Matt Forté knew his calling when he was just seven years old- to play in the NFL. What he didn't know was how much faith, perseverance, and surrender it would take to get there. Through injuries, setbacks, and seasons of doubt, Matt discovered that God's purpose was about more than football. It was about shaping his heart, not just his game. In his new book, Stay in the Game, Matt shares the lessons that carried him from a childhood dream to the NFL, and how faith, focus, and purpose can guide anyone through life's highs and lows. Today, the former Chicago Bears running back uses his platform to mentor others and live out his faith beyond the field. Hear how God led Matt from religion to relationship, and from chasing success to finding lasting purpose.

Faith Podcasts are made possible by your support. You can click here to give.

Show Notes:

Book: https://www.tyndale.com/p/stay-in-the-game/9798400510786

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mforte22/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattforte22/

Sports Spectrum Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/sports_spectrum/?hl=en

The Champion podcast: https://www.myfaithpodcasts.com/podcasts/the-champion-unlike-any-other/?t=1761583375786

John Prince never set out to sell olive oil. He just wanted to help people in Illinois, around the world, anywhere God pointed. When finances got tight, John feared his impact might be over. But God brought a new opportunity: importing Sabba Oil to help families in Lebanon keep working and providing for their loved ones. The results are not guaranteed. But John is choosing to trust God in the middle of it.

Rebecca Nichols Alonzo's childhood was built on faith and family, yet marked by fear. For years, her family was targeted by a man from their church who terrorized them with threats, harassment, and violence. Then one night, the unthinkable happened. Her mother was killed, and Rebecca's world was shattered.

Years later, the man responsible reached out with a shocking question: "Will you forgive me?" That moment changed everything. Rebecca and her brother later shared their story on national television, publicly forgiving their mother's killer and showing the world what God's grace can do. Based on her bestselling book The Devil in Pew Number Seven, Rebecca's journey has inspired millions. It's a powerful story of pain, faith, and a forgiveness that could only come from God.

Faith Podcasts are made possible by your support. You can click here to give.

Show Notes:

Website: http://www.rebeccaalonzo.com/

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Devil-Pew-Number-Seven/dp/1414326599

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedevilinpewnumberseven

"God decided… I'm gonna have you be a play-by-play voice in the NFL… even though you've never done it in your life."

Paul Allen didn't take the usual path to the broadcast booth. He went from horse racing to becoming the voice of the Minnesota Vikings. His passion made him go viral, but his greatest transformation didn't happen on the mic. It happened when Jesus became real to him after 52 years of belief without relationship.

In this Unfolding Short Story, we share a powerful moment from The Champion: Unlike Any Other podcast, where Paul tells how God changed everything.

Hear the full story of Paul Allen on this episode of The Champion: Unlike Any Other.

What do you do when life takes everything, your home, your job, even your hope? Cory Nickols knows those struggles intimately. Raised in a Christian home, he thought he understood who he was, but trauma, loss, and doubt left him questioning everything, including his value. One heartfelt prayer, "God, I want to know You," set him on a journey through what he calls The Breaking, The Crushing, and The Stripping. These seasons challenged everything he knew about God and himself, ultimately revealing his true identity: loved, chosen, and a child of God. Today, Cory helps rescue children trapped in human trafficking, showing how God can transform brokenness into purpose. Content caution: This episode includes references to suicidal ideation, childhood sexual abuse, and human trafficking.

Show Notes:

Website: https://corynickols.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/corynickolsministries

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/corynickols/

Destiny Rescue: https://www.destinyrescue.org/

Cory's book: https://www.amazon.com/More-God-Not-Done-You/dp/B0F4Z3QHHH

"My little boy, who was one, was in our goldfish pond."

A fall afternoon on the farm turned from laughter to panic. When Sarah Philpott's one-year-old slipped toward danger, her four-year-old daughter heard a whisper from God that changed everything. This short story is about paying attention, seeing God's mercy, and staying present in the life He has given.

Sarah's latest children's book: Wake Up, Little Seed

Faith Podcasts are made possible by your support. You can click here to give.

When country artist Granger Smith and his wife, Amber Smith, lost their three-year-old son, River, their world shattered. In her darkest moments, Amber found herself on the bathroom floor, crying out to God, desperate for hope. That heartbreak became the beginning of redemption. Now the author of "The Girl on the Bathroom Floor" and host of the Arise with Amber podcast, Amber shares how God met her in unimaginable pain, how He brought beauty from ashes, and how she learned to live with both grief and joy. This episode of The Unfolding is a story of faith, healing, and the hope that only God can bring when life falls apart.

Show Notes:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amberemilysmith/?hl=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSmithsTV

Amber's Website: https://arisewithamber.com/

Amber's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Bathroom-Floor-Together-Everything/dp/1400347890

Granger's episode on The Unfolding: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/page-185-granger-smith-country-music-star-finds-faith/id1460841077?i=1000720200985

Water Safety resources:

https://www.infantswim.com/

https://ndpa.org/

Faith Podcasts are made possible by your support. You can click here to give.

"I don't trust eyewitnesses. Eyewitnesses often lie."

Homicide detective J. Warner Wallace was on a search for truth that changed his life. Reading the Gospels through the lens of investigation, he discovered that the eyewitness accounts of Jesus aligned just the way truthful testimony does. In this episode, the respected apologist and author of Cold Case Christianity shares how evidence led him to Christ and why every believer can become a thoughtful defender of the faith.

Faith Podcasts are made possible by your support. You can click here to give.

Peter Burton was a young kid with a loving family and a faith-filled childhood, but by middle school, anxiety and OCD began to creep into his life. For years, therapy and treatment helped him manage, but by the time he hit adulthood, the weight of fear and panic attacks became overwhelming. As a worship pastor, he would lead people in songs about God's goodness, then get in his car and break down in tears. He begged God to heal him, but healing didn't come.

In this episode of The Unfolding, Peter shares his journey through anxiety, the questions that challenged his faith, and the discovery of a God who sustains even in the hardest seasons. Peter is a singer, songwriter, and worship leader who recently signed with Integrity Music and Matthew West's Story House Collective.

Show Notes:

Website: https://www.peterburtonofficial.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peterburtonmusic/

Craig Groeschel Book: https://www.craiggroeschel.com/books/winning-the-war-in-your-mind

"I love you, and there's nothing you can do about it."

Kids make mistakes. Sometimes accidents leave scars that last forever. For John O'Leary, one choice with fire left him burned and disabled. What should have been only tragedy became a story of grace. His family and his community surrounded him, but it was his father's voice in the hospital that changed everything: "I have never been so proud of anyone in my entire life. I love you, and there's nothing you can do about it." That is grace. That is the gospel. John's journey is now a feature film, Soul on Fire starring William H. Macy, opening October 10. Learn more at soulonfiremovie.com.