Unspoken Lives Podcast
Unspoken Lives Podcast shares extraordinary stories from everyday people, highlighting resilience, personal growth, and inspiring life lessons. Tune in for real conversations that uncover the moments that often go unseen.Â
Ep 042: Jordan Bartlett: Why Community Matters More Than Opportunity, Part 2
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What happens when you give someone an opportunity, but they don't have the support or community they need to navigate everything that comes with it?
In this episode, Jordan Bartlett shares what years of working alongside current and former foster youth have taught him about resilience, asking for help, and why opportunity alone isn't always enough. He shares the story of a young man who rode his bike four hours to work each way, only to lose his job after falling asleep during a shift, and what Jordan learned when he...
Ep 041: Jordan Bartlett: A Stranger Said, "I'm Your Sister", Part 1
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Jordan Bartlett was adopted when he was very young and raised by two loving parents, knowing little about the biological family he came from. Then, at 19 years old, a young woman he had never met walked up to him and said three words that would eventually change the direction of his life:
“I’m your sister.”
In Part 1 of this conversation, Jordan shares what it was like to discover a sibling he never knew, how they slowly began building a relationship, and what he learned about the very d...
Ep 040: Holiday Zimmerman: The Calling You Think You Missed May Still Be Waiting, Part 2
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Have you ever wondered if you missed what God was calling you to do?
If you've been questioning your next step, wondering if it's too late, or searching for direction, this conversation is a reminder that God isn't finished with your story.
Maybe fear got in the way. Maybe life took an unexpected turn. Or maybe you simply said no because you didn't feel ready.
In Part 2, Holiday Zimmerman shares why she believes God is far more patient and gracious than we often imagine. From walking through...
Ep 039: Holiday Zimmerman: I Said No Four Times...Until God Brought It Back, Part 1
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What if the opportunities you're resisting are the very ones God is using to shape your purpose?
After the unexpected loss of her father and a season of deep depression, Holiday Zimmerman wasn't looking to start a nonprofit. In fact, when opportunity after opportunity landed in front of her, she kept saying no.
Four times.
Every time she said no, the opportunity came back.
Today, Holiday serves as CEO of The Hub OC, a nonprofit that partners with churches, schools, cities, and volunteers...
Ep 038: Tayler Meade: Stop Chasing the People Who Don't Choose You, Part 2
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What if the answer isn't finding the right people? What if it's finding your identity in the right place?
In Part 2, Tayler Meade shares how her relationship with Jesus transformed the way she viewed loneliness, friendships, and belonging. She explains why people can never fill a God-sized gap, why healing often takes time, and how learning to trust God's plan gave her the freedom to stop chasing the approval of others.
This conversation is a reminder that while rejection may be part of your story, it doesn't...
Ep 037: Tayler Meade: Why Wasn't I Invited? The Hurt We Don't Talk About, Part 1
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Have you ever wondered why certain moments of rejection stay with you long after they've happened?
In Part 1 of this conversation, Tayler Meade shares the personal experience that inspired her book, A Note to the One Left Walking in the Grass. What began with the pain of feeling left out eventually became a journey of discovering where true identity and belonging are found.
Together, we talk about loneliness, people-pleasing, the pressure to fit in, and how experiences from childhood, high school, and adulthood can quietly shape the way we...
Ep 036: Lonni Asher: It Ends With Me - Breaking Generational Curses, Part 2
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As a child, Lonni Asher survived war, piracy, abuse, and trauma.
But survival wasn't the end of her story.
In Part 2 of this conversation, Lonni shares what happened after the crisis was over. She opens up about the years of emotional pain she carried, the multiple suicide attempts that nearly ended her life, and the difficult journey from survival to healing.
She also shares the story of receiving a stage-four cervical cancer diagnosis, the prayers that followed, and the miraculous healing that forever deepened her faith.
<...Ep 035: Lonni Asher: A Refugee Boat, Seven Pirate Attacks, and a Promise to God, Part 1
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Born in Vietnam, Lonni Asher's story begins with a desperate escape.
As a young child, Lonni and her family fled Vietnam on an overcrowded fishing boat in search of freedom. During their journey, they encountered pirate ships multiple times, endured extreme hunger and thirst, and faced moments that should have ended in tragedy.
