On today’s episode of Anchored by the Sword, Jessica Kastner joins us to talk candidly about walking through divorce, single motherhood, faith after heartache, and how Jesus has brought her into deeper healing and freedom. As a published author, speaker, and co-host of the “Free Failing” podcast, Jessica is no stranger to the messy middle of life — and she’s sharing it all with humor, honesty, and hope.

Jessica opens up about being a mom of three boys, navigating life after divorce, and finding intimacy with the Lord like never before. She shares how she overcame guilt, shame, and years of unhealthy attachment, and why she believes God truly gives us beauty for ashes.

If you've ever felt like your story disqualifies you — or if you're in the thick of rebuilding after brokenness — this one’s for you.

Topics Discussed:

• Jessica’s prodigal journey and how pregnancy led her to God
• Freedom found in Christ through two divorces
• Christian culture’s harmful narratives around marriage and purity
• Therapy, boundaries, and breaking cycles
• Parenting boys, co-parenting challenges, and choosing peace
• Why your divorce doesn’t disqualify you from abundant life
• The power of securely attaching to God
• Why we must normalize healing and mental health in the church

Key Quote:
"Your divorce is not your identity. It’s just part of your testimony. And God wastes nothing."

Bio:

Jessica Kastner is a published author, “Free Failing” podcast co-host, and a regular contributor for Crosswalk.com. As a publicity manager at Penguin Random House’s Christian division, Jess brings a wealth of hands-on industry expertise in helping authors such as John Mark Comer, Mark Batterson, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Tasha Cobbs Leonard spread messages of God’s love on a global scale.

When she’s not shuttling her mildly grateful teens around town, she shares her gritty, honest commentary at Jessicakastner.com. Her first book, “Hiding from the Kids in My Prayer Closet: Finding Grace and Laughter, When Motherhood Gets Real,” by David C Cook, released July 2017.

Anchor Verses:

Psalm 112

Connect with Jessica:

Website: https://jessicakastner.com

FB: https://www.facebook.com/authorJessicakastner

💥 Bonus: The first 30 people who register for the Anchored in Hope workshop on Sept 20 will get Gena McCown’s devotional, Deep Forgiveness, a bookmark with a link to order Katie Reid’s Bible study, God, What Do I Do, and a candle!

📍Canton, OH | 🗓️ September 20 | 🎟️ Early Bird: $25, VIP: $40 includes workshop t-shirt and reserved seating

https://www.anchoredbythesword.org/event-details/anchored-in-hope-finding-purpose-in-your-pain

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!***

Hey friends! Today’s episode is a timely one — because if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably felt overwhelmed or anxious at some point lately. I’m joined by Dr. Charles Stone, pastor, author, and brain science nerd (in the best way possible) to talk about how we can actually reduce anxiety and stress using a powerful combo of Scripture and neuroscience.

Dr. Charles shares from his new book, Stress Less: 9 Habits from the Bible and Brain Science to Build Resilience and Reduce Anxiety, and gets real about his own freedom story. We talk about pastoring through the chaos of COVID, personal health scares, family trials, and how God has shown up through every moment.

He also shares practical tools—like a powerful breathing exercise and the STOPP method—that help us stay grounded and anchored in truth when life gets chaotic. This episode is packed with wisdom, hope, and some “why didn’t I learn this sooner?” kind of tips.

We chat about:

• Leading a church through lockdown and health crises

• God’s role in our stress response

• Bible characters who dealt with extreme stress (hello, Paul and Job!)

• Breathing techniques that actually rewire your nervous system

• How to spot emotionally safe people in your life

• The HEART acronym and why your circle matters

• Why theology and brain science go hand in hand

You’ll walk away feeling encouraged, equipped, and a little nerdy in the best way.

