MercyCast

In this episode of the Mercy Cast, host Raleigh Sadler welcomes back his good friend Joe Thorn, pastor of Redeemer Fellowship and author of several books. Raleigh and Joe engage in a candid and humorous discussion about friendships, gospel living, and addressing life’s struggles. They delve into the importance of gospel-centered relationships, the significance of reflecting on scripture, and the detrimental effects of sin, including pornography. Throughout their banter, they emphasize the unchanging love and grace of Jesus Christ for everyone, encouraging listeners to face their realities with the truth of the gospel.

Highlights and takeaways from the conversation:

• The art of compassion is learned through adversity.
• Gospel friendships allow for honesty and vulnerability.
• Preaching to yourself is essential for spiritual growth.
• Understanding the law helps us recognize our need for grace.
• Meditation on God's word is crucial for renewal.
• Liturgy serves as a reminder of God's grace and love.
• We often forget our identity in Christ during struggles.
• Functional saviors lead us away from true intimacy with God.
• Christ's love is unconditional and transformative.
• Facing reality is the first step towards embracing grace.

The Gospel changes us. Often in imperceptible ways that don’t appear until we face a crisis point. But even when we fail, we are reminded that God loves us and that loves frees us to move forward in Grace.

— Raleigh

Subscribe to MercyCast and leave a review if this conversation spoke to you. Let’s keep walking in trust, together.

Learn more about Joe and his ministry.

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You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.

Thanks for listening. We want to hear from you!

Email us at [email protected].

Hey everyone! Life doesn't always go the way that we hope. Things break. People die. Life kicks you in the teeth. But you are not alone. This week, we are continuing our exploration of the foundations of this podcast, talking specifically about our foundation for life. God is our safe place, and if you are willing to trust Him, he will keep you even in those moments that feel shaky and uncertain.

Listen in, tell a friend, and don't forget to like and describe for the love of all that's good and holy. ;)

Hey friends, it’s Raleigh. In this episode of MercyCast, we lean into something we often avoid—our adversity. We're unpacking how the things that we often think would take us out are the very things that grow us into who we are becoming. 

If this episode stirred something in you, I’d love it if you shared it with one person who might need the reminder: your weakness isn’t your enemy—it’s where you’ll find your greatest strength.

Leave a review, send a note at [email protected], or tag me, @RaleighSadler or @mercycastpod on social. Let’s keep walking together.

If you like what you hear, please like and subscribe.

In this episode of the Mercycast, host Raleigh Sadler delves into the profound journey of personal growth and transformation through life's adversities. Discover how challenges shape us, not define us, and how compassion emerges from shared vulnerability. Raleigh shares personal stories and insights, emphasizing that our experiences, both good and bad, are gifts that mold us into who we are meant to be. Tune in to explore the art of compassion and the freedom found in embracing our imperfections. #PersonalGrowth #Transformation #Compassion

You can follow MercyCast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.

Thanks for listening. We want to hear from you!

Email us at [email protected].

Hey friends, it’s Raleigh Sadler. In this episode of MercyCast, I sit down with my good friend Tyler Gresham, Administrative pastor to students at Fairhaven Baptist in Demopolis, Al,  to talk about something we all encounter but often don’t know how to handle—suffering, especially in the face of unimaginable loss. Tyler opens up about the heartbreaking journey of losing his daughter, Tessa, to a terminal birth defect, and what it looked like to walk through that adversity with honesty, trust, and a deep longing for healing.

Together, we unpack how compassion—as well-intentioned as it is—can sometimes feel like salt in a wound when we’re not careful with our words. We talk about how simply listening—really listening—can communicate more love than any advice ever could.

We also explore the quiet, sacred space of prayer, the long road to acceptance, and the deep value of community when everything falls apart. Tyler reminds us that in the worst pain, we don’t need answers—we need people willing to be present. That presence, that shared space in our suffering, can begin to pave the way toward healing.

Whether you're walking through grief, sitting with someone in pain, or wrestling with how to show up well for others, this conversation is for you. We’re not here to tie things up with a bow, but to ask better questions and lean into the mystery of shared sorrow.

