Andrew Villalpando on Grief, Loss & Finding Joy Again | STF Podcast Ep. 23

Andrew Villalpando on Grief, Loss & Finding Joy Again | STF Podcast Ep. 23

In this Faith in the Furnace episode of Singing Through Fire, host Lara Silverman interviews Christian comedian and social media creator Andrew Villalpando about a decade marked by grief, betrayal, and rebuilding faith. Andrew recounts receiving a call at 20 years old that his father had an hour left to live before suddenly dying of a heart attack on his little sister’s birthday — a loss that launched years of disorientation, wrestling with God’s goodness, and learning how to lament honestly. While still serving in ministry, Andrew faced additional heartbreak, including the loss of trusted relationships, a devastating betrayal by a mentor and father figure, financial upheaval after losing family businesses, and eventually losing trust in a longtime church community. He shares openly about spiritual warfare, grief, therapy, combating lies with Scripture, and what he calls “defiant joy” — the belief that joy can still exist alongside suffering. Andrew also reflects on how pain shaped his current work in comedy, entertainment, and ministry, believing that laughter can open the door for truth. Chapters 00:00 Dad Dies Suddenly 01:03 Meet Andrew Villapando 03:14 Early Faith and Loss 05:40 Disoriented by Grief 06:48 Learning to Lament 11:17 Why God Why 15:10 Carrying the Cross 19:06 Spiritual Warfare Lies 23:32 Suffering Boot Camp 28:02 Signs of Heaven 31:10 Hope After Death 31:26 Losses And Church Fractures 32:37 Betrayal By Mentor 35:19 Blessing Through Darkness 37:05 Joseph Journey Parallels 39:27 Church Fallout And Courage 42:53 Eternal Glory Perspective 45:20 Defiant Joy Explained 48:18 Grace In Weakness 58:00 Counting Trials As Joy 01:00:38 Comedy As Medicine 01:01:44 Platform Vision And Advocacy 01:04:03 Closing Skit And Farewell Resources and Links: Andrew's website [https://tinyurl.com/3rade3ht] Andrew's Instagram Watch the Singing Through Fire podcast on YouTube [https://tinyurl.com/5n8y76dn] Listen on your favorite podcast streaming platform [https://tinyurl.com/2td8xd9x ] Listen on Spotify [https://tinyurl.com/pu6byepy] Listen on Apple podcasts [https://tinyurl.com/y3nbfhbf] Connect on Facebook [https://tinyurl.com/536k9x8u] Connect on Instagram [https://tinyurl.com/23v3mdfu] PODCAST DESCRIPTION: Welcome to the Singing Through Fire podcast! I’m your host Lara Silverman, and this is where we: * Worship when it hurts * Discuss hot takes from the furnace of affliction * Explore a biblical theology of suffering with a side of sass and sarcasm  From lamentations to laughter, this podcast is for anyone desperate for hope who has ever asked, "Why, Lord, why?” Don’t forget to follow/subscribe because I upload content every Tuesday and Friday!  "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2nd Corinthians 4:17.

Carrie Sheffield: Escaping a Cult, PTSD, and Finding Healing & Forgiveness in Christ | STF Podcast Ep. 22

