Diary of an Overcomer Podcast

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful installment of Diary of an Overcomer , we sit down with author Daniel Marin to discuss his journey through the shadows of mental illness and the light he found on the other side. Daniel opens up about his personal battles with bipolar disorder, a journey he describes as moving from "the throne of a living hell" to a life of freedom and purpose. Daniel&ap...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Carol and Jen discuss a little know and talked about threat to the peace and health of a person and that is loneliness. Carol and Jen discuss the surprising studies that have come out about the detrimental effects of loneliness and how we can help ourselves and others overcome those effects.  

Send us Fan Mail Carol and Jen welcome guest Wade Milyard. Fresh Step Laundry was founded by Wade Milyard in the summer of 2024. The inspiration for this initiative came from his experiences meeting unhoused individuals in Frederick during his time working as a police officer.  He observed firsthand how essential having clean clothes was for their dignity and well-being. Recognizing this critical...

Send us Fan Mail Carol and Jen are starting out this new season and new year talking through what it is like for those living on the streets in the colder months of the year and how we can help them in practical ways. This episode is aimed to get us to think out of our own boxes and imagine what it would be like to live with out warm clothes, a roof over our heads, what it is like to be sick and n...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Carol and Jen talk about the essentials for those walking through recovery and the family and friends that love them, and how to get prepared for the holiday parties and gatherings keeping your sobriety in tact. The National Helpline— 1-800-662-HELP (4357) —provides 24-hour free and confidential treatment referral and information about mental and/or substance use...

Send us Fan Mail October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and our guest for this episode is Celina. Celina came from a severely abusive marriage that started out loving and escalated over the years into controlling and then physical violence. She shares with Carol and Jen what her life was like before coming to Shepherd's Gate and what it's like now.  Her story will shock you, she is...

Send us Fan Mail Jason joins Carol and Jen on this episode to share his journey through addiction to Jesus. His Overcomer's Story is raw and real and it is inspiring!  www.shepherdsgate.org 

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, we're confronting a crisis that has become a defining tragedy of our time: the fentanyl epidemic . While this deadly synthetic opioid is claiming lives across the entire country, its impact has been especially devastating right here in our own backyard, the Bay Area.  From the streets of San Francisco to the suburbs of the East Bay, this powerful and often se...

Send us Fan Mail Carol and Jen welcome this episode's guest Dani Sumner, host of the popular podcast "A Holy Mess", to share about her journey through addiction.  Dani is a Spiritual Director and Life Transformation Coach that has 15 years of sobriety under her belt and shares her wisdom and wit on this episode. Sit back and enjoy. To find out more about Dani or listen to her podcas...

Send us Fan Mail Carol and Jen talk with Yvonne Garcia in the episode of Diary of an Overcomer. Yvonne was at Shepherd's Gate in 2013. From 23 years old to 49 years old Yvonne lived addicted to drugs, many of those years living on the streets and enduring horrific traumas. She has just celebrated 12 YEARS being clean and sober and her story is inspiring!  To find out more about Shepherd'...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Diary of an Overcomer Carol and Jen welcome guest Kai Evans who is a graduate of Shepherd's Gate as well as a past employee. Kai shares about her childhood filled with sexual abuse and assault, poverty and homelessness and how she survived to go onto college and into the corporate world where she was introduced to drugs. She shares openly about her addictio...

Send us Fan Mail Carol and Jen welcome Angela to the podcast in this episode. Angela was a graduate of Shepherd's Gate 20 years ago and has done some amazing things with her life since. Listen in you are sure to be encouraged! www.shepherdsgate.org

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Carol and Jen talk about the last 40 years of Shepherd's Gate, what it started out as, and what the ministry has become. They also discuss the changing trends in addiction and homelessness. The conversation is interesting and informative, take a listen! If you are suffering from addiction, homelessness, domestic violence or a victim of sex trafficking go to ww...

Send us Fan Mail Carol and Jen are excited to welcome Angela Vidal, the future Director of Shepherd's Gate Brentwood! Angela's story is inspiring and her personality is contagious as she shares about how she came to work at Shepherd's Gate and how she feels about being the youngest Director in Shepherd's Gate's 40 year history. 

Send us Fan Mail This is a break from our regularly scheduled programming, as our host Jen Harp, shares her heart about people experiencing homelessness and gives her very simple ways to help one person at a time.  If you have any questions or comments please email Jen at jen@biggirlonamission.com.  To find out more about Shepherd's Gate go to www.shepherdsgate.org.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Carol and Jen welcome past Shepherd's Gate employee Jasmine Swearigen. Jasmine shares about her walk through addiction and her inspiring overcomer's story. To find out more about Shepherd's Gate go to our website at www.shepherdsgate.org.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Jen and Carol welcome Sara Stoebe as their guest on the podcast. Sara has an amazing story of overcoming domestic violence and addiction, she came to Shepherd's Gate when the ministry was in the original home and Alice Ann, the founder, was still working there! Sara's transparency about her struggle with alcohol is so inspiring and how God has brought her...

Send us Fan Mail This episode Carol and Jen welcome one of our Alumni from over 12 years ago, Kerri Mueller! Kerri gradated from our Brentwood campus and over the past 12 years has stayed clean and sober and has helped other people struggling with addictions. She currently spends time counseling young women struggling with the decision to keep their babies. For more information about Shepherd&apos...

Send us Fan Mail This is the 3rd testimony story in our our Shepherd's Gate 40th Anniversary celebration on the podcast! In this episode, Carol and Jen sit down with Shannon, a graduate of Shepherd's Gate. Shannon shares about why she came to Shepherd's Gate and what she found there, she shares about her 14 years of sobriety and what she has been up to since graduating.  So much goo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we welcome another past graduate from Shepherd's Gate, Sunee! Sunee first came to Shepherd's Gate in 2001 and in the last 23 years she has allowed God to create an amazing life for her and her girls, take a listen and be inspired! To find out more about Shepherd's Gate go to www.shepherdsgate.org

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we are so excited for you to meet Charla Skinner! Charla graduated from Shepherd's Gate 19 years ago and the Lord has used her to do mighty works in His name! Her story starts as one of abuse and addiction until she finds Jesus at Shepherd's Gate and then the restoration that has happened in her life will surely encourage and inspire you! Take a listen an...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Diary of an Overcomer, Carol and Jen welcome long-time Shepherd's Gate staff member, Terri Dominguez. Terri started out in the ministry volunteering and over the past 18 years has worked in a variety of roles which has helped her tremendously to do the position she now holds as the HR Manager. The three women discuss nonprofit work and have a few pieces of...

Send us Fan Mail When Autumn married her husband she had no idea the kind of abuse she would receive at his hands. Lots of fear and shame as she would flee from him only to return days or weeks later, until she came to Shepherd's Gate! Autumn shares her story of overcoming and what she is doing now after 7 years! National Domestic Violence Hotline  24/7. Call 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) https://www...

Send us Fan Mail This year, 2024, Shepherd’s Gate turns 40!! Yep, that’s right it has been 40 years since the doors of our first shelter opened and began serving women and children in the Bay Area of California. And in today’s episode we are going to be sharing the story of the original Overcomer and the founder of Shepherd’s Gate Alice Ann Cantelow, so grab a coffee, sit back and get ready to be...

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode of Diary of an Overcomer, Carol and Jen welcome Annette Bermudez to the podcast. Annette works at Patelco Credit Union and volunteers at Shepherd's Gate to teach the women how to get their credit and finances in order. This is a VITAL step in becoming an overcomer, many of the women who come to us have debt and have never been taught about credit and b...