Summary : Life was a performance for Eddie Cornejo. With a little charm and working the system, young Eddie dodged consequences and played the part of whatever was needed to be “perfect.” He maintained the facade by leveraging his talents —music, women, ministry — which temporarily kept the insecurities at bay. But consequences reared their head. The expectations of others carried too much weight. Eddie’s double-mindedness manifested in a cycle of pride and guilt, intertwined in a pinwheel of de...
Aug 03, 2022•1 hr 54 min•Season 2Ep. 31
Summary: Aiden goes from being bullied to walking in the knowledge and revelation of who he is in Christ, free from and dead to sin. Keywords: Legalism / Lust / Bullying / Insecurity / Worth / Music / Christian Hip Hop / Freedom / Identity External Resources: Facebook Group: Love Reality | Gospel Community https://www.facebook.com/groups/3768526659826520 Download the Love Reality app. Available in the App Store & Google Play ....
Jul 27, 2022•1 hr 23 min•Season 2Ep. 30
Summary : Unseen. Unknown. Unloved. Jania Ashlynn used to believe her value came only from what she could do for others. She took on the burdens around her, playing the part of the caretaker or 3 a.m. phone call friend. Jania did the most because if she didn’t, she worried her world would see her as nothing. Through music and a slow, loving persistence, Jesus started wooing her heart, quietly declaring value and truth over Jania’s life. As Jania shares in a lyric she wrote, this is how her freed...
Jul 20, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Season 2Ep. 29
Summary : Settle in for a love story and listen as Layla Green describes how God won her heart and set her free from a life of co-dependency. With perfect clarity, Layla outlines the abandonment she experienced from a very early age. Over and over, she faced rejection and a consistent message — you are not worthy. One abusive marriage and countless betrayals later, Layla felt depressed and alone. But God never left her side. With new eyes and an open heart, Layla received the Bible message like ...
Jul 13, 2022•1 hr 34 min•Season 2Ep. 28
Summary : Nathan Hoffman is a big softie with a heart from God. But growing up, he didn’t have guidance on how to handle his emotions. This left him scrambling on the soccer field, stifling self-doubt and burying years of insecurity. He tried everything he could to manage his confidence, including a stint with the Army. Nathan met his future wife (shoutout to Michaela from Season 2, Episode 26 !) and began learning more about who God was. Slowly and through his wife’s influence, Nathan’s eyes we...
Jul 06, 2022•1 hr 46 min•Season 2Ep. 27
Summary: Michaela Hoffman has grown up going to church to check the religion box but behind the facade was a girl hiding a pile of fear, depression, and coping mechanisms. She measured her value against how she looked and how men treated her. Her relationship with God mimicked this transactional nature. Michaela also harbored a deep secret — she lived in fear that she wasn’t good enough for heaven. After a close loved one passed away, this secret spiraled her into depression. Only through a mira...
Jun 29, 2022•1 hr 23 min•Season 2Ep. 26
Summary : Jonathan DeWeber has felt called many times over his life — the calling to ministry, to Southern Adventist University, to student mission work. But from a young age, Jonathan struggled with fear. He tried to follow the call but his confidence was attacked. Jonathan’s double-mindedness and depression translated into a mental fogginess. The threat of burnout was REAL. Finally, in the middle of the pandemic, he found hope in the message of the Love Reality ministry. Jonathan received God’...
Jun 22, 2022•2 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 25
Summary : Misha said it best — in this episode, we hear a lot about God's transforming power. From early childhood tragedy on, Misha was always drawn to God and desired to know Him more. But she was angry at the world and hated herself — even though she considered herself "on top," her self-worth was tapped out. Misha had glimmers of revelation — freedom from lust, a personal journey to learning God's character, an introduction to Dan Mohler. But the tipping point was when God used a friend's cu...
Jun 15, 2022•1 hr 13 min
Summary : Joel was what we might call a “Young Pharisee”. He was a slave to the hard works of religion, always working from a deficit in regards to his standing with God because of an addiction to lust. Naturally, his hard work left him feeling shame when he’d stumble, or arrogantly judgmental towards others when he didn’t. Praise the Lord that he ended up completely exhausted. Jesus said, “Come to me all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Now that Joel has taken Jesus up ...
Jun 08, 2022•2 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 23
Summary : There are two sides to every story — and what a blessing when both sides share the common thread of redemption. This week, we hear Kenia Cano tell her death life story. Kenia is now married to Leif Cano ( Season 2, Episode 18 ), and as you’ll listen to, their relationship was not perfect. But first, Kenia shares about her early relationship with intimacy, the pressures of purity culture, and the intimidating perception she had of God — not of love but judgment and unreachable standards...