In this episode of the Faith in the Furnace series, host Lara Silverman sits down with journalist, author, and musician Carrie Sheffield to discuss surviving childhood trauma, religious abuse, mental illness in her family, and finding healing through Christ. Carrie shares what it was like growing up as the fifth of eight children in a violent, unstable motorhome lifestyle under her father’s extremist “prophet” claims connected to an offshoot LDS belief system. She attended 17 schools, performed classical music on the streets, and endured severe trauma, including sexual assault and emotional abuse. Despite her circumstances, Carrie excelled academically—scoring in the top 1% on both the ACT and the ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) trauma scale. She opens up about her struggles with PTSD, depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, and the painful cost of leaving home at 18, including being disowned by her father. Carrie also discusses her years as an agnostic before becoming a Protestant Christian in 2017, and how faith, forgiveness, boundaries, mentors, and trauma-informed mental health tools helped her begin rewiring deeply rooted beliefs shaped by abuse. The conversation explores topics like generational trauma, healing the subconscious mind, somatic therapy, music’s role in healing, and the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation. She also shares about her nonprofit, Healthy Faith, her Bible and mental health conferences, co-writing the song “My Heavenly Father Is,” and the ways she has seen God redeem suffering and restore what trauma tried to destroy. Chapters 00:00 Series Intro and Guest 00:19 Carrie Story and Credentials 05:17 Trauma and Mental Health 06:14 ACT Versus ACE 09:33 Worth and Work 12:43 Conversion Timeline 15:46 LDS Roots and Jesus 20:26 Mentors and Forgiveness 22:58 Healthy Faith Mission 26:09 Song My Heavenly Father 28:39 Breaking Free Costs 30:01 HSP and Healing 35:22 Renewing the Mind 36:29 Rewiring Trauma Brain 37:37 Subconscious and Scripture 39:35 Atlas Project Breakthrough 40:57 OnSite and Therapy Debate 42:32 Somatic Healing and Emotions 45:33 God's Goodness and Pain 49:13 Locust List and Anti Resume 54:22 Anger Release and Singing 56:28 Memoir Singing Through Fire 57:46 Forgiveness and Self Forgiving 01:01:31 Near Death and Health Collapse 01:05:04 From Scars to Redemption 01:06:08 Mary Magdalene and Closing Hope Resources and Links: Carrie Sheffield's website [https://carriesheffield.com/] Watch the Singing Through Fire podcast on YouTube. [https://tinyurl.com/5n8y76dn] Listen on your favorite podcast streaming platform. [https://tinyurl.com/2td8xd9x] Listen on Spotify. [https://tinyurl.com/pu6byepy] Listen on Apple podcasts. [https://tinyurl.com/y3nbfhbf] Connect on Facebook. [https://tinyurl.com/536k9x8u] Connect on Instagram. [https://tinyurl.com/23v3mdfu] PODCAST DESCRIPTION: Welcome to the Singing Through Fire podcast! I’m your host Lara Silverman, and this is where we: * Worship when it hurts * Discuss hot takes from the furnace of affliction * Explore a biblical theology of suffering with a side of sass and sarcasm  From lamentations to laughter, this podcast is for anyone desperate for hope who has ever asked, "Why, Lord, why?” Don’t forget to follow/subscribe because I upload content every Tuesday and Friday!  "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2nd Corinthians 4:17.

From Spiritual Abuse to Healing, Forgiveness, & Ministry with Mischelle Saunders-Gottsch | STF Podcast Ep. 21

