Hosted by Ellen Krause
Wrestling with God & Healing Church Hurt
When life shakes us—failed leadership, church hurt, unanswered questions—Jesus doesn’t flinch. In this episode of the Coffee and Bible Time Podcast, Ellen Krause sits down with Lina AbuJamra (pediatric ER doctor, Bible teacher, author of Fractured Faith) to unpack a distinctly biblical kind of resilience: unshakable faith formed not by noise or platform, but by surrender and trust in Christ.
Lina shares how a season of church implosion and long wrestling with doubt didn’t end her walk with God—it deepened it. If you’ve wondered how to keep trusting when the church disappoints you, this conversation is a lifeline.
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SpotifyTimestamps:
00:00 – Intro & mission (Coffee & Bible Time)
00:37 – Today’s theme + guest: “Unshakable Moxie” with Lina
02:05 – Who is Lina AbuJamra? Bio & ministry
04:10 – What is “moxie”? A biblical definition of strength
06:02 – Cultural vs. biblical strength; Jesus as the model
06:54 – Lina’s story: church hurt & deconstruction
10:37 – When leadership fails: fallout & disillusionment
12:25 – Wrestling with God & surrendering vindication
16:21 – Redefining outcomes; freedom from others’ opinions
18:49 – Hitting the wall: from legalism to grace
20:31 – Wrestling with God vs. wrestling without Him
21:37 – Fruit of the fight: freedom, humility, renewed joy
27:03 – Encouragement for doubters and the weary
28:28 – Curate your inputs: voices that shape your faith
30:15 – Inside the Unshakable Moxie episode
31:40 – Power of testimony; God redeems pain (free series)
36:04 – Where to watch + discussion guide for groups
37:40 – Resources roundup: ESV, favorite devos, reading plan
39:36 – Consistency over perfection; apps & evening examen
42:07 – Closing thoughts, links, and blessing
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What Is “Unshakable Faith”?
Culture measures strength by volume and victory laps. Scripture measures it by dependence on God. True moxie—biblically speaking—isn’t bravado. It’s Christlike courage that perseveres, even through pain (1 Peter 2:21–23).
Bottom line: Christians don’t avoid storms. We meet Jesus in them—and that is where unshakable faith is born.
Lina’s Story: From Deconstruction to Deeper Dependence
Lina served and taught in a thriving church—until the cracks widened and the leadership collapsed. What followed was a decade of grief, confusion, and wrestling.
- The wound: church hurt and disillusionment with leadership.
- The crossroads: wrestle without God (cynicism) or wrestle with God (dependence).
- The breakthrough: releasing the need for self-vindication and trusting the God “who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23).
- The fruit: healing church hurt, surprising joy, renewed hunger for Scripture, and freedom from legalism.
Her testimony is not tidy. It’s truer: God meets us in honest lament, invites us to cling to Him, and remakes our strength on His terms.
How to Rebuild Faith After Church Hurt
If you’re carrying spiritual bruises, here’s a gentle, biblical path forward.
1) Bring the real you to the real God
Pray your confusion, not just your conclusions (Psalm 62:8). God already knows; He invites you anyway (Hebrews 4:16).
2) Keep Scripture central (without performance pressure)
Trade perfectionism for presence. Open the Word daily—even if it’s one Psalm and a simple prayer. Relationship over checkbox (John 15:4–5).
Try this: read Isaiah 43 and ask, “Where is God with me right now?”
3) Curate the voices that shape you
When trust is fragile, your inputs matter. Choose Scripture-saturated, Jesus-honoring resources. Test everything (Acts 17:11).
4) Don’t confuse Jesus with failure in His church
People fail; Christ does not (Hebrews 13:8). Let disappointment drive you to the Person at the center of our faith.
5) Release the need to “win” your story
True strength often looks like quiet surrender (1 Peter 2:23). God sees. God vindicates. In His time and His way (Romans 12:19).
Scriptures to Hold When Your Faith Feels Fragile
About Our Guest: Lina AbuJamra
Lina AbuJamra is a pediatric ER doctor turned Bible teacher, the founder of Living With Power Ministries, a speaker, and the author of Fractured Faith, Through the Desert (Bible study), and Don’t Tell Anyone You’re Reading This. She also contributes to the Unshakable Moxie docu-series with a companion Bible/discussion study.
Watch the Docu-Series: Unshakable Moxie
Hosted by Toni Collier and Mariah Smallbone, this six-episode series features women who faced deep hardship and found Christ’s strength on the other side—voices like Joni Eareckson Tada and Bernice King. Pair the videos with Lina’s companion discussion guide for a rich small-group journey.
Small Group Idea: Watch one episode each week, then walk through the matching chapter of the study, and close by praying Isaiah 43 over one another.
Practical Tools Lina Loves
Try This 7-Day “Unshakable Faith” Mini-Plan
- Day 1: Isaiah 43 — Journal: Where have I felt abandoned? Where has God been present?
- Day 2: Psalm 13 — Pray your lament. End with “But I will trust…”
- Day 3: Genesis 32 — What has God been renaming in me?
- Day 4: 1 Peter 2:21–25 — How does Jesus redefine strength?
- Day 5: John 16:33 — List your “tribulations.” Then write “Take heart.”
- Day 6: Romans 8:31–39 — Circle every promise.
- Day 7: Share one testimony of God’s nearness with a friend or small group.
Key Takeaways
While you’re here, explore more ways to stay rooted in God’s Word:
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