Unwritten

🎉 The SEEK Podcast is now the Unwritten Podcast, presented by FOCUS! Follow us here to keep getting new stories of God's grace active in the world.

Join us as SEEK26! Use this link to register: http://bit.ly/3IPoew4

Use Promo Code REPLAY for Exclusive Pre-SEEK Content, and a chance to win one of three $100 vouchers to shopfocus.org

🎥 Also - We are doing a short VIDEO series! Please enjoy visually engaging with some of our storytellers.

In this episode of Unwritten, a podcast dedicated to sharing stories of the movement of the Holy Spirit in the world today, host Trevor Barreca welcomes Ryan Noll. Ryan discusses his experience working in campus ministry at NYU and the difficult lesson he learned about control and faithfulness.

Whether seeking stories of God at work or evidence of the movement of the Holy Spirit, this conversation demonstrates what happens when a campus minister believes that people's encounters with Jesus are "solely dependent on whether or not you are a good instrument in the hand of God". Ryan shares the story of Nick, a new student with blue hair, who found the Catholic Center via a quick Google search and seemed highly intrigued by the faith.

Ryan invested five months into discipling Nick, only to be heartbroken on April 27th, 2017, when Nick delivered a "breakup" gift of chocolates, a letter, and his grandfather's Catholic Bible, deciding instead to join a non-Catholic ministry.

Ryan believed he would never see the "fruit of the work" or know the rest of Nick's faith journey. Ryan's struggle reveals how God works behind the scenes. After a year and a half of silence, Nick reappeared at Mass and asked Ryan to be his sponsor into the Catholic Church that Easter. This powerful encounter affirms that God is faithful and loves people more than we do. Ryan realized he had been entrusted with Nick and with Nick's family heirloom—the word of God—until the right time.

The story encourages listeners to never give up hope on those who seem closed off, reminding us that Jesus is still doing and saying many things in the world through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes! Find us at seekreplay.com.

🎉 The SEEK Podcast is now the Unwritten Podcast, presented by FOCUS! Follow us here to keep getting new stories of God's grace active in the world.

Join us as SEEK26! Use this link to register: http://bit.ly/3IPoew4

Use Promo Code REPLAY for Exclusive Pre-SEEK Content, and a chance to win one of three $100 vouchers to shopfocus.org

🎥 Also - We are doing a short VIDEO series! Please enjoy visually engaging with some of our storytellers.

In this episode of Unwritten, a podcast dedicated to sharing stories of the movement of the Holy Spirit, we hear from Niru De Silva to discuss his profound healing journey following profound pain and loneliness as a new missionary. Whether seeking stories of God at work or the movement of the Holy Spirit, this conversation demonstrates what happens when someone who has already given his life to God and moved across the country to serve the Lord on a college campus experiences a crisis of faith.

Despite his deep conviction, Niru endured such hardships and obstacles that he looked up one day and thought, "Why am I doing this?". After multiple rejections had eroded his sense of self-worth, he found his own life felt like a "living hell", even praying in desperation for death, saying, "God, I would never commit suicide, but it'd be really great if the next time I opened my eyes, I was in heaven".

Niru De Silva's encounter reveals how the Lord’s invitation provides a sign that keeps one going, leading to a slow, deep transformational journey of healing that restores identity and affirms that God is the healer.

Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

🎉 The SEEK Podcast is now the Unwritten Podcast, presented by FOCUS! Follow us here to keep getting new stories of God's grace active in the world.

🎥 Also - We are doing a short VIDEO series! Please enjoy visually engaging with some of our storytellers.

In this episode of Unwritten, host Trevor Barreca sits down with Lizzi to discuss her profound conversion following trauma and a pursuit of worldly success.

Whether seeking stories of God at work or the movement of the Holy Spirit, this conversation demonstrates what happens when someone overcomes adversity of insurmountable capacity but remains unsatisfied and searching for what they were made for.

Lizzie's encounter reveals how the Lord’s invitation lifts the pressure of expectations and leads to fulfillment through full-time ministry.

What You’ll Hear:

• The disruption of Lizzie's life by a traumatic brain injury led to emotional anguish and a lost sense of identity. Despite achieving success by transferring to UC Berkeley, she felt perpetual pressure, loneliness, and eventually abandoned her Catholic faith.
• How her practical father, who used her as a "guinea pig," arranged a 4-week FOCUS mission trip to Southeast Asia, forcing her to pack a Catholic Bible despite her having abandoned Mass and faith.
• The pivotal moment in a humid Singapore chapel where she was flooded with joy and heard God say something she'll never forget.

Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

Hang Out With Us at SEEK26: http://bit.ly/3IPoew4

In this episode of Unwritten, Trevor Barreca sits down with John Paul JP Hernandez to talk about how a simple game of Monopoly led a grandson to witness his grandpa's faith journey and miraculous conversion.

Whether you're looking for stories of God at work in the world today, or just curious about the transforming power of divine mercy, this conversation will demonstrate how encountering God's mercy can unwrite years, decades, of habitual ways of living and lead you outside of yourself to give yourself away to others.

What You’ll Hear:

• The story of JP's grandfather, Carlos, who struggled with childhood trauma after his father stepped out on him, but eventually underwent a dramatic transformation from a man of severity to one who was loving, understanding, and empathetic.

• How reading the book The Return of the Prodigal Son helped Carlos gain the capacity to forgive his father and have mercy on himself, leading him to become an "everyday saint" and a man profoundly intimate with God.

• Stories of Carlos' constant evangelization and generosity, including his routine visits to support a struggling single mother with a son who had special needs, how he led a Muslim friend to attribute her healing from cancer to his intercession, and the mysterious final words his baby niece spoke, "For the Lord's sake, amen".

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In this episode of Unwritten, Trevor sits down with Gayle Konderla to discover how the simple, faithful love of one couple transformed generations of their large, loud Catholic family.

Whether you're struggling to stay faithful to God in your time of prayer or in communication with your spouse and loving your kids, or just curious about how simple witness can build a greater impact in relationships, this conversation will remind you that simple and faithful love across your whole life has the capacity to transform generations of people in your family.

What You’ll Hear:

• How Gayle's super faithful grandparents, who raised 12 children (six boys and six girls), including a son who is now a bishop, influenced generations of their family one small witness at a time. Gayle shares experiences of praying rosaries together and celebrating Mass in the living room.

• The family's loving response to tragedy, including seeing their grandmother's fiery and zealous love for God and family deepen as she grew sick with cancer, and the system the 12 siblings created to care for their grandfather after his early onset Alzheimer's diagnosis for about seven years.

• Insights into the grandfather's struggle with Alzheimer's, and the beautiful realization that though he might forget that he saw someone the day before, he never forgot who they were and how much he loved them. The last thing he said to Gayle was, "I love you and I'm proud of you".

Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

Hang Out With Us at SEEK26: ⁠⁠http://bit.ly/3IPoew4⁠

In this episode of Unwritten, host Trevor Barreca sits down with Gayle Konderla to discuss the enduring legacy of her faithful Catholic grandparents and how their simple witness of love for God and family had the capacity to transform generations.

Whether you are seeking stories of God's grace and the movement of the Holy Spirit in the world, or looking for encouragement that simple acts of faithful love have a massive impact, this conversation will remind you of the profound gift of family life and how loving God together and living life together builds a lasting spiritual legacy.

What You’ll Hear:

• Gayle recounts growing up in Central Texas, surrounded by her large, interconnected extended family, detailing how her faithful grandparents raised 12 children (six boys and six girls), with the oldest son now being a bishop. She also shares a humorous childhood story where she and her cousin were caught by their "pious and strict grandmother" for breaking the Eucharist host after communion.
• The moving account of seeing her "fiery, very lively" grandmother battle cancer, and how her sincere and zealous love for God caused her to actually "come to life more" as she got sicker. Gayle reflects on how her grandmother's faith had an effect on their family and the community, confirmed by the hundreds of people who came to her funeral in 2012.
• The beautiful and challenging seven years after her grandfather was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's, and how his 12 siblings—Gayle’s aunts, uncles—created a system to pull together and ensure he was constantly cared for. Gayle reflects on how even as he started to forget things, he never lost himself or forgot who his family members were or how much he loved them. His last words to her were, "I love you and I'm proud of you".

Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

In this episode of Unwritten, Trevor sits down with Jane Voelker to talk about A priest she barely knew confronted her deepest spiritual conviction, sparking a wild journey toward profound healing.

Whether you're someone who is completely stuck in a part of your life with God, or just curious about the movement of the Holy Spirit in the world today, this conversation will offer a reminder that God steps in and changes things when we cannot fix ourselves.