Thanks for being here. Let's learn to suffer with instead of suffering alone.

Highlights and takeaways from the conversation:

• Compassion can be miscommunicated through even the kindest words.
• Loss invites us into deep acceptance and a need for community support.
• Suffering is a universal experience that calls for honest reflection and connection.
• Listening and presence often matter more than having the right thing to say.
• It’s okay to not have the answers; what matters is showing up with empathy.
• Prayer, even in doubt, can be a lifeline to meaning and healing.
• Asking “How can I best support you?” is more powerful than we think.
• We grow closer when we vulnerably share our stories of pain and hope.

When you suffer, people may not know what to say. That’s okay. Suffering often exposes reality. But this podcast is about facing reality, facing pain, and growing through it.

Thanks for listening, and as always, let’s keep mercy at the center.

— Raleigh

Subscribe to MercyCast and leave a review if this conversation spoke to you. Let’s keep walking in trust, together.

Learn more about Tyler and his ministry.

You can follow MercyCast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.

Thanks for listening. We want to hear from you!

Email us at [email protected].

In this episode of MercyCast, I sit down with my good friend Will Parker Anderson to talk about something close to both of our hearts: creativity, calling, and the deep need we all have for community.

We explore how our passions can point us toward our purpose, but also how hard it can be to stay true to that purpose in a world full of pressure and noise. Will shares what he’s learned as a writer and editor—and more than that, as a person committed to loving others well through creativity.

As we talk, one theme comes through again and again: the importance of personal expression that doesn’t ignore the audience we’re trying to serve. We dig into what it means to communicate clearly without compromising who we are, and how writing, like any creative act, can become a sacred expression of love.

If you've ever faced setbacks in your creative life (who hasn’t?), this one’s for you. We talk honestly about the struggle, and how it's often community feedback and connection that help us through. Creativity doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s messy, relational, and beautiful—and we need each other to keep going.

Wherever you are in your journey—writing, editing, dreaming, or doubting—I hope this episode reminds you that you're not alone. Your creativity matters, and your calling is something that can be discovered with others, not just for yourself.

Highlights and takeaways from the conversation:

• Your calling often emerges through relationships, not isolation.
• Creativity is deeply relational—it’s about giving, not just expressing.
• Community helps shape and refine our creative work.
• Knowing your audience helps your voice come through more clearly.
• Writing and editing are acts of love rooted in humility and honesty.
• Facing setbacks is part of the process, not a sign to stop.
• “Whatever you're doing, love others.”
• “Writing is an act of love.”
• “You can't preach that to yourself.”

Thank you for listening. If this conversation resonates with you, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a review, share with a friend, or reach out to us on social media. Keep creating, keep loving, and remember: you don’t have to do this alone.

—Raleigh

Subscribe to MercyCast and leave a review if this conversation spoke to you. Let’s keep walking in trust, together.

Learn more about Will Parker Anderson.

You can follow MercyCast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.

Thanks for listening. We want to hear from you!

Email us at [email protected].

In this deeply moving episode of MercyCast, I sit down with Jill Marier—a foster parent who has chosen to walk the hard road of loving and parenting medically fragile children. We talk about the unseen reality of foster care, especially for kids who age out of the system each year—many of whom carry invisible wounds. Jill brings to light the challenges and beauty of parenting in adversity, and how compassion isn’t just a feeling—it’s a practice, a discipline, and a way to love well.

One of the most impactful parts of our conversation centers on Cassie’s Care Farm—a sanctuary created in memory of a beloved child. It’s a legacy born from loss, a physical space where medically fragile children can experience healing, play, and love. Jill shares how community support made the impossible possible, and how safe spaces are more than places—they’re reflections of our hearts.

This episode is about what it means to show up for someone else, especially when it’s hard. It’s about parenting with patience. It’s about grief, legacy, and what happens when love meets adversity.

Highlights and takeaways from the conversation:

• Over 23,000 children age out of foster care every year—and many do so alone.
• Medically fragile children often go unseen, and many struggle to find foster homes.
• Fostering is more than care—it’s a journey of personal transformation.
• Community support isn’t a bonus—it’s essential.
• Cassie's Care Farm was born out of grief—and built with love.
• Loss has a way of breaking our hearts open to others.
• Safe spaces allow medically fragile children to simply be, without fear.
• Love, especially in parenting, is patient and kind.
• Adversity doesn’t have to break us—it can shape us into something new.

