Sips of Grace

RELOADED: We're bringing back one of our most powerful testimonies, freshly re-edited with brand-new sound and pacing, because this story deserves to be heard by every person who's ever been told the New Age is just "light and love." Whether you're hearing Christa's story for the first time or the second, we pray it stirs your faith.
As the shaman opened the ayahuasca ceremony, he welcomed the archangels in by name: Raphael… Gabriel… and then Lucifer.
Christa Black was sitting in that circle. A friend finally asked, "Are you inviting Lucifer into the ceremony?" His answer: "Yes — because he is Jesus's brother."
Christa grew up a preacher's kid who truly loved Jesus. She was filled with the Holy Spirit as a teenager, toured the world playing violin with Michael W. Smith, played Billy Graham Crusades and Hillsong events, played for President George H.W. Bush, and co-wrote the #1 worship song "One Thing Remains." No one would have guessed she would end up in the New Age.
But deception rarely arrives all at once. Christa shares how a struggling marriage, a "solution" wrapped in manifestation and the law of attraction, and the promise of healing led her step by step into spirit guides, psychedelics, plant medicine, and shamanic ceremonies, from Nashville to Costa Rica. She calls it "Satan's cocktail": mostly truth, with a twist.
Then everything fell apart. She lost her marriage, her money, and even a storage unit holding every treasured memory of her life. Meanwhile, her parents never stopped fasting and praying for her to come home. When she finally walked back into a worship service, God gave her a sign through a worship leader's worn-out bracelet that only He could have arranged, and the prodigal daughter came running back to Jesus.
In this episode:• The moment the shaman invited Lucifer into the ceremony• How "Satan's cocktail" (mostly truth, with a twist) pulled a worship leader into the New Age• Manifestation, spirit guides, psychedelics and plant medicine, and what was really behind them• Losing everything, and two words that sent her back to the Bible• The worn-out bracelet only God could have arranged• Why a praying family is never praying in vain
No matter how far you've wandered, Jesus is running toward you.
CHAPTERS00:00 Coming Up: The Shaman Invited Lucifer01:18 A Preacher's Kid Who Loved Jesus03:43 Electrified by the Holy Spirit07:38 Nashville, Michael W. Smith & the Biggest Stages10:30 "Satan's Cocktail": Truth With a Twist16:40 The "Solution" That Opened the Door to the New Age19:52 Manifestation, Mushrooms & Psychedelics25:52 Heartbreak and an "Angel of Light"32:24 A Peruvian Cactus and "Synchronicities"35:44 The Shaman Stuck in Nashville42:48 He Invited Lucifer Into the Ceremony45:35 "You Have My Permission to Walk All Over Me"51:33 Costa Rica, Crypto & Losing Everything56:09 Two Words That Sent Her Back to the Bible1:04:10 The Storage Unit Sold for $5411:11:19 The Bracelet Worn for 16 Years1:13:27 Jesus Is Running Toward You1:23:33 That's What a Sip of Grace Is
CONNECT WITH CHRISTA BLACKInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/christajoyblack/Head to Heart Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/head-to-heart/id1089395706
✟ CONNECT WITH SIPS OF GRACEReal testimonies of lives transformed by Jesus Christ.⇨ Website: https://sipsofgrace.org⇨ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SipsofGracePodcast⇨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sipsofgracepodcast⇨ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sipsofgrace⇨ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574929687153⇨ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sips-of-grace/id1807184969
🎙 Have a testimony to share on Sips of Grace? ⇨ https://sipsofgrace.org/
If Christa's story touched you, follow Sips of Grace, leave a review, and send this episode to someone who's been drawn into the New Age. It might be the very thing that brings them home.

Heather O'Brien grew up as a pastor's daughter. But at just 16 years old, she told God she hated Him and wanted nothing more to do with Him.
For nearly two decades, Heather ran from God. She served in the military, deployed to Iraq, spent years in lesbian relationships, and struggled with PTSD, addiction, severe mental health challenges, and a suicide attempt.
For years, she refused to even step inside a church.
Then one day, she decided to go back—not because she wanted to surrender her life to Jesus, but because she wanted to prove He couldn't save her.
What happened when she walked through those doors was nothing like she expected.
Instead of condemnation, Heather encountered God's presence. And when two women approached her to pray, one began speaking words Heather had privately repeated to herself every night while taking her medication.
How could a complete stranger possibly know?
In this powerful episode of Sips of Grace, Heather shares her journey from rebellion and brokenness to an unexpected encounter with Jesus that transformed her life. She opens up about leaving behind her former lesbian identity, finding peace after years of mental torment, rebuilding her relationship with her family, and discovering what it truly means to be loved by God.
Heather didn't return to Jesus because she wanted to change her sexuality. She came because she was desperate for peace. And what followed was a journey of healing, surrender, and restoration.
CONNECT WITH HEATHER O'BRIEN
Website: https://tattooedrevivalist.comTikTok: @tattooedrevivalistFacebook: Heather O'Brien
✟ Subscribe to Sips of Grace for real testimonies of lives transformed by Jesus Christ.
⇨ Website: https://sipsofgrace.org⇨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sipsofgrace⇨ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sipsofgrace⇨ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sipsofgrace⇨ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sipsofgrace