In Part 1 of this conversation, Lonni shares the incredible story of surviving seven pirate encounters, her mother's desperate prayers to a God she did not yet know, and the moments she now believes revealed God's hand...
Ep 034: Lily Ricci: From Iran to America: When Jesus Changed Everything, Part 2
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Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, Lily Ricci's journey brought her from Iran to Germany and eventually to the United States, where cultural expectations and family circumstances led her into a marriage she never wanted. After years of manipulation, abuse, and hopelessness, Lily found herself searching for answers she could no longer find on her own.
In Part 2 of this conversation, Lily shares the moment everything changed. What began as a search for answers became a powerful spiritual awakening that transformed her faith, gave her the courage to pursue freedom, and...
Ep 033: Lily Ricci: From Iran to America: An Arranged Marriage and a Search for Hope, Part 1
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Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, Lily Ricci grew up in a loving family surrounded by strong family bonds and cultural traditions. At the same time, she lived in a society where opportunities and expectations for women were very different than they were for men.
When financial hardship forced her family to leave everything behind and start over in Germany, the life she had always known disappeared almost overnight.
At sixteen, Lily found herself navigating a new country, a new language, and a new identity. Just two years later...
Ep 032: Kendall Mariah: I Thought Something Was Wrong With Me, Part 2
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In part two of this conversation, Kendall Mariah shares the deeply personal journey that eventually led to her autism diagnosis as an adult.
Kendall opens up about growing up feeling different, struggling socially while excelling academically, and spending years masking parts of herself without fully understanding why.
She speaks candidly about high-masking autism in women, ADHD, sensory struggles, shame, identity, and the emotional weight of constantly feeling misunderstood. Kendall also vulnerably shares experiences surrounding purity culture, sexual assault, and the pressure many people feel to hide parts of themselves...
Ep 031: Kendall Mariah: The Questions I Was Never Supposed to Ask, Part 1
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What happens when faith no longer feels simple?
In this conversation, Kendall Mariah opens up about the tension of deeply loving God while struggling with parts of Christian culture that often leave little room for honesty, grief, mental health struggles, or difficult questions.
Kendall shares how infertility, anxiety, internal conflict, and years of wrestling quietly with her own thoughts pushed her into asking deeper questions about faith, identity, and what it really means to follow Jesus.
Together, we talk about church hurt, political division within Christianity, deconstruction...
Ep 030: Malaysia Harrell: “Your Story Wasn’t for You”, Part 2
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In Part 2 of this conversation, Malaysia Harrell shares how her healing journey, faith, and spiritual growth inspired the work she does today helping other women step into alignment and purpose.
Malaysia opens up about writing her book, God Has My Six, and the realization that her story was meant to encourage and impact others walking through their own difficult seasons. She also reflects on the lessons she learned through adversity, the importance of surrender, and how she now helps women reconnect with themselves and their calling.
Throughout the...
Ep 029: Malaysia Harrell: The Near-Death Experience That Changed Everything, Part 1
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Malaysia Harrell is a Board-Certified Psychotherapist, Spiritual Transformation Coach, Author of God Has My Six, Award-Winning Entrepreneur, Founder of the Align Success Academy, and Founder and President of the Malaysia Harrell Foundation.
In Part 1 of this conversation, Malaysia shares the experiences that shaped her journey, including childhood adversity, military service, and the near-death medical experience that completely changed the way she viewed success, purpose, faith, and healing.
She reflects on the pressure many people feel to keep pushing forward while carrying challenges privately, and how her life experiences ultimately...
Ep 028: Jacqueline Diaz-Fontana: Finding Purpose in the Pain, Part 2
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Content Note: This episode includes discussion of suicide.
Part 2 continues Jacqueline’s story, moving into what came after the loss.
She shares what those months really looked like, the anger, the grief, and the weight of unanswered questions. The parts people don’t always see or talk about.
After months of carrying that weight, she reached a breaking point.
Jacqueline opens up about the moment she prayed for the first time again, and how that moment shifted something in her. What followed was a cl...
Ep 027: Jacqueline Diaz-Fontana: Losing Her Son, Erick, Part 1
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Content Note: This episode includes discussion of suicide.
