People Finding God Podcast

In Part 2 of my conversation with Whitney, she shares how some of life’s hardest seasons became the place where faith grew deeper. Through personal health challenges, family trials, and watching loved ones suffer, Whittney reflects on what it means to keep going when life feels heavy. She opens up about her niece’s devastating accident that led to paralysis, and how her own experience navigating surgeries and complex medical care helped her guide and support her family during an overwhelming time. Later, after moving to California, she faced another unexpected battle when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. In the middle of fear and uncertainty, she was lifted by the love of her community and felt God’s presence in a deeper way than ever before. This episode is about resilience, faith in the dark, and discovering that even in suffering, love can carry us.   Host: Sierra Isaac Editor: Adrienne Quintana

Whitney shares a deeply moving story about finding God not after the hard moments, but right in the middle of them. She opens up about the terrifying day her young daughter fell from a second-story window and the fear that rushed in as everything changed in an instant. In the middle of the panic and uncertainty, Whitney felt God speak peace directly to her heart—assuring her that her daughter would be okay. She also shares what it was like carrying the emotional weight of that season while pregnant with her fourth child. The stress felt heavy, the unknowns felt overwhelming, and the burden at times seemed too much to carry. Yet through it all, Whitney experienced the steady presence of God who did not leave her in the scary parts. This is Part One of Whitney’s story. Join us next week for Part Two as she shares more of what God was doing through the healing, the aftermath, and the faith that continued to grow. Host: Sierra Isaac Editor: Adrienne Quintana

Gwen’s story begins at 13 years old with a simple but life-changing truth: she was already seen, known, and loved by God—exactly as she was. But knowing that and believing it are two very different things. For years, Gwen felt like she needed to earn that love—to be good enough, to prove herself, to do everything right. And just as she was preparing to serve a mission and step fully into who she thought she needed to be, everything changed. She became critically ill and was hospitalized with sepsis, spending time in the ICU and facing a level of physical and emotional hardship she had never known. In the middle of that experience, her plans were put on hold. Her mission call was delayed, and the life she had carefully prepared for no longer looked the way she expected. But through it all, Gwen held onto something deeper than her circumstances. She chose trust. And four months later, when her mission call finally came, it meant something entirely different than it would have before. This is a conversation about surrendering and what it looks like to discover that God’s love isn’t something you earn—it’s something you uncover, especially when everything else falls away.   Host: Sierra Isaac Editor: Adrienne Quintana

Ella was a typical teenager—full of life, movement, and dreams—until one moment changed everything. After passing out in the shower, hitting her head and sustaining a serious brain injury, she began a long and uncertain journey through doctors, setbacks, and isolation. At one point, she had to leave school completely and found herself in a wheelchair, unsure of who she was becoming. But in the middle of losing so much, something unexpected remained. Through music, dance, and performance, Ella began to feel glimpses of herself again. What once felt like everything slipping away slowly became a space where God could meet her—teaching her patience, trust, and a deeper kind of strength. This is a conversation about resilience, identity, and what it looks like to find God—not when life is easy—but right in the middle of everything falling apart.

Erin grew up in Southern California in a strong, loving family rooted in faith. Life was full of the kinds of memories many people dream about...camping trips, skiing, boating, and parents whose example made it easy to follow the path they taught. Her faith felt natural and steady, and when she later married the boy she had known in high school after reconnecting at BYU, life seemed to continue unfolding just the way she had always imagined. But Erin describes much of that time as “floating.” Life was good, but she hadn’t yet been pushed to truly lean on her Savior. That began to change when her husband’s work took their family to Miami, Florida. There, Erin was called as a Relief Society president in a largely Spanish-speaking stake, a calling that stretched her in ways she had never experienced before and required her to rely on the Lord more deeply than ever. Eventually their family returned to San Clemente, California, and life again felt comfortable and familiar. But after the birth of her third child, Erin began experiencing debilitating anxiety and panic attacks that lasted for years. The struggle left her questioning her place at church and wondering where she belonged spiritually. After months of being absent from church, she realized something painful—almost no one had noticed she was gone. Except one person. That moment became a turning point. It led Erin to discover a deeper, more personal understanding of the Savior and the Atonement, not just as a principle of repentance, but as a living experience of grace. Through every challenge, Erin has come to know one unshakable truth: she is loved by her Savior, no matter what.       Host: Sierra Isaac Editor: Adrienne Quintana

