エピソード

  • Wayne Jacobsen on love beyond performance.

    Wayne Jacobsen on love beyond performance.
    2026/06/10
    There are moments in life that expose what we really believe. A cancer diagnosis. A fractured relationship. A loss we never saw coming.In this conversation with Wayne Jacobsen, we talk about what happens when faith moves beyond performance and becomes a lived experience of God's love. Wayne shares deeply personal stories—from surviving a cancer diagnosis to navigating one of the most painful seasons of his 51-year marriage—and reveals how God's presence met him in places where easy answers could not.For decades, Wayne has invited people to move beyond religious striving and into a relationship rooted in love. His newest book, Just Love, explores a powerful truth: righteousness isn't about earning God's approval. It's about learning to receive His love and allowing that love to transform how we see and treat others.This conversation challenged me personally. We discussed the difference between living for love and living from love, how God often takes the initiative long before we recognize it, and why genuine compassion grows out of being deeply loved ourselves.In this episode, we discuss:Why do so many of us spend years trying to earn a love God has already given?The difference between knowing about God's love and actually living loved.How performance-based faith keeps us trapped in fear and control.Why God's presence is often discovered in pain rather than certainty.What Wayne learned through a devastating crisis in his marriage.How unresolved trauma can shape our relationships and understanding of ourselves.Why love is not an obligation but the natural overflow of a heart experiencing God's affection.The connection between justice, compassion, and loving the person right in front of us.How to stop trying to fix people and start being present with them.What it means to trust God when circumstances make no sense.Key TakeawaysYou Don't Have to Earn What God Has Already GivenWayne spent decades trying to earn God's approval before realizing he was already loved. Everything changed when he stopped waking up trying to be loved by God and started waking up as God's beloved.God Often Initiates Before We NoticeMany of us think we're searching for God, but Wayne reminds us that God is often the One pursuing us. The Father draws us long before we recognize His presence.Love Changes How We Walk Through SufferingWhen Wayne's wife unexpectedly left after 46 years of marriage, everything in him could have reacted with fear, anger, and a sense of control. Instead, years of learning to trust God's love allowed him to remain present, patient, and compassionate through one of the hardest seasons of his life.Justice Flows From LoveRather than seeing justice as another religious obligation, Wayne argues that God's love naturally produces a life marked by compassion, mercy, and care for others. Love fulfills justice because love fulfills us.The Next Person MattersWe often think about changing the world while overlooking the person directly in front of us. Wayne reminds us that the Kingdom of God is often expressed through simple acts of presence, curiosity, compassion, and care.Memorable Quote"I spent the first 42 years of my life trying to earn the love of God that I already had and didn't know it." — Wayne JacobsenResources MentionedJust LoveHe Loves MeFinal ThoughtsOne thing Wayne said continues to stay with me: God's goal isn't only bring us into heaven someday. His desire is to free us from the constant need to prove ourselves so we can live in the freedom of His love today.When we stop striving to earn God's affection, we're finally free to love the people around us—not because we have to, but because we've already received more love than we could ever exhaust.That's where compassion begins. That's where mercy becomes real. And that's where lives begin to change.If you are interested in reading Wayne’s books, please go to the links above.You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.Thanks for listening. We want to hear from you!Email us at info@mercycast.com.For more conversations like this one, check out my book, Vulnerable: Rethinking Human Trafficking.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-mercycast/exclusive-content
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    53 分
  • Callie Priest on how the church can impact foster care.

