Medically, she should have died four times. But God wasn't done with her yet.

Brittany DeRoche is a cancer survivor, heart failure survivor, pulmonary embolism survivor, five-time Ironman, and mother of four who keeps rising again. This episode shows you what it looks like to survive the unthinkable, surrender everything to God, and discover purpose in the storms.

Key Discussion Points Brittany shares how four near-death experiences, cancer at 19, pulmonary embolisms, heart failure at 15% heart function, shaped her faith, and how an unplanned pregnancy led doctors to find the cancer that saved her life.

She recounts the Holy Spirit's promptings that kept her alive when doctors nearly sent her home, and the honeymoon she spent in the ICU after the friend who officiated her wedding had a fatal stroke the next day.

Brittany describes surrendering everything to God in January 2020, landing a grounding job at a ministry company, then being fired, something she now sees as being freed for what came next.

She unpacks Church Activation Strategies, her business helping churches turn underused spaces into childcare partnerships that serve families and fund ministry sustainably.

Brittany explains her RACE acronym, Rise Again with Courage and Endure, and how it ties her athletics, faith, and entrepreneurship together as she trains for her sixth Ironman and chases a Kona qualification doctors said she'd never reach.

About the Guest Brittany DeRoche is the founder of Church Activation Strategies, where she helps churches activate underused spaces through childcare partnerships that serve families and create sustainable funding for ministry. A cancer survivor, heart failure survivor, five-time Ironman, and mother of four, she has survived four near-death experiences since her diagnosis at 19 and spent nearly three decades finding purpose in the storms. She is now training for her sixth Ironman with the goal of qualifying for Kona, the Ironman World Championship.

Learn More: Connect with Brittany on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-deroche/

Learn more about Church Activation Strategies: https://www.churchactivationco.com

Follow her Ironman journey and upcoming book, Rise Again: https://www.instagram.com/brittanyb_deroche/

Connect With Follower of One:

Join our Online Community: http://community.followerofone.org

Get social with us:

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Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/followerofone1
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/follower-of-one

Podcast (Plink): https://plinkhq.com/i/1482955686

Chapters:

0:30 Welcome & Introduction

0:52 Meeting Brittany & God's Timing

4:35 Purpose Through the Storms

4:43 Surviving the Unthinkable

6:50 Brittany's Full Story

14:58 Resting & Healing

17:18 Faith Meets Work

28:11 The Ironman Dream & Kona

28:55 Church Activation Strategies

38:11 Encouragement & Final Advice

You spend most of your week at work, often with people who don't share your faith. Keeping your faith active Monday through Friday takes more than a Sunday habit. In Episode 25, Trace Roth shows you how to stay the same person at your desk, in traffic, and at home, and why your workplace is your mission field.

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS
Start your workday in the Bible. Trace reads one short passage over coffee each morning and carries one takeaway into his day.
Keep your grace on. Stay consistent when a driver cuts you off, your kids yell, or work stress builds. Apologize fast when you fall short.
Watch for people. The Follower of One marketplace mission trip trained Trace to pray, know his story, and pay attention to the people he meets each day.
Answer the "now what?" question. Trace explains why people come home from mission trips changed, and how your workplace becomes your next mission field.
Nancy's story. A Dominican girl who sold bananas to support her family stayed in school with a local pastor's help, became a doctor, and now serves on Mission Possible medical teams.

ABOUT THE GUEST
Trace Roth is President of Mission Possible, a ministry serving students in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. He has worked with the organization for 18 years, starting in finance and mission team coordination. He now helps people returning from mission trips carry their faith into their jobs and communities.

CONNECT WITH TRACE
Website: https://www.ourmissionispossible.org/
LinkedIn: Trace Roth | LinkedIn

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*Connect With Follower Of One*
Join us over in our Online Community(http://community.followerofone.org)

*Get social with us*
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https://plinkhq.com/i/1482955686
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Chapters
0:00 Intro
3:30 Meet Trace Roth of Mission Possible
7:52 What Daily Discipleship Looks Like
13:33 Integrity, Faith, and Action in Haiti's Schools
20:53 When Faith and Work Collided
26:45 Trace's Lesson from Follower of One Marketplace Mission Trip
30:21 Don't Let Your Grace Turn Off
36:09 Nancy's Story: From Bananas to Doctor
40:24 Don't Discount Who You Are
42:35 Conclusion and Connecting With Trace

You show up to work every day, but is your faith pointed at God or at the pressures around you? Eliyahu Lotzar explains why the real question is not whether you have faith, but where your faith is going. If you feel lost in your emails, meetings, and deadlines, this conversation gives you a practical way to keep God at the center of your workday.

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS
Why the first mode of leadership is intent, and how to aim your faith at God instead of self, money, or approval
What Peter walking on water teaches about faith and action, and why losing focus on Jesus sinks you at work
How to look for God in ordinary tasks like a marketing plan, an email, or your next meeting
Why crying out to God in hard moments matters, drawn from Eliyahu's own story of illness and searching for answers
How to build simple structure, such as praying before meetings or journaling, so you hold onto God after a spiritual high

ABOUT THE GUEST
Eliyahu is a Jewish believer, dedicated to helping individuals and groups broaden their perspective to be more alive. He's done this as a therapist, a spiritual counselor, a student counselor, an executive coach, workshop facilitator, business owner, and organization development consultant. He is the author of Working With God: The Ten Modes of Elevated Leadership

Website: https://workingwithgod.live/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliyahulotzar/

RESOURCES MENTIONED
Book: Working with God: The 10 Modes of Elevated Leadership by Eliyahu Lotzar: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1961202298?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback
Working with God free monthly roundtable, 2-day intensive, and executive coaching for Christian business leaders: https://workingwithgod.live/events/
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry and Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0525653090?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback

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*Connect With Follower Of One*
Join us over in our Online Community(http://community.followerofone.org)

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https://instagram.com/followerofone1
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https://plinkhq.com/i/1482955686
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