Lessons from Living

Author and advocate Jody Hudson joins Lessons From Living to share the powerful story behind her book, “My Promise to Alex,” and the legacy she’s building after losing her 22-year-old daughter, Alex, to late-diagnosed Lyme disease. Jody recounts a decade-long medical mystery, 40 doctors, false negatives on outdated tests, and the painful reality of “invisible illness” and medical gaslighting. She explains early Lyme symptoms (summer-flu feelings, joint pain, brain fog, digestive issues), why only some patients get a bullseye rash, and how timely antibiotics after a tick bite can change everything.

Jody also opens up about caregiving, faith, and resilience; advocating inside a complex medical system; and helping kids develop empathy and selflessness through real-world service. You’ll hear how Alex’s competitive spirit, big heart for the homeless, and deepening faith continue to inspire Jody’s advocacy and foundation work.

What you’ll learn:

• Early signs of Lyme disease and why testing can miss it
• How to advocate for a loved one amid misdiagnosis
• Practical support ideas for caregivers
• Ways to nurture empathy and service in kids

If this episode resonates, share it with someone navigating chronic or “invisible” illness, and subscribe for more conversations that turn hardship into hope.

In this powerful Lessons From Living finale with Mitch Parsons, host Beth Graham dives into Mitch’s vision for The Remnant—a Christ-centered training center designed to call men to holiness, strengthen marriages and fatherhood, and offer a countercultural alternative to modern gym and bar culture. Mitch shares the moment that sparked the idea, why he walked away from traditional gyms, his decision to quit alcohol to protect his marriage and integrity, and how The Remnant will blend fitness, brotherhood, Bible studies, and practical community to forge men who lead at home, church, and city. From addressing oversexualized gym norms to offering sober camaraderie (golf simulator, co-working, marriage events, daddy–child experiences), Mitch lays out a blueprint for discipling men and transforming culture—starting in Denver.

What you’ll learn:

• Why Mitch believes gym culture is failing men—and how The Remnant reframes fitness as discipleship
• Practical steps to replace alcohol-driven socializing with Spirit-led community
• How shoulder-to-shoulder activities help men open up about marriage, parenting, and purpose
• The vision for a holistic training center: fitness, co-working, Bible studies, marriage/fatherhood events, and sober fun
• A call for ordinary men to stand against cultural complacency and lead with courage and holiness
• Mitch’s core life lesson: “If it’s not Jesus, it doesn’t matter—and if He asks, the answer is yes.”

Former Vanderbilt football standout Mitch Parsons joins Beth Graham to share a raw, faith-filled journey from performance-driven living and a seven-year battle with anorexia to freedom, healing, and wholehearted obedience to God. Mitch opens up about the “curse of the athlete,” body image, control, and the long-term neurological and emotional scars of an eating disorder—and how he’s retraining his mind and heart. He talks social media’s pull, leading a family in a city where faith isn’t “cool,” raising bold kids who love Jesus, and building a Christian men’s training center in Denver while trusting God for provision.

What you’ll learn:

• The athlete-to-eating-disorder pipeline: control, identity, and body image
• Long-term impacts of disordered eating and renewing neural pathways
• Living for God vs. impressing people (Galatians 1:10)
• Healthy boundaries with social media while pursuing calling
• Parenting tiny evangelists and cultivating everyday discipleship at home
• Obedience, provision, and surrender when God redirects your plans

In this portion of Dawn Ward’s Lessons From Living conversation with Beth Graham, Dawn goes deeper into the spiritual and emotional realities families face when a loved one struggles with addiction. Key topics: ambiguous loss — grieving a child who is physically present but relationally distant — and how mothers can begin grieving while still holding hope. Dawn explains practical tools for healthy boundaries, the traffic-light method for safer conversations, and the difference between enabling and “rugged love” (love with teeth). She addresses spiritual warfare in families, shares a personal encounter with a sinister presence and how prayer, Scripture and reclaiming the home helped, and wrestles honestly with the disease vs. moral-failure debate from both scientific and biblical perspectives.

This episode is essential listening for Christian moms, caregivers, and faith leaders seeking:

• Guidance on grieving ambiguous loss without losing hope
• Practical communication strategies for difficult interactions
• How to set loving, faith-based boundaries that avoid enabling
• Spiritual practices to protect and restore your home and family
• Perspective on addiction that integrates neuroscience, scripture, and grace

Resources & where to connect with Dawn Ward: From Guilt to Grace (book), TheFaithtoFlourish.com, DawnRWard.com, and The Faith to Flourish social channels — for ministry support, prayer groups, and community for moms navigating addiction. Tune in for candid testimony, biblical counsel, and actionable next steps to move from fear and control into faith, rest, and resilient hope.

