Connections with Mike Thom and Colleen Houde

As a young boy struggling to find his way through the immense poverty, secrecy and war-time suffering that gripped his life in Northern Ireland, Ray Barnett dreamed of a life of adventure and travel like that of his hero: famed missionary-explorer David Livingstone. As an adult, he has lived that life—leading a human-rights based ministry that has brought hope, healing and humanitarian aid to hund...

A few months after their fiftieth wedding anniversary, Helene Berger’s husband, Ady, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. When he got the news from the doctor, he responded, “I don’t want to live anymore.” From that moment on, Helene faced her husband’s diagnosis with a fierce determination to find creative ways to make their lives as fulfilling as possible, for as long as possible. She chronicles this...

As we continue to deal with the restrictions that come along with the COVID-19 pandemic, those suffering from addictions and those in recovery can feel isolated, even more so when recovery programs and support groups are no longer available. Melissa Hiebert, who herself is in recovery and 14 months sober, has started her own online support group called "The Circle". See omnystudio.com/listener for...

Have you ever lost a pet, or had to put your pet to sleep? Even though we try to tell ourselves that it is just an animal, a cat or a dog, there is still a tremendous sense of grief. Now imagine that you accidentally killed your pet; the sense of loss is amplified. That is precisely what a boy, Mark D. Bruce, felt at the age of 10, when tragedy struck during a backyard baseball game in the summer...

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...

In today’s world, struggles with anxiety seem to be reaching epidemic levels. Stress has become a normal part of life, and fear dominates the headlines on a never-ending news cycle. Now, pastor, former NCAA basketball player, radio show host, and licensed counsellor David Chadwick takes on the subject firsthand. In his new book, Moving Beyond Anxiety: 12 Practical Strategies to Renew Your Mind, Ch...

Too often, when a life crisis hits, a marriage suffers--even a healthy one--and all the personality profiles and couples' therapy in the world won't keep your marriage from experiencing the tough stuff. So how do you and your spouse face the stresses put on your marriage and not only stay together but come out on the other side even more loving and committed? See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...

Too often, when a life crisis hits, a marriage suffers--even a healthy one--and all the personality profiles and couples' therapy in the world won't keep your marriage from experiencing the tough stuff. So how do you and your spouse face the stresses put on your marriage and not only stay together but come out on the other side even more loving and committed? See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...

Imagine giving birth to twins eight weeks early while both yourself and your spouse are suffering from COVID-19. That's exactly what happened to Jennifer and Andre Laubach. When Jennifer first entered her third trimester, she started feeling symptoms of the novel coronavirus. A short time later her husband Andre also began to feel ill. At just 32 weeks, and awaiting COVID-19 test results, Jennifer...

Being an ER doctor or someone working on the frontline is challenging at the best of times. Throw in a global pandemic and it takes challenging to a whole new level. Dr. Mark Bruce is an emergency medicine physician in Wisconsin. He has also travelled with the international medical ministry in Central America, Asia, Europe, and Africa, and led many teams into the Asian disaster zones for medical r...

A church in Moncton, New Brunswick is sharing its history with the goal of bringing a glimmer of hope to those struggling through the COVID-19 pandemic. In 1913, First Baptist Church in Moncton burned to the ground. Within two days the congregation agreed to rebuild, a project that would take two years to complete. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Languedoc (born Alfie Petonoquot) has worn the label "incorrigible” since he was a toddler. Born on a reserve in Ontario in 1955, Alfie lost both parents by the time he was 3. Placed in the care of Ontario's Children's Aid Society, Alfie endured a revolving door of foster families — 18 in all — by the time he was 4, cementing his nickname in the minds of those around him and securing his pla...

David Languedoc (born Alfie Petonoquot) has worn the label "incorrigible” since he was a toddler. Born on a reserve in Ontario in 1955, Alfie lost both parents by the time he was 3. Placed in the care of Ontario's Children's Aid Society, Alfie endured a revolving door of foster families — 18 in all — by the time he was 4, cementing his nickname in the minds of those around him and securing his pla...

magine being the CEO of a company that is processing over a billion dollars. Now imagine doing that while in your 20's. Dan Price started Gravity Payments, a credit card processing and financial services company, from his university dorm room when he was just 19 years old. By the time he was 31 years old, he was a millionaire. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ver 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 Jef...

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. While most of us think...

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. While most of us think...

Do you ever feel like life is passing you by? Have you ever let fear hold you back from pursuing a goal or dream? Best selling author, entrepreneur and mother, Ruth Soukop answers those questions and many more in her book, Do it Scared. She combines practical, easy-to-implement strategies for overcoming fear and resistance in your life, along with the motivation and encouragement to actually start...

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage on around the globe, have you ever wondered how hospitals and healthcare were formed? Christians played a huge role in this area, becoming some of the first people to help the sick and needy. Today we're joined by Michael Austin. He is the spokesperson for Christian History Magazine. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage on around the globe, have you ever wondered how hospitals and healthcare were formed? Christians played a huge role in this area, becoming some of the first people to help the sick and needy. Today we're joined by Michael Austin. He is the spokesperson for Christian History Magazine. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today is the 50th anniversary of 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. And although we are dealing with the COVID- 19 pandemic and all the restrictions that come along with it, there a...

As we continue to deal with the COVID 19 pandemic, one thing that remains the same is the need for food. Although life around us has changed, it is still important to eat and keep ourselves healthy. For many of us, we are now into week 5 of self-isolation as we deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and that has led many of us to test out our skills in the kitchen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Imagine finding a treasure trove of documents that reveal the forgotten history of your family. That’s what happened to Daniel Schwab in 2009 when he discovered his grandfather’s collection of letters written between himself and family members. The letters describe the beginning of the holocaust and the fallout from losing 12 family members. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we deal with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic children are now stuck at home, which means it is time for parents and grandparents to get creative. Speaker, parenting expert and grandmother Susan Alexander Yates has created a practical guide for creating special events that will help you develop meaningful, lasting connections with your extended family, even in the midst of a global pandemic. It's...

First responder families can have increased stress in their homes. That stress can be felt even more these days as we deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and all the unknowns that come along with the virus. Kimberly Williamson, a registered social worker, has created the First Responder Family Wellness Centre to help families deal with all of the emotions and situations families of first responders de...