The Uncommon Path

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Brenda Jellicorse shares her powerful testimony of hearing God's voice from childhood through decades of ministry, business leadership, and raising a family with her husband Steve.

• Growing up Baptist but encountering God personally at age 12, learning to hear His voice
• Receiving prophetic confirmation at 16 that she would marry Steve, who received the same vision separately
• Navigating an unexpected pregnancy as young believers and choosing to embrace God's plan despite shame
• Experiencing identical baptism in the Holy Spirit visions that remained private for over 20 years
• Being shunned by their church community in their 20s after speaking out against legalistic practices
• Receiving a prophecy that they would return to ministry at age 40 after years in business
• Transitioning from house church leadership to joining with Antioch Community Church
• Learning key lessons about humility and servant leadership as older members in a young congregation
• Finding sustaining faith in knowing God not only loves her but genuinely likes being with her

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Joel Jackson shares his journey from growing up in a devout Christian home to finding his personal faith, including his struggles with depression, anxiety, and the miraculous healing that changed his life.

• Growing up homeschooled in a Christian family where faith was modeled but needed to become personal
• Experiencing a period of rebellion in high school while trying to fit in with peers
• Struggling with anxiety, depression and self-harm that remained hidden for years
• Receiving miraculous healing from anxiety and depression during a discipleship school
• Learning to find identity in Christ rather than seeking acceptance from others
• Discovering that comparison steals the joy of relationship with Jesus
• Understanding how God uses even our mistakes and disobedience as part of His rescue plan
• Finding the balance between compliance and true obedience rooted in understanding

If you're struggling with acceptance, identity, or feeling alone in your struggles, remember that nothing you could share would surprise God or those who truly love you.

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Bruce King shares his powerful journey from a broken family background to finding Jesus through an unexpected encounter with a former NFL player who beat him at tennis while smoking a cigarette. His testimony reveals how God pursued him relentlessly and transformed his life through intentional discipleship.

• Finding Christ at 18 years old after witnessing the contrast between his chaotic family and a Christian family's peace
• Experiencing a spiritual desert for 10 years before meeting Dan Coucher, who became his mentor
• Learning five transformative questions that reshaped his perspective on faith and relationships
• Making his wife breakfast in bed every day for over 10 years as a consistent act of love
• Discovering and breaking generational patterns of brokenness through marriage healing exercises
• Discipling others using the model of three men for three years, following Jesus' example
• Finding deeper intimacy with God during a forced time of physical recovery after surgery
• Transitioning from corporate success to full-time marriage ministry at age 56
• Creating Renewed Hearts ministry to help couples discover the fullness of what God intended for marriage
• Moving from achievement to fulfillment by putting eternal values before worldly success

Visit renewedhearts.org to learn more about Bruce and Yvonne's marriage ministry.

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David Klingler shares his extraordinary journey from depression and multiple suicide attempts to finding healing and purpose in Christ. His testimony reveals how even amid severe mental health struggles, God's gentle pursuit never ceased.

• Began hearing God's voice at age 4 but struggled with depression throughout adolescence
• Experienced a psychiatric hospitalization where doctors discovered his medication levels were far beyond fatal limits
• Excelled academically in computer science despite health challenges
• Received a vision from God about creating games that would help people share their life stories
• Lost his brother to suicide in 2016, creating a "physical weight" of grief he couldn't escape
• Attempted to cope through overworking as a game developer and achieving world records
• Found Antioch Church where his questions about faith were finally welcomed
• Made a radical decision to stop all medications, trusting God completely for healing
• Experienced miraculous freedom from withdrawal symptoms and side effects
• Met and married his wife Stephanie after years of specific prayers
• Now describes his relationship with God as one of "overwhelming closeness"

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Brian Boswell shares his powerful journey from teenage rebellion to finding his calling as a pastor, revealing how God redeemed his story despite divorce, addiction, and overwhelming shame. His testimony demonstrates how our broken paths often become the very means through which God's grace flows most powerfully to others.

• Growing up in church but experiencing a crisis of faith after his parents' divorce at age 14
• Finding a new identity in the grunge/skateboarding scene and beginning to use drugs at a young age
• Experiencing a profound encounter with God's grace at a Christian rock concert
• Receiving a call to ministry at 17 and preaching his first sermon at the church that had previously rejected him
• Struggling through a difficult first marriage that ended in divorce and left him feeling disqualified from ministry
• Carrying the weight of shame for over a decade while still serving in the background at church
• Finding healing through sharing his story and learning that "God can draw a straight line with a crooked stick"
• Receiving a renewed call to pastoral ministry at age 39, twenty-two years after his initial calling
• Discovering that his painful journey uniquely equipped him to minister to others with similar wounds
• Learning that vulnerability and authenticity in sharing our stories is where true healing begins

The power of your testimony isn't just for your own healing—it's for others who need to know they're not alone in their struggles. When we share our stories honestly, God uses them to break shame and bring freedom.

