How to Face Suffering Without Losing Hope | Dave VanVickle
We all know it's impossible to avoid suffering. But what if there was a way to respond to the suffering in your own life—from serious tragedies to everyday difficulties—in a way that ultimately led to peace?
In this powerful episode of The Chris Stefanick Show, I sit down with Dave VanVickle, a husband and father who’s walked through some of the deepest suffering imaginable.
From raising multiple children with serious health challenges to losing his beloved wife Amber to cancer when she was only 40 years old, Dave has faced hardship and grief that would break most people.
But through this pain, Dave found a path that allows him to surrender his suffering to Christ and transform it into a peaceful acceptance grounded in love.
Suffering is STILL hard, but Dave shares a perspective of gratitude and grace that will help you to offer up your daily crosses and not take any of your blessings for granted.
This episode isn’t just about grief—it’s about finding hope in the resurrection when you're living through Good Friday.
Timestamps:0:00 Intro1:51 His children's health challenges7:20 His wife Amber's journey through cancer 14:33 What it means to “offer it up” 17:28 Managing grief 19:24 Preparing your spouse for death 26:30 The peace that surpasses understanding 29:00 Learning to live again after loss 32:13 Living in the moment with gratitude and love 35:41 When you feel abandoned by God
Jesus didn’t suffer so you wouldn’t have to. He suffered so you’d know how to. If you’re in pain, if life doesn’t make sense right now—this conversation is for you. You’re not alone. Christ is with you in the cross, and he’s preparing you for heaven through these trials.
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How God Used a "Nobody" to Convert 10 Million People at Guadalupe
I’m so excited for you to watch this week’s Sunday Reflection that I filmed on a recent pilgrimage to Mexico City while literally climbing up Tepeyac Hill—the place where Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to St. Juan Diego in 1531.
The story of Juan Diego ties in perfectly to what Jesus tells us in the Gospel: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
It doesn’t get much humbler than Juan Diego. He was a peasant…an absolute nobody by the standards of the world. But God chose to work through him to bring about the largest mass conversion to Christianity in history!
Are you feeling like a nobody? God doesn’t see you that way. Mary never appeared to celebrities, politicians, or influencers. She spoke to people that no one else was paying any attention to.
God is exalting you in your humility. Don’t reject his invitation. Be like Juan Diego and change the world—even for just one person. How might God use you in your personal sphere of influence? Who are the people in front of you right now that need your love? Turn your attention there.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!
Timecodes: 0:00 At the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe 3:59 Mary appears to a “nobody” 5:11 Juan Diego’s humility 6:39 Mary’s message of comfort 7:51 The miracles of Our Lady of Guadalupe 8:44 The greatest conversion in history 9:46 Ongoing signs: preservation, studies, and protection 10:10 Three Takeaways from St. Juan Diego 13:47 Prison ministry witness—love who’s in front of you 14:28 See St. Juan Diego's tilma 500 years later
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Every Marian apparition was given to someone who seemed insignificant in the eyes of the world. When have you felt like you didn’t matter or weren’t “enough”? How might God want to use you in your humility? 2. Mary said to Juan Diego, “Am I not here, I who am your mother?” What part of that message hits your heart today? Where do you most need to trust that Mary’s protection and God’s love are real? 3.What does humility look like for you in your daily life—at work, in your family, online? What’s one small, hidden act of love you can do this week? 4. Juan Diego’s tilma still hasn’t decayed after 500 years. How does that ongoing miracle strengthen your faith? What miracles—big or small—have you seen in your own life?5. True greatness comes from focusing on the person right in front of you. Who is that person for you today? How could you love them in a way that might change their world?
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How St. John Paul II Beat Communism
As we celebrate St. John Paul II's feast day on October 22, it's the perfect opportunity to revisit his life and legacy—especially his efforts to free Poland from communism through a peaceful revolution grounded in the public witness of deep faith.
In this episode of the Chris Stefanick Show, I discuss all things St. John Paul II with Drs. Peter and Kasia Drag, professors at the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow. They experienced the last gasps of communism in Poland—and share the stark reality of that existence.
We delve into the history of Poland and rise of communism, the tragedies John Paul II faced in his early life under Nazi and Communist rule, and how God raised him to the papacy at just the right moment to begin undoing the Communist regime in Poland…and beyond.
