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This Unexpected Life

This Unexpected Life

By: Carrie M Holt
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About this listen

Welcome to This Unexpected Life, a podcast designed to equip and encourage parents and caregivers of children with disabilities so they can embrace their journey with hope, faith, and resilience.

With over twenty years of parenting experience, Carrie M Holt is a story-telling companion for caregiving mothers, exploring the hope and healing found in Jesus Christ—one story at a time.

© 2026 This Unexpected Life
Christianity Parenting & Families Relationships Spirituality
Episodes
  • Desperate Prayers and Deep Faith: Finding God in Long-Term Caregiving and Loss with Rachel Wojo
    Apr 21 2026

    What do you do when you don’t have the words to pray?

    In this deeply honest and hope-filled conversation, Carrie sits down with author and speaker Rachel Wojo to talk about caregiving, grief, and how prayer transforms in life’s hardest seasons. After walking a 22-year journey caring for her daughter Taylor, who was diagnosed with a rare terminal disorder, Rachel shares how suffering reshaped her faith, her understanding of God, and her approach to prayer.

    Together, they unpack what it looks like to move from asking “Why, God?” to “Show me You,” how to pray in moments of exhaustion and overwhelm, and why God’s presence matters more than His intervention. Rachel offers practical, grace-filled ways to build rhythms of prayer in unpredictable caregiving life, including “prayer habit stacking” and letting go of prayer perfectionism.

    If you’re a special needs parent, caregiver, or someone walking through grief, this episode will remind you that even your simplest prayers—“God help me”—are heard, held, and answered with His presence.

    Eps. 45; April 21, 2026

    Resources:
    Rachel’s Website
    Book: Desperate Prayers
    Praying Through Life’s Battles

    If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review!

    • Get my new resource: 5 Practices For Processing Grief
    • Click here if you want to be a guest on the show
    • Carrie’s Facebook or Instagram
    • Find me on Substack
    • My book: The Other Side of Special

    *This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.

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    39 mins
  • From Disability to Calling: Finding Purpose, Identity & Joy in Christ with Anna Harp (Part 2)
    Apr 14 2026

    In Part 2 of this powerful conversation on This Unexpected Life, Carrie M. Holt continues her interview with Anna Harp, a young writer living with cerebral palsy who is discovering her God-given purpose through storytelling.

    Anna opens up about the ongoing grief that can come with disability and the freedom of realizing that grief is not failure—it’s part of the journey. Through reflections on Psalm 23 and God’s “withness” in the wilderness, she shares how God meets us in our hardest places and gently reshapes our understanding of purpose.

    You’ll also hear how Anna discovered her calling as a fantasy writer, creating stories where characters with disabilities are seen, valued, and empowered. Her passion is to help teens with disabilities feel understood, less alone, and full of hope.

    This episode is a deeply encouraging reminder that:

    • Your child’s story matters
    • Disability does not disqualify purpose
    • God uses the broken things for beauty and impact

    Whether you are parenting a child with special needs or walking through your own unexpected journey, this conversation will strengthen your faith and remind you that God is always at work—even in the wilderness.

    Eps. 45; April 14, 2026

    Resources:

    • Subscribe to Anna’s Monthly Newsletter
    • Purchase Book Featuring Her Writing
    • Anna’s Website


    If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review!

    • Get my new resource: 5 Practices For Processing Grief
    • Click here if you want to be a guest on the show
    • Carrie’s Facebook or Instagram
    • Find me on Substack
    • My book: The Other Side of Special

    *This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.

    Show More Show Less
    37 mins
  • Cerebral Palsy, Faith & Overcoming Fear: A Teen’s Journey from Feeling “Less Than” to Trusting God With Anna Harp (Part 1)
    Apr 7 2026

    In Part 1 of this powerful two-part conversation, Carrie sits down with Anna Harp, a young adult living with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, to share her story of faith, fear, and transformation.

    Born at just 27 weeks and spending nearly three months in the NICU, Anna’s life began with immense challenges. As she grew, she wrestled deeply with feeling “less than,” questioning God’s goodness, and navigating the emotional weight of living with a disability.

    In this honest and hope-filled episode, Anna shares:

    • When she first realized she was different
    • Her struggle with comparison, anger, and faith
    • The moment her faith became personal
    • Her life-changing spinal surgery and recovery
    • How she relearned to walk—step by step—with Jesus

    This episode is for any parent raising a child with disabilities, and for anyone walking through fear, grief, or uncertainty. Anna’s story is a reminder that even in the unexpected places—Jesus is there

    Eps. 44; April 7, 2026

    Resources:

    • Subscribe to Anna’s Monthly Newsletter
    • Purchase Book Featuring Her Writing
    • Anna’s Website

    If you enjoyed the show, leave a 5-star review!

    • Get my new resource: 5 Practices For Processing Grief
    • Click here if you want to be a guest on the show
    • Carrie’s Facebook or Instagram
    • Find me on Substack
    • My book: The Other Side of Special

    *This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Any resources listed are shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you hold onto and set aside.

    Show More Show Less
    43 mins
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