In this episode, host Lara Silverman continues her “Faith in the Furnace” series with Christian life and mental health coach, author, and Unveiling Hope founder, Lori Schumaker, who shares a testimony shaped by abortion and years of shame, abusive marriage, and chronic illness (including cystinuria with severe kidney stones, Hashimoto’s, migraines, fibromyalgia, extensive food allergies, and black mold toxicity.) Lori explains how suffering deepened her relationship with Jesus, why lament is valid but getting stuck is not, and how “habits of hope,” gratitude, Scripture, and replacing lies with truth can rewire thought patterns. She discusses parenting her adopted daughter from Bulgaria with profound special needs, wrestling with God’s “no,” caregiving burdens, and how God sustains through supernatural strength and filling gaps. Lori reflects on Romans 8:28, Psalm 84, spiritual warfare, boundaries, and finding joy through surrender, disciplined choices, and God’s presence.

Chapters
00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
01:49 Lori's Early Trauma
04:19 Kidney Disease Battle
06:19 Mold Illness Aftermath
08:55 Wrestling with Why
11:20 Habits of Hope
14:04 Rewiring with Truth
18:47 Suffering Deepens Faith
22:30 When God Says No
24:43 Adoption Special Needs Journey
29:17 Redefining Healing Today
31:26 Hope in Ongoing Caregiving
33:25 God Fills the Gap
34:49 Authentic Surrender
36:05 Romans 8:28 Hope
38:56 Suffering Shapes Compassion
41:05 Gospel Seeds in Pain
44:37 How God Comforts
48:21 Why Character Matters
52:12 No Good Thing Withheld
57:33 Finding Joy in Suffering
01:01:13 Where to Find Lori
01:02:52 Final Blessing

Resources and Links
Lori's book, Surrendered Hearts
Lori's Digital Bible Study: You Are Loved. Now and Forever
Lori's Digital Workbook: Discovering Your Identity in Christ
Lori's Website
Lori's Instagram
Lori's Facebook
Lori's LinkedIn

Watch the Singing Through Fire podcast on YouTube
Listen on your favorite podcast streaming platform
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple podcasts
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PODCAST DESCRIPTION:

Welcome to the Singing Through Fire podcast! I’m your host Lara Silverman, and this is where we:

• Worship when it hurts
• Discuss hot takes from the furnace of affliction
• Explore a biblical theology of suffering with a side of sass and sarcasm

From lamentations to laughter, this podcast is for anyone desperate for hope who has ever asked, "Why, Lord, why?”

Don’t forget to follow/subscribe because I upload content every Tuesday and Friday!

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2nd Corinthians 4:17.

In this episode, host Lara Silverman begins the Theology in the Fire series with Mark Jones, a former dentist and longtime prayer pastor and elder at Mana House in Portland, Oregon. He teaches on prayer, intimacy with God, surrender, and spiritual warfare. Mark shares how years of offense and bitterness toward two church leaders became his entry point into understanding spiritual warfare, culminating in a confession and reconciliation during communion that brought freedom. He explains spiritual warfare basics and stresses that believers can be influenced though not possessed. Rather than fixating on deliverance or the devil, he argues surrender and intimacy with God are the primary strategy for resisting Satan’s lies, taking thoughts captive, and walking in daily grace, offering practical guidance for beginning each morning by greeting God, surrendering, receiving God’s love, and committing to consistent time with the Lord.

Chapters
00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
01:53 Mark Story of Bitterness
03:42 Fasting and Freedom
10:47 Spiritual Warfare Basics
16:23 Culture and Worldly Influence
22:38 Deliverance or Intimacy
24:31 Surrender as the Start
36:22 Why Surrender Wins Battles
45:48 Morning Surrender Practice
46:46 Surrender Brings Power
48:13 Surrender As Worship
52:14 Daily Strategy Warfare
55:28 Enemy Lies Exposed
57:49 Taking Thoughts Captive
01:07:02 Transformation By Spirit
01:09:44 No Compartmentalizing
01:14:18 Good Morning God Routine
01:23:10 Forty Day Heart Change
01:24:30 Final Blessing Outro

Resources and Links:
Dr. Jones' books on Amazon.
Dr. Jones posts daily on his YouTube channel.
You can also find his materials on Be with Jesus 365.

Dr. Jones has Bible Studies on the YouVersion Bible App.
Steps to Intimacy with God
40 Day Worship Experience
Understanding Spiritual Warfare
40-Day Worship Experience Youth Devotional

Watch the Singing Through Fire podcast on YouTube.
Listen on your favorite podcast streaming platform.
Listen on Spotify.
Listen on Apple podcasts.
Connect on Facebook.
Connect on Instagram.