    Callie Priest on how the church can impact foster care.
    2026/06/03
    Every child needs a place to belong.A home where they are known. A place where they are safe. A family that sees them for who they are—not simply for the circumstances that brought them into foster care.In this episode of MercyCast, I sat down with Callie Priest, Director of Strategic Partnerships at WinShape Homes. What made this conversation especially meaningful was discovering that Callie and I first met more than a decade ago while I was meeting at a church where she served. Since then, God has continued shaping her passion for vulnerable children and families.Callie shared how her journey began with a family adoption that opened her eyes to the realities facing children without permanent families. Later, ministry opportunities around the world—including a life-changing visit to a cemetery community in the Philippines—deepened her understanding of vulnerability and God's heart for those who often go unseen.Today, Callie helps churches engage foster care in practical and meaningful ways. Through WinShape Homes, she equips churches to support foster families, care for children impacted by trauma, and create environments where healing and belonging can flourish.One of the most powerful parts of our conversation centered on a simple truth: many churches want to help, but often feel unprepared. Callie shared how a foster family in her church helped her recognize an important gap. Churches were encouraging foster care without fully understanding how trauma impacts children and families. That realization transformed her approach to ministry and strengthened her commitment to trauma-informed care.I appreciated Callie's honesty. She reminded us that faithfulness doesn't begin with expertise—it begins with awareness. We don't have to know everything before we take a step. We simply need to be willing to see the needs around us and respond.We also talked about what Callie calls the "curb cut effect." Originally designed to help people in wheelchairs navigate sidewalks, curb cuts ended up helping everyone—parents with strollers, delivery workers, and the elderly. The same is true when we care for vulnerable children. When we make room for those most in need, entire communities benefit.One of the strongest themes throughout our conversation was that foster care is not someone else's issue. It affects our communities, schools, churches, and neighbors. And for followers of Jesus, it presents a tangible opportunity to live out the gospel.The story of foster care points us back to the story of redemption. We were all in need of rescue. Through Christ, we have been welcomed into God's family. Because of that, we are free to open our lives, homes, and churches to others.You may never become a foster parent. But you can support a foster family. You can invite someone to your table. You can learn the names and stories of children in your community.Sometimes belonging begins with something as simple as showing up, paying attention, and making room for someone who needs to know they matter.Key TakeawaysGod often uses ordinary experiences to open our eyes to the needs of vulnerable children.Foster care is a community issue that impacts far more people than we often realize.Churches can play a vital role by becoming trauma-informed and supporting foster families well.You don't need to be an expert to make a difference—you simply need to be willing to engage.Caring for vulnerable children strengthens both families and the broader church community.Foster care reflects the heart of the gospel: welcoming others into a family where they belong.Memorable Quotes"The opposite of poverty isn't wealth. The opposite of poverty is enough." — Callie Priest"We don't rescue people. We get to be a conduit for what God is doing." — Callie Priest"When we care well for the most vulnerable, everyone benefits." — Callie Priest"The church doesn't just support foster families. Foster families are a gift to the church." — Callie PriestResourcesLearn more about WinShape Homes and how churches can engage foster care in their communities.Listen to MercycastIf this episode encouraged you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who wants to learn how compassion can transform communities. Together, we can learn the art of compassion through the adversity of life.Learn more about Callie and her work on her podcast. Follow Winshape homes on instagram.You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.Thanks for listening. We want to hear from you!Email us at info@mercycast.com.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-mercycast/exclusive-content
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    43 分
  • Rachelle Starr on healing father wounds.

    Rachelle Starr on healing father wounds.
    2026/05/27
    Some conversations stay with you long after the microphones are off. This was one of them.In this episode of the MercyCast, I sit down with my longtime friend Rachelle Starr — founder of Scarlet Hope, author of Outrageous Obedience, and one of the clearest voices I know on mercy, trauma, exploitation, and the love of God.We talk about her new documentary, He Calls Me Daughter, a powerful film exploring father wounds, identity, healing, and what happens when women who have spent their lives feeling abandoned begin to believe they are truly seen by God.This conversation moved me deeply because it gets to the heart of things.We talk about the hidden wounds people carry from absent, abusive, distant, or emotionally unavailable fathers — and how those wounds often shape vulnerability, exploitation, addiction, performance, overworking, relationships, and identity in ways we don’t even realize.Rachelle shares stories from nearly two decades of serving women in strip clubs, online exploitation, trafficking, and the adult entertainment industry through Scarlet Hope. She explains how their ministry now reaches exploited women across the country through digital outreach, including text-based intervention with women being trafficked online.One story in particular wrecked me: a woman trapped in exploitation for nearly ten years receives a single text message from Scarlet Hope — and that moment becomes the beginning of her freedom.We also talk about:The rise of online sexual exploitation and traffickingWhy “daddy issues” is often a cruel oversimplification of real traumaCompassion fatigue and burnout in justice workThe difference between being a savior and being a neighborHow healing rarely happens overnightWhy faithful presence matters more than quick fixesThe power of staying when it would be easier to walk awayOne of the most moving moments of the episode is when Rachelle shares the story of Priscilla — a woman she met in a strip club who wanted nothing to do with God, Christians, or ministry. Over years of consistency, meals, conversations, and love, everything changed.Not through pressure.Not through performance.But through presence.If you’ve ever wrestled with wounds from your past, burnout, identity, faith, trauma, or what it means to truly love people well, I think this episode will meet you where you are.In This EpisodeFather wounds and healingHuman trafficking and online exploitationTrauma-informed ministryCompassion fatigue and burnoutScarlet Hope’s outreach workThe documentary He Calls Me Daughter.Faith, identity, and belongingHospitality, mercy, and long-term presenceTechnology and trafficking interventionWhat it means to be called “daughter.”About Rachelle StarrRachelle Starr is the founder of Scarlet Hope, a ministry serving women in the adult entertainment industry across the United States. She is the author of Outrageous Obedience and appears in the documentary He Calls Me Daughter, which explores the impact of father wounds and the healing available through God’s love.Listen to MercycastIf this episode encouraged you, share it. And if the Mercycast has impacted you, subscribe, leave a review, and help us continue having honest conversations about faith, suffering, justice, and the mercy of God in a broken world.Listen to her last episode on MercyCast. Follow Rachelle and Scarlet Hope here:instagram.com/rachellestarr.coinstagram.com/thescarlethopefacebook.com/thescarlethopetwitter.com/thescarlethoperachellestarr.coscarlethope.orgWatch the documentary, He Calls Me Daughter. You can also get a copy of her book—Outrageous Obedience: Answering God's Call to Shine in the Darkest Places—at Amazon.You can follow MercyCast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-mercycast/exclusive-content
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    41 分
  • Daniel Penovich on the hidden art of hospitality.