In this episode of Singing Through Fire, host Lara Silverman continues the Faith in the Furnace series with Mischelle Saunders-Gutch, founder and CEO of Altered Stories Ministry, host of The Altered Story Show, and author of the 30-day healing memoir devotional The Story Within You. Michelle shares her testimony as a childhood survivor of a Christian-claiming cult from ages 7–12, describing spiritual, emotional, and sexual abuse, the impact on her faith, and how her family left after the leader was exposed and her father (serving overseas) learned what had happened. She explains rebuilding faith through surrender during a difficult divorce while pregnant, finding support in a biblically sound church, experiencing Holy Spirit-led emotional healing, and pursuing Christian therapy after a Lexapro overdose revealed unresolved trauma. Mischelle discusses discerning the true Jesus through Scripture, forgiveness, justice, and how God redeemed her story into women’s ministry. Chapters 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 02:01 Michelle’s Cult Survivor Story 05:32 Leaving the Cult 08:59 Abandonment and Trust Issues 11:33 Divorce and Surrender 16:26 God Shows Up Through Community 18:11 Therapy and Deep Healing 23:02 Why God Allowed It 26:48 Disentangling Jesus from Abuse 31:07 Altered Stories Ministry Vision 33:00 Memoir Through Grief 34:27 Enemy Half Truths 35:54 Grace After Shame 39:48 Justice and Release 44:32 Forgiving Family 50:12 Free Indeed Restored 52:01 Jesus Understands Trauma 54:06 Church and Healing 56:53 Hope for the Wounded 01:00:44 Book Details Farewell Resources and Links Mischelle's website [https://tinyurl.com/yyy5afsf] Mischelle's book, The Story Within You [https://a.co/d/4bC0hiF ] Mischelle's Instagram [https://tinyurl.com/5akyp8sp] Mischelle's LinkedIn [https://tinyurl.com/2js7hy4y] Mischelle's Facebook [https://tinyurl.com/5xpbkmcy] Watch the Singing Through Fire podcast on YouTube [https://tinyurl.com/5n8y76dn] Listen on your favorite podcast streaming platform [https://tinyurl.com/2td8xd9x] Listen on Spotify [https://tinyurl.com/pu6byepy] Listen on Apple podcasts [https://tinyurl.com/y3nbfhbf] Connect on Facebook [https://tinyurl.com/536k9x8u] Connect on Instagram [https://tinyurl.com/23v3mdfu] PODCAST DESCRIPTION: Welcome to the Singing Through Fire podcast! I’m your host Lara Silverman, and this is where we: * Worship when it hurts * Discuss hot takes from the furnace of affliction * Explore a biblical theology of suffering with a side of sass and sarcasm  From lamentations to laughter, this podcast is for anyone desperate for hope who has ever asked, "Why, Lord, why?” Don’t forget to follow/subscribe because I upload content every Tuesday and Friday!  "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2nd Corinthians 4:17.

Lori Schumaker on Chronic Illness, Special-Needs Adoption, and Hope When God Says No | STF Podcast Ep. 20

In this episode, host Lara Silverman continues her “Faith in the Furnace” series with Christian life and mental health coach, author, and Unveiling Hope founder, Lori Schumaker, who shares a testimony shaped by abortion and years of shame, abusive marriage, and chronic illness (including cystinuria with severe kidney stones, Hashimoto’s, migraines, fibromyalgia, extensive food allergies, and black mold toxicity.) Lori explains how suffering deepened her relationship with Jesus, why lament is valid but getting stuck is not, and how “habits of hope,” gratitude, Scripture, and replacing lies with truth can rewire thought patterns. She discusses parenting her adopted daughter from Bulgaria with profound special needs, wrestling with God’s “no,” caregiving burdens, and how God sustains through supernatural strength and filling gaps. Lori reflects on Romans 8:28, Psalm 84, spiritual warfare, boundaries, and finding joy through surrender, disciplined choices, and God’s presence. Chapters 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:49 Lori's Early Trauma 04:19 Kidney Disease Battle 06:19 Mold Illness Aftermath 08:55 Wrestling with Why 11:20 Habits of Hope 14:04 Rewiring with Truth 18:47 Suffering Deepens Faith 22:30 When God Says No 24:43 Adoption Special Needs Journey 29:17 Redefining Healing Today 31:26 Hope in Ongoing Caregiving 33:25 God Fills the Gap 34:49 Authentic Surrender 36:05 Romans 8:28 Hope 38:56 Suffering Shapes Compassion 41:05 Gospel Seeds in Pain 44:37 How God Comforts 48:21 Why Character Matters 52:12 No Good Thing Withheld 57:33 Finding Joy in Suffering 01:01:13 Where to Find Lori 01:02:52 Final Blessing Resources and Links Lori's book, Surrendered Hearts [https://amzn.to/4j06Brj] Lori's Digital Bible Study: You Are Loved. Now and Forever [https://tinyurl.com/ekw2htez] Lori's Digital Workbook: Discovering Your Identity in Christ [https://tinyurl.com/2sw9wtx5] Lori's Website [https://tinyurl.com/4wr5wncb] Lori's Instagram [https://tinyurl.com/524xxfnt] Lori's Facebook [https://tinyurl.com/26ayvryv] Lori's LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorischumaker/] Watch the Singing Through Fire podcast on YouTube [https://tinyurl.com/5n8y76dn] Listen on your favorite podcast streaming platform [https://tinyurl.com/2td8xd9x ] Listen on Spotify [https://tinyurl.com/pu6byepy] Listen on Apple podcasts [https://tinyurl.com/y3nbfhbf] Connect on Facebook [https://tinyurl.com/536k9x8u] Connect on Instagram [https://tinyurl.com/23v3mdfu] PODCAST DESCRIPTION: Welcome to the Singing Through Fire podcast! I’m your host Lara Silverman, and this is where we: * Worship when it hurts * Discuss hot takes from the furnace of affliction * Explore a biblical theology of suffering with a side of sass and sarcasm  From lamentations to laughter, this podcast is for anyone desperate for hope who has ever asked, "Why, Lord, why?” Don’t forget to follow/subscribe because I upload content every Tuesday and Friday!  "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2nd Corinthians 4:17.