What You’ll Hear:

• Jane's realization that her confessed "weakest point"—wanting to keep people at an arm's distance so they can't hurt her—was incorrect. A priest, who had only spoken to Jane for about five minutes prior to the retreat, told her the truth: her weakest point was believing she was unlovable. The priest had been emphasizing throughout the retreat that knowing one's weakest point is essential because it is exactly where God wants to meet us and where the enemy wants to attack.

• The surprising result of her initial prayer following the revelation, where Jane invited God into her feeling of unlovableness. Jane thought God might shame her for being a missionary who felt unworthy of love, or immediately demand a fix, but instead, God just sat there with her in that broken part of her heart for the entire hour of prayer.

• The unexpected moment of complete healing that happened months later. While brushing her teeth in a little cabin in West Virginia, Jane caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and spontaneously thought, "I'm so good and I'm so beautiful," after which she never doubted it again. This healing shows that God stepped in out of love for her to tell her the truth, without her needing to try to fix herself or grasp for anything.

Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

In this episode of Unwritten, host Trevor Barreca sits down with Jane Voelker to talk about a missionary leader's wild journey of healing that began when a priest she barely knew directly confronted her deepest insecurity.

Whether you're someone seeking stories of God's action in the world, or just curious about experiencing healing in the broken parts of your heart, this conversation will remind you that at the core of the gospel message is a God who steps in when we can’t fix ourselves and has the power to change areas where you feel completely stuck.

What You’ll Hear:

• Missionary and Regional Director Jane Voelker recounts her experience on a 5-day silent retreat where the priest repeatedly emphasized the need to know our weakest points because that is where God wants to meet us and where the enemy wants to attack.
• The surprising moment during confession when Jane, who thought her weakest point was keeping people at "an arms distance," was challenged by the priest (whom she had previously spoken to for only 5 minutes). The priest correctly identified her true deepest belief: "It's that you think you're unlovable", which led her to begin praying with that broken part of her heart.
• The unexpected way God broke in and healed Jane’s long-held fear of unlovableness, which did not require her to "try and fix" herself or "grasp for anything from God". Instead, the Holy Spirit healed her heart suddenly while she was brushing her teeth, affirming the truth that she is "lovable and I'm good and I am beautiful".

Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

Hang Out With Us at SEEK26: http://bit.ly/3IPoew4

In this episode of Unwritten, Trevor sits down with Alex Sanchez to talk about A single moment of radical honesty shattered years of shame and changed the entire direction of one man's life.

Whether you're wrestling with deep-seated painful beliefs or existential shame, or just curious about God's intense and beautiful mercy, this conversation will provide a powerful reminder of God's intense and beautiful mercy for them.

What You’ll Hear:

• Alex shares how deep-seated feelings of failure, disappointment, and not belonging developed in his youth, leading him to compromise his morals, start drinking, and routinely smoking weed for two years in high school.

• The intense, unmistakable internal urge Alex felt to "Tell your parents the truth", culminating in a pivotal confession on July 8th, 2010, and how his parents’ response of mercy and truth—including his father saying, "I failed you as a father"—evaporated years of Alex’s painful beliefs about himself.

• The surprising role of Alex’s mother, who was led to a drug and alcohol counselor via a name that came to her in a dream during one of the sleepless nights following the confession, and how this foundational moment of conversion became a turning point for Alex's entire family.

Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

In this episode of Unwritten, Trevor Barreca sits down with Alex Sanchez to explore how one hidden struggle, one unexpected inner voice, and one father’s startling confession transformed his life forever.

Whether you’ve carried shame, secret struggles, or a quiet sense of failure—or you’re simply curious about how God’s mercy still moves powerfully today—this conversation offers a vivid reminder of grace that heals at the deepest level.

What You’ll Hear:

• How Alex spent years hiding feelings of failure, disappointment, and not belonging beneath a polished exterior.

• The moment an unmistakable, pulsating inner voice urged him, “Tell your parents the truth”—and how that led to the unraveling of two years of hidden drug use.

• His parents’ stunning response of mercy—including his father’s tearful words, “I failed you as a father”—and how that moment evaporated Alex’s lifelong insecurities and sparked his family’s transformation

Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

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Hang Out With Us at SEEK26: http://bit.ly/3IPoew4

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