In my conversation with Zahara Seruyombya-McCoy, CEO of Children of Grace, we hear her extraordinary story of loss, survival, faith, and purpose. Zahara Seruyombya-McCoy is the CEO of Children of Grace, a wife and mom of three, and a compassionate leader whose own story of loss, faith, and hope fuels her work serving vulnerable children in Uganda.

Born in Uganda, Zahara shares what it was like to lose both of her parents as a child and enter a world shaped by poverty, hunger, instability, and survival. She reflects on the resilience that children can develop in the middle of hardship, the sustaining power of faith, and the inner tension of living between the life she came from and the life she was given through adoption in the United States.

Our conversation also explores parenting, generosity, empathy, and the life-changing impact of one person choosing to step in. Zahara's story is not just about being rescued — it's about becoming someone who now helps rescue others.

Takeaways:

1. Zahara's childhood in Uganda and the loss of both parents
2. How faith helped her endure survival mode as a child
3. What resilience looks like when childhood is interrupted by hardship
4. The contrast between Ugandan and American family life
5. How trauma shaped her parenting and deepened her empathy
6. Why true generosity is an investment in people, not just a donation
7. The story that led her back to Uganda and into leadership with Children of Grace
8. What it means to live a more integrated, less divided life

Jon Gustin is the founder of The Tired Dad LLC and the voice behind a community of more than two million followers who resonate with his honest, grounded portrayal of everyday fatherhood. Through his content, Jon has connected with parents by speaking to the exhaustion, pressure, and quiet responsibility that come with trying to faithfully show up for your family in the middle of real life.

He also co-hosts The Tired Dad & Tired Mom Podcast with his wife, Jessica, where they have candid conversations about marriage, parenting, and the challenges of building a meaningful family life when everyone is running on empty. Jon is also the author of The Tired Dad, a book offering 100 practical, encouraging reflections for fathers who don't have it all figured out but deeply want to be present for what matters most.

He shares how wholeness isn't found in perfection, but in the steady, often difficult choice to keep showing up with humility, intention, and love.

In this episode, I sit down with Sarah Shin and Shin Maeng, the author-illustrator team behind The Great Waking Up: The Story of Easter, for a rich and deeply human conversation about hospitality, imagination, faith, beauty, and the courage to keep dreaming.

We also talk about the creative process behind The Great Waking Up, and why they wanted to create a children's book that is both theologically rooted and visually stunning. Along the way, we explore the power of art to awaken curiosity, the role of beauty in faith formation, and why children's books can open profound conversations about resurrection, grief, hope, and the story of Jesus.

Sarah Shin is a writer, theologian, teacher, and ministry leader whose work brings together theological depth, imagination, and pastoral care. She has studied at MIT and completed advanced theological training at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She also teaches at Westminster Theological Centre in the UK. Sarah is passionate about helping people encounter Scripture with greater wonder, depth, and hope.

Shin Maeng is an illustrator and artist whose work is known for its beauty, theological richness, and emotional depth. His art invites both children and adults into deeper engagement with the biblical story. Together with Sarah, he helped create The Great Waking Up, a visually compelling retelling of the Easter story designed to spark imagination and spiritual curiosity.

1. Memorable meals and Turkish food in Scotland
2. Hospitality, restaurants, and finding family through welcome
3. Korean American family life, feeding others, and ministry through meals
4. Belonging begins with curiosity
5. Identity, stereotypes, and being invited to tell your story
6. Dreaming, hope, and the origins of The Great Waking Up
7. From dream to reality: writing, illustrating, and getting published
8. Art, imagination, and 'digital stained glass'
9. Beauty, sacred space, and art as a conversation starter
10. Fear, courage, and taking the next step
11. Collecting 'yes' stories and nurturing hope
12. Dreaming in midlife, parenting, and resisting resignation
13. Waiting, uncertainty, and trusting God in liminal seasons
14. Friendship, Sabbath, and living an undivided life
15. Post-interview reflections