A woman on death row survives a lethal injection. Was it a medical failure, the power of prayer, or could something spiritual have been involved?
In this special collaboration, I join Adira Polite, host of Then God Moved, for a conversation about spiritual warfare, occultism, the power of intercession, and the hope found in Jesus Christ.
At the center of their discussion is the disturbing case of Christa Pike, a convicted murderer with a history of occult involvement whose execution did not go as planned. Adira, a former death penalty appeals paralegal, shares her personal connection to the case and how she felt led to pray for Christa before the execution.
Together, we explore the questions surrounding what happened, including speculation about witchcraft, the possibility of answered prayer, and the medical circumstances of the failed execution.
The conversation also explores the controversial cases of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and the West Memphis Three, as well as a separate incident involving a satanic invocation at an Iowa city council meeting.
But beyond the disturbing headlines, this episode points to something far greater: the power of Jesus to redeem even the most broken lives and the importance of praying for those who seem beyond hope.
Adira and I also share powerful testimonies of lives transformed by Jesus, discuss spiritual discernment, and reflect on how God has been working through their ministries.
Could God be using even the darkest circumstances to draw people to Himself?
🎙️ This episode is a collaboration between Sips of Grace and Then God Moved, hosted by Adira Polite.
Watch the video version of this conversation on the Then God Moved YouTube channel.
✟ Subscribe to Sips of Grace for real testimonies of lives transformed by Jesus Christ.
⇨ Website: https://sipsofgrace.org⇨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sipsofgrace⇨ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sipsofgrace⇨ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sipsofgrace
#ChristianTestimony #SpiritualWarfare #PowerOfPrayer #SipsOfGrace #ThenGodMoved

Should Christians celebrate Halloween? What if the traditions we've always considered harmless have spiritual origins we know nothing about?
In this special Sips of Grace collaboration, Natalie Rose welcomes back Brother Matthew from Christian Coffee Time. Before giving his life to Jesus Christ, Matthew spent 16 years deeply involved in witchcraft and the occult, practicing rituals, communicating with spirits, and teaching others about occult practices.
Now, he's sharing his firsthand perspective on Halloween, its dark origins, and why he believes Christians should reconsider participating in this holiday.
From trick-or-treating and jack-o'-lanterns to handing out candy, Matthew explores the connections he draws between modern Halloween traditions and ancient pagan rituals. He explains why handing out Halloween candy as an offering and what Christians need to understand about the spiritual significance of October 31.
Natalie and Matthew also discuss spiritual warfare, whether celebrating Halloween can open spiritual doors, what the Bible teaches about separating ourselves from darkness, and how parents can talk with their children about Halloween.
Is avoiding Halloween simply a personal conviction, or is there a deeper biblical reason Christians should examine this celebration?
This conversation is an invitation to seek the Lord, examine Scripture, and consider whether the traditions we participate in align with our faith in Jesus Christ.
Connect with Brother Matthew:Christian Coffee Time: https://www.youtube.com/@BrotherMatthewCCT
Watch Matthew's original testimony on Sips of Grace:https://youtu.be/p-Iozmob8l8?si=9QSe6-Ta96uwAtsN
Connect with Sips of Grace:Website: https://sipsofgrace.orgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sipsofgraceYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sipsofgrace

