Mental Health Matters for Christians

For 45 years, Melissa Jean Rod believed she knew who her father was—until a shocking discovery in an old military document revealed otherwise. What followed was a two-year search involving DNA testing, family secrets, unanswered questions, and an unexpected dream that Melissa believes was a gift from God.

In this deeply personal conversation, Melissa shares how growing up with feelings of rejection and abandonment shaped her sense of identity and self-worth. As she searched for her biological father, she began to discover something even more profound: her identity wasn't determined by her earthly father's absence, her mother's secrets, or the circumstances of her birth. Through her relationship with Jesus Christ, she found healing, forgiveness, and a deeper understanding of the Father heart of God.

TOPICS DISCUSSED

• Growing up with feelings of rejection and abandonment

• The shocking discovery about her father's identity at age 45

• Her mother's secret and the painful search for answers

• DNA testing and the search for her biological father

• An extraordinary dream about the father she never knew

• How father wounds can shape identity and self-worth

• Forgiving her mother and finding emotional healing

• Discovering her true identity in Christ and the Father heart of God

Contact Melissa: https://melissajeanrod.com/

Melissa's book: The Daddy Files

https://a.co/d/0gz0SIUc

Ep30 of Mental Health Matters for Christians

What happens when a pastor loves God but hides a sex addiction he can’t stop?

Nate Larkin, founder of the Samson Society, joins Christine for an honest conversation about pornography, sex addiction, shame, and recovery. Nate shares how his secret life led him to leave ministry, threatened his marriage, and eventually brought him into a community where he could be honest and experience acceptance.
His story explores the cost of hiding and the hope found through grace, connection, and asking for help.

TOPICS DISCUSSED

- Growing up as a preacher’s kid and feeling pressure to appear perfect.

- Early exposure to pornography and the cycle of guilt, secrecy, and shame.

- Why marriage and becoming a pastor didn’t resolve his addiction.

- The escalation from pornography to sexual acting out.

- Leaving ministry while continuing to hide his struggle.

- His wife’s ultimatum and the turning point that led him to seek help.

- Overcoming the fear of walking into a recovery meeting.

- Experiencing honesty, safety, and acceptance in a recovery community.

- Discovering a kinder understanding of God and learning to bring his real self into relationships.

- How recovery affected his marriage, children, and friendships.

- The origins of the Samson Society and its support for Christian men.

- Why recovery involves ongoing honesty and connection.

- Childhood grief, his mother’s death by suicide, and the impact of religious perfectionism.

- Learning to accept help through therapy and community.

🔹 Connect with Nate

https://www.samsonsociety.com

Nate's book: Samson and the Pirate Monks

https://a.co/d/09cQAiGE

🔹 Connect with Christine

https://www.worthycreations.org/

RESOURCES MENTIONED

- The Samson Society

- Alcoholics Anonymous, commonly known as the Big Book

- Pure Desire Ministries https://puredesire.org

#NateLarkin #AddictionRecovery #ChristianMentalHealth

Ep29 of Mental Health Matters for Christians

Can psychology and biblical discipleship work together—or do Christians have to choose?

In this conversation, Christine sits down with Christian therapist Tim Long to explore why psychology has become such a controversial subject in parts of the church. They discuss the legitimate concerns Christians may have about secular psychology, while also examining what can be lost when psychology and counseling are rejected altogether. CA-7 Discipleship v Psychology …

Tim explains why biblical discipleship should provide the foundation and lens through which Christians understand themselves and the world, while psychological insights can still help us understand trauma, anxiety, relationships, emotions and patterns of behavior. They also discuss the danger of allowing psychology to replace the gospel—and the opposite danger of treating the Bible as if it were simply a therapy handbook.

🔹 Connect with Tim• Website: https://www.kainoschristiantherapy.com/🔹 Connect with Christine• Website: https://www.worthycreations.org/

Mike Caven grew up in a home marked by violence, rejection and sexual abuse—experiences that left deep wounds of shame and fueled years of sexual brokenness and addiction. Even after coming to faith, Mike discovered that following Jesus didn't make those wounds disappear overnight.

In this conversation, Mike shares his journey through porn and sex addiction, same-sex attraction, and the long process of emotional and spiritual healing. Along the way, he began to discover the Father heart of God and recognize God's fingerprints throughout his story. Mike also shares why healing isn't always instantaneous—and how forgiveness, trusted relationships, counseling and walking with God became important parts of his journey.

