Authentically Rachel

Welcome back to Authentically Rachel—your space for meaningful conversations that inspire faith, deepen resilience, and encourage authentic living. In the second half of Rachel’s conversation with Brittany, they reflect on the lasting impact of trauma and the journey toward healing. Brittany shares her powerful decision not only to forgive the man who harmed her, but to recognize his humanity by calling him by name. The episode closes with a thoughtful discussion on what it truly means to live authentically. In this episode: Exploring the complexity of trauma An update on how Brittany and her family are doing today The healing power of giving back and serving others Rachel reflects on past conversations on the podcast (Episode 7 with Beth Wahl) Brittany’s personal perspective on living authentically   Do you have a story and want to share it?  Connect with Rachel Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachel.bailey.58760/ Instagram: Instagram Website: Authentically-Rachel.com 

Welcome back to Authentically Rachel—your home for inspirational conversations that strengthen faith and build resilience. In this powerful Season 2 premiere, Rachel sits down with Brittany Todd for the first installment of a deeply moving two-part conversation. Brittany shares how her life changed in an instant after a violent home invasion led to her young daughter being taken. What follows is a story marked by unimaginable fear, unwavering faith, and a miracle that would ultimately bring hope in the midst of trauma. This episode dives into the beginning of Brittany’s journey—her raw emotions, the immediate aftermath, and the strength she found in her darkest moment. It’s a gripping and emotional conversation that sets the stage for part two of her story. In this episode: Brittany’s life before the incident The night everything changed Facing fear and uncertainty Connect with Rachel: Facebook: @RachelLemaster Instagram: @authenticallyrachel_podcast Website: Authentically-Rachel.com

Merry Christmas Everyone! Over the past year I have been so fortunate to get to do this podcast. I will be forever grateful to those who have so vulnerably shared their stories with me. From my first interview with Rachel Wagner discussing how God sustained her through her many miscarriages, to Kelly Hall, discussing how God guided her through the chaos of life raising three children with disabilities and moving every two to three years. I will forever be grateful to my guests! Me: Being born with a rare genetic chromosomal condition that left me with a host of problems, infertility, short stature, hearing loss, to a near fatal car accident in college that left me with my head being separated from my spine and severe traumatic brain injuryRachel Wagner: A worship leader in Oklahoma who had 6 miscarriages, importance of allowing your spouse to grieve differently, how important worship is to our grieving hearts. God sees you and knows your struggles. Irene Inda: Growing up in Guatemala to living a fulfilled life in America, Irene and Rachel discuss the reality of moving away from your country, starting a family, to having an autistic son. Irene goes into extraordinary detail about the challenges she faced and how God sustained her.Diana Plummer: Diana shares her life story where she has battled with loss after loss. From loosing her father at 16 to her first husband in her 20’s Diana opens up about how God reached down and redeemed her life and brough her close to himself. Jamie Phillips: Suffering from three traumatic births, Jamie goes into detail about how God was with her allowing her to grow closer to him with each trial she faced. Jamie discusses the strength of her family and faith in God has kept her rock solid. Regina and Kaci Caves: In a special two-part episode, Regina discussed how her daughter was diagnosed with Rasmussen’s Encephalitis. Dr. Ben Carson performed a left Hemispherectomy on Kaci and while the media documented it for John’s Hopkins. Kaci ends the two-part episode with sharing the hope she has in Christ and an encouraging word.Beth Wahl: 20 years ago, Beth suffered a tragedy that is every parent’s worst nightmare, her son took his own life. A teacher and lover of God’s word, Beth describes how to look for God’s goodness in the midst of such pain.Rachel Peterson: Born to two drug addicted parents, Rachel and her two siblings were adopted by two giving and selfless parents. The trauma of her early childhood gave her a host of problems, but God sought after her heart and after marring the man of her dreams she gave her life to Christ and his redemptive work. Linda Graf: A talented musician, Linda obtained a job at her local church. During her time there Linda was confronted by her church elder and friend stating she suffered from bitterness. Since then, she has been on a mission helping others dig their way out of the roots of bitterness. Kelly Hall: Bible teacher and fellow podcaster, Kelly goes into depth about how to find unshakable hope when we feel lost and the circumstances of life are out of our control. Three of her four children have special needs, and Kelly goes into detail about how God ministered to her through his word and shares how He put it on her heart to step into podcasting. 

