The Nothing Is Wasted Podcast

Suicide is an epidemic that is claiming an unimaginable amount of lives in our country and around the world today. And while the church should be a bastion of hope that people can cling to in those dark moments when they contemplate taking their own lives, that isn’t always the case. Far too many Christians are content to stay quiet on this issue, to turn a blind eye and hope the problem just goes away. Dr. Matthew Sleeth is not one of them. As a former ER doctor, Matthew has seen people tragically lose their lives to suicide too many times, and he’s made it his mission to try to change that. Matthew sits down with Davey to share some of the wisdom he’s gleaned about this topic over the years and why it’s a critical conversation for the church to have right now.

At a young age, Naomi Widmer experienced sexual and spiritual abuse that would haunt her for years to come. Naomi would go on to carry the pain of these early events for decades, unable to find true healing anywhere she looked. That is, until she met Teresa Glantz. Teresa’s story is not too dissimilar from Naomi’s. She’s gone through similar pain and trauma, and has walked a long, hard healing journey. Teresa is one of our Pain to Purpose Certified Guides, and she walked Naomi step by step along a path that has led to true, lasting healing. Naomi and Teresa sit down with Davey to share their story of finding each other and how Teresa’s pain journey led to her being an agent of healing in Naomi’s life.

We often say that pain is the common denominator of life. But while that is true, there is another common denominator: laughter. Even in the middle of the darkest seasons, we all find ourselves laughing at times. It’s a part of the human experience, just like pain. Michael Jr. knows this firsthand. As a comedian, his job is to make people laugh. But Michael’s comedy is far from an escape that tries to pretend that pain doesn’t exist. Through his own painful experiences and the stories of others that he’s witnessed, Michael has learned how laughter can reach us in our pain and bring newfound hope. Michael sits down with Davey to share some of his story and the wisdom he’s gained along the journey.

Many of us would love nothing more than to forget the worst things that have happened to us. We want to keep them secret, to pretend that if we don’t talk or even think about them then maybe they didn’t ever really happen. We try to replace redemption with forgetfulness, and end up carrying pain that goes unhealed for far too long as a result. This was Kelly Olson’s story when she experienced a sexual assault as a freshman in college. Kelly kept her pain quiet for years, until one day she learned firsthand the power of a shared story. Now Kelly makes it her mission to help others experience the same kind of healing that she did. Kelly sits down with Davey to share her story and what she’s learned about the true meaning of redemption along the journey.

Crystal Paine is known to many as “The Money Saving Mom.” With a new book out on parenting, she has a reputation as a person with a lot of wisdom to share on parenting, finances, and more. But Crystal’s wisdom didn’t come easy. When she went through a rough season with one of her children, Crystal learned all over again what it truly means to be a parent, and at the same time how deeply we are each loved by God. Crystal sits down with Davey to share some of this story and the wisdom she’s gleaned along the way.

Ryan Atkins started college like many others, full of plans, ambitions, and hopes for what he thought a successful life would look like. But all of that changed in an instant when an accident left Ryan paralyzed from the neck down. Finding himself thrust into what seemed like a hopeful situation, Ryan learned what faith truly means and found a deeper hope beyond this life. Ryan joins Davey to share some of his incredible story and what he’s learned from this journey.

We often expect pastors to have it all put together, to be the one’s who’s lives are so in order that they can help others with their own. Just a few years ago, Ken Baugh was just one such pastor. But when a season of burnout found Ken without a job and questioning his ministry, it was only then that he found his true purpose in understanding God’s work in our minds on a whole new level. Ken sits down with Davey to share about his journey and how he’s using what he’s learned to help countless others.

As someone with a very large, very prominent ministry, Angie Smith is the kind of person you would expect to “have it all together.” Through speaking, books, Bible studies, and more, Angie has helped thousands of people in their walks with Christ. But her platform didn’t come easy. Angie walked through some incredible seasons of pain, including the loss fo a newborn child, that redefined her relationship with God. When pain inevitably gave way to seasons of doubt, Angie found herself seeing God in a new way, and in doing so learned more about each of our relationships with God and the seasons of pain and doubt that we all walk through. Angie sits down with Davey to share some of her story and how she’s using the lessons she’s learned in dark seasons to help countless other people.

In 2015, the small rural town of Austin, Indiana became the epicenter of the worst drug-fueled HIV outbreak in US history. As the only doctor in Austin, Dr. William Cooke saw firsthand the extreme poverty and toxic conditions that exist in small pockets of America, out of sight and out of mind for the more fortunate. But in the middle of these horrific conditions, William was able to become the hands and feet of Jesus in a tangible way to those who needed it most. William sits down with Davey to share some of how he found purpose in walking with people through life’s toughest trials and working to repair the broken systems at the root of this pain.

When Amy Ford found herself pregnant outside of marriage at only 19 years old, she did what far too many women do — she went to have an abortion. But fortunately for Amy, God intervened in her story. A panic attack at the abortion clinic saved her unborn son and kept her from making a terrible mistake. Now, Amy has made it her mission to help women who are considering abortion and those who have already gone through with it. Amy sits down with Davey to share some of her story and how God has turned her worst decisions into newfound purpose.