Here’s the podcast-platform description with timestamps added:
Nicosie Love shares a powerful testimony of spiritual warfare, deliverance, and encountering Jesus in a way she says changed her life.
From a young age, Nicosie experienced loss, fear, and spiritual darkness. At 14, she went through an intense three-day deliverance after learning about witchcraft in her family lineage. In the years that followed, she continued to experience spiritual warfare, powerful encounters with the Holy Spirit, and eventually an experience she describes as seeing Jesus face to face and hearing Him speak to her in Aramaic.
Through every part of her testimony, Nicosie points back to Jesus — to knowing Him, finding identity in Christ, understanding the authority believers have through Him, and trusting that darkness does not have the final word.
This is a deeply personal testimony of deliverance, spiritual warfare, freedom, and the transforming power of Jesus Christ.
Timestamps00:00 Intro00:45 Nicosie’s Childhood & Early Spiritual Experiences03:30 Losing Her Father at Age 607:25 The Encounter She Believes Wasn’t Human12:10 Fasting & Searching for God12:45 The Alpha Course at Age 1414:35 Witchcraft in Her Family Lineage Revealed15:35 Her 3-Day Deliverance Begins17:40 Encountering the Holy Spirit20:10 Recurring Visions of a Mysterious City21:40 A Vision of Revival & Angels28:45 Jesus Appears in Her Living Room31:20 A Terrifying Spiritual Attack35:15 Encounter With “Leviathan”40:20 Seeing Jesus on the Cross43:10 Seeing Jesus Face to Face44:00 Jesus Speaks to Her in Aramaic46:00 Her Book & Identity in Christ52:10 Recent Spiritual Warfare & Dreams56:05 Nicosie Prays for Viewers
If this episode encourages you, share it with someone who needs hope today.
Follow Sips of Grace for more real stories of lives changed by Jesus.
Connect with Nicosie:
Email Address: nicosielove@gmail.com 
Book: https://a.co/d/036BoPjY
 
✟ CONNECT WITH SIPS OF GRACE:
⇨ Website: https://sipsofgrace.org⇨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sipsofgrace⇨ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sipsofgrace⇨ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sipsofgrace⇨ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sipsofgrace
 

For more than 30 years, Reji Wallace says his life was consumed by addiction to meth, PCP, alcohol, marijuana, and a cycle he felt powerless to escape.
Then, over four consecutive nights in 2019, Reji says he experienced terrifying visions of hell. He describes overwhelming darkness, intense torment, people trapped with no way out, and seeing people he recognized during the fourth night—including his own father.
But the most terrifying part of what he experienced wasn’t the physical pain.
What happened afterward is just as powerful. Reji did not immediately surrender his life to Jesus. He continued struggling with addiction until months later, when he began getting sober, repented, and says Jesus met him in his room with overwhelming love, forgiveness, and mercy.
Today, Reji shares the Gospel and uses his testimony to point others to the saving power of Jesus Christ.
This is a raw testimony of addiction, repentance, salvation, spiritual warfare, and the transforming grace of Jesus.
Connect with Reji:YouTube: Minister R WallaceFacebook: Minister O WallaceEmail: wallaceorejimi3@gmail.com
Connect with Sips of Grace:Website: sipsofgrace.orgInstagram: @sipsofgraceFacebook: Sips of GraceTikTok: @sipsofgraceYouTube: @sipsofgrace
If this testimony encouraged you, share it with someone who needs to hear it.

Anthony Serino built a successful career around hypnosis, manifestation, and the New Age. He had more than 1 million followers, worked with celebrity clients, and saw major changes in his own life through hypnosis.
But as he went deeper, he began seeing something darker.
Anthony shares how he started witnessing demonic manifestations in clients, why he now says hypnosis is mind control, and what finally led him to walk away from his business and fully surrender his life to Jesus.
We also talk about manifestation, Reiki, altered states, deliverance, spiritual warfare, hearing from God, dreams, healing, and what Anthony believes Christians need to understand about spiritual practices outside the authority of Jesus.
This is a powerful testimony of what happens when success, influence, and self-reliance collide with the truth of Jesus Christ.
Connect with Anthony:Instagram: @anthonyjserinoWebsite: anthonyserino.com
Derek Prince Ministries:youtube.com/@DerekPrinceMinistries
✟ CONNECT WITH SIPS OF GRACE:
⇨ Website: https://sipsofgrace.org⇨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sipsofgrace⇨ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sipsofgrace⇨ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sipsofgrace⇨ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sipsofgrace
“Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” — Psalm 127:1

For more than 20 years, Judy Deese was a committed Christian—but she believed praying for the sick and seeing miracles was something God used other people to do. Then everything changed.After witnessing a healing at her own church, Judy’s daughter challenged her to pray the same way. Judy then commanded her daughter’s shorter leg to grow in the name of Jesus—and watched it move right in front of her. That moment changed the way Judy understood the Christian life.Since then, Judy shares that she has prayed for people dealing with pain, physical conditions, blindness, and much more—and has witnessed miraculous healing! In this episode of Sips of Grace, Judy shares why she once thought healing was for pastors and “special” Christians, the moment that changed her perspective, how she began praying for others, what she does when she doesn’t immediately see a result, and why Jesus—not the person praying—is the healer. “It’s not just the special people… it’s all of us.”
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Judy thought healing was for “special” Christians02:30 God wakes Judy with a message08:54 Judy watches a leg grow12:20 “You have the exact Holy Spirit that I have”14:06 Judy prays for her daughter17:15 Her leg moves28:47 How Judy started praying for strangers34:03 Miracles that changed her confidence39:30 How Judy actually prays for healing54:18 What if you don’t see immediate healing?1:03:09 Judy’s closing prayer
Judy also teaches free online classes designed to help Christians understand how Scripture calls believers to pray for healing and minister to others.
Connect with Judy:https://www.youtube.com/@JudyDeeseministries
✟ CONNECT WITH SIPS OF GRACE:
⇨ Website: https://sipsofgrace.org⇨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sipsofgrace⇨ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sipsofgrace⇨ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sipsofgrace⇨ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sipsofgrace
🎙 Interested in sharing your testimony on Sips of Grace?
⇨ Website: https://sipsofgrace.org/
If this testimony encouraged you, share it with someone who needs to hear it.
Subscribe to Sips of Grace for more real stories of lives changed by Jesus.

