This Unexpected Life

In this episode, Carrie Holt interviews Kristin Faith Evans, who shares her journey as a mother of a child with disabilities. Kristin discusses the challenges and joys of parenting, the importance of family travel, and practical tips for families with medically fragile children. She emphasizes the need for a positive mindset, baby steps in travel, and the significance of creating lasting family memories. 

Ep. 14: June 17, 2025

Resources:

Disability Parenting

How to Build a Thriving Marriage Book

Find Kristin on Instagram or Facebook

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• The Podcast is on YouTube
• Check out my new website
• Click here if you want to be a guest on the show
• Carrie’s Facebook or Instagram
• Find me on Substack
• My book: The Other Side of Special 

*This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.

In this episode, Carrie Holt interviews Erika Weise about the challenges and joys of traveling with a child with special needs. They discuss the importance of family travel, the planning involved, and the memories created through these experiences. Erika shares her family's journey, the obstacles they face, and the courage it takes to make travel happen. The conversation emphasizes the need for flexibility, trust, and the value of creating lasting memories as a family.

Ep. 13; June 10, 2025

Resources:
Interview with Erika Weise on Take Heart

Access Tracks

If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review!

• The Podcast is on YouTube
• Check out my new website
• Click here if you want to be a guest on the show
• Carrie’s Facebook or Instagram
• Find me on Substack
• My book: The Other Side of Special 

*This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.

Today, we hear from Miranda Bailey, a mother of four whose plans for their family didn’t turn out the way she expected when the country closed to adopting the girl they wanted to bring home, and then their fourth son was born with Holoprosencephaly. Listen as she shares her story of navigating grief, expectations, how jealousy leads to isolation, surrender, and finding purpose when caregiving feels never-ending. Connect with Miranda, as she’s vulnerable and honest about gaining perspective and how to hold on to hope when the unexpected happens. 

Ep. 12: June 3, 2025

Resources:
Absolute Surrender by Andrew Murray
His Glory and My Good by CityAlight
When God Doesn’t Answer Your Prayer by Jerry Sittser

If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review!

• The Podcast is on YouTube
• Check out my new website
• Click here if you want to be a guest on the show
• Carrie’s Facebook or Instagram
• Find me on Substack
• My book: The Other Side of Special 

*This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.

In part two of this interview with Mackenzie Walters, she shares the different types of faith stories, some guardrails for sharing, and how to decide what and when to share with others. She also offers some practical advice on knowing when you’re not ready to tell your story and how our stories are often a guide for others. 

Episode 11: May 20, 2025

Resources:
Faith Storytellers
Book: Faith Storytellers

If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review!

• The Podcast is on YouTube
• Check out my new website
• Click here if you want to be a guest on the show
• Carrie’s Facebook or Instagram
• Find me on Substack
• My book: The Other Side of Special 

*This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.

Mackenzie Walters is the author of the book "Faith Storytellers." In this episode, she shares the importance of sharing our faith stories, the vulnerability it requires, and also the power of connection that comes from sharing. Most importantly, she describes how we can find God in the tiny details of our life stories and His presence in the unexpected. 

Ep 10: May 13, 2025

Resources:
Faith Storytellers

If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review!

• The Podcast is on YouTube
• Check out my new website
• Click here if you want to be a guest on the show
• Carrie’s Facebook or Instagram
• Find me on Substack
• My book: The Other Side of Special 

*This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.

Join Carrie today as she interviews Becky Davidson, from Rising Above Ministries, who shares her “modern-day” Job-like story of being a mother to a child with disability, substantial loss, wrestling with God, the key element of lament, and the importance of community and soul care. 

May 6, 2025
Episode 9

Resources:
By The Brook - Register now
Rising Above Ministries
Rising Above Dad’s Podcast
Lectio 365 App
Rising Above Podcast with Becky Davidson

If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review!

• The Podcast is on YouTube
• Check out my new website
• Click here if you want to be a guest on the show
• Carrie’s Facebook or Instagram
• Find me on Substack
• My book: The Other Side of Special 

*This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.

Denial is our body’s way of protecting us from the reality of our situations, but sometimes we get stuck there. In this episode, Carrie discusses this stage of grief: some reasons we get stuck, the risks of being stuck in denial, and some practices for moving beyond it. 

April 22, 2025

Resources:
Jason Gray: Remind Me You’re Here
By The Brook Registration
Faith Storytellers
Book: Extraordinary Kids
Verses Mentioned: II Peter 1:3, John 18

If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review!

• The Podcast is on YouTube
• Check out my new website
• Click here if you want to be a guest on the show
• Carrie’s Facebook or Instagram
• Find me on Substack
• My book: The Other Side of Special 

*This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.

April 15, 2025

In part two of this interview with Amy J. Brown, Amy shares how we can find hope in the chaos of caregiving, the power of not overthinking or overplanning, and the importance of slowing down. Through her mentoring and spiritual direction training, she gives practical advice for flourishing in the difficult position of being a caregiving parent and ways she’s found joy.

Resources:
Amy’s Website
Amy’s Substack
Amy’s Writing on Slowing Down

If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review!

• The Podcast is on YouTube
• Check out my new website
• Click here if you want to be a guest on the show
• Carrie’s Facebook or Instagram
• Find me on Substack
• My book: The Other Side of Special 

*This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.

April 8, 2025

Parenting children with behavioral issues and trauma can be a difficult position with the added shame and judgment we bring not only on ourselves but also from other people. In this interview, Amy J. Brown shares how she has reframed the narrative around her parenting, some strategies she uses to rest, and how she has found hope in the pause between chaotic events while parenting children with visible or invisible disabilities. 

Resources:
Amy’s Website

Amy’s Substack

If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review!

• The Podcast is on YouTube
• Check out my new website
• Click here if you want to be a guest on the show
• Carrie’s Facebook or Instagram
• Find me on Substack
• My book: The Other Side of Special 

*This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.

In this episode, Carrie interviews Jen Headlee, whose journey involved infertility, adoption, navigating the NICU, and her son’s many other health challenges. She discusses bargaining with God, guilt over grief, and embracing the reality of her situation. Listen in to Jen’s unexpected life story.

If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review!

• The Podcast is on YouTube
• Check out my new website
• Click here if you want to be a guest on the show
• Carrie’s Facebook or Instagram
• Find me on Substack
• My book: The Other Side of Special 

*This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.