Podcast Summary: Christ With Coffee On Ice
Episode: why does God let bad things happen? | UPDATE on california fires
Host: Ally Yost
Guest: Ashley Hetherington
Date: January 17, 2025
Episode Overview
In this vulnerable and faith-fueled episode, Ally Yost and frequent guest Ashley Hetherington record from a hotel rather than their usual studio. Both have just evacuated their Los Angeles home due to escalating California wildfires. The episode offers an inside look at their real-time emotional, spiritual, and practical responses—unpacking the big question: “Why does God let bad things happen?” Through raw storytelling, scripture, and honest processing, Ally and Ashley explore hearing God’s voice in crisis, wrestling with suffering, and learning to trust God when life feels chaotic and uncertain.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Wildfire Evacuation Experience
- Unexpected Displacement: The hosts detail having to evacuate their home due to wildfires, describing how fast conditions changed and the practical steps they took to ensure safety.
- (00:54) “We are in a state of just emergency right now... Ashley and I's home as of right now is okay, but we did have to evacuate.” – Ally
- God’s Provision in Uncertainty: Both express gratitude for having the resources—shelter, transportation, support from family—even as they recognize many others do not.
- (00:30, 09:45) “We are using the very things that God has given us... We could just get in a car and go... A lot of people didn't even have that much.”
- Honest Reactions: They candidly share their emotional ups and downs: panic, anxiety, gratitude, even a bit of irritability and spiritual fatigue.
2. Listening for God’s Voice in Crisis
- Hearing God’s Guidance: Both women emphasize seeking God’s direction—not just following the news or their own logic.
- (08:22) “What better move than to ask the one that does know?” – Ally
- Peace as an Indicator: They describe feeling a supernatural peace when following God’s leading, even if it seemed illogical compared to circumstances.
- (10:21) “We just prayed and just, like, listened. And we both felt this peace about leaving. We did not feel peace about staying.” – Ashley
3. Wrestling with Fear and Faith
- Choosing Faith over Fear: The conversation returns often to the tension between logical fear and faithful action, drawing inspiration from the Bible.
- (17:46) “Where is your faith? Take it out of your pocket. We got to use it right now.” – Ally
- Reference: Disciples in the boat with Jesus during a storm (Mark 4:35-41).
- Processing Anxiety in Real Time:
- (19:53) “It tells us in scripture to pray instead of being anxious, and then that peace, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts.” – Ashley
- Practical Faith: Pray, listen, then actually believe and act on God’s guidance, not just cycle back to fear.
4. The Big Question: “Why Does God Allow Bad Things?”
- Raw Lament and Honest Questions:
- (26:04) “A part of me in the beginning said, God, why are you allowing this?” – Ally
- Grief for those who lost everything; not just about personal inconvenience.
- Theological Perspective:
- (28:48) “Satan can do nothing without God's permission... God is allowing this.” – Ashley
- Distinguish evil (Enemy’s intent to kill, steal, destroy) from God’s ultimate sovereignty.
- The Fragility of Earthly Things:
- Loss of homes—especially in affluent areas—serves as a stark reminder that nothing on earth is guaranteed or eternal.
- (30:07) “It's not eternal, guys. But what's so great is our eternity. And our livelihood is in heaven.” – Ashley
- Hope in Suffering:
- Romans 8:28 is cited as an anchor scripture: “God works all things together for the good of those who love him...”
- God promises to bring beauty from ashes, sometimes beyond our comprehension.
5. God’s Nearness and Kindness in the Smallest Acts
- Provision in Exile: God’s care is seen in practical moments—a stranger’s kindness, a free soda, supportive parents—even far from home.
- (38:21) “The Lord will send people in your path to also encourage you and let you know that He sees you.” – Ally
- Receiving God’s Love:
- (39:18) Emphasis on allowing God to pour love and care into believers, not only loving Him back, but accepting His provision, comfort, and tenderness.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Seeking God in Uncertainty:
- “We were not gonna go off of our own understanding... I just wanted to know what our Heavenly Father had to say about what was the safest route...” (08:22) – Ally
- On the Cost of Obedience:
- “We can't get in the way of what the Lord is saying, especially when it comes to our safety and our well being, in the fear of, like, overreacting...” (09:41) – Ally
- On Faith in the Face of Danger:
- “It was so funny because you said that it reminded you of the verse of all the disciples in the boat... And Jesus is like, where is your faith?” (17:57) – Ally and Ashley
- On Suffering and God’s Sovereignty:
- “This isn’t a result of God. This isn’t His wrath. This isn’t a punishment... This is a result of just evil.” (28:26) – Ally
- “God is allowing this... Satan can do nothing without God’s permission.” (28:49-28:52) – Ashley
- On the Temporary Nature of Earthly Things:
- “It’s not eternal, guys. But what’s so great is our eternity... Our livelihood is in heaven.” (30:07) – Ashley
- “If our foundation is not made on God, it will crumble, it will burn to the ground... But God doesn’t. And our joy doesn’t.” (34:22) – Ally
Timestamps for Important Segments
| Time | Segment / Topic | |--------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00–01:43 | Setting: Evacuation, recording in hotel, context for episode | | 02:12–04:04 | Real-time escalation: Winds, initial reactions, the decision to prepare | | 06:58–09:45 | The gentle leading of God, choosing to evacuate preemptively | | 10:21–13:25 | Peace vs fear, leaving home, God’s timing and practical details | | 14:42–16:34 | New threats: Second evacuation, seeking God’s voice again | | 17:46–19:50 | Bible stories as comfort, choosing faith over panic | | 25:59–30:07 | Wrestling with “Why does God allow bad things?” | | 30:07–34:41 | The fragility of earthly foundations, an eternal perspective | | 36:05–37:32 | Anchoring in Romans 8:28, real faith when things make no sense | | 38:17–41:09 | Kindness of strangers, God’s practical provision afar from home | | 41:27–42:01 | Call to listeners: Show kindness, serve others like Jesus |
Final Encouragements
- To Anyone Suffering Loss: Cling to Romans 8:28 – God works all things together for good, even when it feels impossible.
- Receiving vs. Striving: Let God’s love and provision be received—not just something you try to earn.
- Small Acts Matter: Be imitators of Christ’s kindness—like the stranger who gave them free soda.
- Permanent Perspective: Earthly things can vanish in an instant; faith and relationship with God are the solid foundation.
- Hope: Even in devastation, God’s heart is to carry His children through it—He brings beauty from ashes.
Tone & Language
The episode's tone is raw, intimate, hopeful, and anchored in scripture. There’s plenty of vulnerability and real-time processing mixed with candid humor and everyday language (“literal bestie energy”, “take your faith out of your pocket”). Both speakers encourage honest wrestling with God rather than simply offering trite answers.
Takeaway Challenge
Show someone how cool Jesus is:
“Let’s act like that guy working at the restaurant today that just ran out and was like, oh, on the house. Here’s a soda. God bless you. Like, let’s just show somebody how cool Jesus is.” (41:49) – Ally
For Listeners
Even if you haven’t directly faced a disaster, Ally and Ashley’s journey offers powerful encouragement for responding to crisis with raw faith, honest questions, and hope rooted in Christ—not in circumstances. Whether your struggle is fire, loss, or something totally different, their story calls you to pray, listen for God’s peace, step out in faith, and believe that—even in ashes—God is still good and present.