Not My Story

Pastor Nirup Alphonse joins Sarah to talk about some of the unexpected things that have surfaced in fatherhood. Nirup shares stories from early parenthood, including how his cultural background impacted his perspective, and what he’s learned along the way—about not only diapering, but also what it looks like to be a daily disciple-maker with his kids. Sarah and Nirup spend a bulk of the conversation discussing what it looks like to parent through the lens of becoming, the need to build trust, and the power of forgiveness.

For show notes and ways to connect with both Sarah and Nirup, visit today’s episode page at NotMyStoryPod.com.

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Julie Short—a higher ed professional, Enneagram Coach, and co-host of the Momnesia Podcast—joins Sarah to talk about what hasn’t gone as planned in motherhood and how friendships have made all the difference. They chat about some of the difficulties Julie has faced with infertility, a high-risk pregnancy, and even life as a working mom, as well as the joys she has experienced along the way. Julie opens up about how crucial friendship have been in her motherhood journey, and (because we had to go there) how the Enneagram informs how she parents.

For show notes and ways to connect with both Julie and Sarah, visit today’s episode page at NotMyStoryPod.com.

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Jonathan Puddle, host of The Puddcast and author of You Are Enough, joins Sarah in episode 26 to talk about the breakdown of his relationship with his father and the reconciliation that followed. Jonathan gives us a glimpse into his childhood and to what contributed to the distance between himself and his dad. They talk about Jonathan’s complex range of emotions, the wrestling he did with God, and what ultimately led him toward a path of restoration with his father.

To see the show notes and find ways to connect with both Jonathan and Sarah, visit today’s episode page at NotMyStoryPod.com.

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Podcaster and writer Jodi Rosser joins Sarah to tell her story of navigating life after divorce. In this conversation, Jodi shares how divorce broke her in so many ways, but out of the wreckage, God began to put her pieces back together. Sarah and Jodi discuss how divorce is a unique grief that is often ongoing and unseen. They talk about Jodi’s struggle to navigate not only her own complicated emotions, but also the feelings of her two young sons and her new life as a single mom. As a former self-proclaimed perfectionist, Jodi shares how she’s found new freedom and strength through a life of vulnerability, community, and dependence on the goodness of God.

To connect with Sarah or Jodi and find links from today’s episode, visit NotMyStoryPod.com.

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Singer-songwriter and author Kate Hurley joins Sarah to share her unexpected story of prolonged singleness. As a former musician with Enter the Worship Circle, Kate talks about her experiences touring and what it looked like to find community while on the road. We talk about her expectations for adulthood—dreams that included marriage and motherhood—and what her conversations with God looked like when those desires seemed so far off.

Kate shares openly about what the church did (and did not) do well in surrounding her as a single woman and reflects on how unraveling her thought patterns has helped move her into deeper connection with God and with others. This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating the single life or wanting to love their unmarried friends or family members well.

For full show notes and links from today’s episode, visit NotMyStoryPod.com.

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Marriage rarely goes exactly as anticipated. In this episode, Sarah talks with Deb & Gibson Hopper about how they found each other after their first marriages ended in divorce. They share about their experience blending families, navigating expectations, and establishing new traditions. Now married for twenty-six years, Deb and Gibson offer valuable insights on healthy communication, developing friendships outside marriage, the importance of sex, and more.

For full show notes and links from today’s episode, visit NotMyStoryPod.com.

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Shannan Martin, author of The Ministry of Ordinary Places, joins Sarah to talk about her unlikely journey from a picture-perfect life on the farm to a messier, but fuller way of living alongside her neighbors in Goshen, Indiana. Sarah and Shannan talk about what it really means to follow Jesus’ command to “love our neighbors as ourselves.” They discuss what love looks like on the ground, practical ways to connect with neighbors, how to navigate differences, and more.

For full show notes and links from today’s episode, visit NotMyStoryPod.com.

Join Sarah’s email community at SarahEWestfall.com/subscribe and receive your copy of Interrupted: Prayers & Meditations in the Unexpected.

In episode 21, Sarah talks with Dr. Alvin Sanders—president and CEO of World Impact—about our relationships to poverty, justice, and Jesus within the local church. Dr. Sanders shares about his start in urban ministry and how his experiences have reshaped his understanding of poverty and of God’s desire for all communities to flourish. They discuss what it looks like on the practical level for individuals and local churches to engage in redemptive poverty work, right where they are.

For full show notes and links from today’s episode, visit NotMyStoryPod.com.

Join Sarah’s email community at SarahEWestfall.com/subscribe and receive your copy of Interrupted: Prayers & Meditations in the Unexpected.

In episode 20, Sarah talks with Rachel Joy Welcher, author of Talking Back to Purity Culture: Rediscovering Faithful Christian Sexuality. Rachel shares how pervasive views on sexuality within the church in the early 2000s shaped her expectations as a teen and young woman, but when those expectations didn’t pan out, she was left asking big questions about sexual purity and following Jesus. In this conversation, Sarah and Rachel talk about purity culture, how sexuality impacts our relationships, navigating unmet desires, how to have good dialogue about sexuality within the church, and more.

For full show notes and links from today’s episode, visit NotMyStoryPod.com.

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From pandemic life to racial injustice to a divisive election, the past twelve months have been hard. Many things stand between us, causing us to question, “Where do we go from here?” In episode 19 as part of the [you + me] series, Sarah invites psychiatrist, speaker, and author Dr. Curt Thompson to talk about all that has transpired in 2020 and to lend insight into how this year of the unexpected has impacted us relationally—with God and with each other. They talk about the effects of isolation, pursuing vulnerability in the face of differences, and dismantling shame. Their conversation also explores what to do when God seems silent and one question we should all be asking in the year ahead.

For full show notes and links from today’s episode, visit NotMyStoryPod.com.

Join Sarah’s email community at SarahEWestfall.com/subscribe and receive your copy of Interrupted: Prayers & Meditations in the Unexpected.