As a second round draft pick in 1995 for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Bryan was living his dream of moving off the farm and making a name for himself. Although his successful NFL career gave him power, prestige, and popularity, his unprocessed hurt and pain manifested in a near breakdown on the golf course and his pregnant wife gave him an ultimatum - go to a team Bible Study. That night, the spirit of God moved so mightily in Bryan that it changed the trajectory of his life and set him on a path t...
Oct 28, 2024•1 hr 40 min
As a former Navy Sailor, Cheryl was a tough, strong person who loved her work, but when her husband died unexpectedly her tough exterior was shattered. She became absorbed in her work as a way to forget her pain and distanced herself from everybody until she realized she needed Jesus to move on. She had always known Jesus but after her loss, she experienced his deeper love. The intimacy that God was giving her allowed her to see the new doors that He was opening for her calling. She now thrives ...
Dec 06, 2023•41 min
Hang with your hosts Hollis and Lori in this special mini-episode. We discuss what is happening in this season in our lives, the closeness we feel with the Lord and how our obedience to God is impacting the podcast. As we explore the theme of obedience toward God, we discover that God can call us to rest and He can also force us to rest. Hear how we are following God’s call to rest through this 2021 holiday season and our hope that we can lead by example to rest in Him. Check out our NEW Oh My G...
Nov 22, 2021•28 min
When his original desire to be a meteorologist turned to campus ministry, and then those doors started closing, Nick continued to follow God’s prompting with enthusiasm. He found God calling Him into ministry in the wild of America’s National Parks. From Death Valley, to the Grand Canyon during Covid, Nick experienced a personal spiritual darkness as the world was navigating the pandemic. But just as God can reveal the majesty of the Smokey Mountains by blowing the clouds aside, He can reveal th...
Nov 01, 2021•1 hr 2 min
Faith can be tested in many ways; and if we are not secure or mature in our faith we can lose it. Fortunately for Barrett Miller, having cancer at age 32 did not shake her faith. However, years later when she lost her son in a tragic accident, she was confronted with the reality that she did not have the relationship with God that she thought. As God orchestrated the circumstances surrounding her son’s death that brought her heart peace, He was also drawing her and her family closer to Him. As B...
Oct 11, 2021•56 min
On August 24, Hollis interviewed Missionary Pastor Paul Traver for the Oh My God Is Awesome Membership. In a rare moment in history, Paul shares how his church and community are supporting Afghanistan evacuees on America’s largest foreign military base in Kaiserslautern Germany. From stories of Afghan babies being born inside the airplanes as they flee, to the sentiments of foreign missionaries who are facing martyrdom, you’ve got to hear this interview. In a situation filled with chaos & co...
Sep 14, 2021•52 min
The metaphor of planting and harvesting is one many are familiar with - seeds are sown, tended to and eventually a harvest is produced. But when God is the planter with a grand design, it can be hard as the reluctant farmer to know just what is growing and when to actually take action and harvest! Such was the case in Jill's career path with all it's twists and turns which eventually led her to follow the example of the disciples and follow God’s calling upon her life. She also shares about two ...
Aug 30, 2021•53 min
Alcohol was always around Rob from a young age, even at youth group and church functions. So when his insecurity as a teen increased, so did his consumption, which eventually led to a drug and alcohol addiction, as well as gambling. For over a decade Rob lived a life away from God, until he could no longer ignore God’s clear messages that it was time to come back to Him. After success in recovery programs, Rob was sober but still had not dealt with his mental health struggles or gambling addicti...
Aug 16, 2021•1 hr 24 min
Although she grew up with a speech impediment, Monica was never aware of it or felt different from other children. She did, however, realize at a young age that she saw the world differently, which enabled her to challenge the status quo. This manifested in the desire to have her own business at age 12, after coming from a long line of blue-collar workers; and also in her writing, which she developed out of her desire to communicate and be understood. From childhood to now running her own speaki...
Aug 02, 2021•49 min
As a young woman from the midwest, Emily had everything she ever dreamed a Christian could have - a pastor for a husband, beautiful children, a ministry of her own, a tight community in her home church, living in sunny southern California, amazing friends, wonderful church leaders as mentors... and then everything changed. After being betrayed by their church leaders and asked to lie to their friends in the congregation, Emily and her family were moved to a literal desert where her faith was tes...
