Breakaway Talk Podcast: Episode #17
Being Seen | From Belfast to Tennessee | The God Who Sees (El Roi)
What does it mean to be truly seen?
In this episode, we sit down with Gary from Belfast to talk about growing up unseen, the cost of invisibility, and the healing that comes when someone — and ultimately God — sees you.
From life on the Shankill Road to working with Breakaway kids in Tennessee, Gary shares how the ache to be seen is universal. We explore the biblical story of Hagar in Genesis 16, where God reveals Himself as El Roi — “The God Who Sees Me.” It’s a name given not by a king or prophet, but by a marginalized woman in the wilderness.
This conversation is about:
- Growing up in a divided community with violent clashes
- The tragedy of growing up invisible
- Seeking the wrong kind of martyrdom
- The power of being seen
- Why God notices the overlooked
- How being seen can change a life If you’ve ever felt forgotten, dismissed, or invisible
Scripture: Genesis 16 Theme: Being Seen | El Roi
Chapters:
(01:00) Introduction
(02:10) Tennessee Swag in Belfast UK
(03:03) Experiencing My First Mission Trip
(05:48) Growing Up in a Divided Community
(10:25) Protestants vs. Catholics
(12:15) Searching for Meaning on the Wall
(15:27) Blessed Are the Peacemakers
(22:02) The Universal Ache to Be Seen
(27:56) The Power of Being Seen by God
(29:32) A Theology for the Overlooked
(32:52) A Broken Woman, A Living Hope
Tags: being seen by God, El Roi, the God who sees, theology podcast, Christian theology, Genesis 16, Hagar story, God who sees me, Christian identity, feeling unseen, invisible but seen by God, faith and identity, Christian testimony, Belfast Shankill Road, Northern Ireland testimony, Christian podcast interview, spiritual healing, God sees the overlooked, biblical theology explained, Christian encouragement, trauma and faith, finding identity in God, Breakaway ministry, Christian storytelling, faith and belonging