Host Laura speaks with guest Talida in this episode of Unexpected Turns. When Talida and her husband welcomed twin girls into their family, they looked forward to imparting both their faith and the rich culture of New York City. But an autism diagnosis for one of the girls interrupted their dreams. Talida tackled the challenge as a devoted, studious mother and shared notes on dealing with autism with extended family members. Then a close family member died by suicide with no advance warning, and Talida struggled with a hidden grief she didn't feel free to share with others. When her second daughter also faced developmental delays and was also diagnosed with autism, Talida emerged from a grief fog and sought help for her second daughter. 

Talida shares how the timing of these trials together caused and still at times causes negative emotions to spiral. As she and her husband have grieved together, they have sensed God's presence in the pain. Talida has focused on replacing God's truth with lies, such as blaming herself for her mother-in-law's death or her daughter's diagnosis. She has found she can bring dark lies to light in the context of God's character and the support of safe community. 

Talida encourages those dealing with an autistic child to dig for the fears and struggles behind their behaviors so parents can uncover needs. "Study your child. Be an expert on your child's strengths"---instead of focusing on their deficits. Talida adds, "All of God's children really are wonderfully made." 

In dealing with the loss of her family member, Talida shares that she and her husband were helped when the loss was acknowledged straightforwardly and empathetically. Talida also found the physical pain of long-distance running has helped her cope with emotional pain. "This life is painful and temporary," Talida says. "We embrace the suffering because we know Who holds the key to our eternity."

Sharing her story has helped Talida own up to lost expectations, realize her own brokenness and see God's presence in the messiness. She has also found that sharing her story has helped other people open up about their own hardships. Read Talida's story Autism, Grief and Hope to find out more. 

 What stories are waiting to be discovered in your women's ministry or small group? Schedule a Sacred Story Retreat to find out!

In this episode of Unexpected Turns, host Laura Wilcox speaks with guest Kate, who shares the personal devastation she experienced as her voice failed just as she graduated with a doctoral degree in vocal performance. 

Kate had come to faith in Christ as a teenager, and she found Jesus right beside her as she dealt with terrible anger and depression as a result of her failed dreams. Although God did not restore her singing voice for some time, He did lead her to other career opportunities in music, such as Orff Schulwerk programs with children.

In time, Kate finally has come to a place where she can say, "Jesus, I love you if I never sing another note." She acknowledges that her ability to love God is only because of His great love for her. She shares her story hoping that other women will realize that no matter what changes may happen to their voices or their bodies, our lives are about God's plans, not our plans.

Read Kate's story, The Hero of My Story, to find out more. 

What stories wait to be discovered in your women's ministry or small group? Schedule a Sacred Story Retreat to find out!

As we continue the series Unexpected Turns, host Laura Wilcox welcomes guest Gretchen, who recalls her move to a small town for her first job after college. As Gretchen struggled with loneliness and envy of her friends' lives in bigger cities, she also prayed God would help her unbelief (Mark 9:24). 

Unsure about what God was up to, she stepped out in faith to do what she did feel sure about: finding a church family, reaching out in friendship to other believers there and leading a women's Bible study. Her new friends from church were all married, and some had children. Believing God had prepared good works for her to walk in (Ephesians 2:10), she joined in the activities and struggles of these friends and found her flexibility as a single person gave her great opportunities to encourage others. In return, she enjoyed rich friendships. 

Read Gretchen's story, New Girl, Small Town, to find out more details of her story.

What stories are waiting to be discovered in your women's group or ministry? Schedule a Sacred Story Retreat to find out! 

In the ongoing series Unexpected Turns, Host Laura Wilcox welcomes guest Tanna, whose early search for validation from good grades and athletics led to her severe struggle with an eating disorder in her college years. 

As Tanna reflects on her time denying the stronghold of her eating disorder, she describes it as a "bony prison." A bony frame was all she had left after she isolated herself to avoid food.  

As her parents brought up Tanna's low weight and eating habits, she denied any problems. Tanna only participated half-heartedly in initial appointments with therapy and nutrition counseling until her dad gave her an ultimatum. When she was forced to choose her eating disorder or her family, she understood she was at rock bottom. 

God led Tanna to a Christian eating disorder treatment center where healing could happen. Though she was surrounded by depression and heartache, her environment was drenched in hopeful Bible truths. Tanna began reading the Bible and learning more about who Jesus was. She saw that she could never truly get rid of her eating disorder unless she replaced the lies she had believed with the truths of a new identity in Christ. She clung to 2 Corinthians 4:7-10 and 2 Corinthians 5:17, which told her no matter how crushed and fragile she felt, she could trust God to put away old patterns and make her a new creation, leaving her eating disorder behind.

That process didn't happen overnight though. After leaving her treatment center, she found herself a year and a half later having returned to some of her eating restrictions. Though she felt a lot of shame having to seek more treatment at an outpatient facility, she realized in time that God had taken away all her shame in Christ, no matter how many times she needed help. At the end of this treatment plan, she kept a support team in place even after she believed she didn't need it. Read Tanna's story, "Food Freedom," to hear more about her journey.

Tanna's advice to those who suffer from eating disorders is to seek and lean on help and community. "The Enemy loves it when we are silent---especially with eating disorders." She encourages women to use NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association) to help them find resources in their area. 

What stories are waiting to be told of God's faithfulness in the lives of women you know? Schedule a Sacred Story Retreat to find out.

Host Laura Wilcox interviews Shiona for this episode of Unexpected Turns. Shiona comes to faith in Christ as a child, yet only her grandmother nurtures her young faith. Because of childhood sexual abuse, Shiona fights a battle against shame even after becoming part of a Christian community of believers in middle and high school. As a college student, Shiona's feelings of shame contribute to a season of sin until she confesses to her college pastor. Renewed by God's forgiveness and grace, she explores opportunities for ministry and soon discovers her love for the Japanese people.

