Connections with Mike Thom and Colleen Houde

The uplifting, new film WALKING WITH HERB takes audiences on an 18-hole rollercoaster ride as one man discovers how the impossible can become possible through faith, family and second chances . . . and with the help of God’s motorcycle-riding messenger. WALKING WITH HERB premieres April 30, May 1, and May 3 for a three-night nationwide Fathom Events limited engagement. Today on Connections, Kathle...

The uplifting, new film WALKING WITH HERB takes audiences on an 18-hole rollercoaster ride as one man discovers how the impossible can become possible through faith, family and second chances . . . and with the help of God’s motorcycle-riding messenger. Today on Connections, Joe S. Bullock, associate producer and author of the book this film is based on, shares the inspiration behind this film, wh...

Host of the Canadian Christian television program A Better Us, and former host of 100 Huntley Street, Ann Mainse knows firsthand what it means for life to take an unexpected twist. Just over a year ago, Mainse received a devastating phone call from her doctor, informing her of a cancer diagnosis. Mainse unpacks her story of healing in her new devotional, Coffee with Him: Mornings with God on an Un...

Cyndi Desjardins Wilkens was a successful business manager, working in product and sales as well as marketing management. She had also just given birth to her son when necrotizing fasciitis (otherwise known as flesh-eating disease) entered her life and altered it forever.    As she grappled with the challenges of an unknown future, Cyndi was left with a question; Why did God allow this to happen t...

God is good and powerful and wants the best for your life. He has big plans for you. You believe these things are true. But what is your own responsibility as a man when it comes to becoming all God created you to be? How can you walk in victory and faith and make an impact on others for God? Kingdom Men Rising challenges men to foster personal discipleship and apply discipleship skills and a lead...

Today is Earth Day. Every year on April 22nd, people across the country recognize and celebrate Earth Day, one of the largest environmental events in the world.  The goal is not only to promote Earth Day just once a year but to connect people to nature every day.  A Rocha is an international Christian organization which, inspired by God’s love, engages in scientific research, environmental educati...

In the new film CHURCH PEOPLE, Thor Ramsey tackles a serious topic in a very lighthearted setting which he hopes will both educate and entertain. A heartfelt and laugh-out-loud faith-based comedy film, CHURCH PEOPLE is the story of real people with real struggles and their unique paths to discovering what faith in Jesus is all about. Today on Connections, Thor Ramsey shares the inspiration behind...

Mike Donehey has seen his fair share of the unexpected. Following a potentially fatal car crash as a teen, Mike learned to play the guitar while still in bed recovering from his injuries. Learning the guitar quickly gave birth to songwriting, and that songwriting quickly led to the formation of a band. That band, Tenth Avenue North, became one of the most loved and successful artists in Christian...

It’s so easy to get distracted, overwhelmed or consumed by the changes, complexity and competing voices swirling around us. In our one-click, next-day-delivery culture, we can lose focus not just on what matters most, but on who matters most.  Dr. Steve Brown, Arrow Leadership President has released, Jesus Centered: Focusing on Jesus in a Distracted World - a book to address just that. Today on Co...

If recent years have taught us anything, it’s this: conversations about religion have become loaded. In a society where religion and faith have increasingly become polarizing topics, it’s clear that we need informed perspectives and thoughtful conversation.  Faith Today senior editors Bill Fledderus and Karen Stiller are stepping up to offer a trustworthy, accessible place for Christians to better...

Steve Bell recently received his 5th Juno award nomination for his latest album Wouldn't You Love to Know? that he released on November 1, 2020. There is a special story behind that album and today on Connections, Steve shares that story and chats a bit about what the past year has been like for him and his music.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jon Buller is a recording artist as well as founder & director of Hear the Music Ministries and the Levite Summit. Over the last 20 years, Jon Buller has contributed an eclectic and growing catalogue of music to the artistic landscape of Canada. The pandemic has impacted his career in many ways, but he has managed to adapt using technology. Today on Connection, Jon shares with us what life has loo...

Amy Hayward grew up in Winnipeg, MB and currently lives in Redding, CA. She has a passion for seeing the church come into the fullness of its calling across North America. For most of her life, Amy found it impossible to believe that she was not only loved but was someone that God chose to speak to and through. Through years of healing, God showed her the truth of her identity in relationship to H...

