Church Talks

A couple millennials share perspective on current events, diversity in churches and neighborhoods and politics (or the lack thereof), taking risks, women’s work ethic, and changing the world. Facebook and Instagram: @yolonda_leftwich

This newlywed couple gets real about overcoming abandonment and addiction, questions and confusion about God, broken and blended families, and now working full-time where their lives were transformed!

From meeting at a concert in 2015 to going on vacation with my family to giving me a glass pumpkin for my 30th birthday, Julie has been an incredible friend and and refreshing to my soul!! Find her on Facebook and Instagram @juliebulie7

This monologue contains some random and funny thoughts, but more importantly, asks a question that leads from contemplation to action!

The “gentle giant” shares his story of trauma that led to opiate addiction to recovery to transformation of his life’s trajectory! Instagram: @hadleyjordy9 & @teenchallengegso Facebook: Greensboro Teen Challenge

When we’re unhealthy, we lack energy, confidence, motivation, and a love for ourselves. Becky was there about a decade ago when she decided to make small, sustainable changes that would lead to an overall turnaround in her everyday life. She transformed her body by disciplining her mind first, and now coaches others to do the same! Her son, Gavin makes a guest appearance as well! - Find her on Fac...

Super excited about what’s ahead for this podcast!! Let’s recap on the last couple seasons and anticipate what the next several episodes of Church Talks may hold!!! ~Intro song composed and performed by Kathryn Church

Recorded at Hope Center in Montana. A resident in the second phase of the program shares her miraculous life with us and how so much has changed since she encountered HOPE. If you want more information on this program or if you want to support men and women like these all over the world who are being set free from addictions, go to hopecm.com to see the ways you can assist in giving hope and a new...

Recorded at Hope Center in Montana. Two residents in the third phase of the program share some of their miraculous life with us and how so much has changed since they encountered HOPE. Also featuring Admissions Coordinator, Patty Johnson! If you want more information on this program or if you want to support men and women like these all over the world who are being set free from addictions, go to...

Recorded at Hope Center in Montana. Two residents in the second phase of the program share some of their miraculous life with us and how so much has changed since they encountered HOPE. Also featuring Admissions Coordinator, Patty Johnson! If you want more information on this program or if you want to support men and women like these all over the world who are being set free from addictions, go to...

What do you get when you mix a husband/dad with a guitar, a police badge, and barbershop clippers??? TERRENCE HARRIS. In fact, you’ll get a lot more than merely those things. The richness of experience, grit, discipline, wisdom, faith, drive, curiosity, balance, and perseverance in this guy is ridiculous! He’s the founder of Musicians Empowerment (@musiciansempowerment) which has its own podcast,...

This episode is long overdue but worth the wait! They were amongst my first invited guests when I started this podcast a year ago (Wow! It’s been a year!) and things kept getting in the way of us recording. They have more to say than they would have a year ago as they are now expecting their first child! Their stories involve shattered and restored dreams, benefits of waiting and not settling, goi...

It’s a taboo topic of conversation for many, especially in most churches and workplaces. The well-being of our minds have not been prioritized as much as our bodies and brains. If we can physically or intellectually work hard enough, we can almost drown out or smother the mind. Burnout could easily be avoided if we cared more for our own and others’ mental health. Suicide could easily be prevented...

Original spoken word poetry

This dynamic duo keeps me laughing, inspired, and “on target” (pun intended for his podcast that he was crazy enough to interview me on this week). They ridiculously love, passionately move, and extraordinarily challenge every person they meet... and I’m no exception. You can find them on their very own podcasts “On Target” and “My Green Chair” as well as on social media (@jlynch07 and @jackie_lyn...

Raising two boys on her own into their teenage years is no easy challenge, but she worked hard to ensure they had the best life possible. Happily single even into her 40s, a blind date with a father of three boys (who unexpectedly sweeps her off her feet) was a new beginning for her as both families began to merge together! Brenda and Michael have now been married about 25 years; they are enjoying...

When Montana meets Wisconsin and lands in Florida, it’s quite the story! This entrepreneurial and revolutionary couple has been motivating people across the nation for years by way of health, energy, fitness, perseverance, and discipline. Their following can be identified as #NorrisElites. They’ve impacted me exponentially in the mere 4 years I’ve known them and we’ve gotten on a few planes to sta...

Taking breaks, finding balance, appreciating nature, embracing stillness, giving grace, riding waves, and learning to love and be loved.

Kicking off a new season with a highly requested duo: MY PARENTS!!! They’ve been (almost always) happily married for over 36 years and they’ll both turn 60 at the end of this year!! Still kicking and trying to keep up with Alaska (their sweet and energetic 2-year-old granddaughter) while fitting in as much travel and relaxation as possible. They’ve set incredible examples for dating, marriage, par...

Sometimes surprises can be scary and beautiful at the same time. Dwight and Amy have experienced several of those and have learned that what they thought or planned doesn’t always happen, but that doesn’t mean that what actually happens isn’t better than anything they could have dreamed. While they have many gifts, roles, abilities, and responsibilities, family is always priority. The advice and p...

I’ve been told most of my life that I am incredibly upbeat, encouraging, positive, happy, and full of life. When they talk to me more in-depth and I tell them that it’s a true battle at times to be that way because some days I don’t even want to live, they’re in shock and disbelief. The truth is the more someone deeply loves, the more they deeply hurt, and that person often doesn’t know how to han...

Sometimes we dream of what we want to be as a child and that often changes as we grow and mature. Heath talks about how he’s seeing the fulfillment of one of his dreams currently unfold before his eyes, but it hasn’t been the easiest or fastest route. The journey has included several things that appeared to have nothing to do with the end goal, but he’s learned from all of them and he offers us th...

Though “crickets” often signify silence these days, they make a lot of noise through motion. Even when we aren’t speaking, may our actions of love be as loud and clear as the crickets on a summer night underneath a starry sky. We never know whose life could be changed, spared, prolonged, fulfilled, or validated, or uplifted by our simple yet profound acts of love.

After complicated pregnancies that almost ended her own life, Amber speaks of the intensified hope and gratitude she has after dealing with a whirlwind of heartaches and miracles all in her mid-20s. “Grief is just another word for love that has nowhere to go.”

These two individuals in their mid 30s are in their first year of marriage and now expecting a baby! They talk about their pasts and what they went through before they found each other and how they treated each other while dating that happens to be quite uncommon these days! Their present situations aren’t exactly what they expected them to be, but they certainly aren’t disappointed. Hope overflow...