When Todd Coconato was a child actor in Hollywood, he thought he was living the dream. He was surrounded by celebrities, parties, and everything the world calls success. But none of that mattered the night he was stabbed nine times, including once in the heart, and bleeding out in his car.

In this powerful conversation, Todd shares how, in that moment between life and death, he heard the audible voice of God ask him one question that changed everything.

Todd and Christina discuss his early years in Hollywood, the emptiness behind the lifestyle, the night of the attack, the miraculous way doctors said he should not be alive, and the moment he surrendered to God’s call on his life. He also shares how God led him into pastoral ministry, his work as an evangelist and broadcaster, and his heart for a “remnant” of believers who refuse to bow to the culture.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your past disqualifies you, felt caught between two lives, or asked if God can really redeem your story, Todd’s testimony will give you hope and remind you that God still speaks, still saves, and still performs miracles.

In this episode, we cover:

• Todd’s journey from Hollywood sets to a near-death experience
• The night he was stabbed 9 times and heard God speak
• Why survival was only the beginning of his transformation
• How God called him into ministry and what he’s doing today
• Encouragement for anyone who feels too far gone or “in between”

Connect with Todd Coconato:
Website: https://toddcoconato.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealToddCoconato

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toddcoconato
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ToddCoconato

Connect with Christina Smith & Witness the Wonder:
Website: https://ChristinaSmithOfficial.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Christina.Smith00/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/witnessthewonder

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@witnessthewonder

If you believe in what we’re building through Witness the Wonder and want to help these stories reach more people, you can learn more and support the show at:
https://ChristinaSmithOfficial.com

#ToddCoconato #ChristianTestimony #MiracleStory #Stabbed9Times #NearDeathExperience #HearingGodsVoice #GodSpoke #FromHollywoodToJesus #ChristianPodcast #FaithStories #RedemptionStory #JesusSaves #GodStillHeals #SpiritualAwakening #WitnessTheWonder #ChildActor #Hollywood

In this episode of Witness the Wonder, host Christina Smith sits down with publisher Missy Maxwell Wharton and editor Donna Bess to talk about Resilience: The Rise After the Fall, a powerful anthology featuring 22 true stories of women who have walked through loss, failure, betrayal, and starting over.

This conversation explores why our stories matter, how healing often comes through telling the truth, and what happens when people choose to share what God has carried them through. These stories remind us that even in our lowest moments, God is still at work.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your story is important enough to tell, this episode is for you.

Episode Highlights

• (00:00) The story we’re afraid to share
• (02:15) Meet Missy Maxwell Wharton & Donna Bess
• (08:30) Resilience and rising after failure
• (14:45) Healing through sharing your story
• (22:10) Why testimony brings freedom

Featured Guests

• Missy Maxwell Wharton: https://www.missymaxwellworton.com
• Books by Missy: https://amzn.to/4qrE5Rw
• Donna Bess: https://www.donnabessofficial.com
• Books by Donna: https://amzn.to/4qmqN8Q

Mentioned in this Episode

• Get the Book: Resilience: The Rise After the Fall here: https://amzn.to/4aDq4eM

Connect with Witness the Wonder

• Visit https://ChristinaSmithOfficial.com for episode resources, guests, and more.

Disclaimer: Some links in this description are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Witness the Wonder.

Host Christina Smith sits down with Pastor Duke White Jr. for an honest conversation about failure and the unexpected way God uses it to transform our lives.

Together, they explore how failure is not the end of the story but often the place where faith, surrender, and community become essential. Duke shares personal insights on the pressure of comparison, the temptation to measure success by performance, and the freedom that comes when failure is redefined through the lens of God’s purpose.

This conversation also unpacks why community matters in seasons of uncertainty, how rest is not a sign of weakness, and what it looks like to trust God when life feels out of your control. Through personal stories, biblical insight, and thoughtful reflection, Christina and Duke invite listeners to see failure differently, not as disqualification, but as a doorway to deeper faith, resilience, and connection.

If you have ever felt stuck, inadequate, or unsure of what God is doing in your life, this episode will remind you that you are not alone and that God is always at work in your story.

Follow Witness the Wonder for more honest conversations about faith, resilience, and recognizing God at work in everyday life.

Failure has a way of making us question everything, our calling, our obedience, and whether we heard God correctly in the first place.

In this episode of Witness the Wonder, Pastor Duke White Jr. shares his honest journey through seasons that felt like failure, disappointment, and emotional isolation, even while continuing to lead and serve others.

Duke opens up about investing years into a vision that didn’t unfold the way he expected, wrestling with fear and identity, and learning what God was actually doing in the space between fear, failure, and faith.

Together, we explore why failure often feels like disqualification, how comparison distorts our understanding of calling, and what God reveals when outcomes don’t match expectations. We also talk about why surrender and community matter more than appearances, and how God can still be at work when the story feels unfinished.

If you’ve ever wondered whether failure means you missed God, this conversation offers clarity, perspective, and hope.