    Daniel Penovich on the hidden art of hospitality.
    2026/05/20
    “The lead dishwasher.” A simple title that not only sets the tone of this episode, but serves as this week’s guest’s true north for his restaurant.In this episode of the Mercycast, I sit down with Daniel Penovich, owner, chef, and self-described “lead dishwasher” of Koko Japanese Pub in Cocoa Beach. What started behind a sink full of dishes became a conversation about vocation, creativity, ego, hospitality, faith, art, and building authentic community in the middle of a changing city.Daniel shares how running one of the most talked-about restaurants on Florida’s Space Coast has less to do with status and more to do with service. We talk about the tension between artistry and discipline, why creativity should feel deeply personal, and how hospitality can become a form of ministry without turning into performance or branding.From anime-covered walls and Japanese street food inspiration to conversations about Jesus, meaning, loneliness, and identity, this episode explores what it looks like to create spaces where people feel truly seen.If you’ve ever wrestled with ambition, authenticity, burnout, faith, or finding purpose in your work, this conversation will resonate deeply.Key Themes DiscussedCreativity, art, and vocationHumility in leadership and businessHospitality as ministryFaith in secular industriesJapanese food culture and designBuilding authentic community in Cocoa BeachThe relationship between ego and successCreating meaningful experiences through foodEntrepreneurship and restaurant cultureWhy “Christian branding” often misses the pointMemorable Quotes“It’s a daily reminder of like, no, I just wash dishes. I’m here to make people happy.”“You can’t be all things to all people, but you can try to be most things to most people.”“I wanted people to feel like they were walking into my home.”“There’s no such thing as a Christian restaurant. But there is such a thing as a Christian living faithfully where they are.”“Live a life that begs the question, ‘Why?’”Key TakeawaysTrue leadership starts with service, not recognition.Creativity becomes powerful when it reflects authenticity instead of trends.Hospitality creates space for vulnerability, connection, and healing.Faith often speaks loudest through presence, peace, and consistency.Community is built one conversation at a time.Meaningful art and meaningful work both require sacrifice.The best creators invite people into who they really are.About Daniel PenovichDaniel Penovich is the owner and chef behind Koko Japanese Pub, a Japanese-inspired restaurant in downtown Cocoa Beach known for its creative food, immersive atmosphere, and deeply personal approach to hospitality. His work blends Japanese culinary inspiration, pop culture, art, and community into a one-of-a-kind dining experience on Florida’s Space Coast.Listen to MercycastIf this episode encouraged you, share it with someone who you think is a servant first. And if the Mercycast has impacted you, subscribe, leave a review, and help us continue having honest conversations about faith, suffering, justice, and the mercy of God in a broken world.Learn More about Koko Japanese Pub and follow Daniel on Instagram and Koko Pub.You can follow MercyCast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.Thanks for listening. We want to hear from you!Email us at info@mercycast.com.For more conversations like this one, check out my book, Vulnerable: Rethinking Human Trafficking.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-mercycast/exclusive-content
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    51 分
  • John Plake on how data, disruption, culture, and scripture come together.