James Perry grew up in a lively family in Seattle, right in the middle of ten siblings—five older and five younger. His parents were Catholic, and his father, a convert, carried a deep love for Jesus Christ that shaped their home and influenced James in ways he would only fully understand later. When James was young, his father left on a business trip and suddenly passed away from an aneurysm at just 43 years old. The loss left the family reeling. At the time they were living in Phoenix, but after his father’s death the family moved back to Seattle, where James began working as a paper route boy and quietly began his own search for God. Years later, James discovered letters his father had written to his mother while serving in the war—letters filled with faith, devotion to the Savior, and glimpses of the remarkable man his father was. Reading those words allowed James to know his father in a deeper way and sparked a growing desire to understand God for himself. That search eventually led him into the scriptures, a deeper relationship with his Heavenly Father, and ultimately to his conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. James’s life would continue to be shaped by both joy and hardship. Along the way he experienced the loss of his oldest brother, walked through a divorce and remarriage, and served in many leadership callings within the Church. One calling in particular, serving as a stake president during a time when many individuals were suffering from AIDS, deeply changed the way he understood compassion, service, and what it truly means to follow Christ. James’s story is one of a full life, marked by loss, faith, searching, and a lifelong desire to know God more deeply.     Host: Sierra Isaac Editor: Adrienne Quintana

Rachel grew up in a loving home with devoted parents.  Religion wasn’t a central part of her upbringing, she didn’t regularly attend church or follow a structured faith practice, but she always knew Jesus Christ was real.  A steady knowing from a young age. As she grew, married her husband, and built a life surrounded by family, her faith remained personal and simple. But when she moved to the East Coast during the time of 9/11, everything shifted. The tragedy and uncertainty of that season stirred something deeper in her. It awakened a desire to actively seek God through religion and community. After later moving to Tennessee, Rachel received her first leadership calling…..an experience that stretched her and helped her discover her voice as a teacher of faith. Through multiple moves, returning to Southern California, profound spiritual experiences, the heartbreaking loss of a nephew, serious family health challenges, divorce, and her own battle with cancer. Rachel found herself stripped down to what mattered most. In her loneliest moments, God became her constant. The service that surrounded her and the kindness extended to her family became living proof of divine love. Her story is one of refinement, and a deeply personal relationship with God built through every season, both beautiful and heartbreaking. This episode is a reminder that most of the time we don’t find God in ease—we find Him in the stretching, the moving, the loss, and the healing.       Host: Sierra Isaac Editor: Adrienne Quintana

I’ve known Kit Westbrook for five years. He served as the bishop of my LDS ward, but this episode isn’t about leadership it’s about love. Kit was raised in a home where he knew, deeply and without question, that he was loved. Even as a mischievous boy and a rebellious teenager, that foundation never left him. More importantly, he knew God loved him. He received his mission call, entered the MTC… and left two days later. There was discomfort. There were questions. But there was also a conversation with his stake president that reminded him of something he had always known—God’s love was never conditional. That truth became an anchor. Later, after marrying his wife Sara and building a family, Kit faced a faith crisis when his older brother, someone he deeply admired, left his religion. Just two weeks into being called as bishop, Kit received devastating news: his brother had taken his own life. Grief deepened. Faith was tested. And once again, he had to choose what he believed. Through every trial, early mission release, faith wrestling, leadership, profound loss—the thread remained the same: God loved him. Regardless.     Host:  Sierra Isaac Editor:  Adrienne Quintana

Breanne was raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints but her early life was marked by dysfunction and deep wounds. There was sexual abuse.  There was pain that wasn't handled well.  There was a mother-daughter relationship that left her feeling unseen. When trauma isn't processed, it looks for escape.  For Breanne, that escape was drinking, partying, and trying to outrun the ache she carried. She eventually stopped attending church and built a life that felt independent, fast, and free. Then she met Seth. On their first date, he stopped to get drugs.  That was the season they were both in.   Gambling. Partying. Searching. But God was still there. Coming back wasn't instant.  They returned before they loved it.  They went to the temple before it felt meaningful.  They stayed when it felt hard. Over time, something shifted. Today, Breanne has a testimony that is her own.  Chosen.  Personal. She has found peace in the temple in a way she never imagined. This episode is about trauma, addiction, and wrestling with faith and about a God who never leaves. Breanne's story is proof that faith built slowly, through honesty and struggle, becomes unshakeable.   Host:  Sierra Isaac Editor:  Adrienne Quintana