Dr. Mark Jones on Spiritual Warfare and Surrender Amid Suffering | STF Podcast Ep. 19

In this episode, host Lara Silverman begins the Theology in the Fire series with Mark Jones, a former dentist and longtime prayer pastor and elder at Mana House in Portland, Oregon. He teaches on prayer, intimacy with God, surrender, and spiritual warfare. Mark shares how years of offense and bitterness toward two church leaders became his entry point into understanding spiritual warfare, culminating in a confession and reconciliation during communion that brought freedom. He explains spiritual warfare basics and stresses that believers can be influenced though not possessed. Rather than fixating on deliverance or the devil, he argues surrender and intimacy with God are the primary strategy for resisting Satan’s lies, taking thoughts captive, and walking in daily grace, offering practical guidance for beginning each morning by greeting God, surrendering, receiving God’s love, and committing to consistent time with the Lord. Chapters 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:53 Mark Story of Bitterness 03:42 Fasting and Freedom 10:47 Spiritual Warfare Basics 16:23 Culture and Worldly Influence 22:38 Deliverance or Intimacy 24:31 Surrender as the Start 36:22 Why Surrender Wins Battles 45:48 Morning Surrender Practice 46:46 Surrender Brings Power 48:13 Surrender As Worship 52:14 Daily Strategy Warfare 55:28 Enemy Lies Exposed 57:49 Taking Thoughts Captive 01:07:02 Transformation By Spirit 01:09:44 No Compartmentalizing 01:14:18 Good Morning God Routine 01:23:10 Forty Day Heart Change 01:24:30 Final Blessing Outro Resources and Links: Dr. Jones' books on Amazon. [https://tinyurl.com/457uh8z5] Dr. Jones posts daily on his YouTube channel. [https://www.youtube.com/@bewithjesus365] You can also find his materials on Be with Jesus 365. [https://tinyurl.com/yc6yua69] Dr. Jones has Bible Studies on the YouVersion Bible App. Steps to Intimacy with God [https://tinyurl.com/4tn43p5c] 40 Day Worship Experience [https://tinyurl.com/22fmwb3c] Understanding Spiritual Warfare [https://tinyurl.com/ymzu63rs] 40-Day Worship Experience Youth Devotional [https://tinyurl.com/mrrkt9e9] Watch the Singing Through Fire podcast on YouTube. [https://tinyurl.com/5n8y76dn] Listen on your favorite podcast streaming platform. [https://tinyurl.com/2td8xd9x ] Listen on Spotify. [https://tinyurl.com/pu6byepy] Listen on Apple podcasts. [https://tinyurl.com/y3nbfhbf] Connect on Facebook. [https://tinyurl.com/536k9x8u] Connect on Instagram. [https://tinyurl.com/23v3mdfu] PODCAST DESCRIPTION: Welcome to the Singing Through Fire podcast! I’m your host Lara Silverman, and this is where we: * Worship when it hurts * Discuss hot takes from the furnace of affliction * Explore a biblical theology of suffering with a side of sass and sarcasm  From lamentations to laughter, this podcast is for anyone desperate for hope who has ever asked, "Why, Lord, why?” Don’t forget to follow/subscribe because I upload content every Tuesday and Friday!  "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2nd Corinthians 4:17.