This is a heavy conversation. Jacqueline opens up about a topic that isn’t often talked about, but needs to be.
She shares about her son, Erick, who she lost to suicide in 2017. Not just what happened, but who he was, what their relationship looked like, and what it’s like to live with the kind of loss that changes everything.
There are questions that come with this kind of grief. Questions about what was missed, what coul...
Ep 026: Gina Litvack: Promise Me You’ll Keep Him Loved and Safe, Part 2
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This is Part 2 of Gina Litvack’s story. If you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet, I recommend starting there.
After years of being told no while pursuing adoption as a single woman, Gina finally stepped into the life she had been hoping for.
In this episode, Gina shares what happened next.
From the moment everything shifted, to navigating those first few days as a new mom, to bringing her son home, this part of her story captures the reality behind the moment she had waited so long...
Ep 025: Gina Litvack: She Was Told No Seven Times, Part 1
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Gina Litvack always knew she wanted to be a mom.
What she didn’t expect was being told no seven different times while pursuing adoption as a single woman.
Still, she refused to give up.
In Part 1, Gina shares the years of rejection, waiting, and perseverance that came before her life changed forever. But beyond her story itself, Gina brings a perspective and joy that is impossible not to walk away inspired by.
In this episode, Gina shares:
Why she chose to pu...Ep 024: Nolan Thomas: What Happened After Everything Changed, Part 2
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This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. If you haven’t listened to Part 1, start there.
After being told he was cancer-free, Nolan Thomas began planning what life would look like next.
Everything changed again.
His cancer returned and progressed to Stage 4.
What followed was not just another round of treatment, but a complete shift in mindset, identity, and faith.
In Part 2, Nolan shares what it looks like to keep going in the middle of uncertainty, how his perspective has changed, and why he...
Ep 023: Nolan Thomas: 21, Healthy, and Diagnosed with Cancer, Part 1
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At 21 years old, Nolan Thomas was active, healthy, and focused on his future.
Cancer was not even a consideration.
When symptoms started, he did what most people would do and went to the hospital. His age and overall appearance of good health led medical staff to turn him away more than once before he finally received answers.Â
Those answers changed everything.
In Part 1, Nolan shares what it looked like to go from a normal life to a life-altering diagnosis almost overnight, along with the physical a...
Ep 022: Natalie Mika: From Fear to Freedom - Leaving an Abusive Relationship, Part 2
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This episode is part two of a two-part conversation.
After recognizing the danger she and her son were facing, Natalie made the difficult decision to step away from an abusive situation and begin rebuilding. The path forward was not simple. Legal challenges, uncertainty, and fear were still very real parts of the journey.
Natalie reflects on the moments where her faith carried her through some of the most difficult days, especially while navigating the legal process and learning how to rebuild a life that felt safe again.
...
Ep 021: Natalie Mika: From Fear to Freedom - Leaving an Abusive Relationship, Part 1
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This episode discusses domestic abuse. Listener discretion is advised.
In this episode of Unspoken Lives, Natalie Mika shares a chapter of her life she kept hidden for years.
From the outside, life looked normal. She was raising her son, working, and showing up every day like everything was fine. But behind closed doors, Natalie was living through an abusive relationship that slowly escalated from emotional and verbal abuse into something far more dangerous. Like many women in similar situations, shame and isolation kept her silent for a long time...
Ep 020: Susan Mazzella: How a Tiny Heart Rewrote Our Story, Part 2
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Content warning: This episode contains discussion of child loss and grief.
After a medical crisis that began just minutes after her son’s birth, Susan and her husband faced months of uncertainty that would ultimately lead to profound loss.
In this episode, we move beyond the hospital room and into the long and often unseen road of grief.
Susan reflects on what it meant to return home and continue living while carrying heartbreak. She shares how she grieved not only her son, but the future sh...
Ep 019: Susan Mazzella: How a Tiny Heart Rewrote Our Story, Part 1
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Content warning: This episode contains discussion of infant medical trauma and child loss.
At 20 weeks pregnant, Susan and her husband learned their baby boy had a serious heart defect. They were given a plan and a path forward. Surgery would take place shortly after birth, and while the diagnosis was overwhelming, there was direction and preparation.
