Anchored

Emma was a fighter—on the mat and in life. But after a heartbreaking trial shook her to the core, even she began to question if God still loved her. Focus faded. Faith wavered. Until, in a quiet moment of desperation, she whispered, “Help me remember my moves.”

Days later, still carrying the weight of the pain, she placed 3rd in a wrestling tournament. But the real victory was what she found off the mat: a God who hadn’t left her, even in the dark.

At youth camp, she learned she wasn’t okay without Him—and didn’t have to be. She learned that forgiveness heals the one who offers it. And when the burden grew too heavy, she learned the quiet power of surrender: “Sometimes you just have to give it to the Lord.

TRIGGER WARNING:This episode includes discussion of sexual assault, which may be sensitive for some listeners. Please take care as you listen.

Damon never asked for the storm inside his mind. From his earliest memories, anxiety was a constant shadow, and as the years unfolded, so did the manic highs and crushing lows of undiagnosed bipolar disorder. Friendships felt distant. Emotions tangled. And by the time he stepped off a plane in Argentina as a young missionary, the weight of it all nearly broke him. He survived on priesthood blessings, quiet miracles, and a fear of failing—but peace remained just out of reach. Years later, after a healing blessing, heavy medications, and a devastating autoimmune crash, Damon still found himself asking: Where is God in all of this? The answer came slowly—not in flashes of light, but in glimmers from the rearview mirror. Now a father of eight, a grandfather, and the host of a podcast for Saints navigating mental illness, Damon shares the gritty, grace-filled journey of rebuilding faith again and again. This isn’t a story of quick healing. It’s a story of holy survival. And the God who walks with us, even when we can’t feel Him—yet.

Show Notes: 

Podcast: Depression, Anxiety & Bipolar - Living as a Latter-day Saint

Sherene had the picture-perfect dream: five beautiful kids, a strong 35-year marriage, and a deep desire to be the kind of mother who got everything right. But behind the smiles was a woman crushed by the weight of perfectionism—and the pressure was breaking her. One ordinary day, a spilled cup of milk and a sharp yell shattered more than just peace at the kitchen table. It broke something in Sherene… and began her unexpected journey toward something far better than perfection. As she studied the way Jesus walked and talked—even with the scribes and Pharisees who challenged Him—Sherene discovered a new kind of parenting. One rooted in calm, compassion, and grace. Her children still tested limits. She still made mistakes. But this time, she held onto something far more powerful than control—she held onto Christ. For anyone who’s ever felt like they’re failing at what matters most, this is a story of hope, humility, and the Savior who meets us in the mess. Because real transformation doesn’t come from doing it all right—it comes  from letting Jesus in.

Show Notes: 

https://www.christ-centered-parent.com

[email protected]

Michael came from pioneer roots—but he wanted nothing to do with structure, rules, or faith. By 15, he was living on the streets. By 19, he was in the military, hardened and distant, until a platoon leader delivered life-altering news: his mom was dying. Her death shattered his world. Years later, desperate and alone, Michael knelt down and asked three questions: Is my mom still there? Is Heavenly Father real? Are families really forever? The answer came not in words, but in unmistakable peace—and an unseen arm holding him close. That moment changed everything. His path to conversion wasn’t fast, but it was deep. Marriage, kids, and deployments followed. But faith grew distant again—until one night, lost and aching, Michael walked into the San Diego Temple just before closing. There, a single scripture pierced his soul: “Did I not speak peace...?” This is Michael’s story—raw, redemptive, and real. A journey of rebellion, relentless grace, and the truth that when the water gets rough, the safest place will always be in the lifeboat.

Show Notes: 

https://www.facebook.com/mike.schmid.3576/;  www.NexusPharmacyAlliance.com

Samantha thought she had her life mapped out—mission service, temple marriage, a growing family, and a dream of working in the medical field. But when her mission ended early, her faith cracked. Questions about God, Joseph Smith, and eternal families crept in. A diagnosis of bipolar 2 only deepened the divide. Tattoos replaced tradition. She went to church without partaking, and quietly questioned everything she once believed. Yet through it all, her husband stayed—praying, fasting, hoping. And then the dreams began. A temple. Her family in white. Three times, vivid and undeniable. She didn’t know it yet, but God was calling her home. This is a story of heartbreak and healing, of unanswered prayers and unexpected grace. Of a woman who thought she'd lost her place—until she walked back into the temple and found God had been holding her hand all along.

Show Notes: 

samanthasharpern.blogspot.com

Travis was the awkward youngest kid, lost and unsure where he belonged. Battling low self-esteem, he found strength only when he discovered who he truly was—a beloved child of God. “The core of my confidence came from knowing who I was,” he says. Years later, after surviving a life-threatening illness, Travis faces his toughest challenge yet: unemployment and mounting financial pressure while serving as bishop. Just when hope seems to slip away, mysterious miracles appear—insurance that won’t let him fall through the cracks, and an anonymous gift left in his office—stacks of hundred-dollar bills with a note that changes everything. In a world of doubt and struggle, Travis learns what it means to trust when the way forward is anything but clear.

Tracy Jo was once a professional jockey chasing speed and success. Now a mindset coach and mother of seven, she rides for something deeper. After finding God at 21 and promising to leave behind years of drinking, she gave Him her life—and He’s held it ever since. When a quiet road trip turned into a near-fatal head-on collision with a drunk driver, everything she had trusted was put to the test. Five broken ribs. A fractured tibia. A broken hand and collarbone. But no life-threatening injuries. Miraculously, her recently purchased car—prompted by the Spirit—was built to protect her. And it did. From a preacher who prayed over her at the scene to answered prayers during her daughter’s wedding, Tracy Jo’s recovery became a testament to divine design. She knows what it’s like to bargain with God and not get the outcome she hoped for. Divorce. Kids stepping away from the Church. But she’s learned to let go—and hold on to love. This is a story of redemption, trust, and the quiet peace that comes when you finally let God write the ending.

Cliffton always thought he knew who he was—chiropractor, husband, believer. But when the world around him begins to unravel, he’s forced to face the kind of fire that either refines or destroys. Raised on stories of miracles—like the grandmother who prayed his grandfather back to life—Cliffton carries a legacy of unshakable faith. But nothing prepares him for the betrayal of a trusted community, the pressure to conform, or the quiet battle to hold onto truth when everything screams to let go. Rooted in Christ and driven by a deeper call to “be a man,” Cliffton must decide if his testimony will survive the storm—or be reborn in it.

Show Notes: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cliffton-brady/

4-Part Daily Practice in Journal:

1. Gratitude
2. Proof this is working in my life (examples)
3. What’s really going on?
4. What is my inspired action?

Lynne always believed. At five years old, she felt it—the unmistakable warmth of truth—as her father spoke of heaven after the brief, heartbreaking life of her baby brother. A teacher’s testimony soon followed, sealing something eternal deep inside her. But belief alone wasn’t enough to keep her fully awake. Now, decades later—surrounded by children, grandchildren, and the steady rhythms of church life—Lynne makes a simple mistake at the temple recommend desk. It should’ve been nothing. Instead, it becomes everything. That moment shatters her spiritual autopilot and pulls her into a quiet, holy unraveling. What begins as a stumble becomes a summons. To remember. To write. To serve. To trust again. As she answers a divine invitation to consecrate her time, Lynne must face her deepest fears—of inadequacy, aging, and not being enough—and discover the God who’s been beside her all along.

Show Notes: 

https://latterdaysaintmag.com/author/lynne-christofferson/

https://www.christoffersonmusic.com/ 

Lamonte never expected a simple invitation to Mutual would change the course of his life. Raised in a fractured faith, he wandered far—until love, loss, and relentless grace pulled him back. From a rising career in architecture to devastating financial collapse, from a silent God to quiet, unmistakable miracles, Lamonte’s journey is one of trembling tithing checks, soul-deep sorrow, and a love that never gave up. When one son disappeared into rebellion and another battled lifelong illness, Lamonte clung to the one truth he’d come to know: God is patient—and He never lets go. A story of heartbreak, redemption, and the gentle pursuit of a Father who writes miracles into even the darkest chapters.