TOPICS DISCUSSED

• Growing up with an abusive and volatile father

• Childhood sexual abuse and its lasting impact

• Same-sex attraction, shame and sexual addiction

• Pornography and the deeper needs beneath sexual brokenness

• Discovering the Father heart of God

• Why trust can go deeper than accountability

• Forgiveness, counseling and the process of healing

• Why healing doesn't always happen instantly

• Recognizing God's fingerprints in a painful story

🔹 Connect with Mike

https://restorepurity.com

Mike's book: The Choice and the Challenge

https://a.co/d/0hG94edM

🔹 Connect with Christine

https://www.worthycreations.org/

Ep 26 of Mental Health Matters for Christians Podcast

For years, Priscilla Fretwell believed she had the life she had always wanted: a loving husband, five children, a beautiful home, church involvement, and what appeared to be a strong Christian marriage. But behind that picture-perfect life, her husband Phil was hiding a decades-long struggle with pornography and sexual addiction—one that eventually crossed the boundaries of their marriage.

In this deeply candid conversation, Priscilla shares the wife’s side of betrayal—the anger, grief, denial, and devastating loss of trust, but also the difficult journey toward healing. She explains why recovery eventually required more than simply fixing Phil’s behavior: they had to confront the emotional and spiritual disconnection that had existed beneath the surface of their marriage and begin dealing with their own wounds.

Today, Priscilla and Phil help other couples discover that even after profound betrayal, brokenness does not have to be the end of the story.

TOPICS DISCUSSED

- Pornography and sex addiction in marriage

- Betrayal and broken trust

- The pressure of the “perfect” Christian marriage

- Emotional and spiritual disconnection

- Anger, grief, fear, and denial after disclosure

- Personal responsibility and healing

- Confession, honesty, and rebuilding intimacy

- Marriage recovery after sexual betrayal

🔹 Connect with Priscilla and Phil

https://www.savagemarriageministries.com/

Priscilla and Phil's book: Savage Marriage

https://a.co/d/00rBalRT

🔹 Connect with Christine

https://www.worthycreations.org/

#betrayal #pornaddictionrecovery

For 28 years, Phil Fretwell hid a secret sexual addiction from his wife, Priscilla—even while teaching Bible studies and serving as a leader in his church. What began with pornography in childhood eventually escalated, all while Phil maintained the outward appearance of a devoted Christian husband, father, and leader.

In this deeply candid conversation, Phil shares what was underneath his double life: a longing for affirmation, fear of rejection, pride, and an inability to experience genuine intimacy. He explains why counseling alone didn't end the secrecy—and what finally happened 28 years into his marriage that forced him to bring everything into the light.

Phil also shares what happened after he confessed everything to Priscilla, why he believes “disclosure day is every day,” and how radical honesty, humility, prayer, and spiritual intimacy helped them rebuild a marriage that could easily have ended. Today, Phil and Priscilla use their story to help other couples find hope and healing through Savage Marriage.

TOPICS DISCUSSED

• How childhood wounds and his father’s abandonment shaped Phil’s need for affirmation

• How pornography became a source of comfort and eventually a secret sexual addiction

• How Phil maintained a double life while teaching the Bible and serving as a church leader

• What finally forced Phil to tell his wife the truth after 28 years

• What happened when Priscilla learned the full extent of his betrayal

• Why Phil says “disclosure day is every day” and transparency must become a way of life

• How Phil and Priscilla rebuilt trust, emotional and spiritual intimacy, and their marriage

🔹 Connect with Phil

https://www.savagemarriageministries.com/

Phil's book: Savage Marriage

https://a.co/d/00rBalRT

CHAPTERS

00:00 Phil Fretwell’s Story: Living a Double Life

02:17 His Father Leaves—and Pornography Enters His Life

10:29 His Wife Discovers the First Secret

12:10 Honest Isn’t Enough: Being Open and Transparent

15:33 Hiding Sexual Addiction While Leading in Church

21:14 What Was Really Driving the Addiction?

31:06 The Moment 28 Years of Secrets Began to Unravel

32:43 Why Counseling and Accountability Hadn’t Set Him Free

37:25 Telling His Wife the Whole Truth

38:25 “Disclosure Day Is Every Day”

48:17 How They Rebuilt Their Marriage and Created Savage Marriage

🔹 Connect with Christine

https://www.worthycreations.org/

#sexaddiction #pornaddictionrecovery

For many Christians, phrases like self-love, self-care, and self-compassion can feel uncomfortable. After all, Jesus told us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. But does denying yourself mean criticizing yourself, neglecting your needs, or even hating yourself?

In this episode Christine Sneeringer and her co-host, Christian therapist Tim Long, explore the difference between healthy, God-centered self-love and sinful self-focus. Together they unpack the teaching of Jesus to “love your neighbor as yourself," why shame and self-criticism can actually drive unhealthy behaviors, and how self-compassion can play an important role in healing.

Tim explains why healthy self-love isn’t narcissism or pride. Instead, it grows from receiving God’s love, understanding our worth in relationship to Him, and practicing gratitude—allowing us to serve others from a place of godly humility and confidence.

TOPICS DISCUSSED- What Jesus really meant when He said to deny yourself

- The difference between healthy self-love and sinful self-focus

- How shame and self-criticism can fuel unhealthy coping

- Why self-compassion can be an important part of healing

- How grace and gratitude keep self-love centered on God

🔹 Connect with Tim

• Website: https://www.kainoschristiantherapy.com/

🔹 Connect with Christine

• Website: https://www.worthycreations.org/

What happens when you do everything "right" and still feel hollow inside?

