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.
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Content Warning: This episode does discuss challenging topics like child abuse and suicide. Please listen carefully or consider skipping this episode if those topics could be triggering for you.
As a parent, we would do almost anything for our children and strive to protect them from the dangers in the world. However, when my guest took their child to the hospital to get a bruise checked out, he never imagined it could end with an arrest and time in prison.
Matt Everly is usually behind the scenes with our podcast, and not behind the microphone. Matt has edited every podcast episode for us for the last two years as part of my son’s content marketing agency. We are so grateful for his work and talent! In addition to his editing skills, he has quite the story to tell. He’s walked through hardship after hardship, yet he has remained steady in his faith.
Matt is an inspiration to me and I hope he will be to you as well.
In this episode, we talk about:
- The frightening and unexpected journey Matt walked
- How his faith was tested through this season and what faith looks like for him today
- Why having a strong community made all the difference
- How he and his wife navigated such a challenging season for their marriage
- And so much more…
I hope you are inspired by our conversation today!
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- [BOOK] Better Together: Because You’re Not Meant to Mom Alone
- The Pantagraph Story
- Connect with Matt on Facebook, or Instagram
- The Transform Weekend
- Join me at the Empty Nest Full Life Retreat!
- As a thank you for listening, get your 3 free eBooks.
My Key Takeaways:
1) Intentionally build community around you. When tragedy hits, you need people in your corner already. When you are in the tragedy, you don’t have time to build that supportive community. None of us can do this life alone and that is especially true when tragedy and hardships come your way.
2) “Be willing to sit in the suck.” One of the most encouraging things you can do is to be willing to sit in the terrible, awful circumstances with someone else. As Christians, we often throw out phrases like “God is in control” and “He works all things together for good” which are absolutely true, but during times of great trial what is needed most is someone to sit with us in the hardship. Words are not always even needed, but it can mean the world to simply be present with us in the pain.
3) Lean on Christ. You don’t have to go through a traumatic event to feel like the world is falling out from under you. There are all kinds of things that shake our world. In those times of stress, hardship, and even tragedy, God is right there to hold you up. Lean on Him. While I don’t wish for anyone to have to go through difficulties, we do come out the other side with a deeper relationship with Christ and a deeper compassion for others.
About Matt:
Matt Everly is a husband, father, Agile Delivery Lead at State Farm, which includes coaching for software development, and podcast editor. Matt lives in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois with his high-school-sweetheart-turned-wife, Emily, and their two children.
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Oh my goodness! Jill’s conversation with Matt has monopolized my heart and mind since I heard it the day it dropped. My heart aches for what Matt and Emily and his family have gone through in this unbelievable ordeal. The takeaway that we are the hands and feet of Jesus is huge and powerful, but I also pray that there is more to come in the story of God’s revealing of his glory through all the trauma described. Matt is so well-spoken and gracious; what a modern day representation of a Job story! Thank you, Matt, for sharing this hard and almost unbelievable story with broad audiences. We have friends and family in Bloomington and I want them to hear the true story from you, so have shared this liberally. I have also passed it along to others in my orbit who have been falsely accused. We have a first grandchild due in early fall and this is a reminder that what you and Emily went through could be anyone’s story! When it’s time to write your book, Jill has the resource people to get you started. Check out Ally Fallon’s new book about writing your story. May God’s peace be yours in His time.
Kari–thank you for sharing this episode!
I have been having a hard week and would like to ask for prayer. This message is a God Wink to me on Wednesday I was booked into Dodge County Jail and charged with a count of Abuse of residents of penal facilities if convicted I could be sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison and/or fined $10000. I was arraigned and released on signature bond. On July 3rd and 11th are my next scheduled court appearances. It was on national and area news channels if you want more information I am one of 9 people charged.
Oh Wendy, I’m so sorry. We’re praying for the truth to prevail.
Hey Wendy. I know you personally and have said these things already. I only want others to know what a caring, and lovely person you are as well as a wonderful nurse. I do believe God has this, but it is still a trying time for you and those who love you. I am so proud to be your friend and proud to have worked along side of you in nursing. Will continue to be here for you and lifting you up in prayer.
Did I miss the explanation of why his daughter had the injury in the first place?
He shared at the end that they were never able to determine that but that she has had no more health issues since infancy.