The Diary of a Discarded Daughter - Offering Hope & Redemption Where Pain Once Ruled
Welcome to Diary of a Discarded Daughter, a Christian podcast about healing from childhood trauma, abandonment, abuse, rejection, and discovering who God really is in the middle of suffering.
Hosted by Lisa Schafer, founder of Christian Drama Queen Solutions, this podcast follows her forty-year journey through childhood sexual abuse, abandonment, betrayal, and the painful questions that often follow deep emotional wounds.
But this isn't simply a story about surviving trauma. It's the story of a forty-year battle to understand God.
After being abandoned and abused as a child, Lisa spent decades wrestling with questions many Christians quietly carry:
Where was God when I was being hurt?
Why didn't He stop it?
If God loves me, why did He allow it?
How can I trust a Heavenly Father when the people who were supposed to protect me failed me?
The wounds of her childhood shaped not only how she viewed herself, but how she viewed God. Pain, bitterness, fear, and unanswered questions distorted her understanding of His love, His character, and His purpose for her life.
Through years of searching, studying Scripture, wrestling with hard truths, and experiencing the healing power of Jesus Christ, Lisa discovered that God had never abandoned her. Instead, He was patiently renewing her mind, healing her heart, and teaching her to see both herself and Him through the truth of His Word rather than the lens of her trauma.
Each week, Lisa shares personal stories, biblical insights, practical encouragement, and lessons learned along the way as she helps listeners navigate their own healing journeys.
Topics include:
- Healing from childhood abuse and trauma
- Overcoming abandonment and rejection
- Forgiveness and freedom from bitterness
- Breaking generational cycles
- Healing father wounds
- Trusting God after suffering
- Understanding God's sovereignty in pain
- Discovering your identity in Christ
- Finding purpose in your wounds
- Emotional and spiritual healing through biblical truth
With raw honesty, heartfelt conversations, biblical wisdom, and occasional humor at her own expense, Lisa creates a space where women can stop pretending, start healing, and get honest about the wounds they've carried for far too long.
Whether you're struggling with trauma, wrestling with unanswered questions, battling bitterness, or searching for God's purpose in your pain, this podcast offers hope that healing is possible.
Not because the past changes. But because God changes us.
Grab your Bible, bring your questions, and join Lisa each week as she shares how God transforms discarded daughters into women who are healed, restored, and walking confidently in His purpose.
Because your wounds may explain your story—but they do not define it.
God gets the final word.
For video podcasts, Bible studies, and additional resources, follow The Christian Drama Queen on YouTube.
Episodes
74 episodes
God's Sovereignty in Your Suffering - Lesson 1of52 When Those Who Should Love You...Left
Join Lisa for Episode 1 of a transformative 52-week Christian podcast series designed to help survivors of abandonment, rejection, abuse, trauma, and broken relationships discover healing, forgiveness, and purpose through God's Wor...
From Abandonment to Identity, From Pain to Purpose! Read the description for Big News!
So much happening in the Christian Drama Queen Solutions ministry. A few announcements: 1. NEW PODCAST SERIES: God's Sovereignty in Our SufferingJoin us for an unforgettable 52-week journey through healing, forgiveness,...
Mother's Day - Being a Victim of Man-made Holidays
In this powerful podcast episode, the host dives into the hidden emotional impact of man-made holidays and the unrealistic expectations they place on women—especially during Mother’s Day. From social media comparison and mom guilt to perfection...
Finding Purpose for a Painful Past - God's Sovereignty (Power Point Pres.)
In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Finding Purpose for a Painful Past, God's Sovereignty, we explore how God can redeem even the most difficult chapters of our lives. If you’ve ever wrestled with questions about why certain ...
In Authentic Discarded Daughter Fashion, I share the attack of the enemy on the messenger.
What happens when you feel called to share a message—but everything seems to rise up against you?In this episode, Lisa gets real and shares the spiritual reality of being attacked for just doing the work God gave her to do. She realizes ...
Addressing the Myth of Self-Worth? What Does the Bible Say About It?
Modern culture constantly tells us to “know your worth” and find value within yourself—but does the Bible actually teach self-worth?In this episode, Lisa explores the biblical perspective on worthiness, identity, and grace. Whil...
The Gospel of Good Vibes? And Why Your Suffering is Not Welcome in the Church
In this episode, Lisa explores a hard but necessary question: Why is the corporate church so uncomfortable with hearing about your suffering?Many believers are still walking through chronic pain, trauma, loss, or unanswer...
Sacrifice is Part of the Forgiveness Process - Part 2
The last episode opened up this concept of not just saying we've forgiven our abusers, but actually infesting loving kindness into them, and setting aside our desire for retribution or even closure. We've seen biblical examples of showing love ...