At just 7 years old, Lauren Burns thought she was going trick-or-treating with her father. Instead, he drove her to the airport, put her on a plane, and took her thousands of miles away to Jordan.
Within days, Lauren realized this wasn’t a vacation. She was enrolled in school, separated from her mother, and left wondering if she would ever make it home.
Back in Texas, Lauren’s mom was desperately searching for a way to get her daughter back. Again and again, she was told there was nothing anyone could do.
Then she turned to God.
After three days of fasting and prayer, everything began to change.
Connections that seemed impossible started falling into place. A group of former military men with experience in the Middle East agreed to take on a mission they had never attempted before: rescuing a kidnapped child from Jordan.
While Lauren had no idea anyone was coming for her, people were praying, planning, searching, and risking everything to bring her home.
What unfolded next involved a covert rescue operation, an escape toward the Israeli border, a decoy plan, authorities searching for them, and a race to get Lauren out of Jordan before it was too late.
But Lauren’s testimony doesn’t end with the rescue.
Years later, she still had to wrestle with trauma, father wounds, forgiveness, and a difficult question:
If God was good, why had He allowed this to happen at all?
In this episode of Sips of Grace, Lauren shares how Jesus met her in those wounds, how she learned to see her Heavenly Father differently than her earthly father, and how looking back allowed her to recognize something she couldn’t see as a child:
God had been working behind the scenes the entire time.
This is an extraordinary testimony of kidnapping, rescue, healing, forgiveness, and the faithfulness of God when circumstances seem impossible.
Lauren’s new book, STOLEN, tells the full story of her kidnapping, rescue, and the details behind the operation that brought her home.
Connect with Lauren:LaurenBurns.netRedeemed Podcast: https://www.laurenburns.net/podcastSTOLEN — available wherever books are sold: https://www.laurenburns.net/book
Connect with Sips of Grace:Website: https://sipsofgrace.org/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sipsofgracepodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574929687153TikTok: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574929687153YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SipsofGracePodcast
Topics in this episode: Christian testimony, Lauren Burns, kidnapped child, kidnapping testimony, Jordan kidnapping, miraculous rescue, God’s protection, faith in hard times, fasting and prayer, healing from trauma, father wounds, Christian forgiveness, God working behind the scenes, Jesus testimony, Sips of Grace
#ChristianTestimony #Jesus #Miracle #Faith #SipsOfGrace
 

Carissa had already come to Jesus, but as a new Christian, she didn’t fully understand the spiritual battle that was happening around her.
Before that, her life had unraveled through severe depression, alcohol, fear, resentment, and a marriage that was falling apart. As Jesus began restoring her life through Scripture, Christian community, counseling, and a deeper relationship with Him, Carissa also began learning about spiritual warfare and deliverance.
A New Age practitioner told her she had three “spirit guides,” and a medium later told her she saw them too. At the time, Carissa didn’t understand the spiritual implications of going down that path. She now understands those practices opened doors she should never have explored. As she learned more about spiritual warfare and deliverance, she came to see those experiences very differently.
Carissa says she eventually went through at least seven or eight deliverances before finding freedom.
In this episode of Sips of Grace, Carissa shares how Jesus met her at one of the lowest points of her life, restored her marriage, changed the way she understood spiritual warfare, and led her into a deeper freedom in Christ.
Her message is simple: no one is too far gone for Jesus.
Connect with Carissa
Email: Carissa.np.wellness@gmail.com
IG: https://www.instagram.com/carissa_wellness_dnp?igsi=MXFqZGE5bTluYTc2Nw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
FB: https://www.facebook.com/share/1PJCLCUEwC/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Connect with Sips of Grace
Website: https://sipsofgrace.org/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sipsofgracepodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574929687153TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sipsofgraceYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SipsofGracePodcast
Interested in sharing your testimony on Sips of Grace?Visit: https://sipsofgrace.org/