This conversation with Jill left me undone in the best way. It reminded me that love often looks like showing up again and again—even when there are no guarantees. Especially in the foster care space, especially for medically fragile children, love isn't just a warm feeling. It's an act of defiant hope.

So wherever you are, and whatever your story, I want to remind you: your compassion matters. Your community matters. And sometimes, in the midst of deep loss, the seeds of legacy begin to grow.

🔗 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

📢 Don't forget to share this episode with someone who needs to hear about the beauty of community support and the power of parenting through adversity.

#MercyCast #FosterCare #Parenting #MedicallyFragileChildren #CassiesCareFarm #LoveInAction #CommunitySupport #Compassion #Legacy #Adversity #Loss

For more about Cassie’s Care Farm and how you can support families fostering medically fragile children, visit madhatterfarm.org.

You can follow MercyCast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.

Thanks for listening. We want to hear from you!

Email us at [email protected].

Hey friends, Raleigh Sadler here. In this deeply moving episode of MercyCast, I sit down with Emmanuel Nabu—known to many as Nabs—to talk about his incredible journey from growing up as an orphan in Sierra Leone to becoming an advocate for family-based care and child welfare in the same orphanage!

This conversation is close to my heart. Nabs shares how he lost his father during the civil war, spent nearly a year homeless as a child, and eventually found himself in an orphanage. But that’s just the beginning. His story is one of raw adversity, unmatched resilience, and the kind of healing that only happens in the presence of real community support.

What struck me most was how Nabs highlights a truth that’s too often overlooked: most children in orphanages are not orphans—they're there because their families are too poor to care for them. We talk about how shifting from institutional care to family-based care can break this cycle of poverty and bring real, lasting change.

Nabs reminded me—and I hope reminds you—that there is purpose in our pain, and even the darkest moments can shape us into compassionate advocates for others. His journey challenges us all to show up with compassion, to support vulnerable families, and to believe that hope has a way of rising up.

Highlights and takeaways from the conversation:

• Every difficulty can point us outside of ourselves.
• Nabs lost his father in Sierra Leone’s civil war and experienced homelessness before entering an orphanage at age 9.
• Orphanages often serve children from impoverished families—not necessarily orphans.
• Poverty, not parental loss, is the main driver of institutional care.
• Family-based care provides the loving, stable environment children truly need.
• Supporting family care systems helps disrupt the poverty cycle.
• Healing and transformation are possible when we choose to see people’s potential.

Whether you’re passionate about orphan care, child welfare, or just want to know how you can show up for others facing adversity, this conversation is for you. Let’s lean into this together—because compassion isn’t just a feeling, it’s a movement.

Thanks for listening, and as always, let’s keep mercy at the center.

— Raleigh

Subscribe to MercyCast and leave a review if this conversation spoke to you. Let’s keep walking in trust, together.

Learn more about Nabs and Helping Children Worldwide.

You can follow MercyCast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.

Thanks for listening. We want to hear from you!

Email us at [email protected].

"God meets us in our vulnerability, and the Holy Spirit isn’t just a concept—He’s a person who wants to walk with us."

In this episode of MercyCast, I had the privilege of sitting down with my friend Jenny Randle, the author of the new book, The Promised Presence, to have a deeply personal conversation about something that’s been on both of our hearts: the Holy Spirit. We explored what it means to welcome the Holy Spirit into our lives, not just as a theological concept, but as an active, indwelling presence that transforms us from the inside out.

We didn’t shy away from the hard stuff—vulnerability, denominational differences, and the mystery of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Through our conversation, you’ll hear real, raw stories of divine encounters and the ways the Spirit shows up when we’re willing to be still and trust. We reflected on the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts, where the Spirit moved in powerful, unexpected ways—and how that same Spirit is still moving in and through us today.