Season 2 Partner
Many people are asking how to protect what they’ve worked so hard to build, especially in seasons of economic uncertainty. Birch Gold helps individuals diversify their savings with physical gold and silver.
Learn more or request your free information kit at ChristinaSmithOfficial.com

Interview Guest

Pastor Duke White Jr. is the co-founder of the Goodvue Network and also hosts Real Life with Duke White. You can watch Witness the Wonder and Real Life with Duke White on your smart TV by downloading the Goodvue app on Roku, Apple TV, or Amazon Fire TV.

If this episode encouraged you, follow the show so you don’t miss future conversations. If you have a moment, leaving a review or sharing it with someone who needs it really helps these stories reach more people.

God is always at work in your story.

What do you hold onto when everything else is stripped away?

In this powerful episode of Witness the Wonder, Charlene Quint shares her story of leaving a 21 year abusive marriage, losing nearly everything she once relied on, and discovering that God was still there when nothing else remained.

Charlene opens up about the faith it took to walk away, the painful realities many women face in silence, and how God worked behind the scenes to bring healing, provision, and purpose out of devastation. Now a family law attorney, advocate, and author, she helps women recognize abuse, find safety, and rebuild their lives with clarity and hope.

This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt alone, misunderstood, or unsure how God fits into seasons of deep loss, and for leaders who want to respond with wisdom, compassion, and truth.

God is always at work in your story, even when He feels like all you have left.

👤 FEATURED GUEST

Charlene Quint

Family law attorney, advocate, and author of Overcoming the Narcissist, Sociopath, Psychopath, and Other Domestic Abusers

🌐 Website: https://www.abusecare.org

📘 Link to Purchase Charlene's Book: https://amzn.to/45uhhsS

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https://www.ChristinaSmithOfficial.com

🔔 SUPPORT THE PODCAST

• Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement today

• Follow Witness the Wonder so you do not miss future stories

• Leave us a Review or comment.

• Help us share more stories by becoming a partner of the podcast at ChristinaSmithOfficial.com

In Part 2 of Chelsea Fain’s story, she shares how God met her after divorce, loss, church hurt, and a life-threatening medical crisis, and how He began revealing where He had been in every painful season she walked through.

This episode is for anyone who has trusted God and still found themselves walking through loss, trauma, divorce, or unanswered questions. Through healing, reflection, and Scripture, Chelsea shares how God uses our difficult seasons not to punish, but to transform us.

If you have ever wondered whether God was truly with you in your hardest moments, this conversation may help you see your story differently.

🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES

📘 Buy Chelsea Fain’s Bookhttps://a.co/d/3yPDe87

🌐 Episode resources & guest infohttps://ChristinaSmithOfficial.com

🥇 Birch Gold Group FREE INFO KIThttps://ChristinaSmithOfficial.com

What do you do when God is warning you, but everything in you wants to move forward anyway?

In this episode of Witness the Wonder, Chelsea Fain shares the part of her story where faith became deeply personal. Not because things worked out, but because they did not. From ignoring red flags and spiritual warnings to walking through abuse, prayer filled endurance, and the painful decision to leave, this conversation reveals how God’s voice often becomes clearer in the hardest seasons.

This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered if they missed God’s direction and is still carrying the weight of that decision.

You may recognize yourself in this story.

This conversation explores what it means to remain obedient when the cost is deeply painful, and why God does not waste even the most difficult chapters of our lives.

🔗 LINKS

📘 Buy Chelsea Fain’s book
https://a.co/d/11neoiX

🌐 Christina Smith Official
https://www.ChristinaSmithOfficial.com

🤝 Episode partner Birch Gold Group
https://www.ChristinaSmithOfficial.com

🤝 SUPPORT WITNESS THE WONDER

If this episode encouraged you, share it with someone who may be trusting God through a difficult season. Leaving a review helps these stories reach the people who need them most. If you would like to support Witness the Wonder and help these conversations continue, you can find ways to support the show at https://www.ChristinaSmithOfficial.com

What if the lack of peace or joy you’re feeling isn’t because you’re doing too little — but because you’re doing things God never asked you to carry?

In this Season 2 premiere of Witness the Wonder, Christina Smith is joined by John "JR" Rennie, founder of Brushfire Ministry and author of Divine Design, for an honest and hope-filled conversation about alignment, identity, and purpose.

JR shares how God used loss, waiting, and surrender to strip away false identity and reveal calling. Together, they explore how living in alignment with God’s design leads to clarity, peace, joy, and lasting fruit.

This episode covers:

• God stories behind calling and purpose
• Why alignment matters more than striving
• How humility and obedience shape spiritual growth
• Recognizing when you’re living out of alignment
• Finding joy even in difficult seasons

🔗 Free Spiritual Gifts Assessment — Brushfire Ministries
https://www.brushfires-digital.com/link/LZwtmm?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.brushfires-digital.com%2Fclient-access

Affiliate link at no extra cost to you.

To connect with Christina, access episode-related resources, or get the free Birch Gold Information Kit, visit ChristinaSmithOfficial.com.

New episodes of Witness the Wonder release weekly.

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