Why does Gods timing seem so slow? Join Rachel for another authentic conversation with Kelly Hall. Kelly is an author and host of the Unshakable Hope Podcast, for which she has won the “Hidden Treasure Podcast Award”. Through her podcast, Kelly has conversations with women who have gone through challenging circumstances. In each episode she expertly guides every conversation showing God’s faithfulness and how we can trust him with our circumstances. Kelly is no stranger to life’s hardships, and she discusses her own faith journey and how God has helped her raise three children with special needs and become the woman she is today. Take Away Trusting in God is a choiceHow do we believe God when his ways are so very different than oursBible Verses MentionedProverbs 3: 5-6Deuteronomy 31:8Isaiah 41:10Psalm 34:18Kelly's Website: https://kellyhall.orgKelly's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelly.marie.hall/

Have you ever struggled with bitterness? You're not alone. In this episode, Rachel sits down with Linda Graf — wife, mother, Bible teacher, musician, and author of Bitter Truth: My Story of Bitterness, Grace, and Repentance. Linda opens up about her personal journey through bitterness and how she was healed by God’s grace. She shares powerful insights from her book and the accompanying Bible study, offering encouragement to anyone walking a similar path. Rachel and Linda dive into the importance of repentance, and Rachel reflects on timeless wisdom she learned from her mother.What You’ll Hear:Linda’s story of recognizing and confronting bitternessEncouragement for anyone struggling with unforgivenessA candid conversation about spiritual growth and healingResources Mentioned:Bitter Truth: My Story of Bitterness, Grace, and Repentance by Linda GrafBitter Truth Study Guide (10 lessons to fight bitterness) by Linda GrafLinda's Website: https://lindagraf.orgThe Speed of Trust by Stephen MR CoveyUnoffendable by Brant HansenRespectable Sins by Jerry BridgesBible Verses Mentioned:James 5:16 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power, and it is working.” ESVPhilippians 2:3-4 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” ESVJeremiah 17:5-9 “Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" ESVEphesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” ESVRomans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” ESV

Join Rachel as she leads Rachel Peterson in an in-depth conversation about disability, identity, redeeming love, and finding her purpose as she transverses life with joint-breaking dystonia and spirit crushing complex PTSD. God has shown himself in a real tangible way through relationships, hope, and identity in Christ. Near the end, the two women catch up as friends and Rachel Peterson is the one asking the questions! Rachel talks about what life was like for her during those early days in the hospital as well as how her life has changed since starting Authentically Rachel.  External LinksPodcast Website: https://authentically-rachel.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/authenticallyrachel_podcast/YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsrDAVfvraYALSVTI5karxg

Join Rachel for an episode with Rachel Peterson, a wife, mother and disability advocate. Rachel suffered the tragic loss of her birth mom, Tammy, when she was murdered as result of her lifelong battle with drugs and alcohol. This episode dives into her restorative justice journey whilst navigating the complex conversations of grief, addiction, and forgiveness. Together, Rachel explores finding God’s grace and mercy in the midst of physical and emotional pain.Bible Verses MentionedJoshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and God is faithful, so He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."

Join Rachel for an episode with Beth Wahl, a wife, mother and women’s ministry director. Beth suffered the tragic loss of her son, Jason, to suicide when he was only a senior in high school. This episode dives into an impactful conversation on navigating grief and how to find the goodness of God in the midst of sorrow. Beth gives timeless advice on how to best support a friend who is grieving. Bible Verses MentionedRomans 8:26 “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.”Lamentations 3:22-23 “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning, great is your faithfulness.”Hebrews 4:16 “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”Psalm 31:14-15 “But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, “You are my God!” My future is in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly.”Psalms 31:19 “How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.”

Join Rachel for part 2 of this episode series that follows a mother’s journey in finding a diagnosis and answers for her daughter’s health crisis. In this week’s episode we will jump back into Rachel and Regina Caves conversation. As a recap, in episode 5 we listened to Regina as she discovered her daughter, Kaci, has a rare neurological disorder, Rasmussen’s Encephalitis. Kaci would undergo a highly profiled surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital with one of the world’s top neurosurgeons, Dr Ben Carson. During the 12-hour surgery half of her brain was removed! In this episode Regina discusses the long recovery process and Kaci also joins to give a word of encouragement to those listening.Resources Mentioned:Will’s House: https://willshousetulsa.org/news/Bible Verses Mentioned:Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” NIVJeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” NIVQuotes from this Episode:“You can’t do something this big and not have God be behind you.”“They come out and tell us. She is alive, she is well, and that she speaks!”“God has never left, God is faithful, God walks with us and God has given me a gift in this child”“God loves you and he loves his children even those who aren’t quite the same as the others”“Each and every day it WILL be better and better.”“Even when you have half of your brain, you can still function and be a testament to God’s goodness and God’s glory”

Join Rachel in a Two-part episode this week! In part 1 Regina Caves details the beginning of discovering her daughter has a rare neurological disorder. She leans on God through all the uncertainty to guide her in making the best choices for her daughter’s health. And talks about how God’s providential hand led them to John Hopkins where Dr. Ben Carson performed a rare surgery taking out half of her brain. Books mentioned:Seizures and Epilepsy in Children: A Guide for Parents by: Professor John M. Freeman, MD, Eileen P.G. Vining, MDGifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story by: Ben Carson, MDQuotes from this Episode:“God just preordains, his providential hand touches everything”“The more I read it, the more I was convinced she did not just have a regular seizure disorder”“Rasmusen’s Encephalitis is a very rare neurological disorder, it is a seizure disorder, at the time, this is 1993, less than 100 people in the United States had it.”“It was like the packman game and packman was eating away at half of her brain”“We get a call out of the clear blue from Dr. John Freeman of John Hopkins stating he has heard about Kaci”“John Hopkins called stating, “We need to get the word out about Rasmussen’s, we believe your family is a good candidate and we have talked to Dateline, and they would like to follow you”Bible Verses Mentioned:Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV) “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

