For many years, Kim Hughes of our Fairhope community lived a try-harder lifestyle in which the effort she put forth was equal to the emptiness she felt. Half-commitments to the Lord left her striving for comfort in worldly things.

But when He shook up her plans and pursued her heart, Kim finally found herself pursuing Him in return—and also the rich relationship she’d missed out on.

In this episode, you will learn:

– When you receive His grace instead of trying to earn it, you walk closer to Jesus.

– If the Lord has removed you from your comfort zone, pay attention to what His purpose is in your life.

– Until Jesus is enough, nothing ever will be.

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When faced with infertility and interrupted plans, Kitty Hurdle from our Oxford community,  grew disappointed in life and disappointed in God. Spiritual, physical, and emotional destitution revealed all the things she could not do.

But in learning her limitations—and choosing to trust God in all her "cannots"—Kitty’s perspective became one of rebirth and revival. Soon, her family’s adoption story spoke Gospel truth into her soul. 

In this episode, you will learn:

– Vibrant spiritual life requires our trust in Him at all times.

– God creates beautiful things out of the nothingness in our lives.

– He alone can sympathize with our weaknesses.

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When Leah Cox from our Jackson community asked the Lord to close some doors, He instead “opened them all—and every window.” 

Leah’s story of living out the gospel is one of steady provision and greater purposes. As she kept in continual communication with the Lord during her kidney transplant journey, He regularly confirmed her steps. 

Leah will remind you to say yes to God—your life is not your own. 

In this episode, you will learn:

– Be on the lookout for the seeds God is planting and be open to His nudging.

– A life of faith does not line up with a life of “what-ifs.”

– When you say yes to God, there is no telling where He might lead you.

Listen to a similar story- Ep. 181 Susannah Cleveland: A Perfect Match

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We are never more near to our Savior than when we are suffering. In that way, we are able to thank Him for it—even when the suffering is unimaginable. 

For EA Montgomery, of our Homewood community, a lifetime of loss has given way to an eternal mindset, and grace upon grace has given way to gratitude. 

Following the unexpected passing of her two-year-old daughter, EA shares a raw and honest account of what it’s like to journey from the pits of despair to a place of joy and peace. 

In this episode, you will learn:

— The Lord will never lead you to where his grace cannot sustain you. 

— When you fully trust Him, you can face anything.

— He is merciful, gracious, and loving in all circumstances. 

— Your only hope in life and in death is in your Savior, Jesus Christ.

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The path to His promises is never predictable. But for Amanda Myers, of our Jackson community, what felt like a detour proved to be the way.

Amanda shares about her precious, ongoing relationship with Guatemala and its people. In making sense of the Lord's work, He changed her mind as much as He changed her plans.

In this episode, you will learn:

- His ways are bigger, better, and beautiful—and often very different from ours.

- We are called to faithfully follow God and lean on His promises in seasons of interrupted plans.

- He is sovereign over our circumstances and provides peace and provisions along the way. 

Check out the StoryTellers Live scripture card set!

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Our great God goes to great lengths to love us and redeem us. Still, He works in seemingly small ways, too. For Lauren, He did both.

Lauren shares a detail-rich story that proves the Lord is always gracious, always near, and always working. Listen and learn how an unplanned pregnancy, accompanied with fear and shame, were met with grace and goodness at every turn.

You won’t believe the powerful affirmations the Lord brought about in Lauren’s life!

In this episode, you will learn:

• The Lord longs to redeem and restore his lost sheep.
• He places just the right people in our lives—at just the right times.
• We are who He says we are; judgment and shame fall away when we rest in Him.

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Have you ever found yourself saying “I got this” to God?

Erin Yost, from our Homewood community, spent years striving for physical and spiritual perfection, living out a false-gospel narrative that told her everything was up to her. Eventually, she found herself completely broken and in the grips of a full-fledged eating disorder.

Through moment-by-moment surrender, persistent prayer, and running to Him for help, Erin shares how she found rescue, recovery, and freedom in Jesus.

In this episode, you will learn:

— His grace is sufficient; it’s not up to us.

— Coming to the end of ourselves is an opportunity to learn full reliance on God.

— Surrender to the Lord often requires moment-by-moment trust and obedience. Links:

Ep. 117- Mari Beth Poor -"The Octopus of Anorexia" 

Listen on Patreon to the Story Within the Story with Mari Beth Poor

Book by Brennan Manning: Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out

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Verse: "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life." (Matthew 19:29)

Sajeda Wilson lived decades before opening a Bible. Yet, even from birth, the Lord prepared and pursued her heart in beautiful and surprising ways.

Sajeda, a former devout Muslim who shared in our Vestavia community, led a works-based lifestyle that eventually left her lacking—and looking. Hear how years of reading and research, together with the work of the Spirit, resulted in surrender to Jesus.

In this episode, you will learn:

– The Lord prepares and pursues the hearts of His people.

– He is sovereign over our upbringing and uses all parts of our lives to draw us to Himself.

– Jesus longs for all people across different cultures, traditions, and religions to know their creator and true purpose in following Him.

Links:

Audiobook by Nabeel Qureshi: Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus

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**Disclaimer:  Please listen with caution and away from little ears as this story is about suicide and abuse.**

Verse:

Psalm 77:11

I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

Have you ever felt like everything is falling apart around you? Take heart from our Fairhope storyteller Tami Lindsey: “God will recycle your pain for His purpose.”

Tami shares how the Lord’s presence got her through years of trauma and tragedy. She will encourage you to focus on the beauty and blessings found in even the hardest of times.

In this episode, you will learn: 

— We can choose to see the good in our difficult circumstances.

— The Lord provides His presence and His people when we walk through heartache.

— God knows the big picture, and He has a plan for our lives.

StoryTellers Live When God Shows Up Bible Studies:  Freedom & Hope

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Jayne Burns’s turning point in life came with her world turning upside down. Ripped from her comfort zone (her words) over her son’s multiple health challenges, Jayne tells of bending to the will of God, no matter the outcome.

From our Montgomery community, Jayne's account of living in our fallen world is raw and honest. Listen, and you’ll find that the Lord speaks audibly to His hurting people, loves them deeply, and always knows what’s best.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Seeking to submit is a difficult but right response during hardship.
• God is good, but our world is fallen. What will you do in your brokenness?
• Peace and wholeness are only found in Jesus.

LINKS:

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When we journey through a valley of loss and grief, we often emerge asking, "What now, God?" April Gonzales wondered the same after losing her husband of 21 years. But as she leaned in ever closer for His answer, He sweetly responded.

Listen and learn how April, from our Trussville community, experienced God recentered in her life as Father, friend and guide. Perhaps you'll proclaim as April now does: never say never with God. 

In this episode, you will learn:

• If and when you face the unimaginable, God's got you.

• He's not done with you. Rely on God to help you take the next best steps toward His plans and purposes.

• Only God can redeem and renew our hardest chapters.

LINKS: 

"Goodness of God" by Cece Winans

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• Jenn Louthan Interiors

• Sarah Beth Hagler Jewelry on Instagram- @SBHJewelry

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