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Cowrie Shells
Beyond Precious - When God is Close to the Broken-Hearted
Season 2, Ep. 8
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Please note: due to a change in venue this episode features some external traffic noise
Meet Kate Patterson – Having grown up as a vicar’s daughter, Kate followed in her parents’ footsteps, marrying a vicar and co-leading a church with him. She felt that life was at its sweetest spot when sudden tragedy turned everything upside down. Listen in to Kate’s tender story of how, in the reality of her suffering, she encountered a God who cares deeply; one who not only enabled her to navigate grief but equipped her to come alongside others and empowered her to become a speaker and writer whose words are like a warm, compassionate hug. No stranger to suffering, Kate understands what it is to walk through a sense of wilderness and keep eyes fixed on Jesus. Be comforted, encouraged and inspired.
For more information and to purchase Kate’s beautiful books visit: giftofblessingtrust.org
Please note all profits generated from Ashes to Crowns – Grieving with Hope (2025) will go towards gifting the book to those who need it most.
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13. Front Row Seats to the Goodness of God
55:02||Season 2, Ep. 13Meet Alexandra Huggins – An introvert girl who first encountered a sense of culture shock when she relocated from Germany to the UK aged ten, little did she know that change and transition would become a recurring feature of her life. From marriage breakdown to grief and illness, singleness to remarriage, raising children to embracing blended family life – Alex has repeatedly seen what she calls the outrageous faithfulness and goodness of God.Listen and be inspired by every twist and turn of her tale – one which makes it clear that with God nothing is wasted, and His Word never returns void.
12. 'You are a sapphire' - When Divorce Threatens to Crush but Jesus Affirms
48:48||Season 2, Ep. 12Meet Katie Amanda – A girl who dreamt of finding love in the arms of a man she could spend life with, Katie didn’t expect divorce to be part of her adult story. So when her marriage tragically unravelled, Katie felt utterly devastated. Wrestling with heartbreak and uncertainty as a single mum of three, she encountered a God who whispered affirmation into all her hurting places, tenderly rebuilding and cherishing her as a sapphire to be treasured.Listen to Katie’s vulnerable account of how she navigated divorce with a God who never forsakes us and be challenged, like her, to change the narrative by throwing out all bitterness and saying thank you for all that life has given.
11. No Less Beautiful – Embracing God, Family, and Parenting with Down Syndrome
50:03||Season 2, Ep. 11Meet Tope Forsyth – Nigerian-born but British-bred, Tope has lived in the UK for most of her life. Hers is a story of sensing God pursue her before she even knew Him; initially as an abstract, then increasingly as her rock and comfort when life intensified and her first daughter was diagnosed with Down Syndrome. Listen to her story and be inspired by her wholehearted acceptance of her circumstances; choosing to love her family with its uniquely beautiful shape, and what’s more, to empower women everywhere with a reminder that we can choose to put on the armour of God, our ‘IHAMORA’ (meaning armour in the Nigerian language of Yoruba).More information on Tope’s active and leisure wear brand, IHAMORA can be found at: www.ihamora.co.ukShe invites you to take this opportunity to be part of the unique tribe of IHAMORA women and girls – a community of strength, joy and movement.
10. ‘And that didn’t happen’ – When God’s Plans Are So Much Better
46:00||Season 2, Ep. 10Meet Kelda Davis – What happens when our plans don’t work out the way we had hoped? Having grown up as a vicar’s daughter, Kelda’s faith was well-established by her teens but it was during her late twenties, while waiting on a husband and children to materialize, that God presented her with a new challenge: Would she simply shoehorn what she wanted from life and ask God to bless it, or would she be content in Him - even when expectations seemed unmet? Listen in to the gems of Kelda’s story and be inspired alongside her to embrace God’s timing, prioritise His Word and keep ‘hustling’ while you wait on His best.
9. Seeking God’s Heart – A Journey into the Prophetic
50:07||Season 2, Ep. 9Meet Genevieve Duke – Feeling crushed and silenced as a young woman in the aftermath of an abusive relationship, Gen was taken aback when God revived her dreams and invited her to journey with Him into the prophetic. Despite at times wanting to run in the opposite direction, she has persisted in leaning in to detect His still quiet voice. Tackling the sometimes tricky issues of discernment, the reality of the spiritual realm and what the prophetic can look like, be encouraged by Gen’s frankness and inspired by her desire, above all, to seek God’s heart.
7. ‘I’m not budging’ – Staking Your Trust in God No Matter What
53:46||Season 2, Ep. 7Meet Charlotte Nall – What happens when God gives you a clear dream for something but then circumstances appear to render it impossible? What happens when your husband turns away from God? What happens when God instructs you to leave your job? What happens when miscarriage is preceded by still birth and you are left with an empty womb? Listen in to how Charlotte faced all this and more – consistently choosing to cling to Jesus and embrace His mindset. Join her at the cusp of this new year in saying ‘I’m not budging’ and planting a stake firmly in the ground of faith.For more information on Charlotte's story of Micah and the charity she founded see:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94ZBcfaF30Qhttps://littlefingers.org.uk
6. All Out For Jesus – Choosing To Be Authentic and Available
56:06||Season 2, Ep. 6Meet Rachel Jordan-Wolf - From her earliest memories, Jesus was Rachel’s best friend and she wanted the world to know Him too! Whether it was church in a chicken shed, prayer in a greenhouse, or sharing coffee with a distressed woman in the Red Light District, Rachel consistently chose to be available to God and today her vision remains unchanged. Passionate about empowering believers, she heads up Hope Together and challenges all of us this Christmas to recognise the season we’re in and get excited about what God is doing: Increasingly, our communities are full of individuals looking for Jesus … meanwhile He's looking for you and me to be willing to be His mouthpiece.Why not order some beautifully-designed Gospels as a special Christmas/New Year gift for your neighbours/friends/community from Hope Together today?To find out more, and discover other amazing resources for you and your church family, go to: hopetogether.org.ukYou can follow Rachel: @racheljordanwolf @hopetogether
5. Two Dreams, One Glass Table and an Outstretched Hand
53:54||Season 2, Ep. 5Driven by a hunger for validation from childhood, Carla sought escape in a fiercely independent lifestyle of partying, drugs, travel and work until, one night, an inner desire to ‘go home’ broke through it all. Two dreams and a camping trip later, she did a complete U-turn and became an irrepressible voice for Jesus in her community. Listen in to her dramatic stories of adventures with God, and be inspired with her to accept His outstretched hand of rescue which always offers hope, healing and purpose.