What they could not foresee was how quickly that path would change.
Just 45 minutes after Tommy was born, a nurse rushed into their hospital room with urgent news. In...
Ep 018: Shelley Stephan: Don’t Lose Yourself | Infertility and Identity, Part 2
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Content note: This episode includes discussion of infertility and miscarriage. Please listen with care if this topic is tender for you.
In Part 2 of this conversation, Shelley shares what happened beneath the surface. The grief. The anger. The wrestling with faith. The questions she never imagined asking.
After years of infertility and pregnancy loss, Shelley reached a point where the pain felt consuming. In this episode, she speaks honestly about what it looked like to wrestle with God, sit in disappointment, and slowly rebuild her sense of...
Ep 017: Shelley Stephan: Don’t Lose Yourself | Infertility and Identity, Part 1
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Gentle Content Note: This episode includes discussion of infertility, miscarriage, and pregnancy loss. If this topic is tender for you, please listen with care.
Shelley never imagined infertility would become one of the defining chapters of her life. What began as hope for a growing family turned into years of trying to conceive, fertility treatments, miscarriage, and emotional heartbreak. In part one of this conversation, she shares the real and often unspoken experience of infertility, including the isolation, the pressure, the perfectionism, and the desire to control what feels...
Ep 016: Laura Thielemann: Becoming the Glue, Part 2
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In part two of Laura Thielemann’s story, the conversation continues into career, leadership, and the values that have guided her forward.
Laura shares how she built a successful career in healthcare administration through determination, consistency, and a belief that if she committed fully, she would find a way forward. She reflects on how her mindset, rooted in perseverance and self-belief, shaped her professional growth even when she didn’t start out knowing exactly where the path would lead.
Throughout the conversation, Laura speaks to the importance of growth acro...
Ep 015: Laura Thielemann: Becoming the Glue, Part 1
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Laura Thielemann was born and raised in Lima, Peru, where she spent much of her childhood being raised by her grandparents while her mother worked in the United States to build a future for their family. It was a childhood rooted in love, tradition, and the steady presence of family who helped shape Laura’s sense of belonging.
At twelve years old, Laura moved to the U.S. and reunited with her mother after years apart. She entered a completely new culture and had to slowly find her footing in a pl...
Ep 014: Brandon: When the Fast Life Slows Down, Part 2
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In part two of Brandon’s story, he returns to share the pieces he wasn’t ready to say out loud the first time we talked.
After living a fast, dangerous life shaped by drugs, violence, loyalty, and loss, Brandon reflects on the moments that followed. The realities of prison, the people he lost along the way, and what it looks like to rebuild life at a slower pace after everything he once knew came to a stop.
This conversation goes deeper into faith, identity, anger, patience, and the ment...
Ep 013: Brandon: When the Fast Life Slows Down, Part 1
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Brandon grew up learning how to survive early, navigating life largely on his own. What followed was a fast, dangerous world shaped by anger, loyalty, money, and choices made long before he understood their weight.
That path eventually led him to prison, a place Brandon now reflects on as the moment his life was forced to slow down and, in many ways, the reason he is still here today.
In part one of Brandon’s story, he shares what life looks like now after years of moving at full sp...
Ep 012: Angela Taylor: Faith in the Valley, Part 2
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Life does not always go the way we plan, and sometimes the challenges we face feel bigger than we can handle. In Part 2 of Angela Taylor’s story, she dives deeper into the valleys of life, sharing moments of doubt, heartbreak, and the struggle to balance personal faith with the pressures of parenthood and work.
Angela opens up about navigating difficult seasons, from professional setbacks to the emotional weight of raising a family while finances are tight. She shares how the lows in her life, including loss, frustration, and feeling powerless, ha...
Ep 011: Angela Taylor: Faith in the Valley, Part 1
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Faith isn’t always easy. Sometimes it is tested in ways that leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about life, God, and yourself. In this powerful conversation, Angela Taylor opens up about the valleys she has faced, moments of heartbreak, the challenge of managing family life on a tight budget, and feeling powerless in the midst of it all.
