What do we do when life seems to fall apart at our very fingertips? Can God still use even the terrible experiences for good in some way?
In this conversation, we are talking about why no experience is ever wasted in God’s economy. And my guest, Davey Blackburn, knows this personally.
In 2015, Davey Blackburn’s life was turned upside down when his pregnant wife, Amanda, was murdered in a home invasion. The unthinkable happened and Davey had to pick up the pieces of their broken life while caring for their 18-month-old son.
As a high-profile criminal case unfolded over the next several years, Davey took on the seemingly impossible task of finding the strength to restore his shattered soul. He is now the founder and director of Nothing is Wasted, a ministry dedicated to helping others navigate trauma, tragedies, and major life transitions.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- How God meets us in our pain
- How the work of healing occurs in a process
- The importance of forgiveness being a choice, not a feeling
- And so much more…
I hope you are encouraged by this conversation, especially if you are in the midst of loss or difficult life circumstances.
(As we start into our fifth year of the podcast, you’ll start hearing a shoutout at the beginning of each episode. This is an opportunity for us to celebrate our listeners, and specifically the transformation and celebrations in your life. Want to reach out to us? You can contact us here on our website or text our new No More Perfect hotline at 309-431-1718.)
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- [BOOK] Nothing is Wasted: A True Story of Hope, Forgiveness, and Finding Purpose In Pain
- [BOOK] Pain to Purpose 42-Day Devotional
- [BOOK] Man’s Search for Meaning
- [BOOK] The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
- Nothing is Wasted Ministry Website
- Connect with Davey on his website or Instagram
- Join me at the Empty Nest Full Life Retreat!
- As a thank you for listening, get your 3 free eBooks.
My Key Takeaways:
1) Prepare for trials and pain. No one escapes this life without experiencing pain. God tells us this in Scripture so that we might be ready when it enters our lives. As Christians, we have been told that we should prepare for hardships, trials, and pain. We can do that by establishing healthy spiritual practices like prayer, reading Scripture, and going to God in times of stress.
2) Turn to Jesus. When hardships come our way, it is vital that we have a firm foundation to get our footing. Jesus is the one who can offer us solace, refuge, and hope. When we do walk through hard times, it’s important to cling to Jesus. He can offer us hope and healing beyond our current circumstances.
3) Offer what we have received. Whether our circumstances include someone who is responsible for bringing about hardship or if what we are walking through is merely a byproduct of living in a sinful, broken world, when we go through hard experiences we come out the other side more aware of what we have received from God. He has gifted us with hope, healing, forgiveness, restoration, grace, compassion, and so much more. It is only because we have received these things that we can offer them to others. We can offer forgiveness to those who have wronged us because we were forgiven. We can offer hope to someone else who is going through a hard time because we have experienced hope.
About Davey:
Davey Blackburn is a former lead pastor, podcaster, speaker, coach, and founder and director of Nothing is Wasted, a ministry dedicated to helping others navigate trauma, tragedies, and major life transitions. Davey was led to found this ministry in 2015 when his pregnant wife, Amanda, was shot and killed during a home invasion. Davey came out the other side with a desire to intercept kids and teenagers before they turned to a life of crime. Davey lives in Indianapolis with his wife, Kristi, and three children.
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