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Jasmine Etterman shares her journey from a childhood of hiding behind a perfect Christian family image to finding freedom through vulnerability and confession. 

• Growing up in a pillar church family while wrestling with hidden struggles
• Developing an addiction to pornography at a young age and believing she was alone in this struggle
• Finding authentic community through an Antioch life group in college
• Experiencing breakthrough when another woman shared her testimony of freedom from sexual sin
• Learning that confession and vulnerability are keys to breaking shame's power
• Discovering how many other women struggle with the same issues through open sharing
• Going on mission trips to Germany, India, and Indonesia that transformed her foundation
• Leading a Syrian refugee to Christ and witnessing miraculous healings
• Reconciling seasons of spiritual intensity with current season of marriage and motherhood
• Finding joy in being fully present in the season God has called you to

If you're struggling with shame or addiction, find someone you trust and invite them into your life. Confess your sin - the freedom you'll experience is worth the risk of vulnerability.

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Trog Trogdon shares his transformative journey from a small-town Baptist upbringing to running a discipleship ministry, revealing how meeting a spiritual mentor changed his understanding of what it truly means to follow Christ. His story illuminates the difference between having a "ticket to heaven" and living a life worthy of hearing "well done" from Jesus.

• Growing up with a "ticket to heaven" mentality focused on what not to do rather than who he was in Christ
• Finding authentic faith after college through spiritual mentorship and discipleship
• Identifying and surrendering the idol of money that promised peace, security, and comfort
• The transition from corporate success to ministry through Bonton Farms in South Dallas
• The essential difference between information-based and transformation-based discipleship
• The intentional approach to balancing ministry calling with family discipleship
• Practical ideas for fathers to disciple children, including "Read Pray Run" and creating meaningful traditions

Kingdom Focus Coaching equips disciples to make disciples, recognizing that "you risk nothing to trust Christ with everything."

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Tracy Evans shares her extraordinary journey from the streets of Los Angeles to 25 years as a medical missionary in Mozambique, revealing how God consistently turns difficult circumstances into opportunities for redemption. Her powerful testimony demonstrates that faith deepens most profoundly in wilderness seasons when we're entirely dependent on divine provision.

• Growing up with an imprisoned father in inner-city LA, developing early God-consciousness through creation
• Using a stolen alligator at age 12 to escape potential attackers, foreshadowing God's ability to use anything for protection
• Finding Christ through a fellow soldier's consistent love despite Tracy's deliberate antagonism
• Living in a tent in California's wilderness while being discipled by Bill Johnson and Chris Vallotton
• Experiencing hostage situations, smuggling Bibles, and navigating seven coups across various nations
• Overcoming severe depression after returning from Asia through supernatural encounter with Holy Spirit
• Being accidentally called to Mozambique instead of returning to Asia as planned
• Building a medical clinic on land designated for a mosque, reaching Muslims through practical service
• Learning that relationship with God deepens most in wilderness seasons where self-sufficiency is impossible
• Discovering that America is the only place where she experiences loneliness due to cultural independence

If you're experiencing spiritual dryness or disconnection, follow David's example in the Psalms by commanding your soul to "hope in God" rather than wallowing in despair. Discipline your thoughts, rejoice as an act of obedience rather than an emotional response, and seek help from others rather than suffering alone.

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Travis takes us through his journey from skeptical high school student to church planter as he describes pivotal moments that shaped his faith. His incredible story showcases how God uses authenticity to transform lives and build His church.

• Found peace through a Christian radio station after being rejected for prom
• Initially thought Antioch Church was "weird" but was drawn to their authenticity
• Believed the church might pay actors to fake miracles before witnessing healing firsthand
• Experienced prophetic dreams and supernatural confirmation through speaking in tongues
• Helped plant churches in Raleigh and Washington DC before transitioning to business
• Wrote "Church Shopping" to help others find and commit to church communities
• Emphasizes relationship with God over religious performance
• Values spiritual legacy over corporate success

We want to hear from you! Send us a message directly from Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Share how this season ministered to you, what you loved, and even what you didn't. Is there someone whose story you think we should share? Let us know!

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Nate Howell shares his powerful journey from growing up in a strict Mennonite family bound by religious legalism to experiencing true freedom through an authentic relationship with Jesus.

• From a family of 10 children with deep Mennonite roots on his mother's side and a father who came to faith at 18
• Growing up with strict religious rules including no sports, no TV, and specific dress codes that made his family stand out
• Developing a double life in his teenage years - attending barn church while secretly partying and pursuing popularity
• Moving to Pepperdine University in California as an escape from his family and religious upbringing
• Experiencing a series of closed doors (lost job, towed car, possessions burned in a fire) that led him back home
• Finding healing through authentic Christian community that showed him God's grace rather than religious performance
• Experiencing supernatural deliverance from pornography and sexual addiction after sharing childhood trauma
• Discovering God's transformative power that turned his weaknesses into strengths
• Now leading a life of freedom as a husband, father of three daughters (fourth on the way), and successful in the career he once avoided