    John Plake on how data, disruption, culture, and scripture come together.
    2026/05/13
    Something is shifting.Not loudly. Not dramatically. But underneath the surface, people are searching for something solid again. In this episode of the MercyCast, I sit down with American Bible Society Chief Innovation Officer and Editor-In-Chief of the State of the Bible research series, John Plake to talk about what the latest research is revealing about faith, Scripture engagement, church culture, and why more people are opening the Bible in moments of disruption, grief, burnout, and uncertainty.We talk about the “movable middle,” the millions of Americans who are spiritually curious but overwhelmed, exhausted, or unsure where to begin. We also unpack how pastors, ministry leaders, and everyday Christians can stop speaking in Christian clichés and start actually listening to people again.This conversation is a needed reminder that ministry is not about performing spirituality. It’s about knowing people, listening well, and helping them take the next faithful step toward Jesus.Key TakeawaysMillions of Americans are becoming more open to Scripture and spiritual conversations.Life disruptions often create openness to faith and deeper spiritual reflection.Many churchgoers want to engage the Bible but feel overwhelmed or unequipped.Ministry leaders must balance biblical truth with cultural awareness.Christian systems and methods should never replace authentic relationships with God.Research and data can help churches better understand and serve people.Sharing faith is less about perfection and more about faithfully offering the “next link in the chain.”People are looking for meaning, purpose, flourishing, and hope—not polished performances.Memorable Quotes“Culture doesn’t just eat strategy for breakfast. It eats everything.”“A lot of times we think we know what people need without actually talking to the people.”“The goal isn’t making disciples who follow us. It’s making disciples who follow Jesus.”“God has bigger shoulders than we give Him credit for.”“People who engage deeply with Scripture begin to flourish in ways the data can actually measure.”What We Talk AboutThe latest findings from the State of the Bible ProjectWhy people often reconnect with faith during disruption and hardshipHow pastors can better understand the people they serveThe danger of performative Christianity and “Christianese.”Why do many Christians feel incapable of sharing their faith?The connection between Scripture engagement and human flourishingHow churches can equip people without overwhelming themWhy listening may be one of the most important ministry skillsResources MentionedState of the BibleNext Step Bible Journey ToolNext Step for Church AssessmentListen to MercycastIf this episode encouraged you, share it with someone who feels spiritually stuck, burned out, or unsure where to begin again. And if the Mercycast has impacted you, subscribe, leave a review, and help us continue having honest conversations about faith, suffering, justice, and the mercy of God in a broken world.Learn More about the American Bible Society and their work.‍ ‍You can follow MercyCast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.Thanks for listening. We want to hear from you!Email us at info@mercycast.com.For more conversations like this one, check out my book, Vulnerable: Rethinking Human Trafficking.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-mercycast/exclusive-content
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    44 分
  • Genee Francis on staying connected in relationships.

    Genee Francis on staying connected in relationships.
    2026/05/06

    Two people can sit at the same table, raise the same kids, and still slowly drift apart.

    Schedules replace conversations. Logistics replace intimacy. And somewhere along the way, two people stop feeling seen.

    In this episode of the Mercycast, I talk with Genee Francis, Assistant Director for Content and Programming at WinShape Marriage. We discuss marriage, emotional connection, faith, and how couples can quietly drift apart over time.

    Genee offers useful advice from her years of helping couples reconnect before distance turns into disconnection. We discuss building healthy marriages through regular connection, emotional safety, good communication, identity, sacrifice, and the idea that consistency matters more than perfection.

    One idea stood out to me in the course of our conversation: drifting apart can happen gradually, but it does not have to last forever.

    That matters because many couples assume distance means failure. Often, it simply means the relationship needs intentional care again.

    Key Takeaways

    • Healthy marriages require intentional connection.
    • Emotional safety creates deeper communication.
    • Shared rhythms help couples stay current with each other.
    • You can grow individually without growing apart.
    • Drift happens slowly, but reconnection is possible.
    • Covenant love calls for sacrifice, grace, and consistency.

    Memorable Quotes

    • “You can still be you in marriage.”
    • “The marital drift is a progressive loss of connection, but it is not permanent.”
    • “Marriage is a selfless journey.”
    • “United goals and vision help navigate tension.”

