Unwritten

When Prayer Feels Fruitless — Until It Isn’t

In this episode of Unwritten, Trevor Barreca sits down with Melissa Sartori, who shares a quiet but powerful story of how God works long before we ever see the fruit.While serving on a small Catholic campus in the Northeast, he was tasked with reaching student athletes — a group that made up nearly a quarter of the entire student body. Many were open, curious, and eager. But one athlete, Caitlyn, always stayed just out of reach: friendly, kind, smiling… yet never willing to go deeper.Despite little visible progress, she never left his prayers. And then, on a cold November night — with plans canceled and Thanksgiving break hours away — everything changed.In This Episode You’ll Hear:🏃‍♀️ Life as a campus missionary working with student athletes🙏 What it looks like to pray faithfully when nothing seems to be happening🚪 The unexpected knock on the door that changed everything💔 Caitlyn’s story of broken relationships, addiction, and deep loneliness❤️ A raw conversation about emptiness, longing, and the desire to be loved✝️ The simple prayer that opened the door to a real relationship with JesusThis episode is a reminder that no one is a lost cause, that God is always planting seeds beneath the surface, and that our smallest prayers — even when they feel unnoticed — may be preparing the ground for something life-changing.

When Winning Isn’t Enough: A Story of Identity, Friendship, and Faith

In this episode of Unwritten, Trevor Barreca sits down with a former Division I athlete (Dylan LaNoue) whose life revolved around performance, medals, and winning — until everything he worked for stopped satisfying his heart.Raised in a hyper-competitive, sports-centered family, his identity was built on success. Records, rankings, MVPs — all of it came true. But behind the accolades were broken relationships, family pain, loneliness, and a growing realization that achievement wasn’t enough.What followed was a slow, profound transformation — not through trophies, but through authentic friendship, prayer, and learning what it actually means to be loved.In This Episode You’ll Hear:🏅 Growing up believing your worth is earned through success🏀 A Division I athletic career that still left him empty💔 Rock bottom moments: family turmoil, heartbreak, and loneliness🤝 The friend who loved him when everything else fell apart🕊️ A chapel moment that changed how he understood God — and himself👨‍👦 A father-son relationship healed through small, faithful acts✝️ A powerful full-circle moment sponsoring his own dad into the ChurchThis episode is a moving reminder that identity isn’t built on what you accomplish, but on who you’re loved by — and how God patiently renews the mind and heart over time.

From the ICU to Confession

In this episode of Unwritten, host Trevor Barreca sits down with Chase Maly to share a story marked by suffering, mercy, and unexpected hope.🛵 As a high school junior, Chase was involved in a serious motorcycle accident that left him in the ICU with multiple internal injuries and overwhelming pain. In the middle of it all, he wrestled with loneliness, fear, and the question of whether his life truly mattered.🏥 During long nights in the hospital, Chase’s family never left his side—but internally, he just wanted the suffering to end.📉 Years later, after walking away from his faith and chasing success on his own terms, Chase found himself at a retreat, unsure why he was there and unsure if God still wanted him back.🌊 On a quiet walk down a dock toward the confessional, everything began to change. Through the sacrament of confession, Chase encountered God’s mercy in a way he never had before—and realized he didn’t have to carry his past alone.🔥 Now a FOCUS missionary, Chase reflects on how God used pain, patience, and people to bring him home—and how those same experiences now shape the way he walks with students who feel unseen, lonely, or stuck in suffering.Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

The Night I Should Have Died

In this episode of Unwritten, Kyle Medlock shares the harrowing story of a single night that changed everything — a reckless decision, a violent crash, and a moment that left him with no doubt that God was real and present in his life.Just one week before his senior year of high school, Kyle said yes to a thrill that turned into a near-fatal accident on a dark country road. What followed was chaos, silence, and a miracle that would take years for him to fully understand. In This Episode You’ll Hear:🚗 A high-speed joyride that ended in a catastrophic crash💥 Kyle waking up upside down and crawling out of a crushed truck🙏 How every passenger survived — against all odds🏚️ The unexplainable detail in the wreckage that revealed God’s protection✝️ Why this moment wasn’t instant conversion, but a grace that unfolded over timeThis episode is a powerful reminder that God often moves in our lives before we know how to name it — and that some moments only reveal their meaning years later. If you’ve ever looked back and realized you shouldn’t be here, this story will stay with you.

“You Won’t Even Let God Give You a Mattress”

In this episode of Unwritten, host Trevor Barreca sits down with Maggie Zarybnicky, a FOCUS missionary whose simple need for a bed turned into a jaw-dropping encounter with God’s unmistakable providence.After three months on an air mattress, Maggie finally found a last-minute discount on a real bed — but it came with a catch: a 45-minute drive, no truck, and no clear plan. What followed was a night full of strangers, faith conversations, closed stores, and a shocking act of generosity she could never have expected.In This Episode You’ll Hear:🛏️ How Maggie’s desperate need for a real bed set everything in motion🚚 The 45-minute ride with Adam, a complete stranger with a massive rusty-red truck🙏 An awkward but sincere faith conversation that opened the door to something bigger🌙 A late-evening stop at a dark strip mall… and a mattress store that should have been closed🤝 The unexpected connection between the salesman, Maggie’s chaplain, and FOCUS🎁 The moment Maggie is handed a $450 mattress and bed frame — completely free💬 Adam’s unforgettable words on the drive home: “You talked about God the whole way up here… but you won’t let Him give you a mattress.”This episode is a beautiful reminder that God provides through ordinary people, unexpected detours, and wild yeses of faith. If you’ve ever doubted that God cares about the small details of your life — this story might change everything.Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!