As she navigates the highs and lows of her business and the demands of parenthood, Angela shares how faith and perseverance helped her survive seasons that could have crushed her. Sh...
Ep 010: A Holiday Pause and a Quiet Invitation
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This week’s episode is a short holiday message and a moment of gratitude.
With the season being so full, I’m taking a brief pause from guest stories to make sure every story receives the focused attention it deserves. Instead, I wanted to share a simple reflection on connection, the unexpected conversations this podcast has already opened up, and three small ways we can stay connected during a busy week.
This episode is an invitation to slow down, ask thoughtful questions, check in on someone you’ve bee...
Ep 009: Emily Crowder: The Call That Changed Everything, Part 2
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Breast cancer didn’t just change Emily Crowder’s body. It changed how she listens to it, cares for it, and teaches her children to do the same.
In Part 2 of Emily’s story, she opens up about healing after breast cancer and the deeper transformation that followed. From rebuilding her relationship with her body to navigating fear in the quiet hours of the night, Emily shares how faith, community, and intentional lifestyle changes helped her move from survival into purpose.
This episode is about listening to the whispers before...
Ep 008: Emily Crowder: The Call That Changed Everything, Part 1
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Emily never expected to hear the words “you have breast cancer,” especially after a year of screenings that offered more questions than clarity. In this emotional Part 1, she shares the moment that changed everything and the confusing road that led there. She opens up about navigating repeated callbacks, the uncertainty that followed, and the strength it took to keep asking for answers.
Her story is honest, hopeful, and full of courage. It also shows how important it is to trust yourself, speak up, and advocate for the care your body deserves. If y...
Ep 007: Ty Samples: The Houses I Lived In, Part 2
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Finding Strength, Perspective, and HealingÂ
In Part 2 of Ty Samples’ story, he continues to share the unspoken moments of his childhood that shaped the man he is today. Ty reflects on the moments of fear, courage, and resilience that taught him how to protect those he loves and to take control of his own life. He opens up about the lessons he learned through trauma, the importance of leaning on family, friends, and faith, and how he cultivated strength from experiences that could have broken him.
This is a sto...
Ep 006: Ty Samples: The Houses I Lived In, Part 1
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Stories That Shaped a ChildhoodÂ
Ty Samples courageously shares the untold story of his childhood, revealing the experiences that shaped him. His early years included fear, abuse, and family secrets, yet he was also surrounded by love and protective instincts from those closest to him.
This is a story that is rarely spoken and one that takes incredible strength to share. In this episode, Ty reflects on the challenges he faced growing up, including moments of trauma and secrecy, and how they influenced his perspective, relationships, and the man h...
Ep 005: Pastor Randy Youngblood: When Faith Spoke Louder, Part 2
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Faith isn’t just tested in the moment of crisis—it grows through the seasons that follow. In Part 2 of this two-part series, Pastor Randy Youngblood opens up about the ongoing battles and revelations after his oral cancer diagnosis.
Randy reflects on the moments of fear, pain, and spiritual challenge that came in the months following treatment. He shares how he navigated setbacks, the physical and emotional toll of treatment, and the role prayer, perspective, and perseverance played in sustaining him.
Listeners will gain insight into Randy’s thoughts on spi...
Ep 004: Pastor Randy Youngblood: When Faith Spoke Louder, Part 1
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What happens when the very thing you rely on to fulfill your purpose is suddenly at risk? For Pastor Randy Youngblood, oral cancer threatened not only his life but the voice he uses every weekend to teach and inspire.
In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Kelsey sits down with her lifelong family friend to hear about his journey—the fear, uncertainty, and faith it took to face the impossible.
Randy recounts the shock of his diagnosis and the immediate emotional impact on him and his family.He shares the physical ch...Ep 003: Americle: More Than Just a Name, Part 2
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Content warning: This episode discusses pregnancy loss, substance use and a near-death experience. Listener discretion is advised.
Americle’s journey continues as she shares the challenges she faced as a teen, her time in foster care, the consequences of tough choices, and the life-changing accident that tested her faith and resilience. Through every trial, she discovered strength, hope, and a deeper connection to God. Her story is a testament to the power of surrender, perseverance, and the miracles that can unfold when you trust the process.
In this ep...
