The Pastor’s Studio with Paul Basden

What happens when the life you carefully planned suddenly changes?

Eunice Nakamura’s story is one of courage, calling, and surrender.

At age seven, she immigrated from Korea with her single mother, not speaking English and stepping into an entirely new world. Years later, that same determination led her through Baylor, law school, and a successful legal career, eventually becoming general counsel for major organizations.

Then at 40, while serving as legal counsel for one of the world’s largest breast cancer foundations, Eunice received unexpected news:

She had breast cancer.

In this episode, Eunice shares:

• Immigrating to the U.S. as a child and adapting to a new culture

• Discovering that calling is about people, not position

• Facing a breast cancer diagnosis at the height of her career

• Experiencing deeper surrender and clarity through suffering

• Learning to trust God through unexpected career turns

Today, Eunice serves as General Counsel for the Texas Rangers, continuing to live out her faith in leadership and influence.

Her story is a reminder that even when life goes off script, God is still writing the story.

And sometimes the hardest moments become the ones that draw us closest to Him.

What if “forever” didn’t last?

Troy and Holly never imagined divorce would be part of their story.

Both grew up in strong Christian homes.
Both entered marriage believing in forever.
Both experienced betrayal, heartbreak, and the painful unraveling of life as they knew it.

In this episode, they share:

• The emotional shock of divorce

• Wrestling with anger, grief, and unanswered prayers

• Learning to trust God in loneliness

• Rebuilding identity after loss

• Risking marriage again

• Blending six adult children into one family

• Turning personal pain into Divorce Care ministry

This is a story about divorce — but even more, it’s a story about redemption.

If you’re walking through heartbreak, single again, or wondering if it’s too late to love again, this conversation is for you.

God does not waste pain.
And your story is not over.

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Resources

Divorce Care & Support Ministries:
https://prestontrail.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/category/9103

Upcoming Divorce Care Event:
https://prestontrail.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3341584

What if the life you built on your own terms still left you empty?

Jarod Taylor grew up in chaos — broken homes, addiction, instability, and learning early that if anything was going to work out, it would be on his terms.

God wasn’t someone he hated.
God just wasn’t real.

Through his teens and 20s, Jarod became his own authority — chasing women, music, nightlife, success, and control. Eventually, he built a strong career, a home, and a family.

And still felt hollow.

What followed wasn’t a dramatic conversion.
It was curiosity.

Jarod decided to “try on” Christianity — reading Scripture analytically, wrestling with doubt, logic, science, and reason.

Somewhere in the process, he fell in love with Jesus.

If you’ve ever:

• Lived life on your own terms

• Believed faith and logic were opposites

• Felt spiritually numb or hardened

• Wanted proof before belief

Jarod’s story is a reminder:

You don’t need all the answers.
You just need an open heart.

 

Connect with Jarod

What if the faith you thought you had wasn’t the same as surrender?

Jason Kanapkey grew up in church. Baptized at eight. Knew the language. Believed in Jesus.

But by 12, he was experimenting with drugs.
By 16, chasing highs.
By 17, couch-surfing and barely holding life together.

He believed in God.
He just wasn’t following Him.

Years later, sitting on his couch as a young adult, reading Scripture with fresh eyes, everything shifted. And when he finally let go of the identity he was clinging to, he discovered something unexpected: obedience felt like abundance.

In this episode, Jason shares:

• Growing up around religion but discovering relationship

• Addiction, identity, and the quiet drift from God

• The surrender moment that transformed everything

• Serving before fully understanding

• Finding deep discipleship and brotherhood

• Navigating open-heart surgery and learning to receive grace

• Living out faith in the marketplace, not just the church

This isn’t a story about having it all figured out.
It’s about daily transformation.

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Resources & References

Connect with Virtuous Cycle Coffee

Follow Virtuous Cycle Coffee on Instagram, Facebook & YouTube

Read: Romans 12:1–2, Matthew 6:33, Hebrews 11:6, Revelation 3:20