Travis West knows what it feels like to run on empty. Early in his marriage he was working multiple jobs and caring for his wife Mariah through a long illness. A study trip to Jerusalem changed everything. When the city slowed to a standstill on Friday nights, Travis experienced Sabbath rest for the first time. In this episode he explains how that weekly pause brought new life to his family and why he believes Sabbath is a practical gift for anyone today.

Book: The Sabbath Way: Making Room in Your Life for Rest, Connection, and Delight

Sabbath resource: https://www.travis-west.com/practices

Growing up on the south side of St. Petersburg, Florida, Kevin Burgess faced depression and a deep sense of hopelessness. After his parents’ divorce, he was uprooted from a safe environment and placed in a neighborhood where drugs and violence dominated daily life. Forgotten by society, he doubted he would live to see 30—until one day, someone handed him a Christian hip hop CD that changed everything. Today, Kevin Burgess—better known as KB—is a Christian hip hop artist, music executive, author of Dangerous Jesus, and a passionate voice for those searching for hope. In this episode, KB shares his powerful story of transformation and his mission to lead the lost and hurting to Jesus.

Show Notes:

Website: https://whoiskb.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kb_hga/

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Jesus-Thing-Risky-Getting/dp/1496459482

“Your story saved my life…” begins letter after letter from readers who found courage in Bryan’s dark-to-light plotlines. One teen even pausing on the brink of self-harm to ask, “What would those characters do?”

Bryan’s brand-new release, The Sacred Scales launches today, but today we step into the unfolding pages of his own journey: quitting a safe tech career, trusting God for a miracle fifty dollars, and watching fiction ignite faith in kids and families worldwide.

**Content note: Because Bryan recounts a story involving self-harm, this episode is recommended for adult listeners first.

Discover more about Bryan’s new book, The Sacred Scales.

Dove Award-winning artist Ryan Stevenson is known for songs like Eye of the Storm and No Matter What—but behind the music is a story of identity, struggle, and relentless faith. For much of his early life, Ryan felt overlooked and forgotten. Poverty, bullying, and disappointment told him he wasn’t enough. But through it all, there was a still, small voice—the voice of God—whispering that he was loved, chosen, and made for more. In this episode of The Unfolding, Ryan talks about the years he spent waiting, doubting, and wrestling with God—even while working as a paramedic. It’s a deeply honest conversation about trusting God when your reality says otherwise, and daring to believe that the dreams He planted in your heart are there for a reason.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryansmusic

Ryan’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Eye-Storm-Experiencing-When-Cant/dp/0736979778

“Listen a bit.”
A simple line spoken to a young Trevor Hudson during a leadership exercise became the compass for his life’s work. In this Unfolding Short Story, the South-African pastor and author of In Search of God’s Will: Discerning a Life of Faithfulness and Purpose shows how a modest talent, handed back to God, can grow into decades of counseling, retreats, and Spirit-led guidance. Trevor invites us to slow down and discover what God can do with the small gifts in our own hands.

For nearly 40 years, Chris Hauser has been a trusted force behind the scenes in Contemporary Christian Music—promoting the work of artists like Amy Grant, Chris Tomlin, Lauren Daigle, and Russ Taff. Known for his humility, authenticity, and deep love for the Gospel, Chris has built a reputation not on self-promotion, but on service. But behind that professional success was a personal story marked by struggle. For years, Chris admits he was a fast talker—someone who could charm his way out of tough situations, even with the people who mattered most: his wife and kids. He made promises he didn’t keep, avoided hard truths, and watched the people he loved most get hurt. In this powerful episode of The Unfolding, Chris shares how everything changed when God lovingly confronted him at a pivotal moment during a retreat called Encounter. Through God's grace—and learning to love himself the way God does—Chris experienced radical transformation in his marriage, his family, and his faith.

Chris’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hauserpromo/

Encounter Training: https://encountertraining.com/

Chris’ speech at Judson University commencement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trVJOSmO5l0

“Everywhere somebody was sick, Jesus was right there.” Those words became Keith’s anchor as burn-pit-linked melanoma spread through his 33-year-old body. In this Memorial Day Moment, Navy-veteran and hospice chaplain Walt recounts the young soldier’s journey of courage, grace, and a faith found at the finish line.