In the second part of our conversation, Crystal shares how you can learn more about Journey to Heal and bring hope and healing to women in your community or church. What would it look like for every church to have a plan to help women who have been through sexual trauma and abuse? How can we walk with our friends and family and begin the journey of healing? We hope you will find a moment to hear more from Crystal and be encouraged to take steps of courage in your own life.

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Healing from deep wounds takes courage, and sometimes God uses our most painful experiences to help others find their way toward healing.

In this first episode of a two-part interview, Gretchen and Jennifer find a moment with their friend, Crystal Sutherland. After experiencing childhood sexual abuse and walking through years of healing and recovery as an adult, Crystal sensed the Lord prompting her to write a book to serve others who have experienced similar trauma.

Although she faced self-doubt and feelings of overwhelm at times, Crystal continued to receive confirmation and encouragement from those around her. Through prayer, the support of others, and the faithfulness of God, she found the courage to bring the Journey to Heal curriculum to completion, including securing a publisher for her book. Her nonprofit ministry, also called Journey to Heal, will celebrate its tenth anniversary within a month of this episode’s release.

We hope you will find a moment to listen to Crystal’s story. Her honesty and vulnerability offer a powerful testament to the freedom that comes from living with courage, no matter the cost.

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What does it really mean to have courage when God leads you into a new season? What role does discernment play as we prepare to take a leap of faith? How can we be certain of our calling when it involves risks and possibly a great cost to us and even our family?

In this introductory episode, Gretchen and Jennifer are talking about biblical courage, what it looks like to take a step of faith when we can’t see the outcome, and why courage isn’t about having confidence in ourselves, but trusting in God.

Sometimes He prompts us to take a step…

Sometimes He uses the people around us to confirm the direction…

And sometimes we have to move forward without feeling completely ready, trusting that peace will come on the other side.

As we learn to trust Him with the unknown, we begin to recognize His faithfulness in ways we might have missed before. We hope you will find a moment to join us as we explore what it means to walk in courage, surrender the outcome, and discover what God can do with our willingness to say yes.

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