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Mission:Redeemed

Mission:Redeemed

By: Shawn Smith
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About this listen

**Mission: Redeemed** is a podcast for first responders searching for purpose beyond the uniform. Hosted by a former police officer, deputy, and 911 dispatcher, it dives into faith, resilience, and life after service. When the radios go silent, the mission isn’t over—it’s just been redeemed. Through real stories and conversations, we explore how God restores our purpose, even when everything changes. If you’re feeling lost or wondering what’s next, you’re not alone. Join us as we navigate this journey together, reclaiming faith, identity, and a new mission beyond the uniform.Shawn Smith Hygiene & Healthy Living Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
Episodes
  • The Weight of 120%: Surrender, Survival, and the Slow Work of God
    May 9 2025

    In this raw and deeply personal episode, Shawn invites you into the reality of what happens when the human body and spirit hit their limit—and how God meets us there.

    Through honest storytelling, a bit of first responder dark humor, and painful reflections on identity, performance, and faith, this episode walks through the weight of living at 120% for decades—and the crash that follows. From breakdowns in the shower to burned-up backyard decks, it’s about the moments we unravel and the God who patiently, lovingly begins to rebuild.

    Shawn opens up about the invisible habits trauma engrains in us—like reverting to "making contact" without realizing it—and the long, grace-filled process of re-learning how to just be human again. With vulnerability, humility, and the kind of truth only someone who's been there can share, this is an episode for anyone who's ever felt like they lost who they were... and are still waiting to see who they're becoming.

    Because faith isn’t forged in our performance.
    It’s found in surrender.

    And even when we don’t know what the hell we’re doing—God does.
    That’s enough for today.
    We’ll try again tomorrow. He already knows it.

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    31 mins
  • First Responder Faith: How Jesus Runs Toward the Wreckage and the Father Lets Us Fall
    Apr 28 2025

    When you wipe out — spiritually, emotionally, physically — what's your first instinct? Hide the mess? Downplay the damage? Worry about who saw it?
    You're not alone.

    In this episode, we talk about falling — full-blown, gear-scattering, pride-shattering collapse — and how Jesus, the ultimate First Responder, moves toward us without hesitation. No lectures. No crossed arms. Just sirens blazing and compassion ready.

    We dive deep into Luke 15: the lost sheep, the prodigal son, and what they show us about the character of Jesus and the heart of the Father. Jesus doesn't sit back waiting for you to clean yourself up; He moves first, meeting you in the broken glass and blood. The church was never meant to be a courthouse — it was meant to be a hospital. A place for the bleeding, the hurting, the ones who can't fix themselves.

    But there's another side of God's love that's harder to swallow: sometimes, the Father lets us fall. He lets us stumble hard enough to remember where home really is. Not out of cruelty, but out of deep, ferocious love that’s after our true healing — not just our comfort.

    We talk about why vulnerability feels like weakness but is actually courage (hint: it’s because we were made for real strength, not fake perfection). We look at what happens when we stop asking "How bad did that look?" and start asking "Where does the healing start?"

    And we wrap it all up with hope:
    When you fall, Jesus is already en route.
    And the Father?
    He's already standing at the edge of the driveway, porch light on, heart wide open, ready to run.

    You’re still breathing.
    And you’re still His.

    Highlights:

    • Why Jesus moves first when we fall (Luke 15:1–7)

    • What the Prodigal Son shows us about God's fierce love (Luke 15:11–32)

    • The difference between guilt and healing

    • Why God sometimes lets you hit the ground — and how that's actually grace

    • Real-life first responder stories that mirror the Gospel

    • Encouragement for when you’re face-down in failure

    Scripture References:

    • Luke 15:1–32

    • John 10:11

    • Mark 2:17

    • Psalm 34:18

    • 1 John 3:1

    • Romans 5:3–4, Romans 5:8

    If you're tired, bleeding, or just pretending you're fine — this one’s for you.

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    19 mins
  • Jesus - The First, First Responder
    Apr 18 2025

    In this deeply moving reflection, we revisit the emotional depths of Matthew 26-38, exploring Jesus' profound moment of vulnerability and anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane. Here, we witness Christ facing the immense weight of humanity's suffering and His own impending sacrifice. Jesus, fully aware of the pain ahead, courageously submits to His Father's will with the words, "Not as I will, but as You will."

    This pivotal moment reveals Jesus as the first true "first responder." With unwavering love and selflessness, He willingly stepped into the chaos and trauma of the human condition, answering our greatest cries for help. He confronted unimaginable pain, carrying every broken life, wounded heart, and lost hope on His shoulders.

    Jesus did not merely respond to our call—He took our place, standing between humanity and destruction. His act of supreme sacrifice brings healing, comfort, and redemption to us all. Today, His legacy profoundly resonates within every first responder—every police officer, firefighter, paramedic, and dispatcher—who courageously confronts danger and suffering to save and protect others.

    As you face your personal battles and challenges, know you are never alone. Jesus, the original first responder, walks alongside you, understanding your burdens and pain intimately. He offers strength, hope, and the assurance that you are seen, known, and deeply loved by the One who first answered humanity's call for rescue.

    Carry this powerful truth with you always: you are held by the greatest First Responder of all, who gave everything so you could find hope, strength, and comfort in your journey.

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    34 mins

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