My guest for this episode is the author, publisher, and psychotherapist Sarah Grace. Sarah knows what it is to suffer, and also what it is to experience the transforming presence of God. She describes herself as having ‘fallen beautifully into publishing’ and now she uses helps other people to tell the stories of God’s mercy to them. Her struggles have now brought her to a place of peace and wisdom, and I was blessed by talking to her about how we can all face the greatest challenges we will meet in our lives, and why it is so important for us all to work out what we really want to do.

I had a wonderful time speaking to Sarah, I hope you will enjoy listening to our conversation, this is her story.

My guest for this episode is a writer, a former human rights worker, and a self-confessed tech-nerd. She now runs her own business and like so many of my guests she has had to cope with significant challenges in her life, challenges which she has endured with God as her companion.

She spent the first years of her life in Lagos in Nigeria, growing up in a loving Muslim family. Her father died when she was in her early 20’s and his passing had a big impact on her. 

But the biggest impact on her life was a decision she had made years earlier when, at the age of just nine, she had asked Jesus to forgive her and come into her life. 

Years later as she established her identity as a follower of Jesus, and confronted a number of mental health issues, God was her companion through it all.

So in this episode you’ll be hearing the stories that matter from the life of Abidemi Sanusi, writer, entrepreneur, and true woman of God.

This is her story.

In 1980 Ana Nolan and her husband celebrated the arrival of their first child, a baby girl who they christened Lisa. But even from the beginning, Ana sensed that there was something not right, that Lisa wasn’t quite as she should be. And so began a fifteen year battle as Ana fought to get the best for her child. Life has not been easy for Ana, but she has felt God’s comforting presence with her through all of the years of heartache and loneliness. How has she coped? And what are the lessons she has learnt that we can share in with her?

My guest for this episode is someone who has had to face all kinds of challenges in her life including domestic abuse, isolation, and racism. As a single parent she brought up six children, and she spent many years establishing and then living out her identity and self-respect. Now, she has many identities. She is a church leader, an author, a businesswoman, a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother; all roles that she embraces as she serves the people around her.

As with all of my guests, her journey has not always been easy, but in our conversation she gives testimony to how Jesus has been her companion through the storms of life. In this episode you’ll be hearing the stories that matter from the life of Fiona Lynch, a true example of someone who has overcome many obstacles to work out her destiny in God.

This is her story.

Malcolm Down is an independent publisher and athlete, and in his life he has endured one of the most difficult challenges anyone can face. Malcolm and his wife Dawn were bringing up three young children when she received the devastating news that she had ovarian cancer, and after a brave battle over a number of years Dawn passed away leaving Malcolm to bring up their children and deal with his grief. This is his story.

Iona Rossely competed at an international level in two sports: speed skiing, and endurance horse racing, switching from the skis to the saddle when a 160 km per hour crash nearly killed her. Determined and successful, even at the height of her sport, Iona still found that there was something missing in her life. This is her story.

After being dependent on heroin for fifteen years and spending a number of terms in prison, Barry Woodward had an encounter with God which completely transformed his life, this is his story.

Welcome to the Testimony Podcast: people of faith telling the stories that matter from their lives. I'm your host Andrew J Chamberlain and in each episode you'll hear one of my guests telling you how Jesus has been their companion, guide, and saviour through the good times, and the tough times. My hope is that you will be encouraged by the testimony of each of my guests, and in this first episode I will be telling you a little of my story, and what you can expect when you listen to the show.