Highlights and takeaways from the conversation:

• God often meets us in our vulnerability—and that’s where transformation begins.
• The Holy Spirit is a person, not an “it.” He speaks, guides, comforts, and empowers us daily.
• The baptism of the Holy Spirit can look different across denominations, but the key is discernment and alignment with God’s character and Word.
• Scripture—especially Luke and Acts—shows the Spirit's active role in the early church and invites us into that same power.
• Personal experiences with the Holy Spirit can deepen our faith, helping us trust even in seasons of uncertainty.
• Community matters. Healing and guidance often come through God’s people when we show up and open up.
• Being still before God is not passive—it's an act of trust and surrender.
• How the Holy Spirit moves in moments of desperation
• The importance of discernment and listening for the Spirit’s “still small voice”
• Navigating denominational differences in how the Spirit is understood and experienced
• Why vulnerability is necessary in faith communities
• How the justice gospel calls us to Spirit-empowered action rooted in compassion and truth
• Our own personal encounters with the Holy Spirit—some ordinary, some surprising
• How to cultivate a deeper personal relationship with God through the Spirit’s indwelling

Whether you're wrestling with questions about the Holy Spirit, curious about the idea of spiritual baptism, or simply looking for encouragement in your walk with God, this episode is for you.

We don’t have it all figured out—but we’re showing up, and that’s part of the journey.

Subscribe to MercyCast and leave a review if this conversation spoke to you. Let’s keep walking in trust, together.

#HolySpirit #Vulnerability #JusticeGospel #ChristianFaith #SpiritualGuidance #FaithJourney #MercyCast

Read Jenny’s book, The Promised Presence. Follow Jenny on Instagram.

You can follow MercyCast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.

Has God ever felt distant?

In this episode of The Mercy Cast, I sit down with my friend Jen Thompson, author of Return to Jesus, for a heartfelt conversation that cuts right to the core of what it means to feel distant from God—and how His invitation to return never goes away. We talk honestly about those times when life feels overwhelming, when prayer feels empty, and when functional saviors (things we turn to instead of God) slowly edge Him out of our hearts.

But here's the truth we kept coming back to: God's love is unconditional. Period. It's not based on what we do or how we perform. He loves us because He made us. And He invites us—again and again—to come home.

This conversation became a journey into what it means to really accept that love. Not just mentally agree with it, but live it. To let it transform how we see ourselves and others and even how we handle struggles.

We talked about:

✨ What it means to return to Jesus—over and over again

✨ Why self-acceptance is a reflection of God's love

✨ The sacred rhythm of prayer and surrender

✨ Trusting God's provision—even in uncertainty

✨ How gratitude anchors us in the present

✨ And how our relationship with God changes everything, including how we show up in community

For me, one of the most potent reminders was this: "We are made in the image of love." That's not just poetic—it's personal. And when we affirm our worth in the light of God's love, we become more equipped to love others well. Everything in life becomes part of our mission—not just what we do overseas or on Sundays, but how we care, show up, and listen.

We don't have to earn His presence. He's already here. And when we make space for Him—through prayer, gratitude, community, and trust— we can be surprised by His grace in the most ordinary moments.

Highlights and takeaways from the conversation:

• We're not alone when we feel distant—God still pursues us.
• Self-love isn't selfish; it's a response to being loved by God.
• Returning to Jesus is about trust, surrender, and presence.
• Personal rhythms of faith and prayer build intimacy with God.
• Gratitude and grace keep us grounded in our spiritual journey.
• "God stands waiting with open arms."
• "His invitation hasn't gone away."
• "Everything in life is our mission."
• "I am loved."
• "We are made in the image of love."
• "Jesus loves me as I am."
• "We can be so hard on ourselves."
• "I love myself as I am."

🙏 If this episode speaks to you, share it with someone who might need the reminder: You are loved. You are invited back. Every day is a new chance to return to Jesus.

Let's continue walking this spiritual journey together.

#God #Love #Faith #SelfAcceptance #Compassion #ReturnToJesus #SpiritualJourney #Prayer #Trust #UnconditionalLove #PersonalGrowth #Gratitude #Surrender #Community #RelationshipWithGod

Read Jen’s book, Return to Jesus. You can follow her on Instagram.

You can follow MercyCast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.