In this episode, I sit down with my friend Katie Hadfield to talk about loss, grief, and what it means to truly anchor your life in God. Katie was raised in Holladay, Utah, in a strong LDS family. As a young girl, her world was shaken when her parents’ faith and marriage unraveled—marking her first experience with deep loss. Over the years, that loss compounded: the death of a boyfriend, and eventually, the death of her father. Each moment of grief could have hardened her—but instead, it refined her. Through heartbreak and uncertainty, Katie found God in a way that changed everything. Her faith became unshakable—not because life got easier, but because she chose to keep walking with God no matter what. This is a conversation about grief, resilience, and the quiet strength that comes from never letting go of God, even when everything else falls apart. Katie’s testimony is steady, lived-in, and deeply sincere—and her cheerfulness, her kindness and love for others reflect the depth of the faith she carries.     Host: Sierra Isaac Editor: Adrienne Quintana

Angie Canfield's story is one of courage and redemption. She was raised in a broken home, her parents divorced when she was five.  She lived with mistreatment from family members through her formative years.  Angie grew up feeling deeply disenchanted with the Church, associating God and religion with the people who hurt her most. As a teenager, she walked through very dark seasons, even reaching a point where she almost took her own life. And then....Light. Not all at once.  Not perfectly.  But unmistakably. Angie shares how she felt the light of God reach her in her lowest moments, how she followed that light step by step, and how healing began when she eventually went to live with her dad.  Over time, that light expanded, bringing clarity, safety, and a desire to serve. In one of the most powerful turns of her story, Angie found herself wanting to serve a mission for the Church of Latter Day Saings, the very place that once represented so much pain. Through this journey, she has learned forgiveness for the people who hurt her most, and a deeper relationship with God that is hers alone.   Host:  Sierra Isaac Editor: Adrienne Quintana

In this episode, I sit down with Candice Hall, a functional medicine doctor whose life has bridged two very different worlds of healing. Raised by a mother immersed in New Age energy work, meditation, and alternative healing.  Candice grew up with a deep curiosity about the mind-body connection. That curiosity eventually led her to medical school, where she learned to integrate modern medicine with many of the holistic principles she was raised with. In her young adult life, Candice was introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Through both her intellect and her faith, she came to know Jesus Christ and the healing power of the priesthood. Rather than abandoning what she had learned before, Candice found alignment, discovering how disciplined thoughts, emotional regulation, spiritual devotion, and faith over fear work together to create true healing. In this conversation, we explore how belief shapes the body, how the mind can either block or support healing, and why choosing faith…again and again, has transformed the way she practices medicine and lives her life.     Host: Sierra Isaac Editor: Adrienne Quintana

Content Warning: This episode contains references to underage drinking, drug use, suicide, self-harm, and depression. These topics may be distressing for some listeners. Please listen with care.   In this episode, Sienna shares a season of her life marked by deep loss, isolation, and confusion. After losing her babysitter to cancer when she was young, she didn’t know what to do with the grief she was carrying. Surrounded by peers who were also hurting, she tried coping in ways that only deepened the darkness, leaving her feeling stuck, hopeless, and disconnected from life. Eventually, she found herself alone—without answers and without the strength to keep going the same way. That’s when she prayed—not because she had it figured out, but because she didn’t. And for the first time, she felt that Someone bigger than her was there. God became the place she reaches when life feels unbearable—the One she knows she can call on when she’s at her lowest. This episode is a tender reminder that God often meets us not when we’re strong—but when we’re honest   Host: Sierra Isaac Editor: Adrienne Quintana  

On this episode my guest shares a life that began in unimaginable instability—betrayal where there should have been protection, abandonment where there should have been care, and survival where most would have given up.  From couch to couch as a teenager—working to survive—living moment to moment with no safety net, And yet—her story is not about what was done to her, but what could not be taken. Through every loss, every rupture, every season where everything else was stripped away, one relationship remained—her relationship with God. In this conversation, she shares how faith became the one place of stability when family failed, how love found her unexpectedly at nineteen, and how building a life, a marriage, and a family showed her that healing doesn’t erase the past—it redeems it. Today, she lives anchored in her faith through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with a deep knowing that when everything else is uncertain, God is not.    

