We are so excited to welcome you back for a brand-new episode of StoryTellers Live! This fall, we're beginning a new series, Rooted in Hope: Grounded in God's Promises, where each week we'll take a closer look at a promise from Scripture and hear how God has faithfully lived it out in the life of one of our storytellers.

Our prayer is that these stories will encourage you to anchor your heart in the unchanging promises of God, no matter what season you find yourself in.

And, during this series, each week you will get a short devotional that will help you continue reflecting on the promise of the week. You can click on the link in our show notes or newsletter to receive it!

Today's episode features Scarlet Stearns, who first shared her story at our annual Stories of Hope Luncheon. Scarlet opens up about growing up with an alcoholic mother, finding refuge at the Big Oak Ranch, and the countless ways God pursued her through every season of uncertainty. As she reflects on His faithfulness, Scarlet reminds us that we are fully seen, deeply loved, and never beyond the reach of God's redeeming grace. Her story will encourage you to know that God can bring healing, blessing, and purpose even from our deepest wounds.

This week's promise: There has never been a moment in your life when God has not seen you or loved you.

Verses of the Week: From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind. From his dwelling place, he watches all who live on earth. He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. Psalm 33:13-15

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This ministry is sustained by generous donors who believe in the power of sharing stories of hope. To support the mission, give in honor of Scarlet by Venmoing @storytellerslive or click HERE.

Scarlet's ministry: Feel the Smile

Listen to a similar story on finding identity in Christ: Episode 379, Ashley Stockard- "Surrender and Follow: A Story of Finding Your Identity in Christ"

Download a phone background of the weekly verse HERE!

Click HERE to dive a little deeper into today's devotional!

Order our NEWLY RELEASED devotional Where Hope Meets You: A Daily Reminder of the Comfort and Confidence in God's Promises by Katie Dunn!

Looking for a live gathering near you or want to start one in your own community? Click HERE

Join us "In the Room" on Patreon to access stories straight from our live gatherings around the country, periodically posted on Mondays and Fridays!

Purchase or listen to one of our When God Shows Up Bible studies: Stories of Hope, Stories of Freedom, Stories of Faith.

Want to see when live gatherings and upcoming events are happening? Click HERE!

Sign up to receive StoryTellers Live's weekly newsletter for today's devotional, upcoming events, new podcast episodes, details on our live gatherings taking place across the country, and much more!!

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On the StoryTellers Live podcast, everyday women share personal stories of the hope found in Jesus Christ. From stories about sorrow and suffering to redemption and joy, these real life encounters with the Lord reveal what God can do when we trust Him with the details of our lives.

Listen in each Wednesday, and get ready for your faith to increase, for freedom in Christ to be found, and for your perspective to be shifted towards eternity!

As we conclude our Where Hope Meets You: The Story Continues series, Katie sits down with Leslie Presson for a conversation about God's faithfulness through life's hardest seasons.

Leslie's original story aired a little over three years ago and focused on the ways in which the Lord prepared her for and used her through her breast cancer journey. You can listen to her story by clicking here.

Today, Leslie shares how the Lord has recently walked her and her family through another significant health crisis with her husband and how God used her previous trials to strengthen her for this one.

Together, Katie and Leslie also discuss the importance of praying Scripture, staying tethered to Jesus, taking life one day at a time, and fighting the lies of the enemy in seasons of waiting. Leslie also shares how suffering can deepen our intimacy with God and offers practical wisdom for couples navigating difficult circumstances. Be sure to listen to the very end, where she shares the itinerary for her annual marriage retreat - a meaningful tradition filled with encouragement and intentionality.

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Give to StoryTellers Live in honor of Leslie and all of our season 9 storytellers!

Check out Leslie's ministry Hope Blooms

Order our new devotional Where Hope Meets You: A Daily Reminder of the Comfort and Confidence in God's Promises by Katie Dunn!

YES, you can continue to hear NEW stories over the summer! Join us "In the Room" on Patreon to access stories straight from our live gatherings around the country periodically posted on Mondays and Fridays! You can also listen to previously posted stories on Throwback Thursdays over the summer!

Purchase or listen to one of our When God Shows Up Bible studies~ Stories of Hope, Stories of Freedom, Stories of Faith

Want to see details on any upcoming events? Click HERE!

Check out all of our live speaking engagement opportunities on our website.

Sign up to receive StoryTellers Live's weekly newsletter for upcoming events, new podcast episodes, details on our live gatherings taking place across the country, and much more!!

FOLLOW US on Instagram and Facebook!

We're nearing the end of our six-week series, Where Hope Meets You: The Story Continues, and today we're honored to bring you a conversation with Susan Simon. Susan first shared her story in Episode 136, The Scars That Shaped Me, and today she joins us again to reflect on how God has continued to faithfully carry her through the years.

With wisdom, humility, and a deep love for God's Word, Susan reminds us that nothing is outside of God's sovereignty and that even our suffering has purpose. She encourages us to move beyond simply knowing about God to truly knowing Him in our hearts, continually pointing us back to the truth of who He is and who we are in Him.