PODCAST DESCRIPTION:

Welcome to the Singing Through Fire podcast! I’m your host Lara Silverman, and this is where we:

• Worship when it hurts
• Discuss hot takes from the furnace of affliction
• Explore a biblical theology of suffering with a side of sass and sarcasm

From lamentations to laughter, this podcast is for anyone desperate for hope who has ever asked, "Why, Lord, why?”

Don’t forget to follow/subscribe because I upload content every Tuesday and Friday!

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2nd Corinthians 4:17.

In this episode, host Lara Silverman continues the “Faith in the Furnace” series on Singing Through Fire with entrepreneur, podcast host, and former bivocational pastor Matthew Efird who shares his family’s testimony of suffering and faith. Matthew recounts learning during his wife’s pregnancy that their son Noah had Trisomy 13, the months of anticipatory grief, and Noah’s birth on March 7, 2020 and death on March 9, including God’s mercies surrounding timing just before COVID shutdowns. He describes praying for healing, moving toward costly acceptance, lament through tears, Scripture, worship, and community, and reframing Noah as “fully healed” in Christ. Matthew also discusses their oldest son Walker’s genetic epilepsy, wrestling with anger, relinquishing control, taking life one day at a time, and encouraging careful empathy that points sufferers to God’s character.

*Chapters*
00:00 Meet Matthew Efird
02:06 Noah Diagnosis Journey
05:04 Birth Loss And Mercy
06:43 Faith Under Unanswered Prayer
11:14 Costly Acceptance And Surrender
14:22 Is God Still Faithful
19:56 Abraham Isaac and Why
23:25 Lament and Grief Practices
27:21 Holding Joy and Sorrow
28:38 Permission for Joy
29:35 Healing Hole Metaphor
31:02 Surrendering Control
32:55 Feeling God in Grief
35:24 Honoring Noah’s Life
40:04 Hope and Key Verses
41:44 Thankful Through Loss
44:55 God Outside of Time
50:18 Walker’s Epilepsy Journey
55:45 Trusting God’s No
58:34 Empathy Without Harm
01:00:44 Final Blessing

Matthew's new book, Even Though, We Will
Matthew's Facebook
Matthew's LinkedIn
Matthew's Website
Matthew's podcast on YouTube
Matthew's podcast on Spotify

Watch the Singing Through Fire podcast on YouTube.
Listen on your favorite podcast streaming platform.
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple podcasts.
Connect on Facebook.
Connect on Instagram.

PODCAST DESCRIPTION:

Welcome to the Singing Through Fire podcast! I’m your host Lara Silverman, and this is where we:

• Worship when it hurts
• Discuss hot takes from the furnace of affliction
• Explore a biblical theology of suffering with a side of sass and sarcasm

From lamentations to laughter, this podcast is for anyone desperate for hope who has ever asked, "Why, Lord, why?”

Don’t forget to follow/subscribe because I upload content every Tuesday and Friday!

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2nd Corinthians 4:17.

In this episode, Lara Silverman welcomes Jim Burgoon—strategist for Faith-Driven Leaders, host of the Unshakeable Life Podcast, military veteran, and former pastor—to share his “faith in the furnace” story, centered on his wife’s decades-long battle with four major mental illnesses, recurring hospitalizations, and a near-suicide attempt while raising children and leading in ministry. Jim describes the church’s frequent lack of support and stigma around mental illness, his 2017 decision to step down and relocate for better care, and how surrendering control to Christ sustained him. The conversation addresses asking “why,” lament, and rejecting prosperity/word-of-faith formulas, emphasizing that God’s “no” can be about timing or eternity. Jim also recounts losing his mother and sister to cancer in 2023, a suicide attempt by his wife, and his own chronic illness, highlighting hope, truth over feelings, and trusting God’s goodness through suffering.

Jim's Bio

Jim Burgoon is a strategist for faith-driven leaders, podcast hosts, and
content creators. He is the host of The Unshakable Life Podcast. A
military veteran who is certified as both a Leadership Development
Coach and DISC consultant, Jim helps leaders stop hiding and start
building. He serves the "forgotten but called"—entrepreneurs and
leaders who are tired of hustle culture and ready to lead from a place
of rest. Jim’s approach shifts the focus from "earning your worth" to
stewarding your calling. Whether he is coaching on content strategy,
leadership development, or deep spiritual health, his mission is simple: to help you build a purpose-rooted life that stands firm when
the world gets chaotic.

