In this episode, Laura Frantz, bestselling author and Christy Award winner, joins us to discuss The Indigo Heiress, a sweeping 18th-century story about faith, prayer, courage, and God’s faithfulness in uncertain times.

At the heart of The Indigo Heiress is Juliette, a woman navigating overwhelming circumstances with courage, prayer, and unwavering dependence on God. Her story reminds us that even when life feels out of control, the Lord is still the Author and is always faithful.

In This Episode, We Talk About:

• Why books are some of our greatest teachers

• How God uses fiction to speak to readers’ hearts

• What makes The Indigo Heiress a story of spiritual depth

• The role of prayer in Juliette’s journey

• What true feminine strength looks like

• God’s faithfulness across every century

• The danger of relying on human wisdom instead of God’s

• How your life can be an act worship

Key Takeaways:

• God can use you exactly where you are

• Faithfulness matters more than gifting

• Prayer keeps us dependent on our Creator

• When God calls you, He equips you

• Our lives become worship when we give our gifts back to Him

We also encourage you to spend time in Psalm 139.

Try reading it in multiple translations, then explore Matthew Henry’s commentary for deeper insight. (Link below)

Quote Mentioned: "The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer. In the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the Chapel." -Brother Lawrence

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The Indigo Heiress by Laura Frantz

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Psalm 139

Grab a Copy of Laura's Latest Novel, Belle of Chatham, Here!

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If this episode encouraged you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who loves faith-filled stories.

In today’s episode, we sit down with author and teacher Kat Caldwell to explore her novel Bended Love.

Bended Love offers readers a better vision of romance than what mainstream culture is selling.

We talk about the powerful truth that if you’re going to believe you’re enough, you have to live like you are.

For the writers listening, Kat also shares insights into the mechanics of storytelling, using Bended Love as a case study. We discuss how stories gain depth when authors are willing to explore not just what happens, but what it means. When writers allow themselves to go beyond plot and into the human condition, fiction becomes transformative.

We dive into how faith woven into secular fiction can be one of the most powerful tools for sharing the gospel. Stories don’t have to be labeled “Christian” to be deeply Christ-centered. When characters are genuinely changed by truth, readers start asking the right questions.

Kat also shares how her character Scarlett was written to embody the women who have been overlooked, abandoned, or left behind and how the central theme of the story is that every woman deserves to be defended and treated with honor.

Connect with Kat:

https://katcaldwell.com/

https://katcaldwell.com/book/bended-love/

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What does it mean to truly live intentionally, especially when life feels uncertain or out of our control?

In this episode of Life-Changing Fiction, I’m joined by author S.L. Klein for a conversation about Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren and the deeper questions this story invites us to wrestle with. Together, we explore how fiction can gently awaken us to God’s presence, challenge us to examine our priorities, and call us to live with purpose rather than drifting through life.

At the heart of Waterfall, part of the River of Time Series, is Gabi’s slow, unfolding journey of faith. Rather than instant clarity or easy answers, we see a character wrestling with relatable questions:

• Do I believe in God?

• Why do I believe what I believe?

• What is God asking me to learn through this season?

• How important is my faith to the way I live my life?

We talk about how this gradual, honest process mirrors real spiritual growth and why reading formative books like Waterfall can shape us in each season of life.

This episode also invites reflection on how we’re living day to day. Are we valuing the life God has given us to the fullest? Are we prioritizing family, faith, and community, or getting swept up in distractions that pull us away from what matters most?

Throughout our conversation, we return to the truth that we were never meant to walk alone. True belonging and satisfaction aren’t found in the world’s promises, but in being part of the family of Chris.

Whether this is your first time reading Waterfall or a yearly reread, this conversation will encourage you to reflect on how you’re living, what you’re choosing, and how God may be inviting you to trust Him more deeply—right where you are.

✨ Listen in and let this story meet you in this season.

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What happens when we are fully seen and fully loved?

In this week’s episode of Life-Changing Fiction, we explore a story that powerfully reminds us of a core Gospel truth: Jesus will always love you and accept you. Not the curated version of you. Not the healed version of you. You, as you are.