Bio:

Dr. Charles Stone (MDiv, D Min, PhD) has served in vocational ministry for forty-three years, thirty of which as a senior pastor. He recently completed a nine-year role as lead pastor of West Park Church in London, Ontario, Canada, a multicultural congregation with over a thousand attendees. He has authored eight books and now serves as a coach-consultant to pastors and leaders. Over three hundred of his articles have appeared in magazines and in online publications, such as Outreach Magazine, Leadership Journal, Pastors.com, SermonCentral.com, and Churchleaders.com.

His doctorate research for Stress Less involved consulting more than five hundred research studies, articles, and books on stress resilience. He also studied more than four hundred ministry leaders by using surveys, interviews, and data analysis software.

Anchor Verses:

Luke 2: 52

Isaiah 32: 8

Connect with Charles Stone:

Website: https://charlesstone.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/chucks9886

FB: https://www.facebook.com/charles.stone1/

💥 Bonus: The first 30 people who register for the Anchored in Hope workshop on Sept 20 will get Gena McCown’s devotional, Deep Forgiveness, a bookmark with a link to order Katie Reid’s Bible study, God, What Do I Do, and a candle!

📍Canton, OH | 🗓️ September 20 | 🎟️ Early Bird: $25, VIP: $40 includes workshop t-shirt and reserved seating

https://www.anchoredbythesword.org/event-details/anchored-in-hope-finding-purpose-in-your-pain

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!***

In this powerful and deeply moving episode, I sit down with Ashley Opliger—author, speaker, and founder of Bridget’s Cradles—as she shares her story of grief, hope, and the redemptive love of Jesus. Ashley opens up about the heartbreaking stillbirth of her daughter, Bridget, and how God birthed a nationwide ministry through her loss. She also vulnerably shares about the sudden and tragic death of her father and how she continues to cling to the hope of heaven.

We talk about what it means to walk through unimaginable grief while still trusting in God’s goodness. Ashley shares how Bridget’s Cradles now comforts grieving families across all 50 states and how God continues to multiply her small steps of obedience for His glory.

We cover:

• The sacred moment of holding Bridget and how her cradle brought peace

• Walking through deep trauma and the loss of her father to a drunk driver

• Wrestling with God’s sovereignty and the goodness of God in the middle of suffering

• The importance of presence over platitudes when comforting someone grieving

• Encouragement for those who want to turn their pain into purpose

• Her favorite scriptures and how suffering has drawn her closer to Jesus

This episode is for anyone walking through grief, asking hard theological questions, or wondering how God can redeem even the most painful parts of our story.

Bio:

Ashley is Bridget's Mommy and co-founder and President of Bridget's Cradles. She is married to Matt and they have three children: a daughter in Heaven, Bridget, and two sons, Branton and Brenner.

Ashley is a fully-devoted follower of Christ and longs to glorify Him with her life. She desires to share the hope of Heaven with moms grieving the loss of their baby.

Ashley enjoys spending time with her family and friends, crafting, reading, and podcasting. You can read more about her daughter's life story here and watch a short video of her story here. To watch a short documentary filmed by Grotto Network on Ashley's work with Bridget's Cradles, visit here.

Anchor Verses:

1 Peter-entire book, read chapter 1: 6-7

Connect with Ashley:

Website: https://www.ashleyopliger.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/ashleyopliger

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ashleyopliger

Business Website: https://www.bridgetscradles.com

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

• Ashley’s book Cradled in Hope

• Bridget’s Cradles Ministry: www.bridgetscradles.com

• Free eBook: How to Support a Loved One Who’s Lost a Baby

• Cradled in Hope Podcast

• Ashley’s personal story and her dad’s tribute: ashleyopliger.com

💥 Bonus: The first 30 people who register for the Anchored in Hope workshop on Sept 20 will get Gena McCown’s devotional, Deep Forgiveness, a bookmark with a link to order Katie Reid’s Bible study, God, What Do I Do, and a candle!

📍Canton, OH | 🗓️ September 20 | 🎟️ Early Bird: $35, VIP: $50 includes workshop t-shirt and reserved seating

https://www.anchoredbythesword.org/event-details/anchored-in-hope-finding-purpose-in-your-pain

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!***