In this episode of The Mercy Cast, I sit down with my friend Jen Thompson, author of Return to Jesus, for a heartfelt conversation that cuts right to the core of what it means to feel distant from God—and how His invitation to return never goes away. We talk honestly about those times when life feels overwhelming, when prayer feels empty, and when functional saviors (things we turn to instead of God) slowly edge Him out of our hearts.

But here's the truth we kept coming back to: God's love is unconditional. Period. It's not based on what we do or how we perform. He loves us because He made us. And He invites us—again and again—to come home.

Have you ever felt disillusioned?

In this episode of MercyCast, I had the privilege of sitting down with Nick McDonald, the author of The Light in Our Eyes: Rediscovering the Love, Beauty, and Freedom of Jesus in an Age of Disillusionment. Our conversation was a raw and honest exploration of vulnerability, adversity, disillusionment, and rebuilding faith.

What does it mean to reclaim your voice?

In this episode of Mercycast, host Raleigh Sadler engages with Vanessa Abraham, the author of the new book, Speechless: How a Speech Therapist Lost Her Ability to Speak and Her Silent Struggle to Reclaim Her Voice and Life. Vanessa, a speech pathologist, shares her harrowing journey of losing her voice due to a medical crisis and the subsequent struggle to reclaim it.

How do we know who to trust in life’s most harrowing moments? In this episode, I sit down with Anita Anello, a business owner and successful software executive, and we discuss the life experiences that taught her this lesson. Tune in!

In this episode, Raleigh Sadler interviews Anne Basham, founder of the Inter-Parliamentary Task Force on Human Trafficking, about the importance of influencing policy to address modern slavery. They discuss the dangers of well-meaning intentions in orphanages and the need for foster care as a better alternative.

"How do I walk through this in a way that it's used for something that has a greater purpose than maybe I would have chosen for myself?"

In this episode of the Mercycast, Raleigh Sadler talks with Valerie Althaus about living with chronic pain. Valerie shares her personal experience of living with chronic pain and how she has learned to manage it. She emphasizes the importance of finding a supportive community and engaging in hobbies that bring joy and distraction. Valerie also discusses the internal work of accepting and reframing pain, shifting from asking 'why' to asking 'how' to live with it. She encourages listeners to start where they are, acknowledge their pain, and find hope in the bigger picture of eternity.

What do we do when we can’t do what we want to do?

In this episode, Marilette Sanchez, a New Yorker as well as a field director with FamilyLife, shares her journey of navigating identity crises and finding purpose in her vocation in the midst of life's challenges.

The pain that we experience can illuminate where we have placed our identity.

Chuck and Ashley Elliott, authors of a new book, I Used to Be ___: How to Navigate Large and Small Losses in Life and Find Your Path Forward, discuss the intersection of identity and loss, particularly in the context of recurrent miscarriage. They share their personal experiences and how they reacted incongruently to their identity. They emphasize the importance of facing loss and allowing oneself to be seen as they are in moments of pain. They also discuss the role of idols in our lives and the need to reset our identity in Christ. Gratitude is highlighted as a way to avoid idolatry and find healing during transition. In this conversation, Chuck and Ashley discuss the importance of inviting God into our negative spaces and facing our shame and fears. They emphasize the need to hold onto truth and scripture during transition and loss. They also highlight the value of building healthy habits and relationships in our everyday lives to prepare us for difficult times. Ultimately, they encourage listeners to embrace vulnerability and seek God's presence in their struggles.