After serving in a year of ministry in Japan as an English teacher, Shiona marries and returns to Japan with her husband and daughter. She and her husband intend to spend their lives as missionaries in Japan, but another pregnancy triggers severe anxiety for Shiona, and she and her husband must return to the States for her mental health as well as the baby's birth. 

As Shiona further processes some of the pain from her past, she sees her need to base her identity not on being a missionary but on what God says is true of her as his beloved child. In time, after her kids are all in school, God gives her the opportunity to befriend Japanese women attending English classes at her church. She is thankful God has brought her full circle as she shares her faith and friendship with Japanese people in her Texas community. Read Shiona's story, "Staying in the Race," on the Sacred Story website at  https://sacredstoryministries.org/staying-in-the-race/. 

What amazing stories are waiting to be shared in your women's church community or small group? Schedule a Sacred Story Retreat and find out!

Host Laura Wilcox interviews Kristi in this episode of Unexpected Turns. After many years as a public-school teacher, the pandemic forces Kristi to step back and notice all the changes that have happened during her teaching career. Kristi also shares how this time gave her pause to consider her views about the culture around her and to evaluate her faith. A running partner and friend who had always encouraged Kristi to consider Biblical faith in Jesus texts Kristi an invitation to join a Bible reading plan leading up to Christmas. Kristi and later her boyfriend begin to read the Bible and to watch online church services. As a result, God transforms their relationship, their lives and their careers.

Read Kristi's story, "Pursuer of My Soul," at https://sacredstoryministries.org/pursuer-of-my-soul/.

What amazing stories are waiting to be shared in your women's church community or small group? Schedule a Sacred Story Retreat and find out!

In the last episode of this series of Unexpected Turns, host Laura Wilcox talks with Sarah, who became dangerously ill during a stopover visit in Barcelona, Spain, after spending a summer in Uganda. As she reflects on her experiences leading up to her illness in Barcelona, Sarah shares how originally her ministry with Invisible Children had taken her to Uganda years earlier. After this repeat visit to the country of Uganda, Sarah enjoyed the city of Barcelona while avoiding dealing with God about her deep sadness in leaving Uganda and her friend there---an avoidance pattern she associates with her Enneagram personality type.

Sarah shares how a lifelong struggle against fear is confronted head on when she experiences a life-threatening illness in a city where she knows no one. Reflecting on her story, Sarah sees how God used details of her circumstances to show His mercy and love. Even though she had been avoiding him in Barcelona, she knew God never left her side during her days of illness and recovery. 

What amazing stories are waiting to be shared in your women's church community or small group? Schedule a Sacred Story Retreat and find out!

Continuing the series Unexpected Turns, host Laura Wilcox talks with Diana, who recalls her decades-long marriage with Rick, a man who supported but did not share her faith in Christ. While Diana warns other young Christian women to marry a man who is already a believer, she also shares how God can redeem mistakes. After Diana's father died, she began thinking and praying more about her husband's need for Christ. As her prayers became desperate, she came to a point of asking God to do "whatever it takes" to bring Rick to Christ. When Rick became very ill with kidney disease a few months later, his spiritual interest began to grow, and after time and much more arduous prayer, Rick came to faith 18 months before his death. 

Diana still misses Rick but has never regretted The Most Dangerous Prayer (read Diana's story in our online library). In her ongoing journey with the Lord, Diana has pursued theological education in the last few years at Dallas Seminary. 

Find out more about Christian women surrendering their marriages and dreams of marriage through the Bible study Beautiful Surrender. Learn about the stories of women in your community by scheduling a Sacred Story Retreat.

Continuing the series Unexpected Turns, host Laura Wilcox welcomes guest Sandra, who shares about a struggle through a dark time in her life. Sandra came to faith as a child and had walked by faith many years when she first faced a crisis of faith because of her mother's death from cancer. Sandra was disappointed God had chosen not to heal her mother, yet Sandra chose to continue following God. A few years later, married and with two small children, Sandra received her own cancer diagnosis. Fearful of dying and leaving her children, she found refuge in God's Word. As she paged through Scripture, she saw over and over how God's people in many perilous situations chose to trust God and found Him faithful. 

Sandra faced her fears many times during a long and difficult recovery. She encourages listeners who suffer in frightening situations to bring their fears to God again and again, knowing He sees them, loves them, and will never leave them. Read more about Sandra's story in our online library. Connect with the women in your church community and hear their stories by scheduling a Sacred Story Retreat. 

In the ongoing series Unexpected Turns, host Laura Wilcox talks with Suzan, a woman from Kenya who experienced a traumatic gang rape at the age of 16. Though Suzan had been raised in a Christian home, her sense of abandonment by God and the reactions of some family members to her trauma contributed to Suzan's years of wandering far away from God. 

In her 20s, Suzan moved to the US and found herself working in the Washington National Cathedral, where she sensed God's voice in the quiet beauty and liturgy surrounding her. Later, she lived in Atlanta and saw God's sovereign hand over her life when He intervened in a dangerous situation at work. For her safety, she moved to Houston to live with her sister and began attending Metro Bible Study with many believers her age. Suzan began to experience renewed hope. In the years that followed, she saw God changing her identity from a woman who felt unloved and damaged to a beloved, chosen and beautiful child of God. Read her story What Is My Real Name? in the Sacred Story Library.

Every woman has a story of God's faithful presence through a difficult or challenging season of her life. Encourage the women in your church or community group to come together to share your stories at a Sacred Story Retreat.