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Samantha Vitarella joins the podcast to share a deeply personal story of loss, redemption, grief, faith, and the sustaining grace of God through unimaginable hardship. From growing up in a broken home marked by abuse and alcoholism, to becoming a teenage mother, Samantha opens up about the moments that shaped her life and ultimately drew her back to Christ.

In this powerful conversation, Samantha reflects on losing her father at a young age, navigating years away from God, the heartbreak of miscarriage and medical trauma with her children, the devastating loss of her mother and brother, and the painful season that nearly destroyed her marriage. She also vulnerably shares about the sudden death of her husband from a heart attack at just 42 years old and what it has looked like to walk through grief while helping her children process their own loss.

Yet through every chapter, Samantha points back to the unwavering faithfulness of God. This episode is not simply a story about suffering — it is a testimony of redemption, endurance, healing, and hope in Christ through life’s darkest valleys.

This conversation will encourage anyone walking through grief, betrayal, loss, unanswered questions, or difficult seasons to remember that God is still present, still good, and still writing the story.

A 4-day, in-person program designed for ministry leaders, individuals, and couples seeking a more specialized and focused experience.

The assessment and therapy process utilizes robust psychological testing and intensive outpatient counseling to provide mental health support for challenges, including burnout, grief, moral failure, relationship conflict, anxiety, depression, and trauma.

https://emerge.org/intensives/

Mental Health Therapists... Apply today at emerge.org/careers and join us in the battle to help people find freedom and rest...

Emerge.org - "You Don't Have to Walk Alone"

Support the show

Contact Us:

• Email the show: experience@emerge.org
• Emerge.org
• facebook.com/EmergeCounselingMinistries

Thank you for listening, sharing, and praying for our podcast!

Support the ExEm podcast by clicking here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/882700/support

Send us Fan Mail

What happens when your child grows up and begins to walk a different path than the one you hoped for?

In this deeply honest and needed conversation, we sit down with Lori Ross to talk about the reality of parenting prodigals—especially adult children. It’s a journey marked by love, grief, questions, and often… silence. Because the truth is, there aren’t many spaces where parents can openly talk about this season without shame or fear of being misunderstood.

Together, we explore the weight parents carry:
– The fear of “what if I got it wrong?”
– The tension between setting boundaries and staying connected
– The challenge of trusting God when the story feels unfinished
– And the deep longing to see their child return

Lori brings both compassion and clarity as we unpack what it looks like to stay grounded in faith, love well without enabling, and hold onto hope—even when things feel uncertain.

If you’re walking this road, or love someone who is, this episode offers encouragement, perspective, and a reminder that you are not alone.

A 4-day, in-person program designed for ministry leaders, individuals, and couples seeking a more specialized and focused experience.

The assessment and therapy process utilizes robust psychological testing and intensive outpatient counseling to provide mental health support for challenges, including burnout, grief, moral failure, relationship conflict, anxiety, depression, and trauma.

https://emerge.org/intensives/

Mental Health Therapists... Apply today at emerge.org/careers and join us in the battle to help people find freedom and rest...

Emerge.org - "You Don't Have to Walk Alone"

Support the show

Contact Us:

• Email the show: experience@emerge.org
• Emerge.org
• facebook.com/EmergeCounselingMinistries

Thank you for listening, sharing, and praying for our podcast!

Support the ExEm podcast by clicking here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/882700/support

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we sit down with Rev. Christan Causey, an ordained minister and Director of Minister Health for the Southern New England Ministry Network. With a heart for soul care and a deep commitment to helping others live from a place of wholeness, Christan brings a unique blend of pastoral wisdom, counseling insight, and practical ministry experience.

Holding a Master’s degree in Human Services Counseling with a concentration in Marriage and Family Ministry, she is passionate about walking alongside ministry leaders as they navigate the emotional and spiritual demands of their calling. Her work centers on helping individuals integrate their whole self—mind, body, and spirit—so they can experience God’s grace and transformation from the inside out.

Together, we dive into a powerful and honest conversation about what real success truly means. In a culture that often defines success by achievement, status, and outward performance, Christan challenges us to rethink those metrics through the lens of faith and Scripture. This episode invites you to step back, reflect, and realign your understanding of success with what truly matters in God’s Kingdom.

christan@snemn.com

A 4-day, in-person program designed for ministry leaders, individuals, and couples seeking a more specialized and focused experience.

The assessment and therapy process utilizes robust psychological testing and intensive outpatient counseling to provide mental health support for challenges, including burnout, grief, moral failure, relationship conflict, anxiety, depression, and trauma.

https://emerge.org/intensives/

Emerge.org - "You Don't Have to Walk Alone"

Support the show

Contact Us:

• Email the show: experience@emerge.org
• Emerge.org
• facebook.com/EmergeCounselingMinistries

Thank you for listening, sharing, and praying for our podcast!

Support the ExEm podcast by clicking here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/882700/support