The Nothing Is Wasted Podcast

“Blessing” is a word we throw around a lot in church circles. Every pastor has probably preached about it more times than they can count, and Mark Batterson is no exception. He’s even written about it in his newest book, Double Blessing. But what does a blessing actually look like? How do we know what is and isn’t a blessing? And what does it mean to see blessings even in the midst of trials? Mark unpacks all this and beyond in conversation with Davey about blessings, prayer, trials, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kasey Van Norman knows firsthand how God takes our trials and our pain and turns them around for good. She’s written a book called Nothing Wasted, and the title alone tells you that she is no stranger to the sort of things we talk about on this podcast. Kasey learned the hard way that God doesn’t waste anything when trauma early in her life left her with a disconnect between what she believed about God for others and what she believed for herself. Kasey sits down with Davey to share her story of sexual trauma, infidelity, cancer, and more, and how she’s learned firsthand through it all that nothing is wasted. Visit Kasey's Website Buy Nothing Wasted Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trauma has a weird way of sneaking up on us. So many of us have experienced traumas big and small that we don’t even know the effects of to this day. These things that happen in the past live with us in the present and shape our lives without our noticing. This is at the root of the work that Aundi Kolber does. As a professional counselor and author, Aundi tries to help people understand the trauma they’ve experienced and how to heal from emotional wounds both seen and unseen. In this current season as we’re all dealing with the effects of COVID-19 and the traumas both big and small that come with it, this message hits especially close to home. Aundi sits down with Davey to share some of her own story of dealing with trauma and the tools she’s learned to help others deal with theirs. Visit Aundi's Website Follow Aundi on Instagram Buy Aundi's Book: Try Softer Find a Therapist - Visit Emdria.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nona Jones had what looked on the outside like success. She got a job at a Fortune 100 company at only 23, and her professional life only seemed to go up and to the right from there. Married to a pastor and with a deep faith of her own, it seemed that Nona had the “perfect” Christian life. But under the surface, trauma that had gone unaddressed built up until it could no longer be ignored, and Nona found herself in a crisis. Was all her success really enough? In her newest book Success from the Inside Out, Nona talks about how to deal with your past to have real success in the present. Nona sits down with Davey to share her story and how she’s learned to overcome her past traumas and help others do the same. Buy Success from the Inside Out Check out Nona's website Follow Nona on Instagram Visit Nona on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justin Skeesuck and Patrick Gray are, quite literally, lifelong best friends. Born only a couple days apart in the same small-town hospital, there hasn’t been a day when the two weren’t close. But when a teenaged Justin was diagnosed with a degenerative neuromuscular disease, both of their lives and their friendship were changed forever. Through unimaginable trial, these two friends have dedicated their lives to bringing the hope of Jesus to whoever they encounter. Justin and Patrick sit down with Davey to share their story and the things they’ve learned about friendship and hope in the midst of trials. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS SERIES PART FOUR From the outside, you could look at Ciara Weese’s life and see something close to a modern-day fairy tale. Married to her kindergarten best friend with a baby on the way and jobs as youth pastors at a church, Ciara’s life today bears little resemblance to the darkness in her past. Under the weight of trauma kept secret, unhealed wounds, and unspoken temptation, Ciara found herself cheating on her husband with other women. She walked away from her husband and from God, but that’s not where her story ends. God met Ciara in a New York apartment, hundreds of miles from the love of her life, dating another woman and contemplating suicide. Ciara sits down with Davey to share her powerful story in the conclusion to our Toxic Relationship Series. Follow Ciara on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS SERIES PART THREE When Gary Thomas wrote Sacred Marriage, he probably didn’t know the amount of impact he would have. Now, with nearly a million copies sold, his words have been responsible for helping heal and sustain countless marriages. Which is, in part, why it’s so interesting that his newest book is called When To Walk Away. In the years since his earlier book, Gary has learned that in any relationship, whether friendship, marriage, family, or anything else, staying in a relationship with a person is not always for the best. Gary sits down with Davey to continue our series on toxic relationships by discussing what he’s learned about dealing with toxic people, and when the best thing we can do for ourselves and them is to walk away. Visit Gary's Website Buy When To Walk Away Buy Sacred Marriage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rebecca Bender’s story of becoming a victim of human trafficking is, sadly, not a unique one. By many estimates, there are more slaves in the world today than in any other time in history. In this bonus episode, Rebecca shares about some resources on how we can combat human trafficking in our own communities. This bonus episode is just a taste of the content we provide for our Nothing Is Wasted Monthly Partners. For more bonus episodes, videos, and more, visit nothingiswasted.com/partners. Visit Rebecca’s Website Call the Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS SERIES PART TWO It’s easy to think of human trafficking as something that happens “somewhere else.” We’d all agree that it’s a horrendous evil, but our subconscious minds dull its edges by framing it as happening in countries thousands of miles away or in the distant past. But for millions of people in the world today, human trafficking is a monster that must be confronted each and every day. For years, Rebecca Bender was one of those people. Caught in a relationship that wasn’t what it seemed, Rebecca was forced through deceit, threats, and abuse to do things she never would have chosen. To continue our Toxic Relationships Series, Rebecca sits down with Davey to share her story of how she escaped from the hell of human trafficking and how she’s found redemption and purpose on the other side. Visit Rebecca's Website Check out Rebecca's Podcast - Hood to Holy Buy Rebecca's Book: In Pursuit of Love Visit Elevate Academy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS SERIES PART ONE Relationships that are worth having are never easy. While this is true for any relationship from friends to family members, it may never be more true than in romance. Anyone, whether single, dating, engaged or married, will tell you that a good relationship with a significant other takes work. Debra Fileta knows this all too well as a licensed counselor specializing in relationships. She often sees people when their relationships are falling apart, and over her years of working with these individuals and couples she’s picked up a ton of wisdom about how to navigate these choppy waters. Debra joins Davey to kick off our Toxic Relationships Series and share some of her knowledge about how we can avoid toxic relationships and keep ours healthy and whole.   Check out Debra's Website Listen to Debra's Podcast Buy Debra's Book: Love in Every Season Buy Debra's Book: True Love Dates Buy Debra's Book: Choosing Marriage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices