In this episode of He Speaks with Kate, Kate welcomes Frank Avila for a heartfelt conversation about a lifetime of hearing God’s voice and experiencing His faithfulness.

Frank shares how growing up with an alcoholic father shaped his early years and how a simple invitation from a friend changed the direction of his life. After attending church and receiving Christ, Frank began a lifelong journey of learning to hear God, trust His leading, and follow Him through every season.

After a 30-year career with the IRS, 52 years of marriage, and 40 years of serving at Harvest Church, Frank looks back on the ways God has remained faithful through trials, family, relationships, and unexpected chapters of life.

Frank also shares the story behind his book, Jesus, the IRS and the Cota Boy, originally written for his grandchildren as a way to preserve the story of God’s work in his life. His testimony is an encouragement that the faithfulness of God isn't limited to one moment—it can be seen throughout an entire lifetime.

Main Takeaway: God speaks, God leads, and God is faithful. Through every trial, relationship, and season of life, we can trust Him to guide us one step at a time.

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In this episode of He Speaks with Kate, Kate welcomes Sue Fries—business owner, radio host of The Sue Fries Show, author, and speaker—for an honest conversation about hearing God’s voice, finding freedom from the past, and trusting His plan for your life.

Sue shares how God dramatically redirected her career while she was working in fashion with a simple message: “Get into the bug business.” She listened, and that unexpected step of obedience eventually grew into Ecola, a business with 80 employees.

But Sue’s story goes much deeper than business success. She vulnerably opens up about hurts and trauma from her past and how, during a critical season, God literally used the radio to lead her toward the help she needed. Through healing, learning to forgive herself, and surrendering her past to God, Sue discovered a freedom that she now uses to bring hope to others.

Today, Sue continues to encourage people through radio, speaking, writing, and her latest book, Why Am I Here? Her story is a reminder that our past does not have to determine our future—and God can use every part of our journey for a greater purpose.

Main Takeaway: Listen when God speaks. His plans may take you somewhere you never expected, but as you trust and follow Him, He can bring freedom from your past and use your life to bless others.

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In this episode of He Speaks with Kate, Kate welcomes Steve Husting—husband, father, artist, author, evangelist, and joyful servant—for an encouraging conversation about hearing God’s voice, walking in obedience, and trusting Him with the outcome.

Steve shares his journey of following God while living with severe hearing loss, including seasons of isolation before receiving a cochlear implant that changed his world. Along the way, God taught him what surrender looks like in both the big and small areas of life. From prompting Steve to let go of things he was holding onto—including his comic book collection—to clearly pointing out the woman who would become his wife, Steve has learned that listening to God often requires a willingness to obey.

During one of his most difficult seasons, Steve asked God a question he had carried for years: “Why aren’t I healed?” The answer he sensed from God—“I take full responsibility”—allowed Steve to finally release the outcome and rest in God’s care.

Today, Steve continues to serve wherever God places him, whether teaching Sunday school, helping behind the scenes, sharing his creativity, or simply being available to others.

Main Takeaway: God is faithful, even when His answer looks different from what we hoped for. We can trust Him with the outcome, walk in obedience, and believe that He will provide everything we truly need.

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In this episode of He Speaks with Kate, Kate welcomes Alli Joy Vazquez, wife, mother, and full-time evangelist serving in global ministry, for an encouraging conversation about what it means to truly pursue the presence of God.

Alli Joy shares how her journey of hearing God’s voice began at a young age and how a life filled with the Holy Spirit has shaped her faith and ministry. Together, Kate and Alli discuss why our private devotional life matters more to God than our public ministry—and why time alone with Jesus is one of the most valuable things we can prioritize.

Alli also offers encouragement to women who feel called to serve, reminding them, “Don’t fight to be a woman in ministry, just be a woman and do ministry.” For anyone struggling to hear God’s voice, she encourages making space to get away from the distractions, seek Him in the secret place, and simply spend time in His presence.

Kate and Alli close the episode by praying for listeners and pointing back to what our hearts are ultimately searching for: His presence.

Main Takeaway: Pursuing God begins in the secret place. Before our ministry, responsibilities, or accomplishments, He desires our hearts. Make time to be alone with Jesus, listen for His voice, and seek His presence above everything else.

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In this episode of He Speaks with Kate, Kate sits down with her husband, Jim Dearborn, to share an incredible story of God's faithfulness and the importance of listening for His voice.

Jim recounts how his journey of faith began by listening to KWVE Radio, never imagining that 26 years later he would marry one of the station's on-air hosts. Throughout the conversation, Jim shares several moments when God spoke clearly into his life. During a season of discouragement, God gently reminded him, "There are more people with less, doing more for Me." That simple nudge led Jim to step out of self-pity and begin serving in homeless ministry, where his perspective—and his heart—were transformed.

Jim also shares a pivotal moment during a breakup with Kate. As he prepared to move to Dearborn, Michigan, for a radio opportunity, he questioned whether he had misunderstood God's promise that he would one day be married. What happened next became a powerful reminder that God's plans are always better than our own.

Join Kate and Jim for an honest conversation about trusting God's timing, recognizing His voice, and remaining faithful through every season of life.

Main Takeaway: Stay close to God whether you're single or married. Even when life doesn't unfold the way you hoped, trust His timing, follow His leading, and remember that He is always faithful. His plans are greater than our own.

