Ep. 134: From Murderer to Messenger: How God Transformed a Prisoner Through His Word with Henry Mitchell
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
Release Date: 07/15/2025
How a Single Mom Paid Off $64,000: Creative Debt Hacks from a Financial Coach with Tiffany Miliander Ep. 166
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
If you’re walking a difficult journey through what may feel like insurmountable debt right now and see no way out, my guest today will give you hope. Tiffany Miliander was a single mom who was left with $64,000 in debt when she divorced. But she was determined not to let that debt linger and paid all of it off in four short years. Debt can feel like a mountain you never asked to climb, but Tiffany stood exactly where you might be standing—and refused to stay there. She didn’t wait for perfect circumstances. She didn’t wait to feel ready. She took one creative step, then another, and...
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A Wake Up Call for Wives: Don't Let Fear Steal Your Yes with Carol Roper Ep. 165
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
Have you ever looked back and realized comfort kept you from saying yes to something that mattered? In this episode, I’m sharing how a moment from Taylor Sheridan’s new series The Madison stopped me in my tracks and reminded me what it really means to love well — especially in marriage. This isn’t a review of the show, and I’m not endorsing all its content. But there’s a powerful theme woven through the story that every Christian wife needs to hear. Spoiler alert: I’ll be talking about the premise of the series, so listen with that in mind. If fear, comfort, or “maybe...
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Finding Hope in the Unknown: Tommy Jennings Fight with Cancer Ep. 163
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
When you’re facing a diagnosis, a fear, or a season of waiting, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the unknown. In today’s episode, Tommy Jennings shares a powerful testimony of courage, peace, and unshakable faith as he battles Hodgkin’s Lymphoma — a fight he’s been in for six years. Tommy’s story is raw, honest, and deeply hope‑filled. After exhausting every treatment option, he now lives in the tension of uncertainty — yet his confidence in Jesus has only grown stronger. His words, “Either way it goes, I win,” will challenge and inspire you to trust God in your own...
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I Almost Walked Away: How Questioning God Led to a Stronger Belief Ep. 163
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
Have you ever doubted your faith? Wondered if God isn’t real? I dealt with this issue a couple of decades ago and wondered how I could go on doing “all the things” while struggling with doubt. Today I want to share a fascinating story about how an elephant can be similar to testing our faith. To see photos of the bridge, watch on YouTube Sign up for my monthly newsletter
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A Blueprint for Raising Gender-Confident Kids: What Parents Need to Know with Dr. Jeff Myers EP. 162
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
Between school messaging, social media trends, and cultural pressure, it can feel like the world is speaking louder to our kids than we are. But you have more influence than you think — and today’s conversation will help you use it wisely. If you’re a Christian parent feeling overwhelmed by the rise in gender confusion, you’re not alone. Everywhere you turn—schools, social media, even kids’ friend groups—messages about gender identity and transgender ideology are shaping how teens think about themselves. But what if you could understand what’s really happening and learn how to...
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Ep. 161: Rediscovering the Front Porch: Why It Still Builds Family and Community with Carol Roper
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
Whether you call it a veranda, piazza, stoop or porch, these appendages to our homes can have a positive impact on our family and community. It doesn’t have to be fancy or huge to be a welcoming respite away from the chores, homework and television. Make it as comfortable as you can and invite the kids and hubby outside for a change of scenery and a bit of togetherness. And include the neighbors of you’re feeling up to having company. Let’s bring back the front porch. This is the tenth and final episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series. If you’ve missed...
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Ep. 160: Your Scars Tell Your Story with Carol Roper
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
What scars do you carry? Maybe you’ve had a c-section (or 3) and don’t want to wear a bathing suit anymore (among other reasons). Maybe you’ve been injured in an accident and try to disguise the evidence. Or maybe you’ve suffered from cancer and now have an ugly scar as a reminder of your survival. Whatever the reason, it’s natural for us to want to cover unsightly scars from public view. When I was in my mid-twenties and almost put my eye out from accidentally shoving my face into a large splinter, I didn’t realize the permanent damage that could have been done until the ER sent...
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Ep. 159: Oaks of Righteousness: Raising Families with Deep Roots with Carol Roper
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
Home isn’t just a place—it’s a story. When my husband and I set out to build our forever home on his family’s farm, we weren’t just choosing land; we were choosing legacy. Every step across those pastures reminded us that roots matter—both the ones in the soil and the ones in our hearts. And as we stood beneath a solitary oak, we realized this journey was about more than a house. It was about building on a foundation that time can’t shake. This is the eighth episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series. If you’ve missed any of the previous episodes, I...
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Ep. 158: The Power of Light: Becoming a Spiritual Lamplighter with Carol Roper
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
I’ll leave the light on for you. Have you ever heard that line before? Motel 6 turned that phrase into a promise—but spiritually, it’s a calling. Darkness is everywhere, but one light can change everything. That light is Christ in you. Just like lamplighters once walked city streets to protect their communities, you’ve been called to guard your home with vigilance and faith. The Proverbs 31 woman never let her lamp go out—and neither should we. In this episode, you’ll learn practical ways to keep your spiritual flame burning, strengthen your connection to the Holy Spirit, and...
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Ep. 157: Why You Matter: The Hidden Strength in Every Home with Carol Roper
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
Sometimes the most important role is the one that feels the least glamorous. We live in a world that celebrates big wins and visible achievements. But what about the quiet, everyday work—the kind that rarely gets applause? Have you ever felt unimportant in your own home, wondering if anyone notices the meals, the clean laundry, the late-night homework help? The truth is, your role isn’t just important, it’s essential. You are the strength that holds everything together. This is the sixth episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series. So far, we’ve seen why we...
info_outlineOne Wednesday night after church I struck up a conversation with another church member, Henry Mitchell, and he shared all of the great things God had been doing in his life. Now I knew Henry had been released from prison over two years prior and that he'd served a long time in prison, but I didn't know how long he'd served or why he'd been arrested in the first place. Henry shared that three weeks after his 24th birthday he killed two people in a drug sale gone bad. he spent four-and-a-half months in solitary confinement after his arrest and was sentenced to life with a possibility of parole in 20 years. While he was in solitary confinement, he began reading a New Testament a chaplain had given him and Henry gave his life to Christ. He cried for three days because he didn't believe a person could be cleansed like that. Henry served almost 34 years in prison before he was finally granted parole on his 15th try. After his release he started praying for God to bring him a good job, a nice home and a dependable, affordable car. God took care of him by providing each one in some of the most incredible ways.
As a result of Henry's relationship with Jesus he's become one of the most faith-filled evangelists I've ever encountered, always saying, "Praise the Lord" and sincerely meaning it. If you're struggling with something you've done in the past and don't believe God could ever forgive you, I hope knowing Henry's story will help you understand that God will forgive you, no matter what you've done, as long as you repent and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. You're going to be blessed by Henry's testimony of God's grace and mercy and I hope it will cause you to pray bolder prayers and build a bolder faith in your own life.
To see more show notes from this episode go to CarolRoper.org/podcast
If you’d like to hear more epsiodes about tough topics, check out my episodes with Mike Novotny Tackling Tough Topics: Mental Health, Porn and Politics. Or if you're concerned about raising your son in the current culture listen to Blueprints for Raising Boys to be Godly Men with Erin and Jason Davis.