Episode 154 :: Chris & Stephanie Teague:: Stories of Wrestling with Doubt, Divorce, and Experiencing Redemption Out of the Dust

Simply Stories Podcast

Today I get to share with you a really fun and powerful conversation with my friends Chris and Stephanie Teague. In our conversation you’ll get to hear the story of how Chris and Stephanie met, their marriage when they were in college, pursuing the quintessential Christian couple life, and then the secrets, addictions, and doubts that led to their divorce in 2010. Then, during a season where they each in their own way were desperate for answers to what they didn’t understand, God met them and showed them He was trustworthy with their lives individually, freeing them both from the pressure of living a put-together know-it-all Christian life and receiving the invitation to be alive with Christ and live in hope. And then, in His grace, He also redeemed their marriage. Over a decade later, here we are hanging out unpacking this story today! Praise God.

This time with them was a special experience of hearing them unpack how God met them then, how He continues to reveal Himself to them now, and the heart of the calling on their lives now as the band Out of the Dust. Through their music, and sharing their story, Chris and Stephanie now travel the country speaking and singing hope over people who wonder if all hope is lost. As you’ll hear, it’s not about trying to fix broken marriages or bootstrapping your way to a better life, it’s issuing an invitation to encounter the heart of God. This is such a powerful conversation annnnnd for those of us who grow up in the 90’s/early 2000’s Christian world, I think there’s going to be a lot you can probably relate to, for better or for worse as well. It’s a good time and I can’t wait to share it with you.

I hope above all things you hear in this episode, you hear that the Lord specializes at making beautiful things out of the dust. Dust of things that have yet to know life, or dust of ashes where things have all burned down. He is the God of redemption and resurrection and He cares about your heart encountering healing with Him. If you have any questions about any of that, please don’t ever hesitate to reach out to me, or to someone like Stephanie and Chris, we are imperfect people who have seen a perfect God in our story, but we also know what it means to shake our fists and wonder why and have Him love us there too. Wherever you are today, friend, I hope that you can hear me say, you matter, and your story matters.

Connecting with Stephanie & Chris

Facebook

Instagram

Patreon

Spotify

SUMMER TOUR DATES!

Website

Sponsor for this Episode: Hopefuel

Use the code 'SIMPLY15' for 15% off

Instagram

Website

References:

-Episodes Chris and Stephanie have helped me out on before! Our readings of Esther and Ruth

-MTSU

-Passion Conference

-Chris Tomlin

-Matt Redman

-Christy and Nathan Nockels and Watermark

-Jesus movement (70’s)

-Louie Giglio

-Some of Louie’s teaching based on science and faith (and devotionals for kids too! Our family loves these)

-Podcast episode where we talk about suicidal ideation with Jennifer Greenberg, her book I mention is Not Forsaken: A Story of Life After Abuse. How faith brought one woman from victim to survivor

-Enneagram 1

-We got it wrong, Jehovah-Raah is the Lord is my Shepherd

-Divorce Care

-”Redemption Skies”- their song with the lyric “Let the valley teach you what the mountain can’t”

- “Beautiful Things” by Gungor

-Ellie Holcomb spotify

-For the record the church we attend together is Fellowship Bible Church Murfreesboro ;)

-GMA Immerse

-Topher Teague

-Gungor “You Have Me”

-Brooke Fraser “Who Are We Fooling”

-Belmont University

-Tanya Godsey

-Our Daily Bread

-Family Life

-Another episode about working through doubts, questions and truly finding Jesus (Taylor Turkington author of Trembling Faith)

-spiritual disciplines

-the attributes of God (I REALLY loved this study about this from Daily Grace Co. It was a huge help to me)

-Searching For Enough- Tyler Staton, our conversation

-John Mark Comer (not Michael lol)

Scripture References:

Mark 2:15-22-, Mark 5:1-20,Luke 8:26-39, Luke 19:1-10, Luke 17:11-19, John 4-Jesus went to the raw and real places

Psalm 23

Deuteronomy 7:9, Psalm 25:10, Luke 6:36-37, Ephesians 2:4-5-God’s mercy

Luke 15:11-32 (esp 17-21)-Prodigal pacing (earning your way back home)

Psalm 34:4-God is with you in the valley

Psalm 34:18-He is close to the brokenhearted

Exodus 3-A Moses, nope God you got the wrong guy

Exodus 34:6, Nehemiah 9:16-17, Psalm 103:8, 2 Peter 3:8-9-God is so patient

Lamentations 3:22-23, 1 Corinthians 1:9 -He is faithful (among many verses and stories!)

Judges 6, Habakkuk 1-He is OK with us working through questions and doubts

James 4:8-Draw near to Him

Isaiah 46:9-10, Psalm 139, 1 John 3:20, Ephesians 1-He is all-knowing, but we get to know Him

2 Timothy 3:16-17-scripture is God breathed

John 16:33 -This world is broken, and in this world we will have trouble

Psalm 147:5, James 3:17-God has infinite wisdom

Matthew 14:13-21, Luke 8:26-56-Jesus welcomed interuptions and weren’t on the plan

Matthew 26:36-46, Luke 22:39-46, John 17-18 and John 11 -Jesus grieved in the garden and at the tomb of His friend

Job 10:3, Job 19:5-7, Job 27, -Job indicting God

John 20:24-31-”doubting” Thomas

Psalm 27:13-What would have become of me if I had not believed I would see the goodness of the Lord

John 9, 2 Corinthians 12:6-7 -Using suffering for our good (example)

Daniel 3:18-If not He is still good

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