Chapters
00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
01:41 Jim's Furnace Story
03:18 Diagnosis Not Identity
06:05 Church Stigma and Support
08:59 2017 Turning Point Move
10:33 Hope and Surrender
13:15 No Dead Ends With God
15:31 Why Questions and Sin
18:12 Healing Theology Myths
24:46 When God Says No
28:13 Jeremiah 29 Context
31:07 Mom and Sister Cancer
33:40 Grief Without Bitterness
34:14 Obedience to Resign
35:00 Hardest Year Unfolds
36:06 Cascade of Loss
37:05 Anger and Trust
38:01 Discipline or Comfort
40:25 Lament as Worship
42:14 Sovereignty and Evil
45:39 Grief and Joy Together
47:42 Eternity and Salvation
50:13 Suffering Opens Hearts
54:08 Redefining Good
56:38 Sanctification and Fruit
01:01:11 Chronic Illness Endurance
01:04:27 Surrender and Resets
01:07:19 Caregiving by Truth
01:10:22 Final Encouragement

Resources and Links:

Jim's podcast, The Unshaken Life

Watch the Singing Through Fire podcast on YouTube.
Listen on your favorite podcast streaming platform.
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple podcasts.
Connect on Facebook.
Conn

PODCAST DESCRIPTION:

Welcome to the Singing Through Fire podcast! I’m your host Lara Silverman, and this is where we:

• Worship when it hurts
• Discuss hot takes from the furnace of affliction
• Explore a biblical theology of suffering with a side of sass and sarcasm

From lamentations to laughter, this podcast is for anyone desperate for hope who has ever asked, "Why, Lord, why?”

Don’t forget to follow/subscribe because I upload content every Tuesday and Friday!

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2nd Corinthians 4:17.

In this episode of Singing Through Fire, Lara Silverman speaks to listeners who feel overwhelmed, afraid, and unsure they can keep going, and prays for God’s comfort. She challenges the idea that “God will never give you more than you can handle,” showing from Scripture that God sometimes allows burdens beyond our strength so we will rely on Him, citing Paul, Elijah, Job, Jeremiah, and even Jesus’ anguish before the cross. Lara centers the episode on 2 Corinthians 12:9—God’s grace is sufficient and His power is made perfect in weakness—along with other passages about God sustaining His people. She shares her testimony of being bedridden for years with severe vertigo, learning to depend on God one moment at a time, and describes God’s provision through timely verses, daily strength, and “rest stops.” She also recounts seeing God sustain her husband Matt through stage-four cancer, ending with hope in eternity and God’s promise to preserve believers’ faith to the end.

Chapters
00:00 Despair to Hope
00:49 Prayer and Purpose
01:33 God Gives More
02:38 Biblical Overwhelm
03:55 Grace Is Sufficient
06:51 Paul’s Trials List
08:33 Promises from Scripture
09:58 Memoir Break
11:08 My Bedridden Valley
13:28 Manna Moment by Moment
15:09 More Sustaining Signs
18:14 Matt and Cancer Grace
20:32 Rest Stops in Suffering
22:23 When It Feels Abandoned
24:17 Eyes on Eternity
25:30 Final Encouragement

Resources and Links:
Watch the Singing Through Fire podcast on YouTube.
Listen on your favorite podcast streaming platform.
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple podcasts.
Connect on Facebook.
Connect on Instagram.

PODCAST DESCRIPTION:

Welcome to the Singing Through Fire podcast! I’m your host Lara Silverman, and this is where we:

• Worship when it hurts
• Discuss hot takes from the furnace of affliction
• Explore a biblical theology of suffering with a side of sass and sarcasm

From lamentations to laughter, this podcast is for anyone desperate for hope who has ever asked, "Why, Lord, why?”

Don’t forget to follow/subscribe because I upload content every Tuesday and Friday!

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2nd Corinthians 4:17.

In this episode, host Lara Silverman continues the “Faith in the Furnace” series with Melissa McLaughlin, a writer, teacher, and speaker who retired early after debilitating chronic back pain from deteriorating discs forced her out of a beloved teaching career, exposing how much her identity was tied to work and capability. Melissa shares how suffering and dependence on others led her to rediscover her true identity as God’s child, even as she felt God’s silence and lost words to pray. She describes using Psalms and other passages as spoken prayers, collecting and rewriting verses into scripture-based prayers, and developing a prayer framework of praise, thanksgiving, confession, petitions, and ending in God’s strength, later shared in her book “In Dark of Night When Words Fail.” They discuss God’s sovereignty, spiritual warfare, eternal perspective, and Melissa’s second book, “The Whole Bible Devotional,” which helps readers see Jesus throughout Scripture.

Chapters
00:00 Show Intro and Guest
02:39 Family Roots and Brother
04:25 Teaching Calling and Career
05:01 Back Pain and Retirement
06:05 Chronic Pain Reality
07:59 Identity After Job Loss
14:16 Prayer When Words Fail
18:19 Trusting Gods Love
23:21 Obedience in Suffering
26:35 Sovereignty and Sufficient Grace
30:32 Eternal Good in Suffering
32:04 Suffering That Serves Others
33:09 Grace Through Letting Go
36:55 Spiritual Warfare and Daily Trust
39:49 Why Reliance Costs So Much
43:02 Scripture Based Prayer Framework
47:57 Sovereignty and Brother’s Suffering
54:02 Heavenly Crowns and Eternal Rewards
55:18 Training for Worship and Love
59:06 Final Encouragement Hold On

Resources and Links:
Melissa's website
Watch the Singing Through Fire podcast on YouTube.
Listen on your favorite podcast streaming platform.
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple podcasts.
Connect on Facebook.
Connect on Instagram.

