I got to sit down with Olga Reed, a longtime member of The Village Church and someone I deeply admire. Olga walks us through her story—from battling depression and loneliness as a first-generation college student, to coming to faith in Christ, and then surviving one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history at Virginia Tech.

Her testimony is a resounding declaration that the darkness did not win and Christ was at work even in the darkest places. Through pain, trauma, and even survivor's guilt, Olga clung to the Word of God, discovered healing in community, and found that Jesus is better than life.

In This Episode

Meet Olga Reed: First-Gen Faith and Virginia Tech
Depression, Isolation, and Searching for Belonging
Surrender to Jesus: "Fine"
Finding Cru and Her First Bible Study
April 15: The Suicide Attempt
April 16, 2007: Waking to Sirens
After the Shooting: Fear, Grief, and Loneliness
Hope in Romans 8 and the Power of Scripture
Triggers, Therapy, and Talking About It
Evil Exists, But So Does Resurrection

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