Jun 01, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 22
Summary : Living in freedom doesn’t mean there won’t be any hardship. But it does mean that the things that used to shake you no longer rule your life. This episode takes Richard Young from host to the hot seat as he shares how God has been a rock through his spiritual growth and surprise trials. We also get the origin story of the Death to Life podcast and go behind the scenes as a night-shift warehouse worker at Amazon. Richard paints a beautiful picture of what unshakeable faith can look like...
May 25, 2022•2 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 21
Summary : Michael Simpson was a Christian from birth — but wouldn’t consider his Christian experience personal until he found freedom in Christ in adulthood. The pressure to “be a good Christian” was heavy. Shame gripped Michael for over a decade as temptation and the need for affirmation ran rampant but living as a lukewarm Christian allowed Michael to avoid accountability. In a beautiful reveal, God brought Michael out of his captivity — and Michael learned what freedom could be. That’s not th...
May 18, 2022•2 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 20
Summary: Ame Saldaña has always known intimacy with God, the language of their relationship most clear in singing and praising Him. She knew His voice. She had His authority stamped on her heart and a firm foundation of His love for her. But she couldn’t align the good soul she knew God had given her with the bad behaviors she seemed to manifest daily. Pride, anger, shame & constant striving — how could these things coexist within her She never stopped seeking more of God. Through a random B...
May 11, 2022•1 hr 28 min•Season 2Ep. 19
Summary: Leif Cano was used to living a double life. From an early exposure to pornography at just eight years old, Leif’s relationship with God always had a tinge of guilt and shame. No matter how many stages he played in his worship band, Leif saw everything through the lens of lust. That secret shame damaged more than just Leif but seeped into his high school relationships, two marriages, and several bouts of infidelity. The worst part? He truly believed that was his nature, just an inevitabi...
May 04, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 18
Summary : Huy Pham tells his story with confidence and maturity — but it’s a story that starts in the lies of his youth. Huy grew up rebelling again the expectations of his family, fully pursuing the hustle of making money and living life to the fullest as a DJ. As one who used to see his value in his performance, Huy had his own “road to Damascus” encounter with the full power of God. And that interaction caused him to know that his value comes from his sonship. His work and his worth are now u...
Apr 27, 2022•1 hr 39 min•Season 2Ep. 17
Summary: Sometimes it doesn’t happen in a minute. For Danika, freedom has been a journey of discovery, of God slowly revealing His truth and goodness to her over the years. Danika spent years taking pride in her work. She found it fun to take something people thought was bad – something like summer camp ministry – and make it good. That pride, self-righteousness, and the deception of control are just a few of the lies that God has revealed to Danika in freedom. And as those lies have been brough...
Apr 20, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Season 2Ep. 16
Summary : This episode is all about Annabelle – and as you listen to her journey and the openness of her heart, you’ll come to love her even more. Although she grew up in an active Christian home with a personal commitment to prayer and personal study, Annabelle never felt the click of intimacy with God. Fast forward to early college where a chance encounter in a friend’s house triggered a series of moments that transformed her life. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t chance – it was God. Now Annabelle is...
Apr 13, 2022•1 hr 19 min•Season 2Ep. 15
Summary : Broccoli – roasted or blanched? In 2021, Ruth Hodge opened up on Instagram about her performance anxiety around cooking broccoli. As simple as that example might be, this wasn’t the first time that the lie of works reared its head. Ruth’s childhood was littered with striving to perform and feeling like she was never enough. All she ever wanted was to be seen. In adulthood, Ruth’s “woe is me” mentality manifested in sad girl art and poetry that resonated with her followers but offered z...
Apr 06, 2022•1 hr 29 min•Season 2Ep. 14
Summary: Kris Wetmore’s life story is a wild ride. As you listen to this episode, you’ll hear that he can communicate so effectively how addiction to affirmation nearly destroyed his life. He would do anything to get it from anywhere he could: girls, sports, jobs… even evangelism! The inevitable emptiness resulted in a horrible addiction to other kinds of drugs. The Good News is that God was pursuing Kris relentlessly through all of the benders, lost jobs, and manipulation. And through several m...
Mar 30, 2022•2 hr 23 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Episode Summary : Mike is an unlikely pastor with a wild backstory. His recollection of growing up is the definition of a workhorse: becoming a teenage father, joining the Marines at 17, earning dozens of certificates during the time in the Iron Workers Union, and building a business in his hometown. But past mistakes and damaged relationships do not have power over Mike today – because the Son set him free, and he is FREE INDEED. Now he’s sharing that with the world. Listen to his full story fo...