Dawn Ward opens up to host Beth Graham about her family's two very different experiences with addiction — one son who fought his way back after being inadvertently exposed to laced drugs in high school, and another who became dependent on prescription pain and anti-anxiety medications compounded by mental-health challenges. Drawing from her book From Guilt to Grace and her Faith to Flourish ministry, Dawn describes how the Holy Spirit prompted her to share a vulnerable, scripture-rooted testimony, the struggle of shedding shame as a Christian parent, and the practical spiritual and emotional tools that helped her move from control and hyper-vigilance to surrender and trust. This episode offers insights on setting healthy boundaries, distinguishing love from enabling, supporting adult children with respect, navigating church stigma, and finding community — especially for Christian moms facing addiction in the family. Tune in for honest stories, faith-based counsel, and actionable resources to help parents find hope, healing, and a path forward.

In this powerful second segment, Stacey Glass shares how an estranged mother–daughter relationship was redeemed through persistent love, faith, and everyday invitations—calls, cards, short visits, and “keeping the door open.” Hear the pivotal moment her mom asked, “Why did you forgive me?,” the quiet watching that rebuilt trust, and how integrity at home matched what her mother saw in public. Stacey recounts a sudden health crisis, a brain tumor diagnosis, treatment, relapse, and 30 sacred hospice days filled with bucket-list grace—motorcycle ride, skydiving, and, ultimately, baptism. We talk practical reconciliation steps, healthy hope vs. forcing outcomes, breaking generational cycles, self-forgiveness, and how community and God’s love heal what trauma breaks. If you’re navigating an estranged parent, grief, or starting over, this testimony offers faith-filled encouragement and actionable ideas.

Topics: reconciliation with an estranged parent, Christian forgiveness, restoration, healing from childhood trauma, grief and hospice, mother–daughter story, keeping boundaries and invitations, breaking cycles, hope, “Grace Between the Cracks.”

Connect with Stacey: staceyglass.com | @StaceyGlassAuthor.

Join host Beth Graham for Lessons From Living’s 100th episode—a heartfelt look back at the podcast’s original vision: elevating ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Beth revisits the story that started it all (Episode 1: Will Reynolds and his life-changing kidney donation), reflects on a growing body of work, and shares behind-the-scenes challenges of finding humble, never-before-featured voices alongside seasoned storytellers. Discover insights on perseverance, the power of a singular voice in audio, steady growth, faith interwoven with resilience, and what keeps this inspirational podcast moving forward.

Help shape the next 100 episodes:

• Share stories of everyday heroes in your life
• Rate and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify
• Subscribe and share with a friend
• Watch episodes on YouTube
• Email Beth: [email protected]

In this powerful episode of Lessons From Living, Stacey Glass shares her remarkable journey from a traumatic childhood marked by addiction and abandonment to finding hope through the loving hands of a church community. Discover how a pastor's family driving 20 minutes out of their way three times a week, a music director who saw potential beyond circumstances, and surrogate families who opened their doors changed the trajectory of not just one life, but generations to come.

Stacey's story reveals the profound impact of small acts of love - from picking up a third-grader for church to encouraging musical talents to providing a safe home when nowhere else existed. She also candidly discusses the lasting wounds from careless words by teachers and coaches, showing how both positive and negative influences shape our self-perception.

This episode explores themes of resilience, the irreplaceable longing for maternal connection, finding worth in Christ versus performance, and the ripple effects of showing up for hurting children. Whether you're in ministry, education, or simply want to make a difference in someone's life, Stacey's story will inspire you to see the extraordinary power of ordinary kindness.

What does success really mean? After two heart attacks derailed his Wall Street career, Adrian Jones had to completely redefine his markers of achievement. In this deeply personal conversation with Beth Graham, Adrian shares how health crises forced him to confront the truth: traditional success was literally killing him.

Discover Adrian's powerful framework for career reinvention, including the Japanese concept of Ikigai (a life worth living), the "I Want" exercise for radical honesty, and why self-compassion isn't "woo-woo"—it's essential survival. Adrian reveals the hidden costs of living misaligned with your purpose, from regret to physical deterioration, and explains why transformation happens best in community, not isolation.

Whether you're at a career crossroads, feeling burned out, or simply questioning if there's more to life than your current path, this episode offers practical tools and hope for reinvention. Learn how to give yourself permission to choose YOU, build a foundation of self-compassion, and find work that lights up your soul—before a crisis forces the decision.

In this powerful Lessons From Living episode, Adrian Jones shares how surviving two “widow-maker” heart attacks—one in 2016 and another in 2024—finally forced him to transform his life. We explore what his life and definition of success looked like before these health crises, why the first heart attack wasn’t enough to spark lasting change, and why it often takes a life-threatening “wake-up call” for us to finally listen. Adrian opens up about stress, lifestyle, ambition, and the mindset shifts that followed his second heart attack, offering honest insight for anyone ignoring warning signs in their own life.