Join Rachel for another uplifting episode of Authenticity Rachel this time with Jamie Phillips. Jamie shares how her once blissful easy life was turned upside down when she started having kids. She suffered 3 traumatic births each one causing her to grow closer to God. When it would have been easy to be angry at God, through His grace, He used her pain for good! Quotes from this Episode:“Undeniable peace in the midst of a storm” “We can take anything to God, there is nothing He can’t handle, nothing is too big.”“Suffering is horrible, but you have the ability to grow closer to God”“Praying for all the things that I’m thankful for… and if you pray for that and say the words eventually it will get into your mind.”

Join Rachel for another encouraging podcast, this time with Diana Plummer. Diana unfortunately experienced great loss throughout her life, but her reliance and dependence on the faithfulness and goodness of God is laced through every single moment of this episode. She is sustained, provided for, and comforted by her relationship with Jesus. There is hope on the other side of loss, just keep your eyes on Him. Scriptures mentioned: Psalm 27:13 (KJ21) "I would have fainted, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."(NLT) “Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living.”Psalm 91:2 “This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.”Proverbs 3: 5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”Isaiah 43:2 “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.”Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who] have been called according to his purpose."Quotes from this Episode:“Through loss there is always some gain God has for us” “Our hope is only found in Jesus Christ, our anchor” “Out of his death new life began” 

Join Rachel for a conversation with Irene Inda. Irene is originally from Guatemala and shares her life’s journey with us and how God is in all the details. From childhood hosting exchange students, to meeting her husband and immigrating to the United States, and then to most recently having a child diagnosed with Autism- Irene paints a beautiful picture about how God prepares you for things before you even know what's coming. She shares vulnerable lessons of what God has taught her through the years and how He has prepared and equipped you for such a time as this. Quotes from this Episode: “This was perfectly orchestrated by God that these people would come and change my life, we just didn't know it yet.”“We walked out of that office with an autism diagnosis for our son and a death sentence for our marriage.”“To be able to support my child with a disability I had to mourn the child I thought I was going to have…so I could appreciate this child God gave me.”“God gives us the grace that we need at the moment that we need it.” Resources mentioned: Through the Eyes of a Lion: Facing Impossible Pain, Finding Incredible Power - by Levi Lusko: https://a.co/d/84hANZ2Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder: A Mother's Story of Research & Recovery - by Karyn Seroussi: https://a.co/d/fqFk5Yf 

Join Rachel for an authentic episode with Rachel Wagner, a Wife, Homeschooling Mom, Writer, and Worship Leader at First Baptist Jenks in Oklahoma. Wagner shares her personal story and struggle with miscarriage. She bravely details her heartbreaking fertility journey and some of the difficult times she's encountered. She gives encouraging advice one can only learn through experience. Through every part of this conversation, you will be reminded that God sees you in your grief and is always working. Quotes from this Episode: “Lord, I want to squeeze every ounce of faith out of this trial.”“I'm just going to sing these songs, in the faith that one day this is something I will believe to my core.”“The Lord sees you; it's not a glance it's a gaze and… it's unbreakable.” Resources Mentioned: Rachel's Website: https://www.rachelhaughtonwagner.comStruck: One Christian's Reflections on Encountering Death - by Russ Ramsey and Scott Sauls: https://a.co/d/ia24Bj3The Moon Is Always Round - by Jonathan Gibson and Joe Hox: https://a.co/d/3PsdXvhWalking with God through Pain and Suffering - by Timothy Keller: https://a.co/d/ex56FO8Two Lace Shoes - Handmade Family Portraits: https://www.twolaceshoes.netThe Life Bible - Hope in Miscarriage Devotional: https://tbibles.com/VPgQ 

Join Rachel and her mother Gail in this special prequel episode 0 where they have an authentic conversation about Rachel's own life story. They discuss Rachel's early life and Turner Syndrome diagnosis, as well as the violent car accident where she suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and "Internal Decapitation". Gail recalls vivid details about the aftermath of the accident, and they talk about what it’s like being in the eye of the storm and how God held them both in the palm of his hand through it all.Key Scripture: Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Quotes from this Episode: "Everything was out of my control… I couldn’t do anything else but pray.""God is real, we are not just mind and body. We are mind, body, and spirit.""Was no accident, have faith, to do well is gain, God knows.""It’s when we give up control when we are held in such peace." Resources Mentioned: Turner Syndrome Society of the US: https://www.turnersyndrome.org/ 

Hi! I’m Rachel! Welcome to the Authentically Rachel Podcast!