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
Her Husband Died in a Helicopter Crash. His Wife Died of Cancer. Then They Found Each Other with Jeff and Kim Jackson Ep. 184
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
In this episode of Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family, host Carol Roper sits down with Jeff and Kim Jackson, a couple who each lost a spouse and found hope, healing, and love with each other. They met as friends in the military. Kim became a young widow when her husband was killed in a military helicopter accident. Two years later, Jeff lost his wife to an aggressive form of breast cancer. Both were raising small children. Less than two years later, they married, blended their families, and welcomed another child together. This year they celebrated 25 years...
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What I Wish Someone Had Told Me On My Own Cancer Journey with Carol Roper Ep. 183
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and today I'm sharing something deeply personal — my own breast cancer diagnosis, the fear in the waiting that came with it, and how God met me in a season where nothing about my life felt familiar anymore. This isn't an easy story, but I believe it's an important one. If you've ever faced a diagnosis that turned your world upside down, or you're walking through that uncertain season of waiting and wondering what's next, I hope you'll feel less alone by the end of this episode. And if you've been putting off your own mammogram, I hope my...
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She Didn't Want a Divorce. She Got One Anyway with Jody Allen Ep. 182
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
Jody Allen, author of Hidden Heartache, joins [Your Name] to talk about surviving a marriage broken by her husband's pornography addiction — and finding hope after divorce she never wanted. A raw, honest conversation about shame, healing, and ministering to women walking the same road. If you've ever carried shame that wasn't yours, this episode is for you. If you'd like to reach out to Jody you can email her at Find out more about Sign up for my Watch on YouTube
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Bonus Episode: I Said Yes at 29. I Didn't Know What I Was Signing Up For with Carol Roper Ep. 181
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
In this bonus Kitchen Table episode, host Carol Roper shares her personal story of how God called her into ministry at just 29 years old — and the 30+ years of twists, turns, and seasons of confusion that followed as she pursued that calling. Carol opens up about what it feels like to sense the tug of the Holy Spirit pulling you toward something deeper, even when the path forward isn't clear. If you've ever wondered whether you're truly hearing from God or questioned the direction of your own calling, this episode offers honesty, encouragement, and practical courage for the journey — along...
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I Quit My Job for My Dream. I'd Do It Again — Even Knowing How Hard It Got with Carol Roper Ep. 180
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
In this first Kitchen Table episode of the fall season, we ask a question if we knew how hard it would be would we do it anyway? Through a personal story of chasing a dream career, hitting financial hardship building a small business, and crying out to God for a way out, this episode explores what happens when an answered prayer doesn't look like relief — and how perseverance, faith, and trust can turn a struggling season into the very thing that shapes your character and calling. If you're a woman pursuing a dream that keeps hitting obstacles, this conversation will help you see your...
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How to Know if it's God or Just a Crazy Idea with Brittany Bruce Ep. 179
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
There’s a moment in every woman’s story where she wonders if she’s lost her way — where the calling she once felt so clearly suddenly feels confusing, heavy, or out of reach. I know that moment well. In fact, when I first met today’s guest, I was standing right in the middle of it. I was discouraged, frustrated, and honestly ready to give up on the dream God had put in my heart. But God met me through a woman who has walked her own winding path of obedience, surrender, and calling — Brittany Bruce. She’s a business and ministry coach, the founder of Well Done Women, and the...
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Inside Ground Zero: A 9/11 Firefighter’s Story of Courage, Loss, and Faith with Niels Jorgensen Ep. 178
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
In this special live episode, retired NYC firefighter Niels Jorgensen shares his firsthand account of serving at Ground Zero on 9/11. Niels reflects on the courage of first responders, the loss of nearly 3,000 innocent lives, and his own battle with a rare leukemia caused by toxin exposure during the recovery efforts. Recorded in front of a live audience, this conversation also honors our local Fountain Inn fire, police, and EMS departments, who attended in their Class A uniforms. You’ll hear powerful stories of sacrifice, resilience, and faith — and why remembering 9/11 matters for the...
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Her Childhood was Broken. Her Legacy Isn't with Sam Navarro Ep. 177
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
She grew up in a home marked by addiction, instability, and zero faith influence. When a friend invited her to church at fifteen, everything changed — except her parents’ response. They kicked her out, leaving her alone on the streets with nowhere to go. But God wasn’t done writing her story. With the help of a local church who gave her a place to live, she finished high school, went to college, and built a life rooted in faith, stability, and purpose. Today, she’s a homeschooling mom of four, married for fifteen years, and walking in a freedom her childhood never offered. She refused...
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Duck Dynasty's Untold Redemption Story: Phil Robertson's Past and Phyllis' Miracle Discovery Ep. 176
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
In this powerful episode, Phyllis Robertson Thomas — daughter of Phil Robertson from Duck Dynasty — shares the incredible story of discovering her biological father through a DNA test, a revelation that led her into a family she never knew she had and a redemption story only God could write. Phyllis opens up about navigating identity, healing from long‑buried wounds, and experiencing God’s grace in the most unexpected places. Her testimony is honest, hope‑filled, and deeply encouraging for anyone walking through seasons of uncertainty, transition, or restoration and proves God can...
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How to Defend Your Faith without Losing Your Cool with Liz Cobo Ep. 175
Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast
Liz Cobo says that nothing has deepened her faith and changed her walk with Jesus like studying the Bible. Studying God’s Word literally changed her life. Things that were once important priorities aren’t anymore. Things that were once afterthoughts are now at the top of her list. Scripture is God’s self-revelation and is available to anyone willing to take the time and make the effort to read and study. Liz understands that now. God promises in his Word that he will give us greater understanding of His Word when we read it. Liz always believed in God,...
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.