Timecodes:
0:00 — The story of Chris Stefanick's heroic great-uncle standing up to communism 06:36 — History of Poland 08:12 — The “Miracle on the Vistula” 12:27 — John Paul II's childhood tragedies and upbringing under communism 23:31 — Daily life under communism 31:12 — “Nine days that changed the world” 36:15 — The assassination attempt on JPII and Providence at Fatima. 39:36 — John Paul II's ongoing impact 49:13 — How Divine Mercy will change the world
When you look at Poland’s story, you see how God turns suffering into strength. A nation crushed by war, communism, and loss became the cradle of some of the greatest saints of modern times—Maximilian Kolbe, Faustina Kowalska, and John Paul II. Their secret? They allowed grace to transform them in the midst of evil to unleash God’s goodness.
Oppression has the power to raise up saints—and it certainly did that in Poland through Pope John Paul II. But he reminded us that the true spark to renew the face of the earth isn’t a pope or a politician. It’s Divine Mercy—God’s love poured out on a wounded world.
Divine Mercy has the power to tear down walls, topple empires, and heal hearts. It took down the Iron Curtain without a single shot being fired. And if it can break the chains of communism, just imagine what it can do in your own heart.
St. John Paul II, pray for us!
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What To Do While You Wait for God's Timing
Are you waiting to find "the one?" The perfect job? Maybe just a general feeling of contentment in your life?
God's timing is often (usually!) not our timing. So what can you do?
Meet Blessed Sebastian of Aparicio—a man who built roads, made a fortune, and waited decades for his deepest prayer to be answered, but it didn't go quite like he envisioned it. His story is a powerful reminder that what seems like a delay from God is actually just the unfolding of his perfect plan for you.
Sebastian longed for marriage and waited until he was 60 to find “the one.” Both wives died soon after. Only later, at 72 years old, did he finally discover his true vocation as a Franciscan friar—and eventually become known as the Angel of Mexico.
In this reflection, I offer three tips for what you should (and shouldn't) do while you play the waiting game. Keep living, keep loving, and keep praying. God is never late, and he will not be outdone in generosity.
Blessed Sebastian, pray for us when we’re in a rush and God is not.
Timecodes:0:00 – When you’re in a rush and God’s not 0:45 – The incredible life of Blessed Sebastian of Aparicio 3:15 – Don’t abandon God’s plan when life feels slow 5:20 – Keep living: the danger of waiting for “real life” to start 7:45 – Keep praying and trust God’s perfect timing
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Shayne Smith on the Healing Power of Comedy and his Radical Conversion
He was a practicing satanist. A successful comedian. And totally lost.
Then one day, while sitting in the back of a Catholic church, comedian Shayne Smith had a vision of the Virgin Mary that changed his life forever.
In this 100th episode of The Chris Stefanick Show, Shayne opens up about his journey from abuse, violence, and satanism…to freedom, faith, and forgiveness in Jesus Christ. He shares how laughter became a way to heal, how radical forgiveness rewired his brain, and how the love of Christ transformed his woundedness into a life of joy—illuminating comedy as a pathway for sharing that joy with others.
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro 2:00 How Shayne found comedy (and what makes people laugh) 10:28 The challenge and gifts of ADHD and creativity 18:39 From “the everything guy” to the “Jesus guy” 22:22 Comedy as a sacred calling 26:45 "Laughter is getting close to God." 28:10 Using comedy to uplift rather than tear down 36:00 How conversion redeemed his childhood trauma 43:27 Covering a satanic tattoo to reveal the Trinity 50:07 Shayne's conversion story 56:10 A vision of Mary that changed him instantly 1:06:36 Forgiving those who hurt him 1:11:05 How God redeemed his life experiences 1:15:53 Shayne’s prayer for healing and freedom
God can reach into the depths of darkness to remind us that we are his beloved children and redeem any story—no matter how bleak it might seem right now.
I hope Shayne's story is a source of hope and inspiration for you if you're still struggling to overcome your wounds or if you're seeking a way to use your talents for the glory of God.
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The world says the Catholic Faith is boring. And too often, we act like we believe it. Ready to live your Faith like an adventure instead? Chris Stefanick wants to help you live the JOY God created you for, right here and now. Hit Play and get rolling!
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