The Mitch Bakker Podcast

Perseverance: A Story of Sacrifice, Faith, and Calling with Samet Akgul

In this episode, Mitch Bakker explores the true nature of perseverance, pushing past the cultural definition of simple grit to uncover what it means to faithfully answer a difficult calling. We often think of perseverance as surviving a hardship we can't control. But what happens when perseverance requires voluntarily walking away from a perfectly comfortable life? In real life, perseverance is messy, and it comes with overwhelming obstacles that test our patience, our faith, and our sense of direction. Mitch is joined by his friend Samet Akgul to discuss his incredible journey. Together, they explore Samet’s transition from a journalism student in Turkey to finding Christ, the painful rejection by his family, and his difficult decision to leave a comfortable life in the United States to return to a small church in his home country. Mitch also shares his own ongoing journey of finding purpose through prison ministry. We hope you’ll join us as we discuss how the most challenging paths often bring the greatest spiritual fulfillment, and how true perseverance is found by answering God's call, even when it costs us everything. Learn more at MitchBakker.com Grab a FREE copy Mitch's book, Drawn on Kindle here: https://mitchbakker.com/free #perseverance #faithjourney #christianity #calling #mitchbakkerpodcast

Navigation: A Story of Career, Family, and Faith with Jennifer Wammack

In this episode, Mitch Bakker explores the tension between our culture's obsession with persistence and the quiet wisdom of knowing when it's time to change course. We hear a lot about grit and never giving up. But what happens when staying the course costs too much, or when God is gently nudging us down a different road? Navigation isn't just about blindly moving forward; it's about the discernment to know which battles to fight, and recognizing that sometimes, walking away is actually a step toward something better. Mitch is joined by his friend and former IDA colleague, Jennifer Wammack, to discuss her own journey. Together, they explore the realities of navigating career shifts, the pressures of being a working mom, and how to spot God’s fingerprints even when the map feels entirely unclear. We hope you’ll join us as we discuss how to treat navigation as a daily practice, how to listen for God's guidance in life's unexpected turns, and how our choices—big, small, and surprising—ultimately shape who we are becoming. Learn more at MitchBakker.com [https://www.mitchbakker.com/] Order a copy of Mitch's book, Drawn: https://tinyurl.com/3c9v2e66 [https://tinyurl.com/3c9v2e66] #navigation #discernment #christianity #faith #careerjourney #workingmom

What if God uses Navigation to shape who we become?

In this brief introduction to the theme of Navigation, Mitch Bakker challenges our culture’s obsession with persistence, grit, and never giving up. While staying the course is often the right move, there is a quieter, lesser-known wisdom in recognizing when a path is no longer right for us. What if walking away is actually a step toward something better? What if survival sometimes requires retreat? Join Mitch as he introduces "Navigation"—a central theme from his book, Drawn—and explores the difficult practice of discernment. Life rarely unfolds in a straight line, but through our choices, big and small, we can learn to listen, trust, and follow God’s lead even when the map doesn't make sense. Learn more at MitchBakker.com [https://www.MitchBakker.com] Order a copy of Mitch's book, Drawn: https://tinyurl.com/3c9v2e66 [https://tinyurl.com/3c9v2e66] #navigation #discernment #christianity #faith #wisdom

Loss, Sacrifice, and an Anchor of Hope with Dusty Linsley

In this episode Mitch Bakker speaks with Dusty Linsley, who's husband Mark lost his life after donating a kidney to a child in need. Dusty recounts the incredible story of Mark's sacrificial gift, and then the discovery some time later that his remaining kidney was cancerous. This is a story of loss and grief, yes, but Dusty's remarkable faith in the midst of loss is a testament to God's goodness and the power of Christian community. This is a story you'll want to come back to again and again as Dusty helps us learn to see God's presence in our own stories, even in the midst of incredible loss and suffering. May Dusty's anchor of hope encourage you in whatever losses you're facing. Learn more at https://mitchbakker.com. Order a copy of Mitch's book, Drawn: https://www.amazon.com/Drawn-Discover-Presence-Struggle-Reflective/dp/B0FPCQTW88/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0. #griefjourney #loss  #christianity  #hope

What if God was speaking to us through our Loss?

In this episode Mitch Bakker begins to explore the idea that God, who is always working for our good, can still speak to us through the losses we experience in life. Because while we all encounter loss, it rarely comes on schedule. Loss is the great disrupter, pushing us to face life's most important questions whether we feel ready or not. So if loss is inevitable, how we find meaning within loss? And how to we learn from the example of those who've traveled the path of loss before us? We hope you'll stick around as we explore how loss shapes us, how God is present in these difficult places in our stories, and how it is that we grow and mature through our struggles. Learn more at https://mitchbakker.com. Order a copy of Mitch's book, Drawn: https://www.amazon.com/Drawn-Discover-Presence-Struggle-Reflective/dp/B0FPCQTW88/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0. #griefjourney #loss  #christianity  #hope