Jul 19, 2021•1 hr 1 min
Although Pete grew up in a very conservative Baptist church akin to that in the movie “Footloose” and didn’t care for its strict nature, he kept feeling called to ministry. He fought against it for a while, but God was closing all other doors and ministry was the only thing that kept working for him. He finally started a church his senior year in college and began his life as a pastor, but wasn’t always as strong in his faith as he thought he should be as a church leader. Hear how God “winked” a...
Jul 05, 2021•1 hr 6 min
In his career as a police officer & corrections officer, Rich Alvarez has had many near death experiences including escaping gunfire and being choked to near death by an assailant. As a victim of attempted murder, his own suicide attempts, surviving detox from drinking, weaning off mental health medications and being imprisoned himself, it's clear that Rich was kept alive because God has a mission for him. He now serves first responders who put their lives in harms way every day serving thei...
Jun 21, 2021•57 min
PART 2 - Rebellion. Drug addiction. Alcoholism. Sexual assault. Dating a drug dealer. Dating a hit-man. Relapse. Jail. DUI. Stealing pills. Exotic dancing. Self-harm. Mental health issues. Multiple overdoses. Divorce. Manipulation. Intervention. Child Protective Services. Suicidal ideation. Compulsive thinking. Double-life. Detox. Rehab. Deception. 12 Step Programs. While many of these topics have come out in our stories on the Oh My God Pod, we actually encounter all of them in Bethany’s story....
Jun 07, 2021•52 min
PART 1 - Rebellion. Drug addiction. Alcoholism. Sexual assault. Dating a drug dealer. Dating a hit-man. Relapse. Jail. DUI. Stealing pills. Exotic dancing. Self-harm. Mental health issues. Multiple overdoses. Divorce. Manipulation. Intervention. Child Protective Services. Suicidal ideation. Compulsive thinking. Double-life. Detox. Rehab. Deception. 12 Step Programs. While many of these topics have come out in our stories on the Oh My God Pod, we actually encounter all of them in Bethany’s story....
May 31, 2021•1 hr 3 min
In this Bonus episode, we are celebrating the first birthday of the Oh My God Pod! In this episode you'll hear the following: 1. Personal reflections on the past year from the co-hosts Hollis and Lori. 2. Two past guests share what has happened in their lives since their episodes aired and how sharing their God stories has impacted their lives. 3. A listener shares how hearing people's God stories has impacted her life and the lives of others in her sphere of influence. 4. Teaching on the topic ...
May 17, 2021•1 hr 3 min
Many kids who grow up in faith simply go through the motions, so when they reach adolescence the ways of the world can create their identity versus them finding their identity in Christ. Megan fell into this trap and sought validation through her popularity and the attention she got from boys. As a young woman, she was seduced by a man who abused her and they had three children together. Like many victims of domestic violence, Megan kept hoping things would change - that he would get a job, that...
May 03, 2021•1 hr 27 min
Growing up in a culture that was different from her Lebanese immigrant parents, Nayla struggled to balance the worlds of her family, their church and as an American teen. The bond between her and her family was both a blessing and a burden and she struggled as a young woman to make decisions about her medical treatments that ultimately led to a total career and lifestyle change that her family did not approve of. Little did Nayla know that her experiences with medical trauma and her 3rd culture ...
Apr 19, 2021•1 hr 5 min
From a girl who was taught not to look homeless people in the eyes, to a young woman who has dedicated her life to serving those living on the streets, Lindsey’s story is one of complete transformation, obedience and increasing desire to share God’s love to those in society who are often ignored. It all started when she responded to an invitation to hang out with a small group one night and their journey into the city to do street outreach. Sitting next to a crackhead, Lindsey took a look at her...
Apr 05, 2021•1 hr 14 min
As a kid, Matthew was interested in knowledge, contemplation and reflection; character traits that are still with him today as a 24 year old man. In 4th grade his tendency to dive deep into topics took him on a journey into studying Hitler, Stalin and the atrocities of World War II; which resulted in a complete disillusionment toward any good in humanity. As a self-described “misanthrope” (one who dislikes humanity and doesn't want to be around people) Matthew hit a low point in middle school wh...
Mar 29, 2021•59 min
As a ”Cradle Catholic”, Ana was born into a strong faith. It permeated her family of origin, her activities as a young person and the family she was growing when she herself got married. But just because she followed the catechism according to the plan of her denomination, laid out the plans in her marriage and for her family, doesn’t mean that it was in alignment with God’s plan. Through the grief of losing a baby in the womb, Ana has learned to surrender her plans, for what God is unfolding in...