    Healthy marriages do not happen by accident.

    They are built on honesty, grace, and the choice to keep showing up for each other.

    If you’ve ever felt cut off, unseen, or unsure how to reconnect with your spouse, this conversation will encourage you.

    Please subscribe to the Mercycast, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone who could use some hope for their marriage, faith, or relationships.

    Learn more about Genee and her work at Winshape Marriage.

    You can follow MercyCast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

    You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.


    Thanks for listening. We want to hear from you!

    Email us at info@mercycast.com.

    For more conversations like this one, check out my book, Vulnerable: Rethinking Human Trafficking.



    Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-mercycast/exclusive-content
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    44 分
  • Brigitte Shipman on letting go.

    Brigitte Shipman on letting go.
    2026/04/29

    What happens when the life you planned slips through your hands?

    In this episode of the MercyCast, I sit down with author, speaker, and autism advocate Brigitte Shipman, host of The Mother’s Guide Through Autism podcast and author of A Mother's Guide Through Autism. Together, we talk about grief, letting go, self-compassion, and the long road of learning how to love without conditions or expectations.

    Brigitte shares the quiet moment that changed everything after her son Joseph’s autism diagnosis, and how decades of caregiving, exhaustion, pain, and grace reshaped her understanding of love. We explore what it means to stop white-knuckling life, to listen to your body, to practice gratitude, and to embrace grief rather than outrun it.

    This conversation is honest and deeply human. It’s about the stories we lose, the people we become, and the healing that happens when we finally let go.

    Key Takeaways

    • Why unconditional love grows deeper through hardship
    • How caregiving can disconnect us from ourselves
    • The importance of self-regulation and gratitude practices
    • Why grief wears many hats beyond death alone
    • How awareness and acceptance create lasting change
    • What it means to “know better, do better.”
    • How pain can become a teacher instead of an enemy
    • Why letting go is often the beginning of healing.

    If you’ve ever found yourself on the floor wondering how to stand back up, this episode is for you.

    Listen, subscribe, and share this episode with someone walking through grief, caregiving, or uncertainty. Your support helps us continue learning the art of compassion through the adversity of life.

    Learn more about Brigitte’s podcast, A Mother’s Guide through Autism. Also, don’t miss her book!

    You can follow MercyCast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

    You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.

    Thanks for listening. We want to hear from you!

    Email us at info@mercycast.com.



    Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-mercycast/exclusive-content
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    39 分
  • Rebecca Taguma on healing wounds of the heart.

    Rebecca Taguma on healing wounds of the heart.
    2026/04/22

    What do you do with pain that you can’t fix?

    In this episode of the MercyCast, I sit down with Rebecca Taguma from the American Bible Society to explore how God meets us in the middle of trauma, grief, and suffering. From refugee camps to local churches, we talk about how Scripture doesn’t avoid pain—it steps directly into it, offering real healing through truth, grace, and community.

    Rebecca shares her journey from serving vulnerable communities in Zimbabwe to leading trauma healing efforts around the world. We discuss how “heart wounds” impact our lives, why many of us struggle to face our own pain, and how God uses ordinary people to become safe, healing presences for others.

    I also reflect on how easy it is to isolate when life gets hard—and how the Gospel calls us back into community. Healing isn’t something we achieve alone. It happens when we bring our wounds into safe spaces and allow God to work through His people.

    This conversation is a reminder that you don’t need to be an expert to help—you just need to be willing, present, and rooted in God’s Word.

    Key Takeaways:

    • You don’t need professional training to care for others—just a willingness to listen and be present.
    • Trauma often isolates us, but healing happens in a safe, Christ-centered community.
    • “Heart wounds” affect every part of our lives and need to be acknowledged, not ignored.
    • Scripture provides a framework for understanding suffering, grief, and lament.
    • God uses our own stories of pain to help us walk alongside others.
    • Emotional resilience grows through vulnerability, not avoidance.
    • Healing is a process—there are no quick fixes, but there is real hope.

    Listen, subscribe, and share the MercyCast—because what you’re facing isn’t the end of your story.

    Learn more about Rebecca’s work with Trauma Healing Institute and Restoring Hope.

    You can follow MercyCast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

    You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram. Thanks for listening. We want to hear from you!

    Email us at info@mercycast.com.



    Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-mercycast/exclusive-content
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    40 分