Mar 24, 2022•1 hr 42 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Summary : Dan Holman started his journey of spiritual freedom early in life, spending hours studying to satisfy his insatiable quest to understand God. When his search uncovered the greatest gift of all time — that freedom from sin is available TODAY — his “firehose” method of ministry resulted in damaged relationships and waning conviction. But Dan always felt that there was more to grace than confession and guilt… and he was right. Through dreams and divine promises, Dan found his calling in m...
Mar 16, 2022•1 hr 29 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Episode Summary : Erika has an amazing transformation story! She grew up believing in a God who resembles Santa Claus — He sees you when you’re sleeping… you’re either nice or straight to the naughty list. This mentality kept Erika in a cycle of shame as she partied her way through high school and college. But due to impactful friendships, summer camp moments, and a desire to know God deeper, Erika realized she was wholly loved and actively chosen by her Creator for good things. Keywords : Belie...
Mar 09, 2022•1 hr 54 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Episode Summary : Jake Hotchkiss believed in God on an intellectual level, but he found himself frustrated by the over-promise but under-deliver nature of the gospel he was believing. It wasn’t good news… it was just OK news. Then the Holy Spirit began teaching him the actual GOOD news from scripture, and it radically transformed his life. Today, he is the pastor of a house church and the author of a book titled “No Longer I.” Keywords : Pastor, Righteousness by Faith, Intellectual, Theology, Ro...
Mar 02, 2022•2 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Summary : Angie was quiet as a kid, afraid to look dumb but desperate to be the best. Whether in school, friendships, or with boys, she sought attention and validation through what she could do and accomplish. After an unhealthy relationship took a toll on her self-worth, Angie thought she'd never be pure again. Little did she know, God had already set to work creating a new and clean heart within her, changing her life and her source of value forever.. Side note: This episode makes references t...
Feb 23, 2022•1 hr 40 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Summary: This episode features a return guest! Jonathan Leonardo (Season 1, Ep 22) is a Seventh-day Adventist pastor in Kailua, HI, and one of the founders of Love Reality. Despite being a theologian in the middle of his doctorate, it was the simple truth that GOD LOVES JONATHAN that unlocked the Bible for him. Keywords: Theology, Evangelist, Romans, Galatians, Seventh-day Adventist, Free from Sin, Pastor. External Resources: Facebook Group: Love Reality | Gospel Community https://www.facebook.c...
Feb 16, 2022•2 hr•Season 2Ep. 7
Summary: Kaytlyn was a sweet conservative girl whose pride was inflated by successfully being a “better person” than others around her. She often lived in fear of messing up and disappointing the people she loved. Over time, this pressure caused anger to build up in her heart. BUT GOD. She describes freedom in Jesus as “seeds of truth that were planted over time… slowly chipping away at [her] old heart.” Now she has a soft heart, that receives God’s love and showers it on everyone around her. Sh...
Feb 09, 2022•1 hr 25 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Summary: Justin Goodwin has a powerful story. Childhood wounds shaped his pride, ego, and need for control that would have destroyed him had Jesus not gifted him with a brand new heart. In his testimony he talks of growing up in a broken home, joining the Navy, and then having a divorce that really beat him down. Best of all, he talks about how Jesus picked him up and changed his life. Keywords: Navy, Adventist, broken home, identity, pride, depression, anger, porn, control, fear, divorce, self-...
Feb 02, 2022•2 hr•Season 2Ep. 5
Episode Summary: Today’s podcast welcomes a return guest! Joyce Murphy ( Season 1, Episode 16 ) is a nutrition coach & personal trainer based in Orlando, FL. If you’ve ever been discouraged with your relationship to food and exercise or if your understanding of freedom and truth hasn’t impacted the health of your body — this episode is for you. Keywords: Nutrition, restriction, food, exercise, lack, relationship with food, binge, belief, guilt, eating disorders, body image, diet culture, wei...
Jan 26, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Summary: Braden is married to Savannah ( Season 1 Episode 47 ) and they’ve had their fair share of viral Christian moments! Yet, somehow the Christian lifestyle and even popular theology left Braden in chains to guilt, shame, and addiction. This episode culminates in a radical shift from “trying to get the flesh out of the way” to simply believing the truth of God’s promises. Keywords: anger, porn, young marriage, pure, viral, viral video, purity, ministry, youth pastor, non-denominational, free...
Jan 19, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Summary : Jon is married to Flor Just ( previous guest ). If you're a husband looking to love your wife better, this episode will be perfect for you. If you are looking to find healing from wrongs done to you so you can love from wholeness, this episode is for you. Keywords : Husbands, adultery, victim, expectations, marriage, relationships, Seventh-Day Adventist, SDA, sex, broken heart, discipline, love, healing, freedom, identity, sonship, victim mindset. External Links/References: Facebook Gr...
Jan 12, 2022•1 hr 24 min•Season 2Ep. 2