Mar 15, 2021•56 min
When Conner looked at the blood red moon and listened to his dad respond to his inquiry about the book of Revelation, that was the moment when he felt the intersection of his faith with reality. From this childhood experience, Connor dove into understanding what people of other denominations believed and became obsessed with the bass as well. His tendency toward study in isolation, deep reflection and obsession to compose music stemmed from a sense of pride and led him to feel like even more of ...
Mar 01, 2021•1 hr 24 min
The theme of Jesus and family permeates Jody’s life. Growing up in a blended family as the youngest of 8 children whose ages spanned 20 years, Jody was blessed to have her sister share the gospel with her at age 5. As she grew up, she was known as a good church girl who resisted peer pressure and eventually brought her (now ex) husband to Christ. Although her ex-husband struggled with addictions while she struggled with pride over a “failing” marriage, she remains amiable with him as a way to ex...
Feb 15, 2021•1 hr 13 min
At just 25 years old, Allie already has a long relationship with God and has been increasing in wisdom to follow His calling on her life. A Christian from birth who was homeschooled, she started working in the kids ministry at her church at just 15 years old. That, along with being a nanny, was all that she ever wanted or expected she would do...until a restlessness began to set in. She got a “random” thought about becoming a firefighter and shared that with a friend who enthusiastically confirm...
Feb 01, 2021•1 hr 13 min
At the age of 6, Emmanuel found himself responsible for his younger sister when both of their parents had immigrated to the United States from their homeland, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as a result of political instability. He lived in an abusive environment and didn’t know if their father had even made it to the U.S. alive...until they got the invitation to join their family in Texas several years later. After being accompanied by a ‘guardian angel’ on their international journey, Em...
Jan 18, 2021•1 hr 12 min
Has this past year of 2020 produced some amazing or crazy experiences for you? Do you want to make meaning of them and discover their lessons, or simply just remember them? Well, grab a pen and some paper because in this special bonus episode, Hollis shares her storytelling tips and tricks to create a story. In just 25 minutes you will have the 10+ Steps to create your story and turn those experiences from chaos to clarity. At the end of the audio, Hollis will tell you how to dive even deeper in...
Jan 04, 2021•26 min
As a young woman, Dawn searched for a community, a companion and for meaning in her life. Her faithful prayer was answered just days after she rededicated her life to Christ, when she met her husband. At her new church she and her husband grew in their faith and found purpose in a running & walking ministry to support anti-human trafficking. Her dedication to the cause literally almost killed her, but God sustained her to finish a half marathon which revealed a deadly underlying health issue...
Dec 28, 2020•56 min
Even though Bryan grew up in a home where faith was part of the family fabric, that didn't protect him from depression and suicidal ideations, even as a kid in elementary school. It wasn’t until he was 44 years old that he realized he wasn’t alone in his Persistent Depressive Disorder. Throughout his life, Bryan stayed close to God, grew in relationship with Him and experienced many blessings, but it didn’t take away the spiraling negative thoughts that Bryan believed was simply how he would hav...
Dec 21, 2020•1 hr 15 min
As a son in a military family, Paul struggled with perfectionism, even in his faith. When his dad forbade him to go into the military after high school, his only other thought was ministry. For the next 30 years, God would provide for Paul opportunities for work as a Pastor, but only by revealing one next step that needed to be taken each time. Through this process of faith, God was also providing opportunities for Paul to learn of His grace & faithfulness and let go of the perfectionism. On...
Dec 14, 2020•47 min
As a son in a military family, Paul struggled with perfectionism, even in his faith. When his dad forbade him to go into the military after high school, his only other thought was ministry. For the next 30 years, God would provide for Paul opportunities for work as a Pastor, but only by revealing one next step that needed to be taken each time. Through this process of faith, God was also providing opportunities for Paul to learn of His grace & faithfulness and let go of the perfectionism. On...
Dec 07, 2020•46 min
1 in 3 women have had an abortion. One might assume that women of faith would be excluded, but they are not. In fact, in Lyndsay’s case, her faith upbringing twisted with popular culture to provide her with a way to excuse her sin through the doctrine of forgiveness. As Lyndsay grew in her relationship with God, she learned the truth about conception, life and the responsibility one has for the free will that God has given us. Through a church-based healing program, Lyndsay has “surrendered the ...
Nov 30, 2020•1 hr 19 min
