Great Stories by Haven Today

Steve Richardson Tells the Story Behind "Peace Child"

In 1962, Don and Carol Richardson, along with their seven-month-old baby, traveled to a remote tribe known for treachery, headhunting, and cannibalism. Eventually, after living among the people and learning their language, this tribe came to know Jesus. The dramatic story is captured in the classic "Peace Child" book and movie, but what was it like from the perspective of the Richardsons' child who saw it firsthand? 

On today's episode of the Great Stories podcast, Steve Richardson, the boy who grew up among the Sawi people, joins David Wollen to share the story behind the story, as well as what it's like among the Sawi people today—more than a half century later.

Dr. Ed Welch on the Tug-of-War Between Fear of Man and Fear of God

We’ve all been there. Peer pressure, desire for acceptance, fear of rejection. These aren't just issues for teenagers in the lunchroom. From young adulthood into old age, these struggles are still an issue for many of us. The Bible calls it fear of man and demonstrates it against the backdrop of fear of God.

Ultimately, they cannot coexist.

On today's episode of the Great Stories podcast, David Wollen is joined by Dr. Ed Welch to discuss these common struggles. Using his book When People are Big and God is Small as a launching pad for the conversation, this episode strives to help you—whether you have been aware of it up until now, or not—to grapple with the tug-of-war between fear of man and fear of God. 

Heather Davis Nelson on How Jesus Rescues Us from Our Shame

What are you ashamed of? If you're like most people, a blunt question like this has the power to resurface long-ago-buried memories of wrongdoing. It doesn't even matter whether you were caught or got away with it, shame can stay with us for many years—and yet it is too often ignored and unresolved. 

On today's episode of the Great Stories podcast, David Wollen and his wife, Marci, are joined by author and counselor Heather Davis Nelson. In this conversation, they discuss the destructive force shame can have on the life of a believer, how it is as old as sin itself, and how Jesus ultimately redeems us and rescues us.

For more on how to find freedom from shame, visit haventoday.org to receive a copy of Heather's book "Unashamed" as our thanks for your gift in support of this podcast ministry. 

Charles Morris on Living with Post-Polio

"Weakness on one side, fatigue all around." Charles Morris was 18 months old when he contracted Polio. And while the Lord spared him the most debilitating parts of the disease, he's had to live with the effects ever since. Those effects only become more amplified with age.

On a special episode of the great stories podcast, David Wollen speaks with Charles Morris about what his everyday life is like with post-polio and how it reminds him of the Lord's strength when he is feeling weak. No matter what troubles and weaknesses you may be facing today, this episode will keep you looking to Jesus.

Haven Ministries 90th Anniversary Celebration

Did you know that Haven Ministries is celebrating 90 incredible years of ministry?

If you missed our live 90th anniversary celebration, no worries! You can catch all the highlights and heartwarming moments in this episode of the Great Stories podcast. Be encouraged as David Wollen, Charles Morris, Joni Eareckson Tada, and more reflect on Haven’s rich history of sharing the gospel for 90 years … and counting! 

Watch the video version of this episode on Haven's blog at haventoday.org.

First Mate Bob Tells the Story Behind the Haven of Rest (repost)

It all started on an early foggy morning in 1934, when Paul Myers, a former Los Angeles radio personality and station manager of leading radio stations woke up near a wharf in San Diego. Hungover, he heard the sound of a ship’s bell ring out eight times at 4:00 a.m., signaling “all’s well.”

Only one month later, Myers would be back on the radio, but this time, sharing his newfound faith in Jesus. What happened in between is the extraordinary story of how Myers would go on to found a Christian radio program that continues till this day. At that point, it was called “Haven of Rest,” and Paul Myers would endearingly become known as First Mate Bob. Now, 90 years later, that ministry is called Haven Today — the very same ministry publishing this podcast.

Hear Paul Myers tell this story in his own words. It’s also our story here at Haven Ministries. We pray this episode will serve as a reminder that the Lord is in the business of redeeming sinners and using them to go on to do great things for the Kingdom. 

Dr. David Sunday on Seeing Jesus in the Psalms

God speaks powerfully through the books of the Bible. This is especially true in the Psalms. Not only does it include words to help us express our deepest thoughts and emotions to the Lord, it can also direct our worship and draw us nearer to Jesus.

On today's episode of the Great Stories podcast, David Wollen is joined by one of his good friends and mentors, Dr. David Sunday. After serving 30 years as a pastor, Dr. Sunday is now the president of WordPartners, a ministry that exists to train pastors to teach God’s Word with God’s heart.

In this conversation, Dr. Sunday shares how the Psalms teach us to lament, repent, praise, and thank—all while pointing to Jesus and giving us a path to flee to Him for refuge. 

Dennis Johnson on How All the Bible is All About Jesus

How can all the Bible be all about Jesus when His name doesn't explicitly appear till the New Testament? From Genesis to Leviticus to Esther, it may be hard to see Jesus on the surface of every page, but he's there—in profound and subtle ways.

Dr. Dennis Johnson is a scholar and one of the founding faculty members of Westminster Seminary in California. Today, he joins David Wollen to discuss a christocentric approach to reading and studying God's Word.

If you are new to this way of reading the Bible, we encourage you to be patient. It may take some time to learn to see Jesus on every page, but it's important and worth the effort. Because this is not merely a hermeneutical trick of smoke and mirrors ... it's the way Jesus himself taught his disciples to study and teach the Scriptures. 

Julie Lowe on How to Shield our Homes and Equip our Kids

The data is clear. Our world and culture are shaping our kids in ways that are often difficult to detect. For parents and grandparents, the natural reaction might be to shield them from danger—but this tactic in isolation may end up doing more harm than good. So, what's a well-meaning caregiver to do?

On today's episode of the Great Stories podcast, David Wollen speaks with Julie Lowe. A licensed professional counselor (LPC) and a registered play therapist supervisor, Julie has over 20 years of experience helping children, teens, and families work through difficult issues. In this conversation, she provides practical, biblical help that, in many ways, runs counter-intuitive to the culture we live in. For many, this episode may serve as a wake up call regarding the types of dangers and issues children and young people are facing every day.

As a thank you for your support of this podcast by Haven Today, we'd love to send you a copy of Julie's recently published book Safeguards: Shielding Our Homes and Equipping Our Kids. To learn more, visit haventoday.org

Joseph Kohm on the Importance of Friendship for C.S. Lewis

A lot has been said about C.S. Lewis the writer, the professor, the theologian, the apologist. But what about C.S. Lewis the friend? Joseph Kohm has written extensively about the surprising, yet tragic, friendship between Lewis and his childhood pal, Arthur Greeves.

On today's episode of the Great Stories podcast, Kohm joins David Wollen to discuss how Lewis considered friendship to be the chief source of happiness—and his friendship with Greeves lasted for half a century. This conversation also covers Lewis' life story, the unique approach he took to defending Christianity, and how his words continue to speak to us in our modern world.

Whether you are a longtime fan of Lewis' writing or you're just wanting to learn more about his life and work, this conversation will likely shed new light on one of Christianity's most beloved writers.