eX-skeptic

What would cause someone with both emotional and intellectual reasons to reject God to reconsider?

Mark Haville grew up in the UK in an abusive home with no religious foundation and little reason to believe God was real. Science, suffering, and life experience all seemed to point him away from faith. But an unexpected encounter with a persistent Christian neighbor, a strange answer to prayer, and a growing hunger for truth opened the door to a life he never expected.

In this episode, Mark shares his journey from a painful childhood and practical atheism to faith in Christ. He and Jana talk about suffering, forgiveness, science, evolution, apologetics, and why belief is not just a matter of evidence, but of the whole person - mind, will, and emotion.

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Guest Bio:

Mark Haville has worked in Christian media for more than thirty years as a producer, writer, and filmmaker. A graduate of Hampstead Bible School in London, he also holds two work-equivalency degrees in Directing and Film Studies from Montana State University. He is an award-winning producer and author of Life’s Story, a wildlife documentary presenting a creation perspective, and has engaged in public debates on questions of origins of life. Now based in Nashville, Mark continues developing feature film projects exploring faith and the deeper questions of life.

Resources Mentioned:

Mark’s Resources:

• Timeless Life Ministries: mark@timelesslife.org

• Film: Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed - https://www.amazon.com/Expelled-Intelligence-Allowed-Ben-Stein/dp/B003LMSSVC

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What does it cost to build a life without God?

For Anh Le, it meant carrying everything - his identity, purpose, success, and morality, alone. Raised without religious commitment and shaped by a worldview rooted in self-reliance, Anh believed meaning and fulfillment was something you created and earned.

And for a while, it seemed to work.

Driven by ambition, relationships, and the pursuit of pleasure, he chased everything that promised satisfaction. But underneath it all, he was crumbling with anxiety, emptiness, and a quiet realization that nothing he built could hold the weight he was placing on it.

Then, unexpectedly, everything changed.

In this episode, Anh shares his journey from atheism and self-reliance to a living relationship with Jesus, one that redefined identity, restored purpose, and brought a peace he never thought possible.

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Guest Bio:

Anh Le is the host of The Real Life Radio Show, a nationally syndicated program airing on both Christian and secular radio networks across the United States. With over a decade in broadcasting, Anh explores the question: Is Jesus still real and active today?

Once an atheist shaped by science, self-reliance, and personal ambition, Anh now shares his story of encountering Christ and discovering a radically different way to live, rooted in relationship with God.

He is also a business owner and communicator passionate about helping others move from skepticism to honest exploration.

Resources Mentioned:

Host, The Real Life Radio Show - https://therealliferadioshow.com/home

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anh.le.3192

• Twitter/X: @evangelistanhle

• YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@therealliferadioshow

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What if the biggest barrier between you and God are the quiet lies you’ve believed about Him your entire life?

Jeremy Gronau carried those lies for years, formed through trauma, loss, and a lifetime of trying to prove his worth. After growing up without a clear understanding of the gospel, Jeremy built his identity on achievement, strength, and performance, ultimately serving as an Apache helicopter pilot in Afghanistan. But beneath the surface were deeper questions about suffering, identity, and whether God could truly be good. In this conversation, Jeremy shares his journey from shallow, cultural Christianity and skepticism to a life transformed by a personal encounter with God.

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C.S. Lewis Institute Summer Academy: https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/?event=global-event-c-s-lewis-institute-summer-academy&event_date=2026-07-12

Guest Bio:

Jeremy Gronau is a former U.S. Army Apache helicopter pilot who served nearly a decade in the military, including a deployment to Afghanistan. After leaving the military due to severe physical injury, Jeremy pursued a Master’s degree in Pastoral Counseling from Liberty University, specializing in crisis and trauma intervention.

He is the founder of Warriors in Christ, a Christian counseling practice dedicated to helping veterans, first responders, and individuals navigate trauma, restore relationships, and discover their God-given purpose.

Jeremy is passionate about helping others experience healing, identity in Christ, and the transforming power of the gospel.

Resources Mentioned:

Jeremy’s Resources:

• Website: Warriors for Christ - https://warriorsinchrist.one

• YouTube Bible study: https://www.youtube.com/@Warriors-In-Christ

Atheists Finding God: https://exskeptic.org/atheistsfindinggod/

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What if being brilliant, successful, and disciplined still isn’t enough to save you from fear, obsession, and self-destruction?

From the outside, Lisa’s life looked enviable—PhD, postdoctoral research at a leading medical school, and a rising career in behavioral health. But beneath the surface, she was unraveling: anxiety, eating disorders, addiction, and relentless obsessive fear followed her for years.

Convinced that intelligent, rational people didn’t need God, Lisa tried everything except faith. It wasn’t until desperation forced her to confront the limits of her own limits that she became open, reluctantly, to the possibility she might be wrong.

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Guest Bio:

Dr. Lisa Stanton is a social psychologist, researcher, and writer. With a PhD in social psychology and a career in behavioral health, she brings a rare blend of empirical insight and personal honesty to questions of identity, meaning, and human flourishing. Her recent work centers on her personal experiences in recovery from not only addiction, but also eating disorders, anxiety conditions, ADHD, irritable bowel syndrome, alopecia areata, and more. Lisa writes at drlisastanton.com, shares reflections on Instagram at @drlisastanton.

Resources Mentioned:

Lisa’s Resources:

• Website: drlisastanton.com

• Instagram: @drlisastanton

• Book: 52 Life-Changing Lessons I Learned in Recovery: A Journey Towards Sobriety, Honesty, and Radical Forgiveness

Lisa’s recommended resources:

• Alpha Course – https://www.alpha.org

• OCIA - https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/264519/becoming-catholic-everything-you-need-to-know-about-ocia

• Bible Study Fellowship - https://www.bsfinternational.org

• Wes Huff, Christian Apologist - https://www.wesleyhuff.com

Atheists Finding God: https://exskeptic.org/atheistsfindinggod/

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What happens when atheism is taken seriously all the way to its logical conclusions?

For Luke Thornton, raised in a deeply secular culture in the UK, honesty about those implications led not to certainty but to discomfort and eventually to an argument he couldn’t ignore.

Luke Thornton grew up in northern England in a culture where belief in God felt irrelevant at best and irrational at worst. An intellectually curious student, Luke embraced atheism not out of apathy but out of a commitment to truth. Science, progress, and reason seemed to leave no room for God.

But as Luke followed atheism to its logical conclusions questions about morality, free will, meaning, and human value began to press in. When a philosophical argument for God’s existence challenged assumptions he’d long held, Luke was forced to reconsider whether disbelief was as intellectually satisfying as he once thought.

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Guest Bio:

Luke Thornton is a Christian creative entrepreneur and evangelist.

Raised in Yorkshire, England, in a non-Christian home, Luke was an atheist until he embraced Christianity as an adult.

He runs a marketing agency full-time while dedicating his spare time to studying apologetics and enjoying life with friends in London.

Resources Mentioned:

Luke’s Recommended Resources:

The Bible Society Study Course: The Bible Course is an eight-session small-group resource designed to help people explore the whole Bible’s story from Genesis to Revelation. For more information, go to: https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/

The Alpha Course: The Alpha Course is a multi-week, conversational introduction to the basics of the Christian faith designed for anyone who is curious about life, meaning, and God.

William Lane Craig. Reasonable Faith is the official ministry and resource hub of Christian philosopher and apologist Dr. William Lane Craig, dedicated to providing articulate, intelligent, and gracious support for the truth of the Christian faith. See: https://www.reasonablefaith.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukethornton___/

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