If your faith feels weak or weary today, this conversation offers the encouragement of someone who has walked through life's deepest storms and found God faithful every step of the way.

Give to StoryTellers Live in honor of Susan and all of our season 9 storytellers!

Order our new devotional Where Hope Meets You: A Daily Reminder of the Comfort and Confidence in God's Promises by Katie Dunn!

YES, you can keep hearing NEW stories over the summer! Join us "In the Room" on Patreon to access stories straight from our live gatherings around the country!

Purchase or listen to one of our When God Shows Up Bible studies~ Stories of Hope, Stories of Freedom, Stories of Faith

Want to see details on any upcoming events? Click HERE!

Check out all of our live speaking engagement opportunities on our website.

Sign up to receive StoryTellers Live's weekly newsletter for upcoming events, new podcast episodes, details on our live gatherings taking place across the country, and much more!!

FOLLOW US on Instagram and Facebook!

As we step into the second half of our Where Hope Meets You: The Story Continues series, we're sitting down today with Rachel Temple. Rachel's original story reflected God's pursuing love and her surrender to His grace. If you haven't heard it yet, you can listen here. Today, Rachel joins podcast host Katie Dunn to talk about how God's grace continues to meet her in everyday life - covering, shaping, and sustaining her. She shares what it looks like to not only receive that grace, but to live defined by it, extend it to others, and keep an audience of One at the center of it all. This episode will resonate with anyone who wrestles with control - and let's be honest, isn't that all of us?

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Give to StoryTellers Live in honor of Rachel and all of our season 9 storytellers!

Order our new devotional Where Hope Meets You: A Daily Reminder of the Comfort and Confidence in God's Promises by Katie Dunn!

YES, you can continue to hear NEW stories over the summer! Join us "In the Room" on Patreon to access stories straight from our live gatherings around the country periodically posted on Mondays and Fridays! You can also listen to previously posted stories on Throwback Thursdays!

Purchase or listen to one of our When God Shows Up Bible studies~ Stories of Hope, Stories of Freedom, Stories of Faith

Want to see details on any upcoming events? Click HERE!

Check out all of our live speaking engagement opportunities on our website.

Sign up to receive StoryTellers Live's weekly newsletter for upcoming events, new podcast episodes, details on our live gatherings taking place across the country, and much more!!

We're in week three of our six-week series, The Story Continues, featuring contributors from our new devotional, Where Hope Meets You. Today, we sit down with Juleigh Green, who first shared her story nearly five years ago about her journey through cancer—not once, but twice. You can listen to her original story here.

In today's conversation, you'll quickly discover that Juleigh's bold faith and unwavering trust in God's healing power are truly contagious. With honesty and vulnerability, she shares the fears she still faces and the ways God faithfully redirects her heart to the hope found in His sovereignty, goodness, and love.

You'll also hear how the Lord has used Juleigh's powerful story to bring hope, encouragement, and comfort to others navigating their own cancer diagnoses. Her story is a beautiful reminder that God continues to work through our experiences long after the chapter we first shared has ended.

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Give to StoryTellers Live in honor of Juleigh and all of our season 9 storytellers!

Preorder our new devotional "Where Hope Meets You: A Daily Reminder of the Comfort and Confidence in God's Promises" by Katie Dunn!

YES, you can keep hearing NEW stories over the summer! Join us "In the Room" on Patreon to access stories straight from our live gatherings around the country!

Purchase or listen to one of our When God Shows Up Bible studies~ Stories of Hope, Stories of Freedom, Stories of Faith

Want to see our upcoming events? Click HERE!

Check out all of our live speaking engagement opportunities on our website.

Sign up to receive StoryTellers Live's weekly newsletter for upcoming events, new podcast episodes, details on our live gatherings taking place across the country, and much more!!

FOLLOW US on Instagram and Facebook!

Where Hope Meets You Series: The Story Continues with Kristy Bridgers :: [Episode 381]

Today, we are in week two of our special podcast series featuring Storytellers from our new devotional, Where Hope Meets You. In this episode, podcast host Katie Dunn reconnects with Kristy Bridgers, who first shared her powerful journey to sobriety with our Oxford community. You can listen to her story HERE.

Just as she originally shared her story, Kristy is refreshingly honest, vulnerable, and authentic as she reflects on all the Lord has taught her over the years. From laying down the masks she once wore, to letting go of striving and performance, to discovering the beauty of slowing down and becoming self-aware, Kristy offers a beautiful picture of the freedom found in Jesus Christ. Her story is a reminder that true healing begins when we allow God to meet us exactly where we are.

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Give to StoryTellers Live in honor of Kristy and all of our season 9 storytellers!

Preorder our new devotional "Where Hope Meets You: A Daily Reminder of the Comfort and Confidence in God's Promises" by Katie Dunn!

YES, you can continue to hear NEW stories over the summer! Join us "In the Room" on Patreon to access stories straight from our live gatherings around the country!

Purchase or listen to one of our When God Shows Up Bible studies~ Stories of Hope, Stories of Freedom, Stories of Faith

Want to see our upcoming events? Click HERE!

Check out all of our live speaking engagement opportunities on our website.