So many of us live in quiet fear that if others truly knew the deepest parts of us—our wounds, failures, and scars—we would be rejected. This story directly explores that fear.

Catherine knows who she is from the beginning. She is grounded, honest, and willing to face reality, even when it costs her the life she thought she wanted.

Loftus, on the other hand, has spent his life shut off from others. Rejected because of who he is and marked by visible physical scars, he has been told again and again that he is unwanted.

And yet, Catherine sees him.

Her treatment of Loftus mirrors how Christ calls us to love. Through her love, Loftus begins to understand that he is worthy of love.

This story and podcast episode explore:

• Belonging: What it means to be known and chosen

• Facing our scars: Emotional, physical, and spiritual wounds

• Trust: A foundational element of healing

• Surrender: When the life we didn’t choose becomes the path to beauty

• Marriage centered on Christ: A threefold cord not easily broken

• True Christian fiction: Where Christ, not the hero or heroine, is the Savior

As this story beautifully demonstrates, true Christian romance doesn’t ask another person to complete us. Our acceptance is found in Jesus alone. Love between characters becomes transformative because it flows from Christ, not instead of Him.

Interested in reading more stories like this?
👉 Explore Jackie’s books here: https://jackiekillelea.weebly.com/

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What does it look like when God pursues His children personally and uniquely?

In this episode of Life-Changing Fiction, I’m joined by author and reader Joanna K. Harris to discuss The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White, a story that explores how God knows us intimately and speaks to us in ways we can understand.

We dive into how the novel’s two main characters understand God (as well as the world) differently: Margot through numbers and logic, and Drake through questions and impressions, and what that reveals about how God interacts with each of us as individuals.

We also wrestle with harder questions:
What do we do when God feels silent?
What happens when our strengths are tested and no longer enough?
How do justice and mercy work together in a broken world?

If you’ve ever wondered whether God really sees you, knows you, or understands what you need, this episode is for you.

We discuss:

• How God chooses to love and pursue us personally

• Why God speaks differently to different people

• Margot (numbers) vs. Drake (questions) and what that symbolizes

• What to do when God feels silent, and why He still isn’t absent

• When strengths fail and faith must deepen

• Justice and mercy

• Why small, faithful acts of love truly matter

• The joy of being fully known by God

Scripture Referenced:
1 John 3:18 — “Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

Visit https://gracepossible.com/ to learn more about Joanna’s work and writing.

🎧 If this episode encouraged you, be sure to subscribe to Life Changing Fiction and share it with someone who needs the reminder that God still speaks.

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Finding God in Fiction

In this episode of Life-Changing Fiction, I’m joined by bookstagrammer Megan Robertson (@robertson.reads) to discuss When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer. This is a powerful story that invites readers to wrestle with choice, free will, and the sovereignty of God.

At the heart of this novel is Libby’s reality: living two lives and being forced to choose between them. As we explore her journey, we talk about how the book reflects the very real tension we all feel between our day-to-day decisions and the life-altering choices that shape our future.

We discuss how When the Day Comes portrays God’s sovereignty as something good, purposeful, and trustworthy.

This conversation also looks at:

• How fiction helps us reflect on our own past choices

• Why looking back can help us move forward in trust

• Wrestling with purpose, calling, and obedience

• The beauty that can come from pain and sacrifice

• Learning to trust God when the “fire” comes

• Freedom, faith, and surrender in the Christian life

We also reflect on the truth of Proverbs 16:9 (KJV):

“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.”

Grab Your Free Ebook, Finding God in Fiction Here

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Welcome to the very first episode of Life-Changing Fiction

In this solo introduction, McKenna shares the heart behind the show, why fiction has played such a formative role in her own walk with Jesus, and what you can expect from upcoming conversations with authors and readers.

Free Resource Mentioned in This Episode:

Free Guide: Finding God Through Fiction

Grab your copy here:

https://mckenna-kyllo-1.kit.com/ea635872eb

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