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In this episode of He Speaks with Kate, Kate welcomes Pastor Christopher Perrin of Life After Death Tattoo Studio in Costa Mesa, California, for an honest conversation about the power of our thoughts and the freedom found in God's truth.

Christopher shares his testimony of God's faithfulness and how the Lord delivered him from anxiety and suicidal thoughts, transforming his life through the renewing power of Scripture. Kate also vulnerably opens up about her own journey of healing from an eating disorder, sharing how God's grace restored her identity and brought lasting hope.

Together, they explore God's goodness, His unfailing faithfulness, and practical, biblical ways to renew our minds each day. Christopher shares a life-changing truth the Lord impressed on his heart:

"You are a product of the thoughts that you entertain."

This episode is a powerful reminder that lasting transformation begins by replacing lies with God's truth and allowing Him to shape the way we think.

Main Takeaway: Your thoughts shape your life. When you fill your mind with God's Word and choose to believe His truth over the lies of fear, shame, and anxiety, you'll experience the freedom, peace, and hope that only Christ can give.

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In this episode of He Speaks with Kate, Kate welcomes Justin Bright—Assistant Pastor, church planter, safety specialist, and evangelist at First Love Church in Costa Mesa—for a powerful conversation about surrender, redemption, and trusting God's direction.

Justin shares his journey from years of wandering through drug and alcohol abuse to finding lasting freedom in Christ. As God transformed his life through sobriety, He also gave Justin a new purpose: serving others and proclaiming the hope of the Gospel. Justin reflects on the incredible ways God has faithfully provided, clearly spoken, and guided him through seasons of uncertainty—even when he had no clear plan for what came next.

Together, Kate and Justin discuss what it means to trust God completely, surrender your own agenda, and discover that His plans are always better than our own. They also highlight the life-changing power of prayer and the peace that comes from placing every step into God's hands.

Main Takeaway: Surrender is the key to walking with God. When we lay down our own plans, seek Him in prayer, and trust His leading, He faithfully provides, guides, and accomplishes far more than we could ever imagine.

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In this episode of He Speaks with Kate, Kate welcomes Dawn Carter Cropsey of First Love Church in Costa Mesa for an uplifting conversation about following God's leading and faithfully serving wherever He calls.

Dawn reflects on the lasting impact of both her earthly father's love and her Heavenly Father's faithfulness, sharing how those early experiences shaped her heart for ministry and helping others. She talks about God's guidance throughout her college years, the blessing of serving alongside her husband in ministry, and her passion for encouraging women to discover and use the gifts God has given them.

With a Master's degree in Counseling and a bachelor's degree in Child Development, Dawn brings wisdom, compassion, and biblical truth to everything she does. Whether mentoring women, supporting her church, or sharing encouragement online through her Faith & Fashion ministry (@DawnDawnCarter), her desire is to point others toward a deeper relationship with Christ.

Through her gifts of encouragement, teaching, and discernment, Dawn reminds us that God faithfully directs those who are willing to follow Him.

Main Takeaway: Let God lead your life. As you trust His direction and faithfully serve others with the gifts He's given you, He will use your life to encourage, strengthen, and point people to Him.

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In this episode of He Speaks with Kate, Kate welcomes Pastor Ben Isaac and Eleyn Isaac for a warm, encouraging conversation about the many ways God speaks to His children.

Ben shares a memorable experience while visiting Israel, where an unexpected encounter with a school of fish became a beautiful reminder of God's creativity and personal care. Eleyn reflects on a special season in their relationship, sharing how God gave her a clear dream while they were dating that brought peace to her heart and confirmed that Ben was the man she would marry.

For the past 25 years, Ben and Eleyn have faithfully served young people, witnessing countless lives transformed through the truth of God's Word and the love of Christ. Today, they believe God is calling them to continue sharing the Gospel with their local community through a weekly Bible study every Saturday morning at 10 a.m. at Smith Park in San Gabriel, California.

Together, they share how God captured their hearts, called them into ministry, and continues to faithfully lead them one step at a time.

Main Takeaway: Be strong and courageous. God is always with you, faithfully leading and guiding those who trust Him. As Joshua 1:9 reminds us, "Be strong and of good courage... for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

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In this episode of He Speaks with Kate, Kate welcomes Linda Radich, Spiritual Development Coordinator for Army of Love Discipleship Ministry, to share a remarkable story of God's redeeming power.

Linda courageously opens up about experiencing abuse at a young age, years of painful choices, and the deep hopelessness that followed. She also shares her journey through abortion and the overwhelming grace she found in Christ. Through it all, God delivered her from a spirit of death that had plagued her family and lifted her from the pit of despair, replacing brokenness with hope and purpose.

Today, Linda serves as a bold evangelist, counselor, mentor, and teacher, helping others experience the same freedom she found in Jesus. Through Army of Love, she equips churches with discipleship training and support materials, ministering to people throughout the United States and East Africa.

This honest conversation is a powerful reminder that no past is beyond God's redemption and no life is too broken for His healing touch.

Main Takeaway: God never gives up on us. No matter where we've been or what we've done, His grace is greater, His love never fails, and He delights in bringing healing, hope, and new purpose to every life.

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