Retired police officer and men's ministry director Eric sits down with Christine to share how a life that looked right on paper — steady job, clean living, hard work — still left him empty, until a chance invitation to church changed everything. From surviving his parents' divorce and custody battle, to his father's parental abduction as a child, to chasing meaning through bodybuilding and dance, Eric's story traces the gap between outward success and inward peace.

Today he leads The ROC (Rangers of Christ), a brotherhood built to help men stop performing and start being honest about their struggles, their marriages, and fatherhood.

If you've ever done everything "right" and still felt like something was missing — this episode is for you.

This conversation dives deep into:
• Growing up through his parents' divorce and custody battle
• His father's cross-country parental abduction
• Chasing meaning through bodybuilding, dance, and achievement
• The moment he realized something was still missing
• Becoming a Christian while serving as a police officer
• Founding The ROC (Rangers of Christ) men's ministry
• Why men struggle to open up, even in church
• Raising two sons and four daughters

🔹 Powerful Takeaways
• Doing everything "right" doesn't guarantee you'll feel whole
• Isolation is dangerous — men need brotherhood, not just willpower
• Wisdom comes before strength: know what to do before you do it
• You can't heal what you keep hidden, even from yourself
• Being real and being tough aren't opposites
• Your private life — what's really in your head and heart — only opens up when you're invited in

CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS
02:48 Childhood: Divorce, Abduction, and a Move to North Carolina
09:31 Chasing Meaning Through Bodybuilding and Achievement
12:56 Finding Church and Finishing College
20:00 Becoming a Cop: "Paid to Be a Christian"
30:06 The Crisis of Christian Manhood
40:56 Founding The ROC (Rangers of Christ)
54:24 The 12 Attributes of a ROC
59:39 Why Men Struggle to Open Up and Stay Isolated
1:06:02 Public, Personal, Private: A Father's Biggest Mistake
1:08:43 Raising Two Sons and Four Daughters
1:20:08 Rapid Fire Round

Why do so many Christians secretly believe they'll never be good enough?

After childhood sexual abuse, poverty, toxic relationships, betrayal, and divorce, Tina Rains spent years believing the lies trauma had written over her life. In this powerful conversation, she shares how God used counseling, biblical truth, community, and the renewing of her mind to heal deep wounds and restore her identity.

Together, we explore why trauma often leaves us feeling "never good enough," how our thoughts shape our emotions, the role of counseling and neuroscience in healing, and what it really means to replace lies with God's truth. If you've struggled with shame, rejection, people-pleasing, or feeling unworthy, this conversation offers practical hope rooted in Scripture.

Tina is the founder of Masterpiece Women, author of Freedom Climb, speaker, and ministry leader who now helps women discover their God-given identity and purpose.

CHAPTERS

00:00 – Introduction to Tina Rains

01:11 – Childhood abuse, poverty, and finding Christ

06:56 – Why trauma made her believe she wasn't enough

10:51 – Hitting rock bottom and choosing healing

13:54 – Renewing your mind with God's truth

18:57 – How Scripture moved from her head to her heart

25:24 – Replacing lies with biblical identity

30:00 – Battling the "never good enough" thoughts

38:55 – Why she stayed single for 15 years

44:45 – From survivor to Freedom Climber and helping others

What happens to your faith when you pray for healing—and healing never comes?

Rachel Scott’s life changed overnight when her husband suffered a devastating stroke at just 56-years-old. For the next nine years, Rachel cared for the man she loved while raising five children still at home, watching her husband slowly decline and wrestling with exhaustion, grief, anger, and unanswered prayers.

In this deeply moving conversation, Rachel shares the hidden emotional toll of caregiving, what it’s like to grieve someone who is still alive, and how she held onto God when she could no longer understand what He was doing. She also opens up about caregiver burnout, PTSD after her husband’s death, and the powerful way God showed her that even in the deepest waters, she had never been alone.

If you’ve ever wondered where God is when someone you love doesn’t get better, Rachel’s story offers an honest and hope-filled perspective on faith, suffering, grief, and the presence of God.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Meet Rachel Scott

02:19 The Stroke That Changed Everything

09:18 The Hidden Toll of Caregiving

19:22 “I Can’t Do This Anymore”

23:12 When You Keep Praying for Healing

25:13 Letting Go After Nine Years

29:54 Grieving Someone Who Is Still Alive

35:48 When God Doesn’t Heal

40:08 Finding God in the Deepest Waters

50:46 PTSD, Healing & Life After Caregiving

CONNECT with Rachelhttps://www.godsmightywarriors.com/

Rachel's book: Birthing God's Mighty Warriors: A Family Restoration Manual for a New GenerationBuy her book https://a.co/d/00OG4W2F