In this episode of the It Stands Written podcast, hosts Elijah and Braden welcome Rick, a friend from Desert Bible Church, to share his testimony as part of their ongoing series inspired by 1 Peter 3:14-15 — a call to always be ready to give an account for the hope within us. Rick opens up about being saved at a young age after his father came home from a military stint with a newfound faith that transformed their entire family, landing Rick in a Christ-centered Christian school where the gospel took root in his heart. He reflects honestly on the double life he lived as a young boy — including the weight of early sexual abuse — and how God was quietly convicting and cleaning him up even before he ever knew Christ personally. The conversation moves through Rick's whirlwind early adulthood: marrying at 18, adopting a child, and navigating the chaos of parenthood with no roadmap, all while leaning on God through the messiest chapters. One of the most moving moments comes as Rick shares a pivotal turning point with his rebellious teenage daughter and the unexpected peace God gave him on the drive to pick her up — a moment where God made clear that she was now accountable to Him. Rick also opens up about one of his greatest trials: losing his daughter-in-law to cancer in her early 30s, and how that grief reshaped his understanding of God's sovereignty, and prayer. Throughout the episode, Rick's central message rings clear — knowing God intimately, trusting His sovereignty over the "why," and resting in the truth that His presence alone is worth any suffering this life brings.

If you were encouraged by this episode or have any questions you would like to have answered, please email us at justin@itstandswritten.org or send us a text at the link in the description.

Verses Mentioned:

• 1 Peter 3:14-15
• Romans 9:20
• Philippians 1:21
• Romans 8:28

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In this bonus testimony episode of the It Stands Written podcast, hosts Braden and Elijahsit down with Emerson, a young woman who gave her life to Christ just eight months ago. Emerson shares her raw and powerful story — from growing up without a clear understanding of the gospel to spending years in the LGBTQ community. She opens up about how her brother's bold challenge at a Christmas dinner planted a seed, and how one late night in August 2025, reading Matthew 7:7, she asked Christ to be her Savior — and everything changed immediately. Emerson speaks candidly about the backlash she faced leaving the LGBTQ community, losing friends, and navigating guilt as a new believer, clinging to Romans 8:1 as her anchor. The conversation digs into what it looks like to walk away from a former identity and find a new one rooted entirely in Christ, and why finding a biblically sound church is the first and most important step for any new believer. If you or someone you know is wrestling with questions of identity, salvation, or what life after conversion looks like, this episode is for you.

If you were encouraged by this episode or have any questions you would like to have answered, please email us at justin@itstandswritten.org or send us a text at the link in the description.

Verses Mentioned:

• 1 Peter 3:15
• Matthew 7:7
• Romans 8:1
• 1 Peter 1:6–7
• Jeremiah 17:9
• Acts 9:15

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In this episode of the It Stands Written podcast, hosts Braden and Elijah launch a new testimony series by welcoming a special guest — Pam, a woman from their church with a remarkable conversion story. Raised in a practically atheistic home by two doctors, Pam grew up with zero exposure to Jesus, the gospel, or the concept of sin, and by age 40 considered herself one of God's favorites simply because her life was going well. That all changed one morning in 2004 when she received a mysterious email, listened to a 45-minute audio recording of the gospel, and within that single sitting went from confident self-sufficiency to the terrifying realization that she was at enmity with God — followed immediately by the overwhelming relief of Christ's finished work on the cross. Pam shares how God sovereignly used her father's death to prime her heart, how she came to faith with no Christian community to guide her, and how her husband and family responded to her sudden, dramatic transformation. The conversation explores the power of personal testimony as a defense of the faith (1 Peter 3:15), the way Christ breaks the power of sin without taking anything worth keeping, and the genuine brotherhood and sisterhood found in a healthy local church. Pam closes with a word of counsel to young women: pursue Christ, choose your companions wisely, believe what God says about you — and if you've already collected scars, take heart, because you can still be the "washed kind."

If you were encouraged by this episode or have any questions you would like to have answered, please email us at justin@itstandswritten.org or send us a text at the link in the description.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan

Verses Mentioned:

• 1 Peter 3:15
• Proverbs 13:20
• Proverbs 1:20

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show