In this episode, I sit on the other side of the mic as Adrienne interviews me about my own journey of finding God. I share what it was like growing up in an emotionally disconnected family—and how that disconnection led to addiction, searching, and eventually finding myself in Los Angeles in my twenties, hungry for meaning and truth. What followed was not a perfect life, but a directed one. We talk about becoming a wife and mother to four daughters, the profound spiritual experiences that shaped my faith, and how therapy, coaching, retreats, and deep inner work didn’t pull me away from God—but led me closer to Him. This episode is about becoming a truth-seeker. Falling in love with scripture. Learning to pray honestly. And discovering that God’s voice isn’t distant—it’s personal, daily, and guiding us moment by moment. If you’ve ever wondered whether God is still speaking… This conversation is for you.       Founder & Host: Sierra Isaac / @iamsieisaac Editor: Adrienne Quintana / @pinkumbrellabooks    

On this week’s episode of People Finding God, I sit down with Jason Ewell—a man whose childhood felt like a battleground, growing up in some of the hardest pockets of California.  Jason was friendless until age 10 and faced daily fights, chaos, and family abuse. His body learned to stay in fight mode just to survive. But his story doesn’t end there. Somewhere along the way, God found him—and Jason chose to follow. He served an LDS mission, rebuilt his life from the inside out, and became the kind of man his younger self would have never believed was possible. Today, he’s a devoted husband, a father to grown children, and an empty nester in San Clemente who’s still listening, still following, and still saying yes to God. This episode is about transformation, identity, and the quiet miracles that happen when God meets us in the middle of our hardest beginnings. It’s raw. It’s hopeful. And it’s a reminder that your story isn’t ever over.

In this heartfelt episode, I sit down with Jenny Flagler, who lost her husband—a dedicated firefighter—in the line of duty. Four years later, she shares what grief, rebuilding, and finding God in a deeper way really looked like. Jenny talks about raising her two boys through their loss, and how showing them who God is has helped them feel supported, grounded, and connected to their dad’s legacy. She also shares the unexpected gratitude she felt as her community stepped in—doing laundry, helping with meals, and caring for her boys without being asked. Her reminder is powerful: When someone is in deep grief, they often don’t even know what they need. If you feel called to help—just help. This conversation is about courage, daily dependence on God, and the quiet strength that grows when you learn to live in His presence. If you’re grieving, rebuilding, or wondering how to support someone who is—this episode is for you.

In this episode, Kelly opens up about hitting rock bottom during the early years of child rearing and her marriage.  She talks about the toll it took on her emotional life.  That moment became the turning point that led her back to God. Through prayer, surrender and deep inner work, Kelly began to heal from the inside out. Today, she helps other people do the same through her work as a Craniosacral Therapist.  She blesses lives across her comunity with compassion, faith and light. @kelly.aida.wellness  

Adrienne grew up in a two-room trailer with a big family and the kind of childhood trauma that left her doubting Gods love for her.  Food became her comfort—until it all came crashing down to rock bottom. In this episode, Adrienne shares how she found her way back to God through Overeaters Anonymous and what she calls her “Sacred Time”—a daily practice of scripture, prayer, and writing down God’s impressions for her. Those simple but profound moments have reshaped her faith, her healing, and her relationship with a God who sees and loves her fully. This is a story about struggle, surrender, and the surprising ways God meets us right where we are—even with Oreos on the table.  

"I know that death is not the end.....Had, I known what I know now, those things would've been much easier to carry, and it most certainly would have changed how bad things hurt, or scary things were, or how worried I was, or when loosing a brother or family member.  This knowledge, this limitlessness, this no limit to His capacity to help us, to help me.  If I would've known that, everything would've been easier and lighter and looked at through different eyes."

"So I've always known that God hears my prayers. I've known deep down, even if I didn't think I did.  I did.  I knew Christ was there.  I knew he felt my burden and lifted my pain, but I didn't know like I know now."

"I got so tired of being whipped to and fro by the chaos of life. And I'm just not... I'm not doing it. I'm not living this way anymore, and so believe it or not, what I started doing is just going on these hikes.  I hike up to this water tower that's up in the hills above my house.  This is where I found my presence with God."  

At 18, I left home, searching for something.... freedom, happiness, maybe even purpose.  By 20, I had moved to Southern California, convinced I was living the life I thought would make me happy.   But then, everything changed. God intercepted my path.  He stopped me where I was and showed me something better...His way.  I have never looked back. Now, at 46, I've weathered life's storms-my own faith journey and experienced the faith journeys of those I love.  Through it all, one thing has remained constant: God. This pure love, presence and unconditional guidance, continues to carry me through every season of life. This is why I'm starting this podcast.  Because when people find God, everything changes.  And I can't wait to share those stories with you. Welcome to People Finding God.