PODCAST DESCRIPTION:

Welcome to the Singing Through Fire podcast! I’m your host Lara Silverman, and this is where we:

• Worship when it hurts
• Discuss hot takes from the furnace of affliction
• Explore a biblical theology of suffering with a side of sass and sarcasm

From lamentations to laughter, this podcast is for anyone desperate for hope who has ever asked, "Why, Lord, why?”

Don’t forget to follow/subscribe because I upload content every Tuesday and Friday!

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2nd Corinthians 4:17.

In this episode of Singing Through Fire, host Lara Silverman, wrestles with why God sometimes does not heal chronic pain and how Christians should respond when God calls them to stay in the storm rather than keep chasing the shore. Sharing her own experience of being led to accept a permanent neurological illness, she encourages listeners to grieve, keep praying for confirmation, and pursue surrender and contentment rooted in Scripture. The episode focuses on God’s purposes in weakness, arguing from multiple biblical passages that believers are created to depend on God, and highlighting 2 Corinthians 12 where Paul’s “thorn” remains so God’s power is displayed. She explains that weakness can glorify God, transform character, strengthen faith, and even advance the gospel through faithful suffering, while rejecting prosperity-gospel claims that lack of healing means lack of faith.

Chapters
00:00 God Wants You Weak
01:07 Prayer and Setup
01:27 When Healing Is No
02:55 Acceptance and Grief
04:31 Contentment in Pain
07:25 Purpose in Suffering
08:29 Break and Book Plug
09:41 Scripture on Dependence
12:53 Paul’s Thorn Explained
15:50 Is God Egotistical
19:04 Weakness Becomes Strength
20:09 A Story of Not Being Healed
23:35 Final Encouragement and Warning

Resources and Links:
Watch the Singing Through Fire podcast on YouTube.
Listen on your favorite podcast streaming platform.
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple podcasts.
Connect on Facebook.
Connect on Instagram.

PODCAST DESCRIPTION:

Welcome to the Singing Through Fire podcast! I’m your host Lara Silverman, and this is where we:

• Worship when it hurts
• Discuss hot takes from the furnace of affliction
• Explore a biblical theology of suffering with a side of sass and sarcasm

From lamentations to laughter, this podcast is for anyone desperate for hope who has ever asked, "Why, Lord, why?”

Don’t forget to follow/subscribe because I upload content every Tuesday and Friday!

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2nd Corinthians 4:17.

In this episode, host Lara Silverman continues her “Faith in the Furnace” series with guest Mary Balian, an Armenian American singer-songwriter dedicated to creating contemporary Armenian Christian worship music so Armenians can worship Christ in their own language. Mary shares her testimony of suffering and faith, including losing her father to a sudden heart attack at age 15 while performing CPR, and the bitterness, depression, and questions that followed without a strong church community until later finding deeper faith through Armenian Christian camp and church mentors. She also recounts her second daughter’s journey through pain, her NICU stay as a baby, and the resilience that led to major progress. Together they discuss lament, surrender, and eternal perspective.

Chapters
00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
02:18 Mary’s Father’s Death
04:04 Faith Questions and Anger
12:07 Eternal Perspective Shift
13:41 Prosperity Myths and Cross
16:37 Pregnancy Crisis and NICU
19:01 Cerebral Palsy Diagnosis
23:48 Surrender and Mental Health
28:29 Nothing Wasted Redemption
31:15 Humbled by Healing
31:49 Holy Spirit Texts
34:20 When God Feels Silent
36:35 Empowering a Child
40:02 Eternal Perspective Shift
42:02 Verses for Low Days
44:28 Surprised by Joy
48:50 Doctrine of Rewards
51:40 Community and Accountability
54:42 Hope for Dad's Salvation
57:09 Where to Find Mary
58:41 Final Blessing and Sendoff

Resources and Links:
Mary's website

Watch the Singing Through Fire podcast on YouTube.
Listen on your favorite podcast streaming platform.
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple podcasts.
Connect on Facebook.
Connect on Instagram.

PODCAST DESCRIPTION:

Welcome to the Singing Through Fire podcast! I’m your host Lara Silverman, and this is where we:

• Worship when it hurts
• Discuss hot takes from the furnace of affliction
• Explore a biblical theology of suffering with a side of sass and sarcasm

From lamentations to laughter, this podcast is for anyone desperate for hope who has ever asked, "Why, Lord, why?”

Don’t forget to follow/subscribe because I upload content every Tuesday and Friday!

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2nd Corinthians 4:17.