Sign up to receive StoryTellers Live's weekly newsletter for upcoming events, new podcast episodes, details on our live gatherings taking place across the country, and much more!!

FOLLOW US on Instagram and Facebook!

For the next six weeks on the StoryTellers Live podcast, we'll be sitting down with several of the storytellers featured in our new devotional, Where Hope Meets You. Our prayer is that through these conversations, you'll be reminded that no story is beyond the reach of God's grace and that His mercies are truly new every morning.

After this series, we will take a 7-week sabbatical and then return to the podcast with NEW stories from our live gatherings this Fall on September 9th!

In today's episode, podcast host Katie Dunn talks with Alesha Hollinger. You can listen to Alesha's original story by clicking HERE.

A little over three years ago, Alesha's life changed forever when she was shot in the face during a mass shooting. Two years later, she courageously shared her story at one of our live gatherings just outside of Atlanta. In today's conversation, Alesha reflects on the ways God revealed His presence, power, peace, and faithfulness not only on the day of the shooting but in the days, months, and years that followed.

This heartfelt episode is a powerful reminder that even when life takes an unexpected turn, God is still near, still faithful, and still writing our stories.

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Give to StoryTellers Live in honor of Alesha and all of our season 9 storytellers!

Preorder our new devotional "Where Hope Meets You: A Daily Reminder of the Comfort and Confidence in God's Promises" by Katie Dunn!

YES, you can continue to hear NEW stories over the summer! Join us "In the Room" on Patreon to access stories straight from our live gatherings around the country!

Purchase or listen to one of our When God Shows Up Bible studies~ Stories of Hope, Stories of Freedom, Stories of Faith

Check out all of our live speaking engagement opportunities on our website.

Sign up to receive StoryTellers Live's weekly newsletter for upcoming events, new podcast episodes, details on our live gatherings happening around the country, and much more!!

FOLLOW US on Instagram and Facebook!

Surrendering our plans to the Lord is rarely easy. Every step can be met with questions, doubts, and fears that press in on our decisions. And yet, as today's storyteller reminds us, it is in surrender that we discover true freedom.

On today's podcast, Ashley Stockard, who shared at our Vestavia, Alabama live gathering, reflects on her faith journey and the ways the Lord faithfully pursued her heart—drawing her in, capturing her attention, and ultimately leading her to live with open hands.

Through her story, Ashley gently reminds us that surrendering to the Lord, following His lead, and loving Him above all else is where our true identity is revealed and our purpose is found.

VERSE OF THE WEEK:

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:19

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK:

Surrender your plans to the Lord, follow His lead and watch Him move.

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Listen to a similar story: Episode 282- Grace McKissick: "From the World to the Word"

Download a phone background of the weekly verse HERE!

Give to StoryTellers Live in honor of Ashley

Preorder our new devotional "Where Hope Meets You: A Daily Reminder of the Comfort and Confidence in God's Promises" by Katie Dunn

Join us "In the Room" on Patreon to access new stories straight from our live gatherings around the country!

Download audio or purchase one of our studies in the When God Shows Up Bible study series ~ Stories of Hope, Stories of Freedom, Stories of Faith

Check out all of our live speaking engagement opportunities on our website.

Want to see our upcoming events? Click HERE!

Sign up to receive StoryTellers Live's weekly newsletter for upcoming events, new podcast episodes, details on our live gatherings happening around the country, and much more!!

FOLLOW US on Instagram and Facebook!

Today, we're excited to bring you a unique and powerful story from our Tupelo, Mississippi community. Sara and Chris Ekiss share their individual faith journeys, how the Lord brought them together, and the ways He deepened their faith early in their marriage.

When Chris sensed God calling him away from being the lead singer of a secular band and into ministry, their lives took an unexpected turn, one that required trust, surrender, and a deep reliance on God's provision.

This is a story about making your faith your own, moving beyond the foundation of family and discovering a personal, vibrant relationship with the Lord. It's also a story of learning to trust God's guidance, His timing, and His faithfulness as He leads us exactly where we're meant to be.

VERSE OF THE WEEK:

"May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us - yes, establish the work of our hands." Psalm 90:17

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK:

In what ways have your faith and prayer life become your own over the years? Praise God for the ways in which He has pursued your heart and established the work of your hands.

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Listen to a similar story: Episode 309- Katie & JT Thornbury: "Seek and You Will Find: A Marriage and Salvation Story"

Download a phone background of the weekly verse HERE!

Give to StoryTellers Live in honor of Sara & Chris

Preorder our new devotional "Where Hope Meets You: A Daily Reminder of the Comfort and Confidence in God's Promises" by Katie Dunn

Join us "In the Room" on Patreon to access new stories straight from our live gatherings around the country!

Shop for our When God Shows Up Bible Study series~ Stories of Hope, Stories of Freedom, Stories of Faith

Are you interested in one-on-one coaching with our very own Robyn Kown!? Click HERE!

Check out all of our live speaking engagement opportunities on our website.

Sign up to receive StoryTellers Live's weekly newsletter for upcoming events, new podcast episodes, details on our live gatherings happening around the country, and much more!!

FOLLOW US on Instagram and Facebook!