A Week Away is an American teen faith-based romantic musical film co-produced and directed by Roman White with a screenplay by Alan Powell (Anthem Lights)  and Kali Bailey. The first-ever faith-based musical to hit Nextflix focuses around a troubled teen and his involvement in a summer Bible camp following a run-in with law enforcement. The film was shot in Nashville, will feature reimagined songs...

April is Parkinson"s awareness month. According to today's guest, Tim Hague Sr., it has been widely noted that over the past 25 years Parkinson's disease has doubled in prevalence to some 10 million people worldwide and it is projected to double again by the year 2040. He says Parkinson's has become the fastest growing Neurological disease on the planet outpacing ALS, Alzheimer's, MS, and stroke. ...

We live in a time of radical church decline where one-third of religious buildings in Canada will be abandoned in the next 10-years. Christians find themselves listening to pastors’ messages through a podcast or YouTube video rather than going to a physical church service. In light of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, churches all over the world have moved their services online, begging the questio...

Do you worry a lot? Do you find it impossible to work in the middle of chaos? Do you wonder if God is going to come through for you in difficult times? Jenny Donnelly, a speaker, entrepreneur, best-selling author and mother of five is using her new book, Still: 7 ways to find calm in the chaos, to teach us how to experience true, life-giving rest even in the midst of chaos. Today on Connections sh...

Over 90 percent of couples experience some level of tension around money. In fact, money issues are the number one stressor in relationships. So many books try to fix the surface problems, such as how to budget and what to prioritize when it comes to finances, but the issues go much deeper than just a simple spreadsheet. In a groundbreaking three-year study, relationship researchers Shaunti and Je...

We know there are certain things we must have to survive—food, shelter, and safety to name a few. But there are also aspects of life that truly allow us to be joyful and fulfilled. For popular podcaster and bestselling author Annie F. Downs, fun is close to the top of that list.   With That Sounds Fun, Annie offers an irresistible invitation to understand the meaning of fun, to embrace it and chas...

Chaos. Violence. Confusion. Anxiety. How do we know what’s true when there are so many differing voices telling us what to do? After travelling the world for 23 years in the rock band, Skillet, John L. Cooper has noticed one consistent issue: people are desperately confused. In his new book, Awake and Alive to Truth, John tackles the reigning philosophies of our day of post-modernism, relativism,...

To be human means to try and sometimes fail, to love and sometimes lose, to risk and sometimes regret. There are times when we realize where our choices have brought us, and we’re afraid to be honest—with ourselves, with others, with God—about how we’re really feeling and how we got to where we are. Because what if no one understands? What if they think less of us? What if God is disappointed with...

Worry, stress and anxiety are all emotions that people are dealing with as the global pandemic drags on. Tara Lalonde is an author and registered psychotherapist practicing in Ontario. She reminds us that worry is imaginary and it's as simple as changing our perspective.  In today's episode of Connections, Tara shares with us ways that we can start believing that worry is imaginary, as well as exa...

Bella Thomson is a 7-year-old Swift Current girl who has gone viral on TikTok after a video of hers racked up 12 million views   Bella suffers from Hirschsprung disease; a bowel disorder that has necessitated several surgeries. She is now scheduled for a bowel transplant in mid-April. As well, combined immunodeficiency and cartilage-hair hypoplasia has meant that Bella has spent the better part of...

Today is Purple Day, an international grassroots effort dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy worldwide. On March 26th annually, people in countries around the world are invited to wear purple and host events in support of epilepsy awareness. Today on Connections we're joined by Denise Hoeppner and her son, Jonathan who was diagnosed with epilepsy when he was 16 years old.  They'll shar...

Shawna Cain is a singer and songwriter from Brampton, Ontario who released her debut EP on October 2nd, 2020. That album was recently nominated for a Juno for Contemporary Christian/ Gospel Album of The Year. Shawna writes original music that is infused with R&B, trap, Jazz, hip hop, and reggae styles with a message from above. Her music is based on her personal walk within her faith, interactions...