The Unfolding

Faith Podcasts are made possible by your support. You can click here to give. 

What if the hardest chapter of your life didn't get the final word? Esme Crawford shares the story of how she survived domestic violence, crippling shame, and a distorted view of God; and how faith in Jesus led her into healing and freedom. Esme was born in a small Mexican village and faced many challenges from birth. As an adult, she found herself in an abusive relationship that slowly stripped away her identity, confidence, and sense of worth. She believed the lie that it was her fault. But God never left her. Esme talks about wrestling with shame, learning that God is a loving Father, finding healing in Jesus, and reclaiming her identity as a daughter of the King. If you've ever struggled with guilt, fear, or questioned where God was in your suffering, this episode will remind you that you are seen, loved, and you are not alone. 

Content Note: This episode includes references to domestic violence and some strong language.   

Show Notes: 

WINGS - Women In Need Growing Stronger:  https://wingsprogram.com/ 

To reach Esme, Send a Direct Message via Instagram WILLOW WLN: 

https://www.instagram.com/willow_wln 

Additional Resources: Selah Empowers - Pause and find strength for the journey 

Metropolitan Family Services

As a Black Hebrew Israelite, Jasmine spent years trying not to mess up or break God's law, living under strict expectations. After long prison phone calls with the man who would become her husband, she began to see Jesus differently, not as a taskmaster but as Savior. This is her story of laying down a heavy yoke and finding rest in Jesus.

Faith Podcasts are made possible by your support. You can click here to give. 
If you know the music of MercyMe, then you know the voice of Bart Millard. He's the songwriter behind "I Can Only Imagine"- written after watching his abusive father transform from a monster into a man that loved Jesus.  It is the best-selling Christian single of all time, with more than five million copies sold. With that kind of success, you might imagine Bart was living a life beyond anything he ever dreamed. But in 2004, the year "I Can Only Imagine" crossed over to mainstream radio and became a global smash, Bart and his wife Shannon were being gutted by one life-altering pain after another. Their son Sam was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and that diagnosis came alongside multiple family losses and medical crises that all seemed to hit at once. While MercyMe's career was soaring, Bart was unraveling - slipping into depression, hiding behind touring, and struggling to hold it all together. A new film I Can Only Imagine 2, and book Even If - Trusting God Through the Fire tell Bart's story.   

 

Show Notes:  

Official Movie Website:  https://icanonlyimagine.com/ 

Even If book:  https://mercyme.org/products/even-if-trusting-god-through-the-fire-the-official-book-for-i-can-only-imagine-2 

MercyMe website: https://mercyme.org/ 

Bart on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBartMillard 

Bart on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bartmillard/

"I could only pray three words. I trust you." 

Scripture tells us that every good gift comes from God. What do we do when a gift is taken away?  Kim Snyder lost the voice she used to sing, speak, and serve God in Christian radio. In the stillness that followed, Scripture led her to a simple prayer, "I trust you."

Faith Podcasts are made possible by your support. You can click here to give. 
 

Dr. Henry Cloud is known as a leadership expert, clinical psychologist, and New York Times bestselling author of Boundaries. But before helping millions build healthier relationships, Henry had to face his own unhealed trauma and depression. In this episode of The Unfolding, Henry shares how early childhood trauma shaped his emotional and relational patterns, why depression became a turning point in his life, and how real healing required more than spiritual platitudes or performance-based faith. Through therapy, honest community centered on Jesus, and Scripture lived out in practice, Henry discovered freedom that transformed how he loves, leads, and relates to God. This conversation explores the intersection of faith and mental health, why "performing your way out of pain" doesn't work, and how God meets us not with formulas, but with His presence. Dr. Henry Cloud's newest book is To Know Him: A 90-Day Invitation to Come to God As You Are. 

Show Notes: 

Website: https://www.drcloud.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drhenrycloudofficial/ 

"To Know Him" Book: https://www.drcloud.com/books/to-know-him 

"Why I Believe" Book:  https://www.amazon.com/Why-Believe-Psychologists-Thoughts-Suffering-ebook/dp/B0CK8C76LD 

Website: https://www.boundaries.me/