Redeemed by Grace: An Addiction Recovery Testimony Through Christ
with Christian Winder

In this deeply moving episode of the Bible Chat Podcast, Alina welcomes long time friend Christian Winder to share his powerful story of redemption. From a joyful childhood overshadowed by family addiction and mental health challenges, Christian's path led through high school partying, escalating alcohol and drug use, wilderness programs, boarding school trauma, and rock bottom cycles of shame and despair in downtown Denver.

The turning point came with a blindsiding family intervention, full surrender, and his transformative time at Harvest Farm, a faith based recovery program where work, community, and a real relationship with Jesus Christ rebuilt his life. Christian reflects on grace over guilt, taking thoughts captive, the Prodigal Son parable, favorite Scriptures, and the universal need for surrender, community, and obedience.

Key Scriptures Shared:

• Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV): "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."
• 1 John 4:4 (NKJV): "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."
• Genesis 2:18: "And the LORD God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.'"

Today, Christian is thriving, training and building wind turbine blades at his workplace, passionately fly fishing, working out (down 50 lbs!), and excited to be newly plugged into church community, living proof that God restores the brokenhearted and provides entirely new beginnings.

This episode reminds us: nothing is impossible with God. If you're trapped in addiction, wrestling with shame, supporting a loved one, or simply needing hope, Christian's journey will inspire you. Surrender fully, and the Father waits with open arms and no judgment.

Timestamps
00:00 Message of Hope for Those Trapped in Addiction
01:06 Welcome to the Bible Chat Podcast
04:00 Christian’s Childhood and Family Challenges
04:47 High School Struggles and Escalating Addiction
06:13 Wilderness Program, Boarding School and Depression
11:44 Rock Bottom, Family Intervention and Surrender
13:11 Preparation and Life Changing Time at Harvest Farm
15:46 Developing a Personal Relationship with Christ
22:02 Taking Thoughts Captive, Temptation and Community
26:02 Embracing Hope, Authenticity and Daily Practices
26:46 Who Christian Is Becoming Today
27:28 Dreams: Leading Others to Christ and the Farm
28:36 Current Life in Fort Collins: Work, Fly Fishing, Fitness
29:51 Final Message to Those in Addiction
31:13 Advice to Younger Self and Families Struggling
32:42 The True Meaning of Surrender
33:33 "Double Winner" Insight and Support for Families
37:37 Summing Up Life and Desired Legacy
39:23 Closing Prayer for Those Still Struggling
40:30 Dedication to Praying Mothers and Final Encouragement

If this story touched your heart, please rate, review, subscribe, and share with someone who needs hope today. God is still performing miracles!

The Bible Chat Podcast
Instagram: @biblechatpodcast
Website: thebiblechat.com/podcast
Download the Bible Chat app for guided Scripture, prayers, and more: thebiblechat.com/app

In this deeply moving episode of the Bible Chat Podcast, Nicole shares her powerful journey from a passionate 7-year-old soccer player to a collegiate athlete facing a devastating lupus diagnosis during her senior year.

Her story takes us through unimaginable valleys: severe pulmonary hypertension, right heart failure, and ultimately a life-saving double lung transplant in 2008.

We explore the emotional weight of receiving the gift of life—the paradox of gratitude mixed with survivor’s guilt—the unwavering support of her husband Josh, and post-transplant challenges including PTSD and chronic rejection.

Nicole also shares the breathtaking miracle of adopting her son Noah amid the uncertainties of COVID-19.

Today, she is thriving with 40% lung function, deadlifting 205 lbs at 110 lbs bodyweight, and running her own business, Mindful Fitness with Nicole, helping others strengthen body, mind, and soul.

This episode reminds us that nothing is impossible with God.
If you're facing chronic illness, waiting on a transplant, walking through grief, or simply needing hope, Nicole’s journey will inspire you.

Episode Chapters

00:00 Welcome
00:23 Early Love for Soccer
01:10 College Soccer & First Warning Signs
03:21 Pushing Through Symptoms
05:49 Lupus Diagnosis
08:35 Life & Love with Lupus
10:17 Heart Failure
12:19 Road to Transplant
18:40 Choosing Stanford
22:05 Waiting in California
34:54 Renewed Hope
35:50 The Transplant Call
36:12 The Gift of Life
37:02 Recovery & PTSD
38:30 Faith & Mindset
40:57 Support & Toxic Positivity
47:39 Chronic Rejection
53:26 Adoption Journey
59:21 Welcoming Noah
01:01:46 Living with Purpose
01:05:36 Final Reflections

If this story touched your heart, please like, comment your biggest takeaway, subscribe, and share with someone who needs hope today.
✨ God is still performing miracles!

Links

The Bible Chat Podcast
Instagram: @biblechatpodcast
Website: thebiblechat.com/podcast
Download the app: thebiblechat.com/app

Follow Nicole: @mindfulfitnesswithnicole

Hashtags

#FaithJourney #LungTransplant #MiracleStory #LupusWarrior #AdoptionMiracle #DoubleLungTransplant #BibleChatPodcast #ChristianPodcast #HopeInHardTimes #GodIsFaithful

In this deeply moving episode of the Bible Chat Podcast, host Alina Buzdugan sits down with Dan Christopulos, a lifelong servant of Christ with more than 40 years of ministry experience spanning parish life, global missions, humanitarian aid, and spiritual formation. From his early years as a college football standout to his calling as a priest, missionary, counselor, and development leader, Dan shares a powerful testimony of faith shaped by adversity, repentance, humility, and love in action. This conversation weaves together personal stories from the mission field, profound theological insight, and practical wisdom for living a Christ-centered life in today’s world. At the heart of the episode is a rich exploration of discipleship, apostleship, and theosis, not as abstract theology, but as a lived, ongoing journey from learning, to living, to becoming.

Episode Highlights

• Growing up Orthodox in Wyoming and the formative power of prayer and embodied faith
• Lessons from sports on perseverance, focus, and facing adversity with Christ
• Early signs of vocation and childhood evangelism
• Ministry challenges, suffering, and the redemptive work of grace
• Global humanitarian work with International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC)
• Missionary experiences in Kenya, Albania, Eastern Europe, and beyond
• Empowering local leadership through Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC)
• Sustainable mission models and faith rooted development
• A compelling explanation of discipleship, apostleship, and theosis
• Forgiveness, humility, spiritual warfare, and self-forgiveness
• What it truly means to leave a legacy of love and faith

Key Teaching Moment

Discipleship → Apostleship → Theosis

Dan beautifully connects these three movements of the Christian life:

• Discipleship (mathētēs): a lifelong posture of learning, listening, and being formed
• Apostleship (apostellō): being sent to share what we have received through love and service
• Theosis: the lifelong journey from image (ikona) to likeness (kath’ homoiōsin), becoming more like God through repentance, humility, and action

This is not a linear or perfect process. We fall. We repent. We get back up.
And we continue forward.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 Life lessons from sports and faith
04:16 Early life and spiritual foundations
06:23 Sports, adversity, and perseverance
11:58 Childhood evangelism
14:21 Ministry challenges and growth
19:12 Humanitarian work with IOCC
28:08 Missionary work and future vision
35:09 Albania and religious persecution
37:06 Sustainable projects in Nairobi
42:17 Discipleship, apostleship, and theosis
48:01 Forgiveness and humility
55:30 Legacy and wisdom for future generations
01:01:29 Closing prayer and reflections