Sacrifice is Part of the Forgiveness Process - Part I
Lisa didn't come up with this idea. A popular Christian author told her story on a popular Christian network and the message resonated. But is there a Biblical account of someone needing to forgive and seeing the importance of sacrificing to do...
What if the Discarded Daughter Doesn't WANT the Mind of Christ? - Humility's Absence
Ugh! The whole idea of "having the mind of Christ" is overwhelming to think about, isn't it? It's one of those "I know I should but it just can't be done...can it?" sort of things. In this episode, Lisa shares how difficult it was for her to be...
Beth Hanning: A Discarded Daughter story - Abandoned? Maybe. Redeemed? Absolutely!
When Lisa and Beth met for the first time, it was obvious they were sisters—not only in Christ, but also in experiences of abandonment and redemption. In this episode, Beth shares her story of being kidnapped by family at a very young age and h...
For Those Teachers that Gave The Discarded Daughter Purpose
A very special episode, indeed! Today Lisa discusses the value two amazing women imparted to her at a time when she felt she had no value or purpose. Like many discarded daughters, we don't see the hope and future promised to us in Jeremiah 29,...
The Church Has No Clue! Adoption, Trauma and Ignorance.
The church always has the best of intentions. But parents of children who have struggled with physical or emotional trauma can tell you, their ignorance can inflict unintentional harm. Kristen Brock is a speaker, coach, trainer/facilitat...
Is there such a thing as premature forgiveness? w/Pastoral Counselor, Stacy Echeverria
This is an amazing interview, if I do say so myself. Recognizing trauma and grieving our loss of relationships, our expectations, our plans, is crucial for the healing process to begin. In this interview, Lisa and Stacy talk not onl...
I CAN'T FORGIVE THEM and you CAN'T Make me!
As a victim of childhood trauma herself, Lisa is not being insensitive to the pain and shame that comes with suffering. But we can't avoid the command of the Lord to forgive. Would God command us to do something so difficult if He couldn't enab...
Rage and How the Discarded Must Deal with it. 072525
What a surprise to find out (during what was supposed to be the happiest time of my life, welcoming our new baby into the world) that I had terrible thoughts of rage, abuse and despair. But that's how many of us tossed aside or abused at a youn...
Finding Intimacy with a Heavenly Father You Don't Trust
Discarded Daughters struggle to see their Heavenly Father honestly, as protector and provider, as a safe place to run and hide. And make no mistake, good works and Christian activity are suppose to be a response to an intimate walk with the Lor...
Father's Day is Painful for the Discarded Daughter - How the CDQ "Celebrates."
Forgiven is NOT the Same as ForgottenI love being in fellowship with other believers. I love worshipping in song and praising Jesus with all my heart. So—I DO attend church. But some days are just harder than others. And for Discarde...
Interview with Aliese Halcomb from The Peaceful Mompreneur - Balance, Blessing and Business
If you feel called of God to ministry or business and still need to keep it "all together" on the home front, then this is the episode for you! Aliese is one of the first guests I've brought to the Chronicles of the Christian Drama Queen Podcas...
Forgiving the Unforgivable Guest Spot on Tapestry Network Wove-In Wednesdays
A few months ago, I was invited to share the Forgiving the Unforgivable subject on Tapestry Ministry Network with Stephanie Morin Sherwood during their live Facebook group broadcast called Woven In Wednesdays. It's a bit longer than my usual br...
Is It Really Okay for Us To Walk Away? Cutting People Out - What Would Jesus Do?
Lisa never claims to have all the answers. This became abundantly clear when she read through someone else's post on Facebook, expressing their comfort with cutting someone out of their life. We all deal with toxic relationships, and have proba...
Part 4 - What Keeps YOU Up at Night - Are You Worthy? A Surprising Answer
Scripture has provided a resounding "NO!" in answer to the questions of whether we are unloved or unwanted (see parts 2 & 3 of this series). But what about the question of whether we are worthy? Deserving blessing? When feelings of unworthi...
Pt. 3 - What Keeps You Up at Night? Feeling UNWANTED
This is part III of the series I'm doing regarding the emotional baggage that keeps Christian Drama Queens like me, abandoned and recovering from childhood trauma, awake at night. Am I as unwanted as I've convinced myself I am? Where is God on ...
Can You Homeschool? SHOULD You? The CDQ Was Interviewed Re: Her 25 Year HS Journey
This episode is a little longer and a little different from Lisa's typical Drama Queen excursions. This week Lisa talks about her 25 years as a homeschooling mom. What led her to do it? Was God really calling her to the chaos and blessing of ho...
Sometimes the CDQ Says, "Yes," for All The Wrong Reasons
Discarded Daughters struggle with the desire to be needed, wanted, loved, accepted...and often don't turn down opportunities to put out someone else's fire, when deep down they know they should. In this episode, Lisa shares her heartbreak over ...