Episode 11—When Loss Doesn't Get the Last Word with Chris Yamnitsky

When Loss Doesn’t Get the Last Word What do you do when grief shapes your story before grace does? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Nate sits down with Chris Yamnitsky, alongside Kristen Friend, to talk about loss, addiction in the family, the ache of growing up too fast, and the long road from coping in the world to being remade by Jesus. Chris shares what it was like to lose his dad at a young age, to carry questions no son should have to carry, and to spend years trying to outrun the pain through work, nightlife, and keeping busy—only to find himself emptier than ever. What unfolds is an honest and deeply moving story of how God meets people in layers, not just moments. From quietly attending Rise while living a double life, to finding real community at 733, to being pursued by faithful people who never stopped praying, Chris’s story is a reminder that God wastes nothing—not even the years that felt off course. The same gifts that once drew people into the wrong places are now being redeemed to gather people into the Kingdom, and the same season that once marked his deepest grief became the very place where God began rebuilding his life. Then the conversation widens into the power of prayer, spiritual family, and what it looks like when faith becomes public and contagious. This episode is for anyone carrying grief, wrestling with the past, or wondering whether God can really rewrite what has been broken for a long time. If you’ve ever felt like you were surviving with whatever got you through, but knew it could not carry you into the future, this conversation will meet you there with both honesty and hope.