the darkness into the light.

Website: https://auntieannebeiler.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auntieanneb/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auntieannebeiler
Book: The Secret Lies Within: An Inside Out Look at Overcoming Trauma and Finding Purpose in the Pain
https://a.co/d/f6kNwsm
Are you looking for the perfect study for your small group? Check out the Nothing is Wasted Video Series: www.nothingiswasted.com/bookstudy
Do you need someone to walk with you one-on-one through your valley? Our certified coaches are ready to meet you where you are and help you find a way forward: www.nothingiswasted.com/coaching
Are you walking through the dark and need some hope? Check out the What We Find in the Dark Podcast with Aubrey Sampson: nothingiswasted.com/whatwefind

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Episode 373 - Embracing a Gospel Vision in Racial Healing and Justice with Dr. Sarita Lyons Apr 16, 2025

Show notes

How do we, no matter what our cultural lens may be, embrace a gospel vision in conversations around racial healing and justice? How do we root our understanding of our own experiences in the truth of Christ?
Author, speaker, Bible teacher and counselor Dr. Sarita Lyons has been seeking the answer to these questions as she walks besides those in her church and local community and as she helps the broader Church have conversations around race, identity, and how we can heal individually and collectively. In her new book, Church Girl: A Gospel Vision to Encourage and Challenge Black Christian Women, she explores what it looks like for Black Women to find their identity in Christ, heal from the hurt of racism and other pain, and how to flourish in faith with integrity and conviction. And yet, her message is for all--that when we begin to allow believers in Christ to share their hurt, their pain, their struggles, and their challenges, we can learn ways to love one another better.
In this thought-provoking episode, Davey and Dr. Lyons talk about how the power of the Gospel and our Christianity is meant to inform all areas of our lives, what we can do when we recognize feelings of prejudice or racism in ourselves, and why proximity to others who don't look like us is so important as we heal the racial divide in our churches and communities.
If you've ever wondered where the Gospel intersects in the conversation about racial healing and justice or if you've found yourself wrestling with feelings of prejudice or racism towards others, this episode will encourage you to see these topics through Christ and be a part of the healing and hope that we need more than ever in this generation.

Website: saritalyons.com
Instagram: instagram.com/drsaritalyons
Facebook: facebook.com/drsaritalyons
Book: Church Girl: A Gospel Vision to Encourage and Challenge Black Christian Women https://a.co/d/6s0QN18
Looking for a tangible gift for a friend who is hurting? The restorbox is a beautifully curated gift box that will show your loved one you care: nothingiswasted.com/restorbox
Would you love to help those in your church partner with God to take back their stories of pain and trauma? Bring the Pain to Purpose course to your church and let the healing begin: nothingiswasted.com/churches
Get your copy of the Nothing is Wasted Book today: nothingiswastedbook.com

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