Finding Jesus in the Dirt

Adopting the Whole Story

April Fallon is far more than the host and creator of the ultra-honest ADOPTION NOW podcast, ranked among the top 1.5% of podcasts globally. Becoming the dynamic mentor, coach, wife, mother, and advocate she is today required a wild journey marked by heartbreak, adventure, risk, and unmistakable encounters with God. From being raised by a single mother to graduating from Bible college, from portraying Barbie in New York to serving in Ugandan orphanages and the African mission field — often carrying out perilous assignments — April’s life has taken extraordinary turns. She eventually walked away from a toxic cult leader, became On-Air Talent for TV news, and discovered that her years in Uganda had given her an unshakable passion for ministering to vulnerable children and families. Along the way, she has witnessed undeniable miracles, the best and worst of humanity, and the profound love of God in action. Those experiences ultimately shaped the heart behind her hugely successful podcast and her mission to tell adoption stories with honesty, compassion, and hope. To understand April’s mission, you must adopt the whole story.

War, Fashion, and Despair: Jesus in it All

There are many opinions of what a Christian life should look like. But God plants us all in different cultures and circumstances, with different skills and interests. Yet, there often is pressure to conform to a contrived standard of Christian living. The only thing that should really matter is who you are becoming. And following Jesus honestly will take each person down a custom path made exclusively for them: sometimes hard, often unglamorous, always real, ultimately liberating. In retrospect, we see God's miraculous intervention in our lives as we stand at the cusp of eternity.  Zac Bartelt has lived many lives in one. There is no cookie cutter shaped like him. He was a Green Beret, serving two tours in Afghanistan, and he is a visual artist, musician, counselor, former pastor and NY fashion model. He has managed lifelong depression, yet he is an ardent believer and follower of Jesus. How does this all come together in one person? He expresses feelings most Christians don’t. He is himself, and he is a true believer. He has found Jesus in places many of us haven’t.

Finding Jesus in the Dirt

Abandoned by his father at an early age, rejected by churches, a victim of a horrific violent assault, a survivor of two intense bouts with cancer, Thomas has faced more adversity than just about anyone. His life has not been easy, and he does not have a pollyanna story to tell. Human love was not adequate for healing. But Jesus has held him together through the struggles, the dirt and the mire. Thomas tells his story with amazing candor, sincerity, and honesty. The transformative power of God is undeniably evident in his life. Anyone who listens to this episode will be moved.

Overcoming Church Hurt

Transformed from lost to leader, from betrayal to healing, from confusion to clarity, Sofia Peckenpaugh has experienced the closeness and provision of God along a journey that would have sidelined many. Her pain and loss have been traded for victory and redemption. Please join us as Sofia tells her story of God’s faithfulness through intense adversity.