The Unfolding

What happens inside someone who walks away from faith? For Jakob Happs, it wasn't sudden. Long before he stepped away, there were questions, doubts, and a growing sense that something wasn't working the way he thought it should.  Over time, that tension led him further and further from God, and from the people who loved him most. 

In this powerful and honest conversation, Jakob shares his story from the inside. The wrestling, the distance, the decisions that followed, and the unexpected moments that changed everything.  Alongside his mom, Suzanne, this episode offers a rare, deeply personal look at both sides of a prodigal story. What it felt like to walk away, and what it meant to come home. 

This episode explores what doubt and deconstruction can feel like from the inside, the tension between belief and questions, and how God continues to pursue even in the middle of distance. For anyone praying for a prodigal child, a loved one who has walked away from faith, or anyone wrestling with belief, this story offers both honesty and hope. 

Show Notes:  

Jakob Instagram https://www.instagram.com/whatshappsin.n?igsh=MXRtNjUwOG1hMDdkaQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr 

  

Jakob Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Df1sbwviJ/?mibextid=wwXIfr 

  

Suzanne Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suzanne.happs 

Book: https://www.amazon.com/We-Who-Wrestle-God-Perceptions/dp/0593542533 

YouTube Channels:  

https://www.youtube.com/@bibleproject 

https://www.youtube.com/@RuslanKD 

https://www.youtube.com/@ExpeditionBible 

Share your Unfolding story: https://bit.ly/UnfoldingStories

"The more I pushed, the more my body said no." 

Stephanie shares how God used cancer, chronic illness, cardiac arrest, and a season of forced rest to redirect her life. Today, she helps others slow down, live with intention, and care for the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit. 

Recently, she wrote Faith and Health Devotional Bible Study Workbook.

What do you do when your child walks away from everything you've raised them to believe? 

For Suzanne and Alan Happs, that question became deeply personal when their son told them, "I'm not exactly sure I believe any of that anymore." What followed was 13 and a half years of praying, waiting, questioning, and learning what it really means to trust God with someone you love. 

In this episode, Suzanne and Alan share: 

What it felt like to watch their son deconstruct his faith  


The mistakes they made, and what they wish they had done differently  


How they learned to love without controlling or pushing  


What sustained their faith through years of heartbreak and uncertainty  


The moment everything began to change, and the powerful way God brought their son back  


If you are praying for a prodigal child, a loved one who has walked away from faith, or someone who feels far from God, this story will meet you right where you are. 

Next week, don't miss Part 2—Jake Happs shares his side of the story. What led him away from faith? And what ultimately drew him back to Jesus? 

  

Show Notes:  

Suzanne on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suzanne.happs 

Praying for Your Prodigal book:  https://www.amazon.com/Praying-Your-Prodigal-Kyle-Idleman/dp/1434707717 

Share about your Unfolding story here: https://bit.ly/UnfoldingStories

"Put on your helmet." Susan had a picture in her mind for her 22nd birthday: a new horse, a sunset ride, and a beautiful moment she would never forget. But right before it began, a voice interrupted her plans with a warning that would save her life. 

BONUS: Hear Susan's daughter's short story on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

What if the way you see God, isn't actually true?  Jon Acuff grew up in church, but for years his relationship with God felt more like pressure than connection, and that shaped everything. In this episode of The Unfolding, Jon shares how his faith became personal in the middle of real life- marriage, responsibility, and the pressure to figure things out. As God began to reshape the way Jon saw Him, it changed the way he saw himself, his fear, and his calling.  Jon is a New York Times bestselling author known for books like Soundtracks and All It Takes Is a Goal. His newest book, Procrastination Proof, grows out of his own story- the years of knowing what he was called to do, but struggling to step into it. If you've ever felt stuck, unsure of your purpose, or like you're waiting until you feel ready, this conversation is for you. 

Show Notes: 

 

Website: https://jonacuff.com/ 

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjonacuff 

  

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

  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/authorjonacuff 

  

Procrastination Proof book: https://www.amazon.com/Procrastination-Proof-Never-Stuck-Again/dp/154090380X 

  

Share a story idea for The Unfolding: https://bit.ly/UnfoldingStories