Lauren Burns, host of the Redeemed Podcast, survived a childhood kidnapping by her Jordanian father, a story dramatized in the 1993 TV movie Desperate Rescue: The Cathy Mahone Story. She now shares her journey of healing through faith, inspiring others to overcome trauma on her podcast and through public speaking.

Social Media:

• Linktree: https://linktr.ee/laurenbredeemed

Lauren Burns endured a harrowing experience at age seven when her Jordanian father abducted her and took her to Jordan, prompting her mother, Cathy Hopkins, to orchestrate a daring rescue with ex-military help, crossing a militarized border into Israel. This dramatic chapter of her life, later portrayed in the 1993 TV movie Desperate Rescue: The Cathy Mahone Story, shaped her perspective on resilience and faith. Today, Lauren channels her story into the Redeemed Podcast, where she explores her healing journey, emphasizing how her mother’s unwavering faith in God and proactive efforts saved her. Motivated by what she perceives as divine intervention, she now uses her platform to inspire others facing mental health challenges, blending her past adversity with a message of hope and redemption.

Lauren Burns shares her wild experience of being kidnapped at age seven by her Jordanian father in 1987, who tricked her into a trip to Jordan instead of Halloween trick or treating, leading to months of isolation and cultural shock amid family tensions. The episode's impact lies in her transformation of pain into purpose reconnecting with rescuers after 37 years via her Redeemed Podcast, inspiring others to overcome adversity through redemption stories, and emphasizing that faith plus proactive steps can restore broken lives, as she prepares a book to encourage resilience in facing challenges.

Resources Mentioned:

• Church small group meetings: Attending these as a teenager served as a turning point, providing community support, accountability, and a space to process anger, depression, and trauma through shared faith and discussions.
• Faith in God combined with action: Emphasized through prayer, obedience to divine callings (like starting her podcast and book), and Biblical references like "pick up your mat and walk," which encouraged proactive steps toward healing rather than passive faith alone.
• Community of friends: Supportive friends who "circled around" her during rebellious teenage years, offering love, guidance, and help to redirect her path away from destructive behaviors.
• Redeemed Podcast: Hosting and producing it allowed her to share her story, reconnect with rescuers after 37 years, interview others with redemption stories, and receive positive feedback that affirmed her purpose and reduced self-doubt.
• Writing her book: The process of researching and writing helped her confront and process past trauma, including listening to emotional cassette tapes, while giving glory to God and encouraging others.
• Cassette tapes and journals from her mother: Listening to these recordings of her mother's desperate phone calls and reading daily notes provided insight into the events, evoked emotions, and aided in understanding and healing from the kidnapping's impact.
• Public speaking and listener feedback: Sharing her story publicly led to connections with others who had similar kidnapping experiences, reducing isolation and reinforcing her resilience through messages of hope and action.

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